Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Su Tong (novel)
Ni Zhen (writer)

Release Date:

12 February 1992 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

China, 1920. One master, four wives.

Plot:

China in the 1920's. After her father's death, nineteen year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian...

Plot Keywords:

1920s | Lantern | China | Drunk Scene | Romantic Rivalry

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Li Gong	...	Songlian
Saifei He	...	Meishan (Third Wife)
Cuifen Cao	...	Zhuoyan (Second Wife)
Jingwu Ma	...	The Master
Qi Zhao	...	Housekeeper
Lin Kong	...	Yan'er
Shuyuan Jin	...	Yuru (First Wife)
Weimin Ding	...	Songlian's mother
Zhengyin Cao	...	Old servant
Zhihgang Cui	...	Dr. Gao
Chu Xiao	...	Feipu
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Baotian Li	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Yimou Zhang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Su Tong		novel
Ni Zhen		writer

Produced by
Fu-Sheng Chiu	....	producer
Hsiao-hsien Hou	....	executive producer
Wenze Zhang	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Naoki Tachikawa
Jiping Zhao

Cinematography by
Lun Yang
Fei Zhao

Film Editing by
Yuan Du

Art Direction by
Juiping Cao

Costume Design by
Huamiao Tong

Production Management
Yiting Feng	....	production manager
Dehe Ma	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jianjun He	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Lanhua Li	....	sound

Editorial Department
Tod Scott Brody	....	post-production: USA

Production Companies

• Century Communications
• China Film Co-Production Corporation
• ERA International
• Salon Films

Distributors

• Sandrew Film & Teater (1992) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Alliance Communications Corporation (1992) (Canada) (subtitled)
• Alliance Releasing Home Video (Canada) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Cannes Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Film Arte (Argentina)
• Golem Distribución (Spain)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Momentum Pictures (1991) (UK) (all media)
• Orion Classics (1992) (USA) (subtitled)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)

Also Known As:

Raise the Red Lantern (USA)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

China | Hong Kong | Taiwan

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Company:

Century Communications

Trivia:

"The Master's" face is never seen. It is either obscured behind thin curtains or out of shot.

Quotes:

The Third Concubine: Good or bad, it's all playacting. If you act well, you can fool other people; if you do it badly, you can only fool yourself, and when you can't even fool yourself, you just can fool the ghosts.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Turandot Project (2000)

Amazing film of domestic tragedy in 1920s China

Zhang Yimou solidifies his standing as one of cinema's most brilliant craftsmen with Raise the Red Lantern, a heartbreaking and fascinating look into the life of a young, well-educated woman who gives up her future to become the fourth wife of a wealthy landowner in 1920s China. Gong Li, the director's longtime muse, delivers a performance nearly unsurpassed by anyone, male or female, in the 1990s (and many other decades, as well). Her opening close-up is an indelible image of sorrow and resignation capable of drawing tears out of a statue. Zhang Yimou makes films as exquisitely composed as any master's painting, and his palette extends beyond the obvious beauty of Gong Li to include the details of the courtyards, lanterns, silks, and rooftops with an inexplicable mixture of tranquility and austerity.