Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful DVD
Review: The film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. Peter Pau's (The Bride With White Hair) eye-popping cinematography is equally eye-popping on DVD. The transfer is amazing, with perfect color reproduction. Dolby Digital 5.1 audio is available in both its original Mandarin and an English dub. Surrounds are used mostly for Tan Dun's score, but the front soundstage is used to give space to the on-screen action. The English dub is not as bad as you'd fear. It's obvious that they went to great pains to avoid the laughable lack of synchronization between the actors' mouths and the dialogue, but nonetheless the dub does have the distinct feel that it was recorded in a studio rather than on-set. For extra content, we get a commentary track, a making-of featurette, an interview with Michelle Yeoh, a photo montage, and the usual filmographies and theatrical trailers. The commentary track features Ang Lee and screenwriter/producer James Schamus. It's a little light on hard facts about the making of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but it's still an enjoyable listen. There are two theatrical trailers, one the international version, one the U.S. version.
Rating: 
Summary: Greatest Oriental Movie Out There
Review: Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was the best oriental movie i have ever seen. I usually hate oriental films where one must read the english on the bottom. But the action in this movie was so good that it completely changed my entire view of Oriental movies. I recommend this DVD to anyone who likes an action packed movie. Oriental or not. Hope this helped anyone who wasn't so sure about the movie.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a foreign film that breaks American boundaries!
Review: This film was a masterpiece to witness in the theaters, and hit the typical American fanfare of action movies on the head with a rock! It is a very beautiful movie, the story is perfectly intertwined with it's scenery- both are equally impressive. It is a fantasy action/adventure/love story that is rightfully dubbed an "instant classic." Which brings us to the much awaited DVD version. I was impressed with the amount of extras this bare-bones edition has to offer, much more than most other non-special editions on the market . I would reccomend buying it today than waiting for a deluxe edition to come out a few months from now. The transfer is near-perfect, the only drawback is not having a movie theater sized screen in your house. My only complaint comes from the voice-over work. It is overdescriptive and more flamboyant than the original lines, and at times changes and adds new lines. I reccomend first time viewers to take in the original Mandarin language version with subtitles first, then going back and seeing it with the English dub. My money is on the original, but some would say otherwise. Either way- if you are a fan of great scenery, action, love, or drama, BUY THIS MOVIE. NOW. =)
Rating:
Summary: best dub EVER (among other things)
Review: i spent perhaps WAY too much money seeing this film so many times in the theater, and i was awaiting the dvd release a bit more eagerly than any other film. so just having any dvd edition of the film is good enough for me. i just did not really expect such a nice dvd package. yellow subtitles, moved farther down, beneath the widescreen picture, is something i think every foreign film should have on dvd. what really shocked me was the quality of the english dubbing. one of the things that originally attracted me to the film was the idea that it was entirely in chinese, and that it was the first wide-released subtitled chinese film in the US. being such an enthusiast of chinese film and literature, i was proud that a chinese movie was making so much money in the US box offices. even though i knew ang lee had produced a dub of the film without the intention of using it for the theatrical release, i felt as if his doing so was entirely unnecessary. why should people watch this movie in english? i thought. it's chinese to begin with, right? can't people just read subtitles and be happy with it? and so, thinking that way, i came to dislike the idea of this film being dubbed in english. until, that is, i purchased the dvd and watched the first couple of minutes of the dub of the film out of curiosity. i ended up watching the whole film that way. while i still prefer to watch the movie in its original mandarin, i must admit: the english dubbing is fantastic. sometimes i couldnt help wondering how they managed to fit all the words in. sometimes it even looked like the actors (especially chow yun fat and michelle yeoh) were speaking english to begin with, which was a bit, well, creepy. i dont know what else to call it. watch it in english for yourself, and youll see. i find only two things missing in the crouching tiger hidden dragon dvd release. for one thing, the hong kong VCD release included two sets of subtitles: the white 'short' subtitles, which appeared in the theatrical release, and the yellow 'full' subtitles, which include all of the dialogue spoken in chinese, not just the bare outline of it that the white subtitles suggest (the subtitles were purposely shortened because ang lee perhaps correctly assumed that americans moviegoers, in general, dont like to read :). the absence of these 'full' subtitles is only slight, in that the english dub (also included on some VCDs) manages to include the full dialogue. the only other thing i find missing is a dolby surround sound option for the chinese soundtrack. i mean, really. the dvd has two sound options for english, both surround and digital 5.1. shouldnt it have equally many sound options for its native language? or maybe the inclusion of more sound options for english indicates the producers' confidence that the english dub is the 'best dub EVER.' or maybe... well, i dont know. i dont even have a good stereo system, so i dont know which is better, anyway. as an american, i believe more options is better. ahem. also, as an american, i've grown to think that martial arts films -- even chinese ones, sadly -- are kind of stupid. while many of my asian friends disliked this film because of its 'hollywood' feel (with the big budget and dramatic classical score with yo-yo ma cello solos), i thought crouching tiger hidden dragon was a perfect collaborative project that isnt about being 'friendly' to both chinese and americans -- it's just a great film. it is director ang lee's welcome habit to use historical settings for stories of no historical importance (he's more focused on characters and situations than 'saying' something 'important' -- see 'sense and sensibility' or 'ride with the devil'). as this review wears on, i'm making little sense. so i should leave you with this: i liked the animated menus; they were more entertaining than most dvds'.
