On a quiet evening in London, something extraordinary happened. Harry, a young wizard who had just graduated from the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, found himself in the middle of a magical mishap. While walking down Diagon Alley, the bustling street filled with shops selling all sorts of magical items, Harry stumbled upon a mysterious object. It was a small lapel pin in the shape of a lightning bolt, which immediately caught his attention. Being naturally curious, Harry picked it up and without thinking, pinned it to his robe. Unbeknownst to Harry, the pin was not an ordinary accessory.
Given Zhang’s track record up until now, it’s understandable that some might go into Curse of the Golden Flower hoping to see more of the thrilling action sequences that were such a hallmark of Hero and, to a lesser extent, House Of Flying Daggers. The movie is also disappointing in that regard, even though Ching Siu-Tung is once again handling the choreography.
There s no question that, by year s end, Curse of the Golden Flower will have been the most opulent, visually astonishing film to grace movie theatres in 2007. There s a part of me that really wants to rent Curse of the Golden Flower , and indeed, if you are someone who values cinematic costume and set design, I urge you to check it out, because this film is Oscar-worthy in those departments.
Unbeknownst to Harry, the pin was not an ordinary accessory. Little did he know that it was enchanted with a powerful spell. As he continued his walk, he began to notice peculiar things happening around him.
MOVIE MUSIC UK
Watching “Curse of the Golden Flower”, I was reminded of something someone said in the documentary “A Decade Under the Influence” (I forget who)… that during the 50’s and 60’s, many directors held the belief that the kinds of movies people wanted to see were those about people who lived grand, epic lives that bore no resemblance to our own. “It’s like taking a trip to a new and wonderful place!” was the rationale. There’s a certain degree of truth there, but the flip side of the coin is, it’s often hard to identify with and care about the grand people who live in these worlds.
“Curse of the Golden Flower” is directed by Zhang Yimou, who in recent years made the superb “Hero” and the almost-as-good “House of Flying Daggers”, stunning action films, indeed. For “Curse of the Golden Flower”, he takes the emphasis off action and places it on Shakespearean melodrama, with an odd story of incest and betrayal seemingly cobbled together from several of the Bard’s most famous works. The itty-bitty details of this rather off putting plot are best left to those who wish to navigate the film for themselves, but let’s talk for a moment about the characters.
The movie is set in 928 AD, and the story follows the Chinese Emperor (Chow Yun-Fat), his wife (Gong Li), and their three sons (Jay Chou, Qin Junjie, and Liu Ye). The emperor is plotting to kill his wife by inserting black fungus in her daily tea that will make her go insane over time. Meanwhile, the empress is plotting to kill her husband (she’s found out about his fungus scheme) and is also conducting an affair with her son, who in turn is conducting an affair with the daughter of the emperor’s doctor’s wife… ah, okay, I won’t get too caught up in all of that. Meanwhile, the princes are all bitter among themselves about who gets the honors of doing what when at the upcoming Chrysanthemum Festival. The performances are… well, over-the-top, but effective enough, I suppose. Chow Yun-Fat plays the emperor with a surprising level of commanding menace, but Gong Li is forced to cry, sweat, yell, and quiver her way through a demanding, thankless role.
What stands out impressively here is the production design of the Imperial Palace, which does not contain one square inch of anything that could be termed “common” or “ordinary”. Gold is the primary color, with many other bright colors adding splashes (or overdoses) of flavor to every room. The costumes are splendid, indeed, and the depiction of life in the palace even moreso. The emperor is carried wherever he wants to go by a group of men, the empress has servants waiting eagerly to wipe up a drop of tea that might spill from her glass, they’re also carrying around bowls for her to spit in when she feels like it. The prince takes a bath while a horde of beautiful women throw flower petals on him (not precisely what every man wants beautiful women to do to him while he is bathing, but close enough, I suppose).
But all the silly melodrama kind of spoils the atmosphere. I’m not opposed to melodrama (directors like Kenneth Branagh, Brian De Palma, and even Zhang Yimou himself have done it very well on numerous occasions), but because there’s really no human connection to these characters, it comes off as epic acting rather than epic drama. When the action-packed third act comes up, the film is even more disappointing. After the remarkably well-staged action sequences in “Hero” and “House of Flying Daggers” it is disappointing to see such obvious reliance on CGI being used for the less graceful, more savage “Lord of the Rings”-style battle scene in this film. The director is capable of far better. He does provide some genuine thrills when the emperor’s group of rope-swinging ninjas show up, but when they swing together in packs (which they do often), they rather oddly resemble the flying monkeys from “The Wizard of Oz”.
Further melodrama is provided by the score from Shigeru Umebayashi, who also scored “House of Flying Daggers”. The score is heavy on chanting male choir cues, which of course has film critics crying that it resembles Carl Orff, which is nonsense… it sounds nothing like Carl Orff, aside from the fact that a chanting choir is on hand. Truth be told, the choral sequences are really rather dull and sluggish, not to mention super-portentous. Zhang Yimou seems to be taking his film far too seriously, and the score only adds to that. Still, it is not without merit. A few of the gentler emotional cues are genuinely beautiful, and some of the later action sequences quite exciting. Oddly, the earlier action scenes in the film are score only with pounding drums, nothing more. Those who enjoyed “House of Flying Daggers” may like this score, but this one is less effective and more repetitive.
