Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

[Dream]

I finally saw the movie. It was great. I loved all the fights and the story was decent for an action movie. Standout moments include Shu Lien chasing Jen over the rooftops and the funny Jen vs everyone at the restaurant fight. Every time the Green Destiny cut through another sword I couldn't help but chuckle. It's neat how the fighters totally ignore gravity in the movie. They aren't even in The Matrix! Usually I hate love stories but it's done well here. I guess it's because they didn't go with the predictable they lived happily ever ending.

The only thing I didn't like was that there wasn't enough Chow Yun-Fat. For the actor that got his name listed first he really wasn't in the movie very much. The girls definately got the most to do. I thought it was interesting how Ang Lee did a much better action movie with the low budget CTHD compared to the Hulk.

Anyone here also a fan of the movie?

 

[firehawk12]

I don't like the film mostly because it spawned a dozen copycat films where style was privileged over substance. It made me hate wuxia films for a long time, to be honest.

But now I sound like a guy who hates Hannah Montana because she's ruining music.

 

[Agent Richard07]

^ I remember your posts about what proper wuxia is all about. I still think highly of Crouching Tiger though. It was my first exposure to the genre and I liked what it delivered.

I don't see House of Flying Daggers as style over substance, but they did try too hard to use the visual style to promote it.

One I really enjoyed was Hero. It's one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen. It's style is its substance. It's got a decent story too.

 

[zakkrusz]

I like it and own it, but it's depressing, and I just can't give depression inducing things high marks. Beautiful visuals though and the action was superb.

When it comes to Wire-fu stuff I'd highly recomend you all check out a series called Condor Hero. It has an impressive and epic storyline with lots of drama and romance and plenty of interesting action. It follows the adopted son of two famed martial artists. He and his martial arts master, known as The Dragon Lady, fall in love, but due to a misunderstading she leaves him. It chronicles his travels through the war torn country as he searches for her. Along the way, he grows up, and masters many different styles of martial arts from other masters and becomes one of the nations strongest heroes in the war against the Mongolians.

 

[Dream]

I don't see House of Flying Daggers as style over substance, but they did try too hard to use the visual style to promote it.

One I really enjoyed was Hero. It's one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen. It's style is its substance. It's got a decent story too.

I'm planning on seeing those two movies next. I thought Zhang Ziyi was really beautiful as Jen in CTHD and I heard she those movies.

 

[Agent Richard07]

I don't see House of Flying Daggers as style over substance, but they did try too hard to use the visual style to promote it.

One I really enjoyed was Hero. It's one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen. It's style is its substance. It's got a decent story too.

I'm planning on seeing those two movies next. I thought Zhang Ziyi was really beautiful as Jen in CTHD and I heard she those movies.

She was and I think she looked her best in Hero. House of Flying Daggers didn't make the impression on me that I hoped it would. Of the three, I own Hero and Crouching Tiger. They're all worth checking out though.

By the way, Nice avatar zakkrusz.

 

[Christopher]

I feel pretty much the same way -- CTHD and Hero are excellent, Flying Daggers not so much aside from Zhang Ziyi loveliness.

 

[firehawk12]

^ I remember your posts about what proper wuxia is all about. I still think highly of Crouching Tiger though. It was my first exposure to the genre and I liked what it delivered.

You know, John Woo's latest epic - Red Cliff - is going to probably debut here eventually soon and besides the obvious John Woo jokes (slow motion doves with guys in trench coats), I think it's a fair compromise between the style meant to placate western audiences and the story meant to placate the numerous Three Kingdoms fanboys out there.

I just think the "grittiness" of 90s stuff is just more interesting to watch, because they weren't trying to compete with CGI-fests like Star Trek or Transformers... they were just doing their own thing.


I'd probably also recommend Condor Heroes as well... if you could take watching a Chinese TV show. It's definitely a different experience.

 

[Aragorn]

The first time I EVER heard (paraphrasing) "this movie is so much better on DVD with the English dubbing" was this very movie.

The person saying it also didn't think Arlington Road's trailer gave anything away.

 

[Dream]

The first time I EVER heard (paraphrasing) "this movie is so much better on DVD with the English dubbing" was this very movie.

I can't imagine ever watching this movie dubbed. Probably too much unintentional comedy. I was really surprised that the movie was a hit in theaters considering it was shown with subtitles. Good thing Chinese dialogue is default for the dvd (you have to turn on the subtitles though).

 

[Roger Wilco]

I loved the movie when I first watched it in the cinema, mainly because it was just so beautiful visually. When I saw it again on tv some time later it seemed somewhat bland though, don't know.

 

[Dream]

I loved the movie when I first watched it in the cinema, mainly because it was just so beautiful visually. When I saw it again on tv some time later it seemed somewhat bland though, don't know.

Was the movie shown on fullscreen on tv?

I thought the movie was beautifully shot.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Same way any other movie is shown on tv as far as I remember, why wouldn't it be?
eta: it was the German-dubbed version though.

 

[Dream]

Same way any other movie is shown on tv as far as I remember, why wouldn't it be?
eta: it was the German-dubbed version though.

Most widescreen movies shown on tv in fullscreen lose something. A movie like CTHD needs to be seen in widescreen.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Yeah, that's true.

 

[Hermiod]

The first time I EVER heard (paraphrasing) "this movie is so much better on DVD with the English dubbing" was this very movie.

I had a quick listen to the English track on my DVD copy. Instead of replacing the dialogue track in the sound mix they just turned the volume of everything else down and stuck the amateurishly recorded English language track on top, completely wiping out the film's amazing score.

Original language is the only way to go for me.

 

[Christopher]

The first time I EVER heard (paraphrasing) "this movie is so much better on DVD with the English dubbing" was this very movie.

Hmp. I much prefer the original Chinese-language version, in part because Zhang Ziyi's voice is so much sweeter than that of the dub actress.

 

[Harvey]

The first time I saw it, I was with my parents, and they insisted on watching the film with the English soundtrack. I walked out 30 minutes in, and to this day haven't bothered to go back. Like firehawk12, I'm a little annoyed that it spawned so many cheap wuxia films, even if I liked Hero, though not House of Flying Daggers.

 

[Dream]

I don't understand all the complaints about Crouching Tiger just because it was what made wuxia movies popular. That's like blaming the first Star Wars for all the crappy Sci-Fi space movies that have been released over the year. This is the first time I've seen this type of movie and I really liked it. It makes me want to check out other movies like this so it did it's job at entertaining me.

It's looks like the budget for the movie was only $15 million. That's really amazing for what they managed to do.

 

[John Clark]

You know, John Woo's latest epic - Red Cliff - is going to probably debut here eventually soon and besides the obvious John Woo jokes (slow motion doves with guys in trench coats), I think it's a fair compromise between the style meant to placate western audiences and the story meant to placate the numerous Three Kingdoms fanboys out there.

It came out here (UK) last week. I felt it was decent enough, but apparently cut in a major way compared to the local release.