Mei Lanfang's later history - particularly his involvement with the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese war - plays a large part in his acceptance as a cultural hero. Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. Don't have an account? Unfortunately, the transition between actors is where Forever Enthralled deflates.
Lai is a decent actor, but he doesn't bring greater insight into Mei Lanfang, and the performance is ultimately unremarkable.
The hourlong first act features not a single celebrity, yet it is the most riveting part. A burgeoning career and marriage to fellow performer Fu Zhifang (Gillian Chung, in a "can't see her face, but that's her" appearance) signal the end of the beginning for Mei Lanfang. Chen Kaige's initial introduction to Mei Lanfang and his "battle" with Shi Sanyan makes for involving drama. Privacy | The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. credit: Emperor Motion Picture Group, Return Competing performing styles are showcased in beautifully choreographed opera excerpts. Forgot your password?
AP Get the freshest reviews, news, and more delivered right to your inbox! Though still a relative newcomer, Mei Lanfang starts to develop his own style, inspired largely by Qi Rushan (Sun Honglei), a civil servant who's disdainful of the Peking Opera but becomes an instant convert after seeing Mei Lanfang perform. Sitemap | However, Shi Sanyan disagrees as it removes the focus from his male performance. by
Forever Enthralled sags during its mid-portion, but manages to close effectively. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Forever Enthralled has all the ingredients of a credible epic, from beautiful set designs and art direction, to a wonderful soundtrack and elegant costumes, Chen Kaige does not scrimp in making this film look and feel just like it would back in those days of sheer opulence. Qi Rushan preaches reform within the art, asking for greater depth of characterization in the female roles. Curiously, the character remains largely distant. Yu is a magnetic actor, maintaining a delicate equilibrium between Mei's female personas onstage and his straight-male image offstage.
Her confidence and passion compensate for Lai's acting, which alternates between bland and morose. Rotten Tomatoes, home of the Tomatometer, is the most trusted measurement of quality for Movies & TV.
The film's magic wanes a little when Leon Lai enters as the middle-aged Mei. We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. Director Chen Kaige returns to Farewell My Concubine territory, telling the story of famous Peking Opera actor Mei Lanfang and his rise to legendary status. Chen Kaige's wife) essays Fu Zhifang as an older woman, and her role in Mei Lanfang's life is a vital one. and the Terms and Policies, biography. The opera-trained Yu brings an authenticity and freshness to the title role that makes the character seem more authentic and even alluring, bringing some understanding to the rampant male fascination with Mei Lanfang's female characters. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. HONG KONG -- "Forever Enthralled" is a traditional but elegantly mounted biopic of exalted Beijing opera star Mei Lanfang. Forever Enthralled -- Film Review Bottom line: Lovingly re-created period drama on Beijing opera enthralls at times, if not forever. Chen captures the mind of an artist on the threshold of transformation -- jittery about his own genius yet intoxicated by the prospect of revolutionizing culture. TWITTER Cinemark The loss of Gillian Chung as the young Fu Zhifang hurts, not because the film necessarily needed Chung's presence, but because some introduction to Fu Zhifang at a younger age would have helped elucidate the character. This 10-digit number is your confirmation number.
The problem then is that the film doesn't help the uninitiated, who will have to do their own research (Wikipedia, here we come!) Sidney Poitier’s 7 Most Memorable Performances, All Harry Potter Movies Ranked Worst to Best by Tomatometer, Movies Leaving Netflix at the End of October 2020, 6 Horror Films That Will Give You All the Feels… After They Terrify You. Maybe it was restrictions from SARFT or Mei Lanfang's family, or maybe Chen Kaige and co-screenwriters Yan Geiling and Chen Kuo-Fu had a hard time translating Mei Lanfang's story to the screen, but ultimately, Forever Enthralled is a better introduction to Mei Lanfang than an actual biography of him. The director's marquee name and Mei's iconic status in China earned boxoffice takings of nearly $16.5 million in one month. Copyright © Fandango. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. Qi Rushan also continues as a large influence, with Sun Honglei turning in the film's best performance as Mei Lanfang's biggest and most frustrated fan. FACEBOOK The fact that he's doubled during the opera scenes doesn't help, either. However, even before Lai makes his first appearance, the film shows clear narrative gaps, with some details glossed over or even omitted. There are no featured audience reviews for Mei Lanfang (Forever Enthralled) at this time. This rift between senior and junior becomes a full-blown competition, with Shi Sanyan and Mei Lanfang competing for audiences, leading to an affirmation of Mei Lanfang's talent and Qi Rushan's mentoring. , Coming Soon. Mei Lanfang) is a fine historical primer, but as an actual biopic it feels conspicuously lacking. if they want to fill in the blanks. Selection for competition at Berlinale will help generate critical notice as an art house item outside Chinese circles. Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. J.R. 'Bob' Dobbs & The Church of the SubGenius, Fall TV First Look: Find Out What’s Coming, The Best Peacock Original Shows and Movies, All Upcoming Disney Movies: New Disney Live-Action, Animation, Pixar, Marvel, and More.
