MovieChat Forums > Da hong denglong gaogao gua (1991) Discussion > Just some comments.

Just some comments.

posted 19 years ago by LauraCohle
6 replies | jump to latest

I'm just a little annoyed that there is alot of people on this board declaring how this movie only portrays how women and their rights were severely oppressed, and that Raise The Red Lantern is all about a group of women and their plight against a traditional Patriachal society.

This film is a complex, subtle and significant piece of work which depicts the Cultural Revolution in China and it's oppression against Chinese society.

I don't want to be rude, and I definitely appreciate everybody's opinions of this film; I just want people to realise, if they do not already know (I realise that there have been past posts discussing the Cultural Revolution and it's relation to this movie), that there is more to this storyline than what it seems.

I think this film is brilliant - I love it. Currently my English class is studying it and we've all found it fascinating. =) If you have not studied or investigated this text in depth, I definitely recommend that you should.

[–] iexplore32 19 years ago

I hate to break it to you, but the Cultural Revolution didn't occur until the late 1960s. This film takes places in the 1920s, long before Communism forever altered China.

[–] ericpecher 19 years ago

I think that Nathalie was talking about the fact that Cultural Revolution is depicted in this movie through another era in a subtle way.

I'm not so sure that director Zhang Yimou intended this, but it may be possible...
For me, movies can be seen in very different ways depending on what people around you tell you about it and what you're expecting from it.
I guess that if you want to see Cultural Revolution references in this story, you'll see them all along.

But again, you could also see a depiction of Capitalism or whatever if you wanted to.
It's a delicate question, way too much for me so that I can clearly state what is really intended in Raise The Red Lantern.
Though, I loved this movie.

[–] LauraCohle 18 years ago

I wasn't saying the Cultural Revolution occured in the late 1960s. To go around stating things like I did, and not be informed about what I'm saying, is ridiculous. I know this film takes place in the 1920s. You should read the next poster's comments.

[–] LauraCohle 18 years ago

Raise the Red Lantern (Simplified Chinese: 大红灯笼高高挂; Traditional Chinese: 大紅燈籠高高掛; pinyin: Dà Hóng Dēnglóng Gāogāo Guà; literally "Hang High the Big Red Lantern") is a 1991 Chinese film, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It was adapted by Ni Zhen from the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong. Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1992, the film is noted for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colors. The film was shot in Qiao's Compound in the ancient city of Pingyao, in Shanxi Province of China. Although the screenplay was approved by Chinese censors, the final version of the film was originally banned in theatres (since then it has been featured on commercial TV in China). Some film critics interprets the film as a veiled allegory against Chinese communist authoritarianism.

- Wikipedia.

I studied this text in my English Studies class. This is what I believe and I'm stickin' to my guns.

[–] ericpecher 18 years ago

"Some film critics interprets the film as a veiled allegory against Chinese communist authoritarianism.

- Wikipedia.

I studied this text in my English Studies class. This is what I believe and I'm stickin' to my guns."

Okay, "some" film critics may have the same point of view.
But "some" else have others...

And by the way, Wikipedia is a wonderful knowledge tool, but it's filled by users like you and I. So, don't take it as a bible... :-)

I know we won't change our point of view about this, though. ;-)

Eric

[–] LauraCohle 18 years ago

=D Cheers.