Although the strong rhythm of the first half of the script did not run through the whole time, the excellent scheduling, photography and sound effects finally maintained the tension of the film. After all, the main plot still didn't break through the comfort zone of a typical Chinese realism, in contrast to the metaphorical and emotional details that spill over through the suffocating atmosphere. Of course, the structure of story, color application and role shaping are all achieved with excellent and appropriate execution effect.

Zhang Yimou's Academy Award-nominated "Da hong deng long gao gao gua" ("Raise the Red Lantern" in English) is one of the many movies that sets up why China is like it is today. In this case, the focus is the plight of a woman in the Warlord Era. Songlian (Gong Li) is forced to become a concubine for a wealthy man. She is his fourth mistress. Each mistress lives in her own compound, and the lantern of his chosen mistress for the night gets lit. Tension is bound to arise, especially since not every mistress gets equal treatment.The movie is a look at the master's superficial world, and the pseudo-luxury that the mistresses enjoy. The rooms themselves may be colorful, but the compound itself is just as dismal as the mistresses' lives. The unusual blend of colors and music creates a movie like few others. You don't have to know all about China's history to understand what a fine piece of work this is. I recommend it.

Zonglian is a woman forced to drop out of college and marry a wealthy older lord when her father dies. But she is merely a fourth wife who must live in a house, as does her three "sisters". The man chooses one of four wives each night, and red lanterns are lit above the respective wife's house. This causes the wives to resent each other and compete for his attentions, and even Zonglian's maidservant plots against her.After Zonglian gets herself disgraced by making the false claim that she had been impregnated by the lord, she forms a sort of friendship with the formerly jealous third wife, who admits having an affair with the family doctor. But things get even worse when Zonglian is tricked into admitting the secret.China was never a happy place under Communism, but it certainly wasn't much better before it either.

Think of this film as an old school Girls at the Playboy Mansion… on crack.I love this movie so hard. Songlian (played by Li Gong) is my heroine. Not the I- wanna-inject-you-and-listen-to-jazz heroin, but a sad and lonely victim of circumstance rebelling against her fate.The opening scene is Songlian's face, worthy of any Miss China pageant, as a single tear rolls down her cheek she coldly states, "Become a concubine - isn't that a woman's fate?" Yeah, it's gonna be bleak.Each night, the elusive Master will choose 1 of 4 mistresses to bunk with and a flourish of red lanterns are lit outside mistress numero uno's house - enough lanterns to be seen from orbit. Why? As this is tradition. The chosen concubine is served her favourite dish that night. As is tradition. The mistress will receive a strange foot massage. As is tradition. She will be bed by the master and lavished with his attention. As is tradition. Surely as Songlian is Master's newest object of affection he should favour her, yet there are petty forces working against her bitchier than your worst enemy from high school. Each mistress has manipulative ways in which they try to woo to the master. Because they love him? Not even. Akin to Stockholm Syndrome a phenomenon manifests and the isolation and loneliness drives them to jealously compete and be top dawg of the intimate hierarchy. One scene that struck me was when Songlian encountered a Pavlov's Dog effect - her feet ache and itch craving a foot massage when Master chooses to stay with another. Fate is a harsh mistress, more harsh than the ones who inhabit the four houses of this movie. Born a woman, our heroine has been dealt a bad Mahjong hand, but will try to play it best she can. The film is one of contrast and ridicules archaic rituals and traditions yet depicts them with mesmerising aesthetic elegance. It's a masterful piece of work and will haunt you after the end credits have rolled. Moral of the film: Trust no bitch.