Farewell My Concubine
by Kaige Chen
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Da Ying, Fengyi Zhang, Leslie Cheung, Li Gong, Qi L?Director: Kaige Chen
Producer: Bin Hsu
Producer: Donald Ranvaud
Producer: Feng Hsu
Producer: Jade Hsu
Writer: Bik-Wa Lei
Writer: Lillian Lee
Writer: Wei Lu
DVD: 2 Layers, Region Code 1
Audio: Chinese (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled)
Format: Color, Letterboxed, NTSC
Picture Format: Letterbox, 1.85:1
Running Time: 171 minutes
DVD Release Date: 1999-12-14
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax
Movie Reviews of Farewell My Concubine
Movie Review: The best Chinese movie there's ever been, and there will ever be
Summary: 5 Stars
In recent years Kaige Chen has made some very disappointing movies that look extravagent but really have no substance. But if you have seen Farewell, My Concubine, you'll agree that having made this film Kaige Chen can spend the rest of his life making crap and still call himself a good filmmaker.
This movie is, more than anything, a work of art. And it is extraordinary on a number of different levels.
First of all, it covers the Chinese history from 1920s to 1970s, a period in Chinese history whose volitility is unparalled by any other historical periods. The history is played out intimately in the lives of the two main characters. And the film plays out half a century of history without the least feeling of rush. There is an extraordinary attention to detail. In each time period presented, the historical context is applied to the most minute details: the way people dress, the way they talk... is all catered towards creating the most authentic historical experience.
Secondly, the film has presented such an amazing portrayal of Peking Opera. Including the piece "Farewell, My Concubine" itself, every piece of Peking Opera depicted in this film are carefully chosen. They fit in perfectly with the story and help to bring the depth to a whole new level.
Thirdly and most importantly, Leslie Cheung has displayed a quality beyond the word "beauty". Many superficial film critiques claim that this is a movie about homosexuality. But that is not true. It is a movie about beauty and about art. In the character played by Leslie Cheung, gender simply becomes irrelevant. He is the embodiment of a state of mind, that is at once feminin and masculin. From him you see the purest of humanity: beauty, love, loyalty, and a complete devotion to art...
What most people don't know is that when the story was initially written by a famous Hong Kong novelist, the writer herself in fact wrote the story with Leslie Cheung in mind. In a way, the character Cheng Dieyi was made for Leslie Cheung. Or should we say, Leslie Cheung was made for Cheng Dieyi.
Nowadays, in Chinese theatre and in world theatre, movies are becoming increasing commercial. More and more of them are made to please the audience and to hit the box office. And it is harder and harder to find films that are made for the sake of art.
In that sense, Farewell my Concubine is the legacy of a time when filmmakers were still artists.
Summary of Farewell My Concubine
Critically acclaimed as one of the best films of the year, this seductive, award-winning triumph captivated moviegoers the world over. It's the compelling tale of two lifelong friends unexpectedly caught in a passionate love triangle with the woman who comes between them! Academy Award(R)-nominated, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE (1993 -- Best Foreign Language Film) earned the Golden Globe as Best Foreign Film in addition to claiming Best Picture honors at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival! Packed with vivid, provocative imagery throughout, this sensual story of love and betrayal is the hot and exotic must-see movie of the year!The panorama of 20th-century Chinese history swirls past two men, celebrated actors with their own decidedly specialized view of things. We first observe their lives as children at the Peking Opera training school, a brutal and demanding arena for future actors. While still in training, the effeminate Douzi is chosen to play the transvestite role and the masculine Shitou is chosen to play the royal role in a ritualized play about a king and a concubine. The actors are so good at this performance that they become identified with these roles for their entire careers; through World War II, through the takeover by the Communists, through the insanity of the Cultural Revolution, they are known for their famous parts. Leslie Cheung and Zhang Fengyi are powerful as the two men, and Gong Li (the beautiful leading lady of Raise the Red Lantern) plays the wife of the latter. The movie may be stronger on good old-fashioned melodrama than on profound conclusions, but boy, does it fill up the eyes. The director is Chen Kaige, one of the most talented members of China's "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers, whose daring subject matter (and sometimes bald international ambitions) have often irked the Chinese government. Indeed, though Farewell My Concubine shared the top prize at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival and snagged two Oscar nominations, it had difficulty gaining official approval from China. --Robert Horton
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