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Summary: Tigers and Dragons...
Review: Ang Lee's "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is a thrilling experience. Set in a mythical, 19th century China, it's "Star Wars" for adults; part martial arts revenge tale, part epic love story, and wholly unforgettable. Michelle Yeoh plays Yu Shu Lien, entrusted by her longtime friend, Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun Fat), to deliver his famous Green Destiny sword as a gift to a patron During this mission, Shu Lien meets Jen Yu, a young noblewoman, soon to marry and very unhappy with her impending fate. Played by Zhang Ziyi, Jen eventually propels both Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai on a quest for two destinies: the Green sword, and Jen's. This is one of Michelle Yeoh's finest performances. She imbues the warrior Shu Lien with both strength, and a restrained longing for Li Mu Bai. She says more with expressions than many actors do with an entire scriptful of dialogue. Yeoh definitely needs to be in more movies, martial arts or otherwise. Similarly, Chow Yun Fat makes a redoubtable hero as Li Mu Bai, as his best intentions careen out of control thanks to the impetuous Jen. Speaking of whom, Zhang Ziyi literally steals "Crouching Tiger" from the more experienced leads. Full of fierce anger, limitless energy, and an impulsive, headstrong personality, Jen Yu's a tornado of emotions and actions, in contrast to the older warriors' dutiful restraint. As she moves from childhood into adulthood without balance, she makes some terrible decisions, and her final choice lingers, and haunts. Jen Yu, as embodied by Zhang Ziyi, is a cinematic creation easily the equal of Vivian Leigh's Scarlett O'Hara, or Kim Darby's spunky Mattie Ross from "True Grit." And if the story hasn't flirted with sensory overload enough, the film even finds time for a long, David Lean-esque flashback sequence. In its desert setting and horseback thrills, it recalls "Lawrence of Arabia," and with its romanticism, "Dr. Zhivago." It comes at a pivotal point for Jen, and would make an entertaining movie by itself. Apart from its emotions and scope, the film's also a kinetic experience. After lyrical character interludes, the plot explodes into several eye-popping action set-pieces. Like cinematic helium, it soars, just as the characters fly over rooftops, duel with a variety of weapons, and clash on the top layers of a bamboo forest. And always, the adventure and action evolve from personal choices and needs, rather than the desire to fill time and space with bombast. This, in itself, is a minor miracle in today's CGI explosion-rocked film culture. The supporting players add to the adventure, as well. Pei-Pei Cheng plays Jade Fox, Li Mu Bai's nemesis; she's more than a one-dimensional villain (to say why would reveal a bit too much). And Chang Chen, as Lo, Jen's bandit-king lover, is by turns hilarious and charismatic. The DVD features a crisp print of the movie (superior to the one I saw in the theater), filmmaker commentary, a "making-of" special, and a Michelle Yeoh featurette (oh yeah!). I'm a subtitle purist, but I've sampled several scenes with the English dubbing, and it's surprisingly well-done; it's adequate for sharing the film with young (or older) people who won't be able to keep up with the subtitles. Still, for the full experience, I recommend the subtitled version, because it preserves the actors' original performances. "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is one of the finest films I've ever seen, and my personal favorite. It's outstanding in every way, and deserves to be in your collection alongside "Seven Samurai" and "Citizen Kane." Splendid, splendid stuff, as bold and as beautiful as Jen Yu, as quiet and as philosophical as Li Mu Bai.
Rating:
Summary: Simply a Masterpiece!