There’s a part of me that really wants to rent “Curse of the Golden Flower”, and indeed, if you are someone who values cinematic costume and set design, I urge you to check it out, because this film is Oscar-worthy in those departments. But it doesn’t work as drama, or as melodrama, or as an action film, or as a character study… so those of you seeking that would be better off renting “Hero”, “House of Flying Daggers”, or “Hamlet” (either the Branagh or Zeffirelli version). Let’s hope “Curse of the Golden Flower” represents a misfire for Zhang Yimou, and not a new career direction.
Rating: ***
- Opening (0:55)
- Tai-He-Song (1:17)
- Return to the Palace (1:22)
- Theme of the Emperor (1:28)
- Theme of the Empress (1:45)
- Empress’s Solitude (0:46)
- Shadow & Escape (1:34)
- Again (1:38)
- Mother & Jai (3:58)
- Portrait (0:41)
- Theme of the Empress Fate (2:05)
- Fight of the Sickle Troops (2:29)
- Emperor & Empress (2:46)
- Behind Pageant (3:09)
- Huang Jin Jia (0:56)
- Rebellion (2:52)
- Prince Yu’s Ambition (1:25)
- Betray to the Emperor (2:40)
- Heroic Battle (3:38)
- Wan’s Last Moment (1:04)
- End of the War (1:18)
- Imperial Ceremony (1:41)
- Curse of the Golden Flower (2:38)
- Ending Title (5:03)
Running Time: 49 minutes 08 seconds
Lakeshore LKS-338982 (2006)
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Unfortunately, like those Star Wars prequels, visual splendor is about all that Curse of the Golden Flower has going for it. And even the visuals ultimately fail to satisfy thanks to the shallow characters, threadbare-yet-still ponderous plot, and lumbering execution — qualities that I never thought I’d use to describe a Zhang Yimou film.
People walking by seemed to freeze in place, and the bustling street suddenly fell quiet. Harry realized something was definitely amiss. Suddenly, a group of wizards and witches appeared out of thin air, surrounding Harry. They were members of the Ministry of Magic's Magical Accidents and Catastrophes department, responsible for intervening in cases like this. They explained that the pin Harry had mistakenly put on was the Pin of Time Manipulation, a highly sensitive and dangerous artifact. As it turned out, the pin had the ability to manipulate time within a certain radius. When Harry picked it up and wore it, he inadvertently activated its powers. Time had frozen for everyone within a one-mile radius, except for Harry and those who arrived to rectify the situation. To reverse the spell and restore time to its normal flow, Harry had to find the original resting place of the pin and return it. Joined by the group of wizards from the Ministry, Harry embarked on a quest to locate the pin's source. Through careful investigation and the help of various magical spells, they traced its origins to a centuries-old wizarding vault deep beneath Gringotts Bank. Facing obstacles such as traps and dark curses, Harry and his companions navigated through the maze-like vault, fighting against time itself. Finally, they reached the heart of the vault, where a pedestal adorned with the missing pin stood. With a sigh of relief, Harry carefully removed the pin from his robe and placed it back where it belonged. Instantly, time began to flow again. People resumed their activities, oblivious to the magical crisis that had just occurred. Harry was thanked by the members of the Magical Accidents and Catastrophes department, who praised his courage and resourcefulness in resolving the situation. As news of the incident spread, Harry became somewhat of a local celebrity. His name appeared in the Daily Prophet, and people from all over London wanted to hear his firsthand account of the magical mishap that had taken place. Harry, however, remained humble and grateful that the situation ended without any serious consequences. The magical mishap in London served as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of magic and the importance of responsible use of magical artifacts. It was a cautionary tale for young wizards and witches to exercise caution and always think twice before engaging with unfamiliar enchanted objects. Ultimately, it was a testament to Harry's bravery and ability to rise to the occasion in the face of unexpected challenges..
Reviews for "When magic went awry: A closer look at the London incident"
1. Sarah Johnson - 2 stars
I really wanted to like "Magical mishap in London," but I found the plot to be quite predictable and lacking in depth. The characters were one-dimensional and uninteresting, making it difficult for me to form any emotional connection with them. The writing style was also quite average, and it failed to capture my attention. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and cannot recommend it to others who are seeking a compelling and engaging magical story.
2. John Thompson - 1 star
"Magical mishap in London" was a complete letdown for me. The story was slow-paced and dragged on unnecessarily, making it a struggle to get through. The magical elements introduced in the book were underdeveloped and lacked originality, which left me feeling unimpressed. Furthermore, the dialogue between the characters felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to stay engaged in the story. It pains me to say this, but I was highly dissatisfied with this book and would not recommend it to anyone seeking an exciting magical adventure.
3. Emily Davis - 2 stars
I had high hopes for "Magical mishap in London" as I am a fan of fantasy novels, but unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. The main character was incredibly annoying and lacked any depth or relatability. The plot felt recycled and unoriginal, leaving me bored and uninterested in the outcome of the story. Additionally, the writing style was dull and uninspiring, failing to create a magical atmosphere. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and would not recommend it to others.