Raise the Red Lantern (1991) Review: A Chinese Classic
★★★★½ 4.5/5
Essential viewing — a certified classic.
Is Raise the Red Lantern worth watching?
Yes — Raise the Red Lantern remains one of the most celebrated films from China, with a 96/100 Celluloid Editorial Rating and enduring audience appeal. On Celluloid it holds a 96/100 Celluloid Editorial Rating, 91% Audience Snapshot, 93 Metascore, 4.2 on Letterboxd, and 8.1 on IMDb — numbers that explain why it still surfaces on every “best of China” list.
What is Raise the Red Lantern about?
A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord and discovers brutal competition among concubines in 1920s China. Directed by Zhang Yimou, the film stars Gong Li, Ma Jingwu, He Caifei, and remains a reference point for Drama filmmaking from China.
Should you watch Raise the Red Lantern?
Yes, without hesitation — Raise the Red Lantern rewards viewers who want more than algorithm-friendly new releases. At 125 minutes, it more than earns its running time — and the critics’ consensus still resonates today: Zhang Yimou’s claustrophobic palace drama exposes patriarchy with formal beauty and icy precision.
Where can I watch Raise the Red Lantern?
Streaming availability varies by region — check major platforms in your country or local cinemas for revival screenings. Raise the Red Lantern (1991) is widely indexed on IMDb (tt0101640) and remains one of the most searched classic titles from China on CelluloidScore.com.
If you liked Raise the Red Lantern
Ranked by genre overlap and Celluloid Score — full “movies like Raise the Red Lantern” page.
Regional notes: Wavve in South Korea; Prime Video, Hulu, U-NEXT in Japan.