Flowers of Shanghai Movie Review 1998

Slow costume drama/soap opera set in the brothels of late 19th-century Shanghai. In this self-contained world, the elegant "flower girls" depend on their ability to hold onto wealthy clients and Crimson (Hada) seems to be losing her charms. Her longtime patron, Wang (Leung Chui Wai), is also seeing Jasmin (Wei). Meanwhile, among the other ladies, Emerald (Reis) is working to buy her freedom and Jade (Hsuan) is refusing other clients because she believes Zhu (Chang) will marry her. Based on the novel "Biographies of Flowers of Shanghai" by Han Ziyun. Mandarin with subtitles.

Distribution

Wellspring Media, A Division of Genius Products, Inc., 2230 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90904, Phone: (310)453-1222, Fax: (310)453-0074, URL: http://www.wellspring.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 125 minutes.
Originally from Japanese, Taiwanese.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Oldest Profession, China, Period Piece: 19th Century

Screenplay

Tien-wen Chu

Cast

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Michiko Hada, Hsiao-hui Wei, Jack Kao, Michelle Reis, Annie Shizuka Inoh, Fang Hsuan, Simon Chang

Cinematography

Mark Lee Ping-Bin

Director

Hou Hsiao-Hsien

Music

Yoshihiro Yanno