Following in the footsteps of such Asian epics as Akira Kurosawa’s RAN, Ang Lee’s CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON and his own HERO and HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, Zhang Yimou’s latest entry in the wuxia martial-arts adventure genre is a ravishing, romantic and ruthless tale featuring political intrigue, a cast of thousands, stunning set pieces, breathtaking action sequences and two of Chinese cinema’s biggest stars: Gong Li (MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE) and Chow Yun-Fat (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, THE POSTMODERN LIFE OF MY AUNT).
China’s official submission for the 2006 Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film, THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is set in China during the Tang dynasty and centres on the romance between Prince Ping (Chow) and an imperial bodyguard named Phoenix (Gong). Numerous forces, including Ping’s stepmother, who is also in love with him, conspire to keep the lovers apart. The two eventually marry and become king and queen, but all is not well in their kingdom. As the royal family’s deep, hidden secrets gradually come to light, a volatile battle for power ensues, pitting the king against the queen and their three sons and unleashing all manner of deceit, passion and betrayal.
Lavishly shot and designed by Academy Award®-nominated cinematographer Zhao Xiading (HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) and award-winning production designer Huo Tingxiao (HERO), THE CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is a feast for the eyes and the heart that recalls the great epics of David Lean (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DOCTOR ZHIVAGO). Zhang once again proves himself a master of lush, sweeping stories, while Chow’s and Gong’s performances will only add to their stature as two of the cinema’s most luminous stars. |
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