The Butterfly Lovers (1994)

Romantic and tragic

I watched this version of the Butterfly Lovers per AccentedCinema's recommendation. It's such a beautifully tragic story and I think this movie was a concise rendition that neither dragged the story out nor diluted it by over-simplification. There were attempts to add humor and depth to the relationships and I consider both done successfully.
The actors did a good job and while I'm not used to listening to Cantonese since I rarely watch Hong Kong films, I really loved the way they spoke. It just sounded so melodic and nice to the ears.
The production quality is alright....until they try to do special effects! hehe...it was very basic and when you remember this was 1994, it gets a bit awkward but honestly, it didn't redact from the emotional impact of the story.
The actress looks so beautiful in the costumes. The scenery is so gorgeous. The music is melancholic and touching. The whole story has such a romantic air to it. In fact, in many ways, they don't make movies like these anymore where the most important element of the film is the elevation of the human interactions that are being commented on. I wish they made more romance movies like this. It felt cozy and ethereal at once and I honestly enjoyed watching this more than films with much higher production value but vapid stories.
If you can find it, it's definitely worth a watch.

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Beautifully bittersweet

A wonderfully bittersweet update on the classic Chinese Opera, The Lovers thrives on overdone romanticism, but one that consists of lots of muted slapstick, opulent visuals and unbearably cute moments that are impossible to hate. Foremost, this iteration of The Butterfly Lovers is very adorable, wacky, and endearing until it suddenly turns horrifically tragic. One where our doomed lovers cry tears of blood, the sky is tinted pink, purple and orange, with the earth swallowing them whole. It all builds with incredible emotional power as it progresses, largely thanks to Tsui Hark's trademark style and his excellent eye for beautiful imagery. The visuals for the film are utterly luscious, with stunning art direction, production design and cinematography. The performances and chemistry between Charlie Yeung and Nicky Wu are truly breathtaking; you can't help but fall a little in love with them yourself. The music is simply beautiful, elevating the events of the film and immersing it in a dreamlike atmosphere. Sometimes the music alone can make you feel like you're floating in a state of infatuation, or mourning a tragic situation with much sorrow and tears. While The Lovers plays on some rather familiar and dear emotions, it also succeeds at being perhaps the most self-indulgent romance ever heard of, but equally compelling and utterly watchable.

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