Film: Raise The Red Lantern
Director: Zhang Yimou
Country: China
Released: September 1991
Runtime: 125 minutes
Genre: Historical Drama
Studio: ERA International
Influenced: Chen Kaige, Ang Lee, Wong Kar-Wai, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo del Toro
Based on Su Tong's 1990 novella Wives and Concubines, Raise The Red Lantern was one of the early historical dramas from legendary Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Along with other famous Chinese filmmakers who emerged in the 1980s and 90s, such as Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou is considered to be among China's Fifth Generation of directors, whose focus was on artistic and politically subtle films, in contrast to the more propaganda-driven cinema of previous decades. Raise the Red Lantern is set in 1920s China and tells the story of a young woman, known as Lotus or Songlian (Gong Li), who becomes the fourth wife (concubine) of a wealthy man known as the Master. The film offers a profound exploration of power, oppression and the role of women in traditional (and modern) Chinese society.
Songlian, a 19-year-old educated woman whose father has recently died and left the family bankrupt, is forced by her mother to enter the luxurious but oppressive world of the Master's harem, where each night he selects one of his wives to spend the night with based on a ritual involving raising red lanterns. As Songlian becomes increasingly embroiled in the politics and rivalries among the wives, the film explores themes of jealousy, competition and the dehumanising effects of such a patriarchal system. The red lanterns themselves symbolise both desire and entrapment, as they are lit to signify which wife the Master will visit but also serve as a stark reminder of the women's captivity. Zhang Yimou's use of colour and exquisite cinematography makes the film very striking. The vivid reds and intricate set design create a visually captivating and emotionally charged atmosphere.
In a key monologue scene, Songlian expresses her frustration and disillusionment with her role as a concubine in the Master's harem. She laments the limited choices available to women, who are confined to the roles of wives and concubines, subject to the whims and desires of men. She talks about how women are like chickens trapped in a coop, pecking at each other for the Master's favour. This monologue is a reflection of Songlian's growing awareness of the harsh realities of her situation and the profound sense of injustice she feels. It also highlights the film's broader exploration of the constraints placed on women in Chinese society, where their lives are determined by the men who control them. As the wives vie for the Master's favour, tensions escalate, leading to acts of rebellion and ultimately tragic consequences. The film's climax and resolution is poignant, reflecting the harsh realities of life for these women.
While the film critiques traditional Chinese society, it also serves as a preservation of the cultural and historical aspects of that era, offering a window into the customs, rituals and social structures of early 20th-century China. Although the film is set in the 1920s, it indirectly addresses issues that were relevant to China during the time of its release in the early 1990s. This fact wasn't lost on the Chinese censors, who objected to its critical portrayal of traditional Chinese culture and gender dynamics, but the film nevertheless won international acclaim. Raise The Red Lantern was awarded several prizes, including the Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1991, and is now widely considered a masterpiece of Chinese cinema, playing a pivotal role in introducing the country's cinema to the global stage and helping establish Zhang Yimou as one of the world's foremost directors. His popularity with western audiences would peak in the early 2000s, with the release of Hero (2002) and House of Flying Daggers (2004).
P.S. A couple of personal notes. Hero was the film that I took my then girlfriend to watch in Leicester Square on its UK release in 2004 before proposing to her on her doorstep. After getting married, we travelled the world for a year, including a grand tour of China that took in the famous walled city of Pingyao, where Raise The Red Lantern is set.
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