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.
The Superbit
titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding
process which optimizes video quality while offering a
choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These
titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures
Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and
comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page
booklet that contains technical information on the
Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc
normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can
be encoded at double their normal bit rate while
maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format!!
Features/Specifications
Attractive Retail Box
Rating:
PG-13 (MPAA)
Rating Reason: Martial
Arts
Violence and Some Sexuality.
Starring:
Chang Chen, Pei Pei Cheng, Chow Yun Fat, Xian Gao,
Yan Hai, Michelle Khan, Fa Zeng Li, Li Li, Sihung
Lung, Deming Wang, Michelle Yeoh, Chow Yun Fat, Chow
Yun-Fat, Zhang Ziyi
Directed By: Lee Ang,
Ang Lee
Release Information:
Studio: Columbia/Tristar Studios
Theatrical Release Date: December
8, 2000
DVD Release Date: October 9, 2001
Run Time: 120 minutes
Production Company: Columbia/Tristar
Studios
Package Type: Keep Case
DVD Features:
Encoding: Region 1 (U.S.
and Canada only.) This DVD will probably NOT
be viewable in other countries.
Format:
Superbit
Generic Superbit informative
booklet with 1 sheet scene selection insert in the
booklet that is title specific.
Aspect Ratio(s):
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.35:1
Layers: Dual
Available Audio Tracks:
Chinese (Mandarin) (DTS Digital
Surround)
Chinese (Mandarin) (Dolby Digital
5.1 Surround)
English (Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround)
English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
Language:
Chinese/Mandarin
Subtitles: English, French,
Portuguese, Korean, Spanish, Thai, Chinese
Closed Captioned: Yes
Additional Release Material:
Audio Commentary - 1. Ang Lee -
Director, James Schamus - Writer
Featurette - 1. Making of (From
BRAVO): UNLEASHING THE DRAGON
