Curse of the Golden Flower (LTCG Pt.5)

"What I do not give, you must never take by force."

- Emperor Ping (played by actor Chow Yun-Fat)

(Chow Yun-fat as Emperor Ping)

Title: Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Director: Zhang Yimou

Cinematographer: Zhao Xiaoding

Colour Scheme: Technicolour / Tetradic / Complementary

(Gong Li as Empress Phoenix)

This film evokes a strong impression of its complementary colour scheme like Hitchcock used in Vertigo (red/green). The variety of colours we see makes this production show the intense power and wealth that the emperor and his family possess.

Focusing on technicolour: we see the Empress walking with two servants down a multicoloured corridor, emblematic of her walking through every emotion she had at the moment in the film. The blue in the walls would symbolise her sadness and (or from a Chinese point of view) bravery, green would symbolise violence and envy that revolves around her, pink would represent ageing and sensibility and yellow the colour of warning, cruelty and her impulsiveness.

(Technicolour corridor scene)