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 Big red lantern high high hang) is an award-winning 1991 Chinese-Hong Kong-Taiwan 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. The film was later adapted into an acclaimed ballet of the same title by the National Ballet of China, directed by Zhang Yimou himself. 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 colors. 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 what was then recent government response to the Tiananmen Square Protests of 1989. (via Wikipedia)

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About Raise the Red Lantern

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Directed By: Zhang Yimou

IMDB ID: 0101640

Starring: Gong Li

Release Date: Sep 10, 1991
Mar 13, 1992
Mar 20, 1992
Sep 1, 1991

Language: Chinese (Mandarin)

Music By: Zhao Jiping

Written By: Su Tong (novel)
Zhen Ni

Country: China

Gross Revenue: $2,603,061 (US Box Office)

Name: Raise the Red Lantern

Length: 125 min.

Editor: Du Yuan

Cinematography: Zhao Fei

Distributed By: MGM

Produced by: Chiu Fu-sheng
Zhang Wenze
Hou Hsiao-hsien

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