30 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
30 lines
3.6 KiB
Plaintext
as i walked out of crouching tiger , hidden dragon i thought to myself that i had had just seen a great film .
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with the passage of a few hours i tempered my enthusiasm and started pondering the question of whether a masterpiece must implicitly be a " great " piece of work and viceversa .
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attempting to make a distinction may be a matter of splitting hairs .
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i avoided a commitment by appealing to etymology .
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as the word implies , a masterpiece is any work which embodies the skills of a master .
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as such it should suffice to say that it is a product of exceptional quality .
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crouching tiger , hidden dragon fits comfortably in that category .
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crouching tiger , hidden dragon immerses the viewer in an idealized world of oriental folklore , with the requisite blend of legend , fantasy , magic and mythology .
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it is reminiscent of a wagnerian epic with characters which might as well be half-gods - greater than life , purer than life , stronger than life , physically invincible and able to accomplish superhuman feats , but with a human soul that makes them ultimately vulnerable .
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all the classic elements of the oriental mystique are thrown into the mix , including the art of contemplation and the concept of martial dexterity as the physical equivalent of spiritual advancement .
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the classic struggle between good and evil is the inevitable backdrop , with advanced masters of each and a golden pupil , which must choose between the two .
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it is the gifted pupil who , under the influence of the evil master steals the holy grail in the form of a magic sword which is the focus of the conflict at the heart of the legend .
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the elements of romance at two different levels of enlightenment ( a pair of masters and a pair of youngsters ) are poignantly represented .
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the paradox of oriental restraint existing side by side with all consuming passion in the same breast is projected effectively .
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the fight scenes are stunning balletic tours-de-force , not to be taken literally but clearly to be enjoyed as superb cinematic art , as are the prodigious leaps and flights to , from and between rooftops , the martial combat at the top of swaying bamboo branches and the combatants skipping like pebbles along the surface of a lake .
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there need be no question of suspended disbelief when one is in the presence of poetry .
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as in a wagnerian opera there is a substantial story line , which takes place at an ordinary human level , yet the entire project is to be accepted as a work of art rooted in fantasy .
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do not assume , however , that the art is limp-wristed .
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for those who are put off by the " art " label this film can be confidently recommended as engrossing entertainment at the levels of adventure , action and romance .
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there are no weak performances in this movie .
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michelle yeoh imbues her character with depth , humanity and wisdom .
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chow yon fat projects dignity and purity of heart .
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zhang ziyi is a budding superstar .
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she is radiantly beautiful and totally persuasive in a multifaceted role .
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cheng pei pei as the evil master and chang cheng as the bandit prince acquit themselves admirably .
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kudos to screenwriters james schamus , wang hui ling and tsai kuo jing , choreographer yuen wo-ping , photography director peter pau and music director tan dun , each of which contribute quality components to this extraordinary film .
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ang lee as the director , co-producer and mastermind of the project gets the lion share of the credit .
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this is destined to be one of those films that everybody likes , including those who hate martial arts movies .
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don't miss it .
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