Details
Movie Description
Based on an 1894 novel by Han Ziyun, FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI explores the lavish, elegant, and decadent world of late 19th century Shanghai brothels. Master Wang (played by Hong Kong film star Tony Leung Chiu-Wai) and his friends are wealthy, privileged officials who spend all of their leisure time playing drinking games, eating rich foods, gambling, and smoking pipes full of opium, when visiting their favorite "flower girls." While the men are entertained and indulged in all forms of consumerism, the women tend to the hard business of sexual commerce: paying their bills, keeping close watch over their callers, and trying to save enough to buy their freedom. The "flower girls" are played by some of the most beautiful and respected Asian actresses: Michiko Hada, Michelle Reis, Carina Lau, and Vicky Wei, who turn in strong, nuanced performances. The first Hou Hsiao-Hsien film shot entirely within a studio, its restricted, enclosed sets evoke a sense of static rigidity. Hou perfectly captures the claustrophobic, innervated world of the brothels with fixed camera shots, long takes, and formal blackouts, creating a carefully drawn study of a dying place and time.
Film Notes
Theatrical Release: No U.S. release.
FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI is the first Hou Hsiao-Hsien film to be shot entirely in a studio. Although he wanted to shoot on location in Shanghai, the city had changed and developed too much to try to recreate the look of the late 19th century.
Hong Kong star Maggie Cheung was first offered the role of Crimson. When she declined, the role was given to Michiko Hada.
With the exception of a few instances of Cantonese spoken by Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI is told in Shanghainese dialect, a choice Hou made for accuracy in period detail, as well as to emphasize historical distance, since Mandarin is now the official dialect of China.
Japanese actress Michiko Hada couldn't speak any of the Chinese dialects, so her lines were dubbed in later by Hong Kong actress Pauline Chan.
As is typical of his other films, Hou did not allow rehearsals, and shot extended take after take of each scene.
FLOWERS OF SHANGHAI earned Best Director and Best Art Director honors for Hou Hsiao-Hsien and Huang Wen-Ying at the 1998 Asia-Pacific Film Festival.
Quotations
"Women like us are never responsible, if our fortunes are lost and we are left penniless."--Flower girl to Master Wang (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai).
"She gets a few bookings and she's full of herself."--Pearl (Carina Lau) to her caller, regarding another Flower girl.
"If you're afraid of pain you should be an official's wife or daughter, not a flower girl!"--Emerald (Michelle Reis) to a young Flower girl.
"Am I still your mistress? I am less than a chicken, I can't be called 'Mistress'."--Crimson (Michiko Hada) to Master Wang.
"Honest flower girls are so devious these days"--Pearl to a male caller.
"So young and yet so cruel--you'll come to a bad end."--Mrs. Huang to Emerald.
"Good people wouldn't be in this profession."--Emerald to Master Luo (Jack Kao).
"You cruel and terrible man! You said you'd die with me! I'm taking you to hell!"--Jade (Fang Shuan) to her caller.
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