Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3607 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-06-18
• Rating: Suitable for 12 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: Mandarin Chinese
• Subtitled in: Arabic, Bulgarian, Czech, English, Greek, Hindi, Hebrew, Hungarian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish
• Dubbed in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 115 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is so many things: an historical epic on a grand scale, an Asian martial-arts flick with both great effects and fantastic fighting (choreographed by The Matrix's guru Yuen Wo Ping), a story of magic, revenge and power played with a posse of star-crossed lovers thrown in for good measure. Set during the Qing dynasty (the late 19th century), the film follows the fortunes of righteous warriors Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien (Asian superstars Chow Yun-Fat and Michelle Yeoh, respectively) whose love for one another has lain too long unspoken. When Li Mu Bai's legendary sword Green Destiny is stolen by wilful aristocrat's daughter Jen (exquisite newcomer Zhang Ziyi), who has been trained in the way of the gangster by Li Mu Bai's arch-rival Jade Fox, the warriors must fight to recover the mystical blade. The plot takes us all across China, from dens of iniquity and sumptuous palaces to the stark plains of the Western desert. Characters chase each other up walls and across roof and treetops to breathtaking effect, and Tan Dun's haunting, Oscar-winning East-West inflected score.

Directed by Taiwanese-born Ang Lee and co-written by his longtime collaborator American James Schamus, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon joins the ranks of the team's slate of high-quality, genre-spanning literary adaptations. Although it superficially seems like a return to Ang's Asian roots, there's a clear throughline connecting this with their earlier, Western films given the thematic focus on propriety and family honour (Sense and Sensibility), repressed emotions (The Ice Storm) and divided loyalties in a time of war (Ride with the Devil). Nonetheless, a film this good needs no prior acquaintance with the director's oeuvre; it stands on its own. The only people who might be dismissive of it are jaded chop-socky fans who will probably feel bored with all the romance. Everyone else will love it. --Leslie Felperin

On the DVD: As might be expected this superb anamorphic widescreen version of the original 2.35:1 theatrical ratio presents Peter Pau's spellbinding cinematography in its full glory; the same goes for the Dolby 5.1 audio track that showcases Tan Dun's haunting score. Annoyingly, however, the default language option is the dubbed English soundtrack, which means you have to select the original Mandarin version before playing. The extra features are good but not exceptional, with an obligatory "making-of" documentary and commentary from Ang Lee and James Schamus being the best options: the director and producer/cowriter chat amiably and in some detail about their martial arts version of Sense and Sensibility. But it's the breathtaking delight of the seeing the movie in such quality that really counts, and this disc does not disappoint. --Mark Walker

Video Description
DVD Special Features:

"Unleashing Dragons: The Making Of" Featurette
Feature Length Commentary by Ang Lee and the Film's Producer
Conversation with Michelle Yeoh - Featurette
2 Trailers
Photo Gallery
Weblink
Filmographies
Animated Menus
Language Choice: Mandarin, English
Multiple Language Subtitles: English, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Hindi, Hebrew, Bulgarian, Greek, Arabic, Portuguese
Dolby Digital 5.1

Synopsis
Known for making films about familial relationships, director Ang Lee surprised everyone with his martial arts epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON. Based on a novel by Wang Du Lu, CROUCHING TIGER starts with the revenge plot common in the wuxia stories that Lee loved as a child, then adds a feminist twist. Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat) is a legendary martial artist who has decided to pass on his sword, the Green Destiny, to a friend. Soon afterward, the sword is stolen by a masked female, setting in motion events that test the bonds of family, love, duty, and sisterhood. Chow appears with three generations of female stars: Cheng Pei Pei, a 1960s action heroine; Michelle Yeoh, the beauty queen turned 1980s action goddess; and newcomer Zhang Ziyi, who smolders as the princess who wants more than domestic tranquillity. Famed action choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping (THE MATRIX) stages jaw-dropping zero-G fights across rooftops, rivers, and bamboo trees, while Yo-Yo Ma punctuates the fisticuffs with dramatic cello solos. Described by Lee as "SENSE AND SENSIBILITY with martial arts," CROUCHING TIGER recalls the best wuxia films of the 1960s and pushes the genre in new directions.

Customer Reviews

A Work Of Art
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, a traditionally made wuxia, or Chinese martial arts film. It fulfills most of the melodrama shown in standard kung-fu movies, and yet it is so much more than that.

Chow Yun Fat plays Li Mu Bai, an outstanding warrior of the Wutan style of martial arts and swordplay. He is on a mission to avenge the murder of his Master, but he is also bound with honour to deny the love he feels for his best friend, Yu Shu Lien, played by Michelle Yeoh.

Mu Bai gives Shu Lien The Green Destiny, his cherished sword, and asks her to deliver it to Sir Te, Lung Sihung, a leader and a friend of her father.

As soon as the sword gets placed on display, it gets stolen. It is widely believed that Jade Fox, the arch-nemesis of Mu Bai, is behind the disappearance of The Green Destiny.

Shu Lien, however, believes that Jen, the daughter of a governor who is a house guest of Sir Te, has something to do with it. The story continues as Mu Bai and Shu Lien attempt to regain possession of the sword.

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is beautiful on many levels. It depicts diverse landscapes of China, from the Gobi desert, the ancient metropolis of Peking, through to the southern Bamboo Forest.

