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Movies / On DVD / Curse of the Golden Flower
Curse of the Golden Flower

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Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

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Reviews Counted: 116

Fresh: 75

Rotten:41

Average Rating: 6.4/10

Consensus: Melodrama, swordplay, and CG armies -- fans of martial arts epic will get what they bargain for, though the baroque art direction can be both mesmerizing and exhaustively excessive.

Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release: Dec 21, 2006 Limited

Box Office: $6,466,942

Synopsis: In 2004, Zhang Yimou caused a sensation with his astonishing HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and his CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is yet another dazzling, visually stunning film. Calling again upon the... In 2004, Zhang Yimou caused a sensation with his astonishing HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS, and his CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is yet another dazzling, visually stunning film. Calling again upon the talents of the striking Gong Li, Yimou tells an epic tale of lust and power set in the opulent world of the Later Tang dynasty. The plot follows the story of the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat) and his Empress (Li) and the tragic disintegration of their royal family--whose problems go far beyond the merely dysfunctional. For starters, the ailing Empress has long been having an affair with her stepson, the Crown Prince Wan (Liu Ye). Unbeknownst to her, Wan has been dallying with the Imperial Doctor's daughter (Li Man), and has plans to escape the palace with her. Meanwhile, the Emperor himself has just returned from a long trip, and while relations with his wife are obviously icy, it becomes clear that his plans for her are far more ominous than she could ever imagine. Everyone involved has a secret plan for either escape or domination, resulting in an explosive ending wherein the darkest family secrets are revealed and horrifically bloody battles are waged both inside and outside the walls of the sparkling, gold-encrusted palace. Yimou appears to be trying to balance his flair for telling an emotional story with his talent for thrilling, detail-driven action sequences, and while CURSE's plot does at times seem close to that of a soap opera, the phenomenal performances and breathtaking visuals are more than enough to power the film forward. Fans of Yimou's quieter work (RIDING ALONG FOR THOUSANDS OF MILES) are likely to enjoy the dramatic exploration of family relationships, while there are still plenty of hissing ninjas to satisfy DAGGERS enthusiasts. [More]

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye

Starring: Chow Yun Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, Liu Ye, Chen Jin, Ni Dahong, Li Man, Qin Junjie

Director: Yimou Zhang

Director: Yimou Zhang
Producer: William Kong, Zhang Weiping
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

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Release:

Mar 27, 2007

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35

Audio:

  • Dolby Digital 5.1 - Mandarin
  • Dubbed - English - Optional
  • Subtitles - English, French - Optional
  • Subtitles - English - Closed Captioned

Additional Release Material:

  • Behind The Scenes - Making Of

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Reviews for Curse of the Golden Flower

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Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment Comment
11/20/08
Fred Topel
Hollywood.com
Ratings Image

Um épico que não apenas se encaixa no clima mítico e fantástico do gênero wuxia pian como ainda traz toques claramente shakespeareanos em sua trama repleta de traições e lutas sangrentas por um trono real (ou, neste caso, imperial).

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
01/16/08
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Dark Horizons | comment Comment
01/15/08
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons
Ratings Image

Mucho brillo y color y poca sustancia dramática en esta tragedia épica que emula tanto a Shakespeare como a Kurosawa. Vale la pena sólo por su aspecto visual y, sobre todo, por la siempre intensa Gong Li.

Full Review Source: Uruguay Total | comment Comment
09/17/07
Enrique Buchichio
Uruguay Total
Ratings Image

Spectacular production designs and giant CGI battles can't really disguise a soap opera plot and often hammy acting.

Full Review Source: iAfrica.com | comment Comment
08/02/07
James O'Ehley
iAfrica.com
Ratings Image

Curse of the Golden Flower is, as usual, ravishing to look at, but it seems to be put together solely so that Zhang can assemble hundreds of people in stately rows.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/30/07
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com
Ratings Image

Possibly the first mainstream Chinese representation of the massacre at Tiannamen Square.

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
07/25/07
Walter Chaw
Film Freak Central
Ratings Image

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Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound
Ratings Image

Curse of the Golden Flower is a tragedy in the classic sense which is as devastating as it is entertaining.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies | comment Comment
06/25/07
Todd Gilchrist
IGN Movies
N/R

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Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
05/05/07
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
04/21/07
Philip French
Observer [UK]
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Gorgeous to look at and every bit as ornate as The House of the Flying Daggers. However, the dense and complex plot is a muddle and works best when dealing with the central relationships and matters of the heart.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
04/21/07
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
N/R

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Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
04/17/07
BBC
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
04/14/07
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian [UK]
N/R

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Full Review Source: Times [UK] | comment Comment
04/14/07
Times [UK]
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/13/07
Empire Magazine
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
04/12/07
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
Ratings Image

Beautifully designed, visually stunning epic with impressive battle sequences, although the soap-tastic plot takes a while to really get going.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
04/12/07
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon
Ratings Image

It is an overwrought melodrama set on a background of impressive beauty.This is a beautiful film, but the characters are weak and disappointing from Zhang.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
04/01/07
Mark R. Leeper
rec.arts.movies.reviews
Ratings Image

The film may not hold up to Hero or Flying Daggers, but it contains enough of those film's stunning visual tricks to make it well worth checking out this holiday season.

Full Review Source: UGO | comment Comment
03/24/07
Brian Tallerico
UGO
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Related Forums for Curse of the Golden Flower

Darko, Donnie
(2006)-CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER is a spectacle tailor-made for BIG SCREEN viewing!!
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Golden Flower is not so visually simple
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