Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

Synopsis:Raise the Red Lantern (Da hong deng long gao gao gua) is an award-winning 1991 Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwanese co-produced film, directed by Zhang Yimou and starring Gong Li. It is an adaption by Ni Zhen of the 1990 novel Wives and Concubines by Su Tong.
Set in the 1920s, the film tells the story of a young woman who becomes one of the concubines of a wealthy man during the
Warlord Era. It is noted for its opulent visuals and sumptuous use of colours. The film was shot in Qiao's Compound in the ancient city of Pingyao, in Shanxi Province. Although the screenplay was approved by Chinese censors, the final version of the film was banned in China for a period. Some film critics have interpreted the film as a veiled allegory against Chinese communist authoritarianism. The film's popularity has also been attributed to helping Chinese tourism after the government response to the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989.


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