Review of the red lantern
Review of the red lanternThere are some movies about lifestyles in China and then there is “Raise the Red Lantern.” The film parallels “The Last Emperor” in how a master controls his subjects within his domain. Out of all the Chinese movies that I have extensively viewed, this was the only one that actually, and effectively, captures the lush background of life during this time period.
The film entirely takes place on the grounds of a wealthy master whose only chore seems to be deciding which one of his four wives to sleep with on a given night. In viewing the movie, we are forced to feel sympathetic to the fourth mistress. She was the youngest among the other three who arrives at the estate after studying at the university. Cherished memories of her life before arriving there were ultimately destroyed. In one instance, the master burned the fourth mistress’s flute that her deceased father gave to her. The film evokes feelings of sorrow and disgust, but it manages to fill in humorous bits that alleviate the tense mood.
The film revolves around the master’s polygamist lifestyle and his utter dominance over his wives. When one mistress was good to him, he would decide to sleep with her that night....
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