Review of Farewell My Concubine (1993) by M. K — 13 Jul 2009
Perhaps the last truly great "epic", and the co-winner of the 1993 Palme d'Or (with another favorite film of mine, The Piano), it is also director Chen Kaige's only great film in a career populated with interesting experiments and disappointing failures.
The best film to come out of China, it was also one of the last films to utilize Technicolor, and contains the greatest performance from actor Leslie Cheung, whose real life tragically began to mirror his character in this film, culminating in his dramatic suicide from a hotel balcony.
Sweeping in ways most epics only aspire to, and featuring some of the most brutal, honest depictions of the Cultural Revolution you'll ever see, Farewell My Concubine is a fabulous end to a bygone cinematic genre.
(Baz Luhrmann may have revived the musical, but despite Australia being very worthwhile, it seems even he can't return epics to their once lofty position atop the Hollywood heap in the eyes of audiences).
This review of Farewell My Concubine (1993) was written by M. K on 13 Jul 2009.
Farewell My Concubine has generally received very positive reviews.
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