Ju Dou

Ju Dou is a film that is visually a masterpiece but at times was tough to watch because of its moral values. Directed by Zhang Yimou and Yang Fengliang, Ju Dou was released in 1990 and received nominations at the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards (Best Foreign Film). Ju Dou is a romantic tragedy. The film was first released on DVD in 1999 but re-released in 2006 as part of Zhang Yimou's collectors edition DVD. Zhang Yimou is most notably known in America for his martial arts film call Hero starring Jet Li. 

Ju Dou (Gong Li) is a young woman who was bought by an older woman beater named Yang Jinshan (Li Wei). His adoptive nephew Yang Tianqing is works for him at his very successful silk dying plant. On several occasions Tianqing hears yelling and screaming at night coming from his uncle and newly purchased aunts bedroom. At first, he's reluctant to get involved out of fear and respect for his uncle. As the screaming continues Tianqing finally tries to investigate, he picks up an axe and makes his way to his uncles bedroom only to be convinced by his uncle that there isn't much going on. The next day Ju Dou is alone with Tianqing and tells him everything that has been going on. She admits that she is suicidal and is constantly beaten by her husband. At this moment something strange happens, Ju Dou make love right on the dye machine. They never looked back.

A short while later Ju Dou realized that she was pregnant. She told the village and her husband that he (Jinshan) was the father but she was telling a lie, Tianqing had fathered the baby.

The day Tianqing found out he so happy. Surprisingly, he wasn't really worried about his uncle finding out the truth. Soon after the birth of the baby Jinshan was paralyzed. When he eventually found out he did everything in his power to kill his wife, nephew and their son. When the boy grew old he carried Jinshan's name and legacy, he didn't refer to Tianqing as his father but as his brother. Years later, the affair between Ju Dou and Tianqing continued. Their son hated Tianqing and became very violent as he got older. After Jinshan's death, their son went wild. He eventually ended up killing Tianqing later in the movie. 

The cinematography in this movie was great, although is was slow at times it made up for its pace with great dialogue. All the actors were great, especially their son, something stood out about him. The torture scenes in the beginning of the movie were kind of hard to watch. Other than that okay movie. Would recommend it.