Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]
by Ang Lee

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]

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Blu-ray details

Actor: Chen Chang, Michelle Yeoh, Sihung Lung, Yun-Fat Chow, Ziyi Zhang
Director: Ang Lee
Brand: SON
Producer: Ang Lee
Producer: David Linde
Producer: Er-Dong Liu
Writer: Du Lu Wang
Writer: Hui-Ling Wang
Writer: James Schamus
Writer: Kuo Jung Tsai
Blu-ray: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Mandarin Chinese (Original Language); English (Original Language); French (Original Language); English (Dubbed); French (Dubbed)
Format: Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 2.40:1
Running Time: 120 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2010-07-27
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Product features:

Condition: New
Format: Blu-ray
Color; Dolby; Subtitled; Widescreen

Blu-ray Reviews of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]

Blu-ray Review: A cross-cultural masterpiece.
Summary: 5 Stars

In my early teens, I was introduced to Asian cinema by Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which I saw at the theater with my family. Before this, I had only watched a few Bruce Lee movies, which of course contained some excellent fight sequences thanks to Lee, not to mention that they were simply wildly entertaining due to the spectacle of watching a talented man at the peak of his craft practically tearing people apart with lightning-fast movements to the accompaniment of hideously upbeat 70's music. Even so, they were less than artful B-movies and so they did not fully prepare me for the majestic and wonderful experience of seeing a real Asian masterpiece like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The movie is well-paced and the acting and dialogue are superb. Each character is fully realized and has nearly palpable motives and concerns, which serves to draw the viewer completely into the story. Even the flashback sequence that takes up a large portion of the middle of the movie does not become tedious, which to me is quite impressive from a writer's standpoint.

There are two romantic stories in this movie that are opposites of each other; one is hardly acknowledged and has been growing with slow tenderness for many years, whereas the other is a passionate, tumultuous fling with an uncertain outcome. The contrast between the expressions of love and the difference between the couples is very interesting and engaging to watch, and it seems to me that even the back and forth between courtly pleasantries and fight scenes serves as a parallel

Speaking of the fight scenes, they are not brutal or bloody, but they are very well choreographed and exciting to watch. It's more like a kind of martial ballet, each participant gracefully attacking and dodging with surprising rapidity. The only complaint I have is that the wire-work used to give them a gliding or flying ability does not seem as carefully implemented as I have seen elsewhere--they have a listless buoyancy at times that remind me of watching wirework during a stage production, where it's very obvious that the characters are suspended somehow. Even so, the movie is so well done otherwise the dodgy wirework is easily overlooked.

As to the plausibility of their being able to fly in the first place, there is no reason to criticize the movie for what is obviously a mythological aspect. In the orient, the idea of martial artists with such transcendent abilities is as common as wizards and elves in the West. It's merely a cultural distinction in the mythology. Recognize that simple fact and there is no reason to become indignant over it.

In closing, I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys both excellent film making and martial arts, and it may even be surprisingly enjoyable to those who would otherwise avoid movies where there is a lot of fighting. As the characters have achieved a state of transcendent ability, so has this movie managed to transcend beyond its genre limitations.

(Also, let me add that the blu-ray picture of this movie is serviceably good, although since it's a bit older it may not be the best reference movie for showing off your flatscreen. Even so, still a beautiful film.)

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Description of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon [Blu-ray]

Named "Best Picture of the Year" by over 100 critics nationwide! Two master warriors (Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh) are faced with their greatest challenge when the treasured Green Destiny sword is stolen. A young aristocrat (Zhang Ziyi) prepares for an arranged marriage, but soon reveals her superior fighting talents and her deeply romantic past. As each warrior battles for justice, they come face to face with their worst enemy - and the inescapable, enduring power of love. Set against 19th-century China's breathtaking landscape, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is the action-packed, box office smash from acclaimed director Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm) featuring stunning martial arts choreography by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix).

Hong Kong wuxia films, or martial arts fantasies, traditionally squeeze poor acting, slapstick humor, and silly story lines between elaborate fight scenes in which characters can literally fly. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon has no shortage of breathtaking battles, but it also has the dramatic soul of a Greek tragedy and the sweep of an epic romance. This is the work of director Ang Lee, who fell in love with movies while watching wuxia films as a youngster and made Crouching Tiger as a tribute to the form. To elevate the genre above its B-movie roots and broaden its appeal, Lee did two important things. First, he assembled an all-star lineup of talent, joining the famous Asian actors Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh with the striking, charismatic newcomer Zhang Ziyi. Behind the scenes, Lee called upon cinematographer Peter Pau (The Killer, The Bride with White Hair) and legendary fight choreographer Yuen Wo-ping, best known outside Asia for his work on The Matrix. Second, in adapting the story from a Chinese pulp-fiction novel written by Wang Du Lu, Lee focused not on the pursuit of a legendary sword known as "The Green Destiny," but instead on the struggles of his female leads against social obligation. In his hands, the requisite fight scenes become another means of expressing the individual spirits of his characters and their conflicts with society and each other.

The filming required an immense effort from all involved. Chow and Yeoh had to learn to speak Mandarin, which Lee insisted on using instead of Cantonese to achieve a more classic, lyrical feel. The astonishing battles between Jen (Zhang) and Yu Shu Lien (Yeoh) on the rooftops and Jen and Li Mu Bai (Chow) atop the branches of bamboo trees required weeks of excruciating wire and harness work (which in turn required meticulous "digital wire removal"). But the result is a seamless blend of action, romance, and social commentary in a populist film that, like its young star Zhang, soars with balletic grace and dignity. --Eugene Wei

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