Hey all you festers... Harry here. Noah here had a question about why the flying in CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON.... Why? Because they have powers beyond that of mortal man. If you notice... the more studied you are in the highest forms of this special martial arts style... the easier it is to fly... Michelle Yeoh has to work at it and isn't near as good at it as the other two... who have had better schooling in its methods... This film simply takes place in a time with magic swords and whimsical beauty... It's beautiful beyond words....
hey harry,
I've been going to your site for a month or two now, and I must say you have some really good info up there.
I don't know if you have heard of the Telluride [CO] Film Festival, its been around for about 27 years now every Labor Day weekend, but its not that well known I think, not nearly the level of Cannes or Sundance.
anywise, I'm a resident of Telluride, and had the chance to go to a few films festival, and I must say, you have GOT to keep your eyes open for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This film is directed by Ang Lee (Wedding Banquet, Sense & Sensibility, and Riding With the Devil) and stars Chou Yun Fat and (I think) the woman from Tomorrow Never Dies. I heard it premiered at Cannes this year and received a standing ovation from the film critics after the first fight sequence. This film is probably one of the best kung fu/fighting movies I've ever seen.
If you see this film for no other reason than the fighting sequences (which are frequent and longer than the minute long ones many films have taken to) you will not be disappointed. The choreography is more poetry in motion than fighting, and they are ten times more exciting and spectacular than anything in The Matrix. Although the director Lee never has done a movie of this genre before, its obvious he has studied from the greats and has created a masterpiece.
Beyond that, the epic story behind the movie is gripping, the score is great, and the imagery of feudal China (shot in Taiwan I believe) is breathtaking. I know this probably sounds a little over-enthusiastic, but I am sorta new to the Asian movie scene, so it all seems very fresh and exciting to me. I can remember vividly when I had the privilege to see the US premiere of the anime epic Princess Mononoke at the same festival last year, and since then I have become an avid fan of both the anime genre as well as kung fu.
A few warnings before seeing the movie: 1. It is in Chinese with Eng. subtitles. I don't know if you prefer that to dubbing (I myself do, as dubbing can be so hit-and-miss) 2. The warriors in the film are given this strange ability to nearly fly (with no explanation given within the dialogue). At first, it seems a little hokey, but the director shoots it so beautifully that you learn to accept it as fantasy or even begin to think the characters actually have such an ability.
Please see this film if you have the chance, and recommend it to your fans if you like it. I bet you will.
-Noah