The image is an example of a ticket confirmation email that AMC sent you when you purchased your ticket. A biography tells of one of China's greatest opera stars. Rising star Mei (Yu Shaoqun) is challenged by his mentor Swallow 13 (Wang Xueqi) to a popularity contest.
© 2020 The Hollywood Reporter Emotionally and dramatically, Forever Enthralled never reaches the heights of Chen's superior Farewell My Concubine, proving only interesting and respectable, and not much more. Sign up here. In his later years, Mei Lanfang meets male-impersonating opera singer Meng Xiaodong (Zhang Ziyi, in a smaller-than-expected role), who would go on to become his lover, but the film never explicitly reveals their relationship to the audience. (Kozo 2009), image
Terms of Use | Chinese censorship likely played a role here, as many facts surrounding Mei Lanfang's life are tiptoed around, if not made purposely ambiguous. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. This is a movie about Mei Lanfang, so we should get to know Mei Lanfang. EMAIL ME. Production: China Film Group, Emperor Motion Pictures, CMC EntertainmentCast: Leon Lai, Zhang Zhiyi, Sun Honglei, Chen Hong, Yu Shaoqun, Wang XueqiDirector: Chen KaigeScreenwriters: Yan Geling, Chen Kuofu, Zhang JialuProducer: Zhao HaichengExecutive producer: Han Sanping, Du JiayiDirector of photography: Zhao XiaoshiArt drector: Liu QingMusic: Zhao JipingCostume designer: Chen TongxunEditor: Zhou YingSales: Emperor Motion PicturesNo rating, 147 minutes. Zhang Ziyi appears only for 35 minutes as Mei's lover Meng Xiaodong, but she gives the romance its sparkle. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. Coming Soon.
| Cookie Settings. Keep checking Rotten Tomatoes for updates! The events and characters surrounding Mei Lanfang turn out to be much more interesting and complex than Mei Lanfang himself - which is a ultimately as much of a knock on the filmmakers as it is on Leon Lai. Just confirm how you got your ticket. The definitive site for Reviews, Trailers, Showtimes, and Tickets About Our Ads
Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Forever Enthralled is a Chinese biographical film directed by Chen Kaige; the film marks Chen's eleventh feature film as a director. Chen Hong (a.k.a. However, none of those positives helps Forever Enthralled match the promise of its subject matter.
Coming Soon. Wang portrays a haughty old guard with the aura of a Shakespearean tragic hero. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie. All rights reserved. It's possible that Mei Lanfang's family (who participated in the production) were interested in a sterling portrait of their ancestor, with the understanding that initiated viewers probably know the truth hidden in the narrative ambiguities. You're almost there!
The film makes much ado about Mei Lanfang's loneliness being the key to his success, but that information never feels like more than explanatory screenwriting. Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. Reviews: 0 users "Forever Enthralled" is a Chinese biographical film directed by Chen Kai Ge; the film marks Chen's eleventh feature film as a director. to Review Archive - F. Please click the link below to receive your verification email. Leon Lai brings more to the character in these later scenes, as it requires the character to display righteous anger - one of Lai's established acting modes. The Hollywood Reporter, LLC is a subsidiary of Prometheus Global Media, LLC. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. For bona fide Chinese opera buffs, the film only lightly touches on Mei's pioneering style, but clearly he is Chen's own projection of an artist's plight in a mercenary, socially bigoted and often politically treacherous world. Once Leon Lai takes over as Mei Lanfang, there's a noticeable shift, the character becoming less defined and compelling.
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