| Credited cast: | |||
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Joey Wang | ... |
Lotus
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Wilson Lam | ... |
Wu Lung
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Lap-Man Sin | ... |
Simon Hsiao
(as Lap-Man Tan)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Chui-Ling Chan |
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Fung-bing Chan |
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Lap Ban Chan | ... |
Wu Ta's Great Grandmother
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Si-Ngai Chan | ... |
Young Lotus
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Fung-na Cheung |
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Chiao Chiao | ... |
Fortune Teller
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On-Ling Chow |
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Gam-Tim Ho |
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Hao-Chuan Ho |
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Feng Ku | ... |
Principal
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Mo-Fan Kwok |
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Ling-Mei Lai |
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A lovely girl growing up in modern China is haunted by flashes of another time, images that start entering her life for real as she comes of age. It gets harder and harder to tell the past and present apart, and she finds that now, as before, her beauty can be more of a curse than a blessing.
The haunting idea that you must let go of the past in order to be free of it, is driven home by the deeply moving performances of a fine cast. The film is lush and beautiful, rewarding the viewer with fascinating glimpses of the Imperial past and the industrial present.
This film was banned in China because it implies that the Revolution hasn't really changed thingspower is still in the hands of the few, only the names and costumes have changed.
I found this film as a rental and had to get my own copy. Its appeal is enduring, and I've enjoyed it more every time I've watched it.