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The Banquet [Blu-ray] [Region Free]

Ziyi Zhang , Daniel Wu , Xiaogang Feng    Suitable for 15 years and over   Blu-ray
3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
Price: £7.37 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
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Frequently Bought Together

The Banquet [Blu-ray] [Region Free] + Curse of the Golden Flower [Blu-ray] [Region Free]
Price For Both: £15.13

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Product details

  • Actors: Ziyi Zhang, Daniel Wu
  • Directors: Xiaogang Feng
  • Format: PAL
  • Language: Chinese
  • Subtitles: English
  • Region: All Regions (Read more about DVD/Blu-ray formats.)
  • Number of discs: 1
  • Classification: 15
  • Studio: Metrodome Group
  • DVD Release Date: 2 Aug 2010
  • Run Time: 131 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B003L0SDFA
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 22,718 in Film & TV (See Top 100 in Film & TV)

Reviews

Product Description

A spectacular, dazzling and bloody re-imagining of Shakespeare's legendary Hamlet, The Banquet is an epic tale of revenge, violence and betrayal. Locked in a loveless marriage Empress Wan is desperate to keep her forbidden love for Prince Wu Luan from a family divided by cruelty and oppression. When the Emperor suddenly dies, his conniving younger brother Li takes up the throne forcing Wan to marry him. Convinced that this is the only way to protect all she loves from being destroyed by this new power hungry tyrant, Wan agrees - but it isn't long before betrayal, revenge and tragedy strike.

Review

The world's best choreographer, Yuen Wo-Ping might have topped himself with fight scenes --Hollywood Reporter

Superb, A Spectacular Epic ... Prepare To be Gobsmacked ... Mesmerising --Morning Star

Spectacular ... Sensational Battles ... Stunning --Mail On Sunday


Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
1.0 out of 5 stars A Four Star Movie but One Star DVD Presentation 11 Jun 2008
By Roger Rebec VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
I am not the first person to comment on the fact that this DVD does not present the film in its orginal 2.35:1 aspect ratio. Considering how important the visual aspect of this film is, it is criminal that in Region 2 we have to endure a transfer which does not let us see the whole picture. We get around half of it most of the time. Region 2 viewers should revolt against this ever-increasing shoddy practice of giving us something less good than our Region 1 cousins.

The film is very good but not quite excellent. It is beautiful to look at. The score is excellent. The thing that lets it down, and it is something I have noticed in several Chinese films, is that the pace seems to sag about three quarters of the way through. What has been riveting suddenly becomes protracted. It is a shame because there is much to enjoy in this film.

The DVD extras don't amount to a great deal. There is a making of documentary which, although it contains some interesting information on the making of the film, is fairly short.

The film is worth seeing. If you want to see this film on DVD, get the Region 1 version. If your DVD player cannot play Region 1 DVD's, see if you hack it or chip it but don't help promote this shabby practice of selling Region 2 viewers a substandard transfer of a film that is available elsewhere as the director intended it to look.
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27 of 29 people found the following review helpful
By Clever Spud TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:DVD|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)
Which was, of course, The Lion King.

I'll touch on the aspect ratio thing which has been mentioned before. I was aware of this before watching the film and expected it to have more impact than it eventually did. You're left aware of what the film should have been once the opening credits roll un-cropped and then fade back into fullscreen. Aside from that if I hadn't known about it I doubt I would have noticed while watching so it wasn't as big a deal to me as I thought it would be.

The emperor is dead, his young widow is being seduced by (or is it the other way around?)the emperor's brother who intends to be crowned emperor himself, while the emperor's son has removed himself from the court, and its intrigues, to study the arts. NOTE: not martial arts but music, primarily. From here things kick off in spectacular fashion.

To be honest this is one of the first of these Chinese epics that I've managed to follow the plot of, obviously because it's based on Shakespeare's Hamlet and is a bit of a classic. Couple this with stunning set pieces (and not just battles) and the spectacular Chinese scenery and you have one extremely compelling film.

The violence is over the top and bloody but nothing that will have you hiding behind a cushion. The fight scenes seem slightly toned down than some I've seen though there's still a bit of aerobatics and you won't be cheated of epic set piece battles. I think the fights are grittier and it works.

You already know by now whether you're a fan of this sort of film and if you are you should get your hands on it. If you've tried previous films like Crouching Tiger, Hero or House of Flying Daggers and found the extended superheroesque blade-walking high flying jousting just a bit too much for you then at least give this a rental because it's more toned down and brutal than those previous epics.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Blu ray isn't cropped 4 Sep 2010
By P. Kay
Format:Blu-ray
This is a feast of a film - few blu ray reviews here - so a quicky to clarify this isn't like the cropped DVD version that has given this wonderful film such bad reviews. The blu ray sounds and looks wholeheartedly widescreenly magnificent.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting film
This is an interesting Chinese take on Hamlet. The main plot of Hamlet is followed, the King dies, his queen takes up with him brother (the new king) the heir to the throne isn't... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Richard Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars A Chinese version of that play by the bard of Avon
Alas poor Yorick, I could not find him here but all the blood lust, madness and raging passion are here in full force. Read more
Published 2 months ago by M. Taplin
3.0 out of 5 stars Not bad Shakespeare Rehash
Lovers of Shakespeare's will tell you this particular piece is one of his best and this is the one work that Sir William has had plagiarised the most. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Astore Stargazer
3.0 out of 5 stars good but not great
It's good distraction but not as good as some other Asian movies I watched... Still has got beautiful scenes and songs
Published 13 months ago by mddbali
5.0 out of 5 stars great feast
ihave about a dozen of these style of films .great fight scenes .i liked this film very much. never seen or heard about the film. seen a clip and i bought it .
Published 18 months ago by D. Dixon
3.0 out of 5 stars The Banquet [blu-ray]
This is a beautiful film. I enjoyed watching it. However, it is shamefully cropped. I have a 32 inch Sony Bravia and this film sat exactly mid screen with a huge black border on... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Shawn
4.0 out of 5 stars Found Under Another Name
Guys, if you had or watched "The Legend of the Black Scorpion" than no need to buy this DVD. It is the same. Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2010 by Mazen Ayoub
3.0 out of 5 stars delivered to the wrong address...
DVD arrived on time, just to the wrong address... So it cost a bit to fetch it from another city etc. Read more
Published on 28 Sep 2010 by anonymous1010
4.0 out of 5 stars Panoramic spectacle
A huge canvass, goodness knows how many extras and a blazing spectacle of sword fights and battlefield spelndour. Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2010 by Prospero77
5.0 out of 5 stars Succulent and Dripping with Blood
Combine Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet with a Cecil B DeMille cast of thousands and a Chinese sensibility will emerge. Read more
Published on 26 April 2010 by Dr. Delvis Memphistopheles
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