ghost dog/crouching tiger hidden dragon

[d. freire]

But the direction and cinematography of  "crouching tiger..." is so
Hollywood... almost like an American attempt at a Hong Kong film.
Even whatever was coherent of the plot also seemed like a formulaic approach
to Hollywood success. The end, however, distinguishes itself, with the
deaths and the assumption of guilt... where the viewer does not leave with
such a happy ending (but perhaps it is supposed to illicit some sort of
supernatural belief that dreams come true?)
 It did have some token distinctions that all kung fu movies have... (for
example, where people in the theater laughed while characters flew, etc...)
Of course, the filmmaker cannot take time to explain all Chinese myths
before screening a picture.
 It wasn't bad, maybe if I watch it again I will like it more. But I do feel
slightly disappointed... a similar story to Hong Kong movies, in parts; but
a production straight out of California.


-d.freire

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jasper Sharp" <j.sharp at publitec.vnu.com>
To: <KineJapan at lists.acs.ohio-state.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2001 4:10 AM
Subject: RE: ghost dog


> I have not seen it, but I have heard on the grapevine that it lifts a
> sequence from
> Seijun SUZUKI's BRANDED TO KILL - the assination attempt foiled by
> butterfly.
> As for American genre bending, I think the success of CROUCHING TIGER,
> HIDDEN DRAGON
> all over the world shows that there are an awful lot of people getting
sick
> and tired
> of the same old Hollywood product being churned out year after year.
>
>