| Farewell My Concubine |
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List Price: $9.99
Buy New: $3.98
You Save: $6.01 (60%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 78 reviews)
Sales Rank: 5600
Category: DVD
Director: Kaige Chen
Publisher: Miramax
Studio: Miramax
Manufacturer: Miramax
Label: Miramax
Format: Color, Letterboxed, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: Chinese (Original Language), English (Subtitled)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 157 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
DVD Layers: 2
DVD Sides: 1
Picture Format: Letterbox
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 4.7 x 0.6
ISBN: 0788816101
UPC: 717951002723
EAN: 0717951002723
ASIN: B00002RAPT
Release Date: December 14, 1999
Theatrical Release Date: October 15, 1993
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com essential video
The panorama of 20th-century Chinese history swirls past two men, celebrated actors with their own decidedly specialized view of things. We first observe their lives as children at the Peking Opera training school, a brutal and demanding arena for future actors. While still in training, the effeminate Douzi is chosen to play the transvestite role and the masculine Shitou is chosen to play the royal role in a ritualized play about a king and a concubine. The actors are so good at this performance that they become identified with these roles for their entire careers; through World War II, through the takeover by the Communists, through the insanity of the Cultural Revolution, they are known for their famous parts. Leslie Cheung and Zhang Fengyi are powerful as the two men, and Gong Li (the beautiful leading lady of Raise the Red Lantern) plays the wife of the latter. The movie may be stronger on good old-fashioned melodrama than on profound conclusions, but boy, does it fill up the eyes. The director is Chen Kaige, one of the most talented members of China's "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers, whose daring subject matter (and sometimes bald international ambitions) have often irked the Chinese government. Indeed, though Farewell My Concubine shared the top prize at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival and snagged two Oscar nominations, it had difficulty gaining official approval from China. --Robert Horton
Description
Critically acclaimed as one of the best films of the year, this seductive, award-winning triumph captivated moviegoers the world over. It's the compelling tale of two lifelong friends unexpectedly caught in a passionate love triangle with the woman who comes between them! Academy Award(R)-nominated, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE (1993 -- Best Foreign Language Film) earned the Golden Globe as Best Foreign Film in addition to claiming Best Picture honors at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival! Packed with vivid, provocative imagery throughout, this sensual story of love and betrayal is the hot and exotic must-see movie of the year!
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Customer Reviews: Read 73 more reviews...
 Powerful story,powerful images June 23, 2006
If you liked "Raise the Red Lantern" or "The Last Emperor",this is a perfect movie.Gong Li,who played a concubine fighting with others for her husband's affection now plays a woman who realizes another man loves her husband.
"Farewell My Concubine" uses Chinese opera as a way of telling the story.I used to listen to a lot of Chinese opera--which is an acquired taste.This movie uses the story of a king&his beloved concubine's self-sacrifice to frame the love story between two men.When one of the men falls in love with and marries a woman,the stage is set for a tragic love triangle.The final scenes are chilling,powerful.This is a spectacle not to be missed.
A painful look at China in the 20c. June 11, 2006
"Farewell My Concubine" is the shattering story of two stars of the Beijing Opera whose friendship is torn apart by personal betrayals against the backdrop of the political turmoil of 20c. China. Two young boys endure the brutal training at a famous school and emerge as stars, their fame growing from their roles as the general and concubine in the famous opera which lends its name to the movie. The first and perhaps irreparable breach occurs when one marries--it is clear that their relationship runs more deeply than friendship, at least for one of them. But tragic events overcome this very personal crisis as the Japanese invade, the Nationalists repulse them, the Communists rise, and finally the Cultural Revolution destroys these two men, who really care only to practice their art. The opera itself ends up replaying itself over and over in the lives of the main characters.
This is a long, difficult but very rewarding film. Made by a Chinese director, it's an authentic, not Westernized, view of Chinese art and society. Beijing opera as an art form is quite inaccessible to Westerners, from the stylized movements, to the crashing cymbals and most of all the screechy sounding singing (at least to our ears). It's hard to understand how young boys could be so moved as to cry as they watch a performance. But after awhile, as the film returns to the same scene over and over, the ritual seemed less alien to me, even beautiful. The film may seem slow at times, and the brutality of the school is hard to watch. But it's real drama and tragedy, and worth your time.
A Masterpiece that is Well-Deserving of its Accolades April 17, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
In 1993, at the Cannes Film Festival, "Farewell My Concubine", directed by Chen Kaige became the first mainland Chinese film to win the Palm D'or. And after watching this masterpiece, I can understand why and can't think of a more deserving film to have such a title. The film is a depressing and heartbreaking journey, chornicling the struggles of two peking opera performers and the woman that seemingly changes their lives and their relationship forever. However, the film also speaks on many other levels, touching on issues such as the massive abuse of child performers in the peking opera as well as the issue of homosexuality that seemed to be so closely guarded during this time as well. Additionally, the film gives an accurate account of China's history and the many political struggles that people of China had to endure through. Watching friends become enemies due to one change in government was heartbreaking, and at times too disturbing to watch. Yet that's what makes this a powerful film, and one that needs to be watched by everyone.
The acting in the film is dominated by the performances of three main actors and actresses: Leslie Cheung, known for his Wong Kar Wai roles in Days of Being Wild and Happy Together, which earned Wai Best Director nods at the 1997 Cannes, Gong Li, known for her recent role in Memoirs of A Geisha, and Zhang FengYi. Now Leslie Cheung and Gong Li definitely lived up to their promise, and i was extremely impressed with their acting as well as the way they promoted their roles, especially Cheung, who had to play the role of a discreet homosexual actor, which was probably not an easy role, especially after a role as a ladies man in Days of Being Wild. However, while Cheung and Li should be commended for their roles, FengYi was the one that stood out the most. Granted, the film did focus more on his character than Cheung in many cases, but he demosntrated true emotion and effort in a character that was very complex. When one sees this film, it will be quite easy to understand that his role is not an easy one, due to his up and down character which never really takes a hard stance on anything but acting troughout the movie.
The directing of the movie should also be commended as well. This being my first Chen Kaige film i was a little spectical because it is common from reviews that he is an overrated director in many aspects of filmmaking. However, I believe comments like those are false, because this film was extremely well-paced and not only that, but it remained intense throughout, which is the signal that a director can keep his or her audience focused throughout the whole film. While many people may object to his style of filmmaking, Chen Kaige is a fabulous director and I look forward to his upcoming film, The Promise, coming out in theaters on May 5.
Farwell My Concubine is a history on many levels. In some cases it is a history of China. In other cases it is a history of the Peking Opera, studying both its good and bad aspects. And in some cases, it is a study of homosexuality in China during the early 20th century and how safeguarded it was during this time. Yet whatever one may think the purpose of this film is, it remains a story about friendship, and the challenges two friends went through during the most troublesome of times in Chinese history. And in terms of that, it is one fantastic story to say the least. It may not be the easiest movie to stomach, but "Farewell My Concubine" is a film that must be seen by every avid film fan.
Masterful Film March 22, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is an incredibly a well crafted film not to mention the incredibly compelling story.
a must see .... February 25, 2006
2 out of 4 found this review helpful
this movie gives the recent 'brokeback mountain' a run for its money ....
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