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.

Theatrical Release: December 21, 2006

DVD Features:

Anamorphic Widescreen - 2.35
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital 5.1 - Mandarin
Dubbed - English - Optional
Subtitles - English - Closed Captioned
Subtitles - English, French - Optional
Additional Release Material:
Behind the Scenes: Making Of

Yun-Fat Chow: Hong Kong actor, THE KILLER/HARD BOILED
Jay Chou: Actor, INITIAL D
Gong Li: Chinese Actress/"Ju-Dou"
Liu Ye: Actor
Chen Jin: Star, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, (2006)
Ni Dahong: Star, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, (2006)
Li Man: star, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, (2006)
Qin Junjie: star, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, (2006)

Yimou Zhang: Chinese Director/Director Of Photography

William Kong: Producer, CURSE OF THE GOLDEN FLOWER, (2006)
Zhang Weiping: Executive Producer, THE ROAD HOME (2001)

3 stars out of 5 -- "Overflowing with sumptuous visuals, chop-socky mayhem and the finest CG battle since THE RETURN OF THE KING, it's a lavish, lurid, eye-saucering spectacular..."
4 stars out of 5 -- "The director's attention to detail is exquisite, with so much on screen, you'll want to freeze frame every moment to take it all in."
"[There is] ominous buildup in this lavish, dripping-in-gold drama from Zhang Yimou." -- Grade: A
3 stars out of 5 -- "[Gong Li] bites into her role like a juicy apple. The great Chow Yun Fat is her match as the emperor..."