CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON

Hong Kong, 2000, 125 minutes, Colour.
Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi.
Directed by Ang Lee.

While director Ang Lee, better known for The Wedding Banquet, Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm and Ride with the Devil, uses an early 20th century series of novels for this drama, he goes back to some of the Hong Kong martial arts movies of the 70s for this drama of history and legend. And then he transcends the conventions, bringing a serious study of character and power struggles to deepen the martial arts action. He succeeds very well. The film is beautifully composed and shot and, with the swordplay and flying action, brilliantly edited.

Basically, it is a story of Taoist spirituality, of loyalty and revenge, of unrequited love and self-sacrifice. Both Chow Yun Fat and Michelle Yeoh bring dignity to their presence and performances. It is left to the very gifted young Zhang Ziyi (the lead in Zhang Yimou's award-winning The Road Home) to play the most wilful and complicated of the characters.

The film is breathtaking both in its beauty and in its action and athleticism.

1. The acclaim for the film? World-wide popularity? Oscar?

2. The title, symbolism? Hong Kong, the martial arts tradition? The genre of martial arts, its visual style? Audience expectations?

3. The locations, the sense of history, the villages, Beijing, homes, the inn? The mountain locations, the monastery? The desert? The fight in the trees? The musical score?

4. Martial arts, swordplay, the choreography of the fights? The flying sequences? The fights in duels, groups, Jen and her fight in the inn? The fight in the trees? The culmination?

5. Violence, ambitions, spirituality, violence and defence? The motivation for the warriors?

6. Shu Lien, her father and the security company, her skill at her work? Her love for Mu Bai, his arrival, bringing the sword, giving it to Sir Te? Her travelling to the city, her handing over the goods to Sir Te? The sword? The back story and her love for Mu Bai, her engagement, the death of the warrior, her being with Mu Bai, blossoming into love, not wanting to dishonour the memory of her fiance? A platonic love? Her encountering General Yu, the discussions with Jen, the preparations for the marriage? The sword, its being stolen, her chasing Jen, the fight? Her detecting what had happened? Mu Bai's arrival in Beijing? Their knowing that Jen had taken the sword? Her fighting, their wanting to protect her? Her becoming a protégé? Her relationship with Jade Fox? Her love for Mu Bai, her attack on Jen, the duel, the being wounded? The finale, Mu Bai's death, his love for her? Her sending Jen to the monastery and to Lo?

7. Mu Bai, his history as a warrior, as a mystic, his understanding contemplation more deeply? The death of his master, wanting to avenge him with Jade Fox? His love for Shu Lien? The sword, his coming to the city? Its being stolen, his seeing Jen, her fighting, knowing the truth? Jade Fox and the confrontation, her escape? His offer to be a master for Jen? Ambivalence towards her? The fights, chasing her through the trees and fighting in the trees? The ultimate confrontation with Jade Fox, her death, his being poisoned? His dying, Jen trying to get the antidote, his declaration of love for Shu Lien?

8. Jen, young and ambitious, the daughter of the governor, travelling through the desert, the encounter with Lo, the battle, her love for him? Tuition from Jade Fox? Her deceiving Jade Fox with the book, understanding its mysteries, progressing beyond her? The plans for her marriage, her not wanting to marry, her wanting freedom? The calligraphy scene and her writing Shu Lien's name? Boredom? Stealing the sword? The fights? Her lies, her encountering Mu Bai, wanting to become his pupil? The fight at the inn and her victory over all her opponents? Her having the sword? Her going, freedom, Jade Fox, the return? Taking the sword, the duel with Mu Bai in the trees? The death of Jade Fox, her venom against her protégé? Mu Bai's death? Shu Lien sending her to Lo, the monastery, their love, the sexual encounter, his wish, her diving into the water?

9. Jade Fox, opponent, student, stealing the book, the death of the master, tutoring Jen, feeling her ingratitude, jealous of her? The fight with Mu Bai, the final confrontation and killing him?

10. Beijing, the visuals, life in Beijing, Sir Te, his household? General Yu as governor? The world of intrigue? Bo and his service? The policeman searching for Jade Fox, his daughter, the fight with her and his death?

11. Lo, the warrior in the desert, the confrontation with Jen? Her going to him at the end - their future?

12. The serious impact of the film, the combination of drama with martial arts? The beauty of the choreography? The Hong Kong traditions, China traditions? Spirituality?