[psycho d]

Curse of the Golden Flower (2006). Jade and gold on the outside, rot and decay on the inside. This was the basic element upon which this epic sized tragedy was erected, a la Chinese. With the hoards of extras used, I kept wondering where they got all of those people, until I realized that China has no lack of extras. This story was a basic Greek-style tragedy told with the backdrop of the Tang Dynasty. The acting was spectacular, with heavies such as the beautiful Gong Li and puissant Yun-Fat Chow leading. The emotional tug of war of intrigues and heroics are wonderfully expressed in facial and body language. These are good people driven by destiny and human nature. With Yimou Zhang at the helm, the story unravels flawlessly amidst sets whose opulence is only challenged by the splendor of color. The hoards of people are expertly choreographed, leading the eye to seek out CGI'd excesses that do not exist. Overall, this is an epic tale that the Chinese got right. Ashe.