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big screen visuals to feast your eyes on
Zhang Yimou's "Curse of The Golden Flower"
OPENS DECEMBER 22 -- New York and Los Angeles (and several other cities)
The film "Curse of The Golden
Flower" is visually stupendous. Directed by Zhang Yimou who in America
earlier this year wowed critics and audiences with the quietly moving drama
"Riding Alone For Thousands of Miles" -- a visually ordinary film by Mr. Zhang's
standards, will give audiences and critics something to really feast their eyes
on with "Curse", his third action film (after 2003's "Hero" and 2004's "House of
Flying Daggers".) Mr. Zhang's prior films have their amazing visual
attributes, but nothing in his illustrious directing career comes close to this.
Says Zhang: "Visual composition is of paramount importance to me. To
heighten the sense of opulence, the color gold is used extensively in the sets,
as well as the costumes. Lighting also plays an important role."
Cinematographer Zhao Ziaoding collaborates with the director to present a rich
palette of color and light unlike that seen in many films.
"Curse of The Golden Flower" is a story set in China's Tang Dynasty (of at least
1,000 years ago), with heightened tensions between the Emperor (Chow Yun Fat -
in the third photo from the bottom of this page) and the ailing Empress (Gong Li
- in the photo second from the bottom). There are other assorted dramas
and secrets in the film. Gong Li has collaborated several times with Mr.
Zhang, including on "Farewell My Concubine" and "To Live". Ms. Li also
appeared this year in Michael Mann's film "Miami Vice", another visually
sumptuous film, which arrives on DVD in the U.S. and Canada on December 5.
"Curse of The Golden Flower" opens on December 22 in New York and Los Angeles to
qualify for Academy Awards Consideration, which judging from the visuals below,
should have little difficulty attaining nominations. (Cinematography, art
direction and costume design are guarantees.) The film is released by Sony
Pictures Classics and will open in select American cities on the 22nd.
The film will make its way around the rest of the U.S. and Canada next year.
All photos by: Bai Xiaoyan
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