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Farewell My Concubine is a film directed by Chen Kaige, adapted from a novel by Lilian Lee. The title is based on a traditional Chinese tale about a loyal concubine and her defeated king.

The film follows the lives of two members of the Beijing Opera, starting from the grueling training regimen they had to endure as children in the mid 1920s, until shortly after the end of the Cultural Revolution some 50 years later. The delicate Douzi (Leslie Cheung), son of a prostitute who abandons him to the opera when he grows too old to stay at her brothel, and the tough Shitou (Zhang Fengyi), who immediately bonds with and looks out for the younger boy. The film also stars Gong Li as the woman who comes between them.

It's a beautifully crafted picture that makes use of its large budget for some impressive set pieces, elegant costumes, and outstanding cinematography. There are also two layers at work in this ambitious epic. The personal story of the two men, their lifelong friendship and their complicated relationship as it evolves throughout the years; and also a sweeping retelling of the tumultuous history of China from 1924 to 1976.

Director: Kaige Chen
Cast: Leslie Cheung, Fengyi Zhang, Li Gong
Country: China, Hong Kong
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance

BD50, DVD9 | 1080p AVC, PAL | 02:51:14 | 42.9 Gb + 7.26 Gb
Language: Chinese
Subtitles: English

Extras:

• The Making of "Farewell My Concubine" - presented here is an archival featurette with cast and crew interviews and some raw footage from shooting of the film. With optional English subtitles. (24 min).