The beauty of the film lies far deeper than mere scenery though. It lies within the human emotions, their connections and repressed feelings. Each character in the film is like a river, calm on the exterior with a current flowing fast beneath the surface.

The advantage of the dvd is for those who are put off by subtitles. The original production is filmed in Mandarin and subtitled in English. Dvd means that you can dub over the film in English, if you prefer. It is interesting to note, however, that both Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun Fat speak Cantonese, and were, therefore, speaking in a language which was not their own.

The first real action scene is about twenty minutes into the film and it is difficult to do it justice, for it is far removed from your usual martial art films. It includes gravity-defying leaps, and body-defying contortions. Absolutely fantastic!

These acclaimed combat scenes are choreographed by Yuen Wo-Ping, who also arranged The Matrix fights, and although I hate wire-stunt work in fight scenes, it does actually have a place in this film because the story supports it, Wutan warriors are trained to control this special ability. Ang Lee also saved the magical quality of these fights by cutting in for long close ups of the actors/actresses as they stare into each other's faces, scrutinising and trying to figure each other out. This is so much more than a mere fighting movie.

Michelle Yeoh is like a shining star in this movie. She plays such a humble and compassionate character, and yet is a true warrior, through and through.

Zhang Ziyi, however, is who really makes this film what is, a masterpiece. Her character, Jen, goes through so many different emotions, and she plays them flawlessly. She is the 'Hidden Dragon' of the title, her full name translating into, 'Nimble Jade Dragon'. Lo Xiao Hu, the Mongolian bandit that she falls in love with, is the 'Crouching Tiger', for his name translates as 'Little Tiger'.

The real heart of this movie is in the extended love scene between Jen and Lo, despite criticism to the contrary. Set against a backdrop of the Gobi desert, their relationship is refreshing in its sincerity.

The ending is tragic, and yet, it is not all saddening. Ang Lee's message, to be true to yourself, is clear to the viewer as the film draws to a close.

Truly - A work of art.

Awesome
I love this film, simply for me because it is beautiful.
The fight scenes are breath-taking, the musical score is so haunting (using the Cello to great effect) and the story-line is one long roller coaster ride of twists and turns.
Anyone who dismisses it because of the flying sequences is probably unaware of the wirework used in a hell of a lot of martial arts movies.
I have never found the dubbing a problem for the simple reason that I watch it subtitled in mandarin, otherwise it loses it’s genuine feel, it seems that in most films the transaction from eastern to western is not a happy one. It seems we take great pleasure in changing the voices to sound ‘wacky’ and entertaining, in most cases the most inappropriate voice actors are chosen and key parts of the plot are missed out. It seems that we can’t cope with a complex storyline if we can’t read what the cast are saying, surely your brain couldn’t take it? So the people who put the effort in to read the subtitles are rewarded with the ‘true’ film, I must admit, I always watch Asian films with subtitles, how can you not like the sounds of the language being spoken?
Anyway, the film for me is totally legendary, one of a few more recent martial arts movies I have enjoyed.

Being True to Oneself Amidst the Chaos
Quite the perfect film ... So many elements combine to keep the viewer mesmerized. The exotic scenery of ancient Chinese cultural life hook the imagination. The forces of good and evil battle directly in society and within the souls of the characters. There are underlying esoteric elements which make the story mysterious and provide for surprises and unexpected but deeply satisfying viewing moments from beginning to end. The yin-yang conflicts between various characters provide the romantic see-saw that captures the reader's interest. A highly regarded warrior who defends against evil has reached a point in his life where he relinquishes his famous and feared sword, "The Green Destiny" to discover and explore deeper aspects of himself and life ... At some point, he had gone into a deep meditation and arrived at a place his master had never mentioned nor described. Later, his master had been murdered and the warrior could not ask him to explain this experience. He has a female protaganist who is also a warrior and accepts the solitary nature of this fighter but clearly they share strong emotional bonds. This repressed chemistry promises their paths will continually cross as they explore the depth and meaning of strong feelings throughout the film. She delivers "the Green Destiny" as a gift to the local magistrate/governor of the province for safe keeping. The magistrate has a daughter who is being prepared for an arranged marriage ... to consolidate the interests of two ruling families ... Hidden aspects of the daughter's character provide for unexpected adventure and romance ...

Secretly, the daugher had learned warrior skills and longed to express this independent aspect of herself ... but she lacks the personal understanding of the esoteric nature of this lifestyle. On a carriage ride with her family through the mountains and arid deserts she is captivated by an invading group of bandits, especially the leader who is young and handsome and has a mysterious reputation. He grabs her ivory hair comb as she leans fearlessly out the carriage window to watch the assualt. She unexpectedly jumps out, mounts a horse and shows remarkable skills during the chase scene ... all to retrieve back her hair comb. He captures her and takes her to his mountain cave home ... they fall in love. He tells her stories and allegories which serve to bind her even closer to him ...

The forces of evil are embodied in the form of Jade Fox who was a servant and nanny to the wealthy Chinese daughter in the past. Jade Fox had acquired a book from which she learned the warrior skills but she failed to use the skills wisely. She lashes out with vengence at the forces of good. The author's creativity and exceptional talents come alive on the screen. The hair-pin curves and twists in the plot are executed with perfection. The ending is sadly fulfilling ... leaving the viewer breathless! Erika Borsos (bakonyvilla)