In Raise The Red Lantern, Gong Li plays a College Student, Songlian, who can no longer afford school after her fathers death, and so compromises her situation by becoming the Fourth Mistress of a wealthy landowner. The story follows the life of Songlian and her encounters with her servants and her masters other wives, which she calls sisters. This is an amazing and thought provoking film that couldn’t have had more beautiful acting, screen shots, and sets.
Although this movie is rather disturbing towards the end, and in fact, throughout the entire film, the shots are absolutely gorgeous. The producer of this film, Zhang Yimou, throughout the picture, seemed to rely heavily on very basic vertical shapes. This made the movie twice as intriguing then it already was because it added a simplistic and serene aspect to an otherwise complicated and depressing plot.
There also seemed to be a repetitive continuation of ere yet playful Chinese theater music, often sung by the Third Wife. However, before this music started, there was always a prelude of, oddly enough, and sorrowful and still comforting flute. This played on the theme of how things can look so perfect and peaceful on the outside, yet they are corrupt and immoral when stripped to its core. There was definitely and underlying theme that complimented my last statement.
I also noticed this in the original interpretation of the Mistresses. At first, you are lead to believe that the Second Mistress is one that you can trust, and that the Third Mistress is a jealous snob. Nevertheless, as it turns out, the Second Mistress ends up betraying them all, while the Third is a comfort to Songlian during her times of stress. Unfortunately, Songlian’s foolishness mixed with Second Mistresses’ maliciousness eventually kill’s the Third Mistress.
I would definitely say that, as Shakespeare concluded a long time ago, things are not what they seem. This movie only displays that idea in a more traditional Chinese way, although it is still true in our culture. No matter where you go, you will never be able to understand everything. As humans we only have two eyes in the front of our head, and those eyes do not get to see behind, so we only see a part of what’s going on. What drove Songlian mad was the constant reminder of this reality she could see, and how bleak it was. Maybe if she turned around, she would be able to understand.
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