Review: This film is one of the greatest movies ever made. I rarely ever watch a movie more than once, but I have already seen this one 3 times in 4 days. Twice in Mandarin and once dubbed in English. Yes, I think it's that good. With superb acting, breathtaking fight sequences, and a touching story, this is why we we all watch movies in the first place. But this film isn't simply watched, it is "experienced". Director Ang Lee does an excellent job of making the viewers feel as if they are actually in the movie. We feel the unspoken love between Li Mu Bai(Chow Yun-Fat) and Yu Shu Lien(Michelle Yeoh) and also the youthful exhuberant love between Jen Yu(Zhang Ziyi) and Lo(Chang Chen). We are placed right in the center of ancient China with beautiful art direction and scenery, and we have a front row seat to all of the fight scenes with clever camera angles. Lee's depiction of The Green Destiny sword is equally impressive. At first glance the beautifully decorated sword appears to be weak and bends at the slightest touch, but when it's used in battle it seems to be unstoppable. The fight sequences are especially impressive in that they are not just mindless martial arts fighting. You will see a big difference in the fight scenes of Crouching Tiger and the fight scenes of other martial arts films. Punches and kicks are fast and fluid, and the fighting is more dramatic in that it also reveals the characters' emotions. Jade Fox fights with anger, Jen with youthful confidence, and Yu Shu Lien with mature grace. I'd say this movie puts the "art" in martial arts. As usual, Yuen Wo Ping, best known in the U.S. for his work on The Matrix, has done some amazing fight choreography. I'd rate this up there with one of his other works, Tai Chi Master(Twin Warriors). The music in Crouching Tiger is beautiful and fits each scene perfectly. Whether it's the fast drums during a fight, or the slow cello sounds during an emotional scene, the music never seems out of place. The combination of Tan Dun's musical compositions and Yo-Yo Ma's cello solos have made me want to go out and buy the soundtrack as well. With such an amazing film, it's surprising it only took $15 million to make. Now that I've finally seen this movie, I'm also suprised it did not clean house at the Oscars. Gladiator was a wonderful movie, but Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is an epic masterpiece. Steven Soderbergh did an excellent job with Traffic, but Ang Lee is the definition of filmmaker and has raised the bar for every other director. This DVD is loaded with extras including interviews with some cast members, a special "making of" segment, a lengthy photo montage that plays with all the music from the movie in the background, and detailed filmographies of all the main cast. However, I would recommend you watch the movie before you watch any of the extras because some of the interviews give away important parts of the story. If I had one complaint about this DVD, it would be that the dubbing is only above average. However, it is significantly better than the dubbing of most Jet Li or Jackie Chan movies, and I thought the voice they chose for Jen Yu fit her character very well. Most people would probably watch both versions(dubbed and subtitled) anyway, so this really isn't that big of an issue. I would recommend this movie even if you are not a big martial arts fan like me. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is so much more than just another martial arts flick. It is love, romance, drama and action all combined into one film. To use the words of Ang Lee, this movie is "Sense and Sensibility with martial arts."
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a martial arts flick with a plot...
Review: This film deserves all the praise it has received, and more. The story is terrific, filled with comedy, drama, honor, and a heavy dose of action. The fight scenes are beautifully portrayed as deadly ballets of sorts. Releasing it in theaters subtitled instead of dubbed was definitely the best choice, and the fact that it grossed over $140 million proves it. What other subtitled film can boast that? And if subtitles aren't your thing(ya illiterate bums...:P), the DVD has an English dub. Other than that, the extras are on the slim side, but who cares? This is a must own for any serious movie fan.
Rating: 
Summary: doesn't work with windows 2000 dvd player
Review: I was all excited to watch the dvd of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, but discovered to my shock that the autoplay feature of the dvd somehow blocks the dvd drive in my pc from playing the movie. only the web link works. So be warned, there is a serious problem with this disc and windows me edition.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Films of All Time!
Review: Most people have seen this movie in the theater, and are just anxious to know about it's landing at home. The disc is excellent, with many extras, including both the US and International Trailers, an interesting photo montage, and a feature with Michelle Yeoh, commenting on the film. We also get a director's commentary from Ang Lee, and a making of special. The original Mandarin soundtrack with english subtitles is retained(in 5.1 Dolby Digital), with the option to hear it in dubbed english if you so desire(the dubbing isn't horrible, but it isn't great either. ) As far as the movie itself, for those who have not seen it yet, it is without a doubt one of the best movies I have seen...it is such a grand movie with much drama, and I feel it should have won best picture over Gladiator...it really was better.
Rating:
Summary: Columbia is Dropping the Ball with this DVD Release
Review: There is no need for me to discuss the movie here. Tons of material have written about it in the past year or so. I am here to talk about the DVD release of this movie by Columbia. Columbia, in the past for their DVD releases, have done a good job and always include subtitles in many languages (including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.) Just look at "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" and "Tootsie," two of the latest DVD releases from Columbia. Both DVDs included all the languages mentioned above for their subtitles. It is TOTALLY surprising to me that Chinese was not one of the subtitles included here. As we all know by now, the original dialog of the movie was spoken in Mandarin - one of the major dialects spoken by Chinese. However, it is not the only dialect spoken by all Chinese. Another major dialect is Cantonese which uses different intonations. Even the stars of the movie admitted that they had difficulty when they were making the movie in Mandarin. As a result, Mandarin is not easily understood by speakers of different dialects. Chinese in written form is another story. It is unified for all Chinese in the world. In other word, the written Chinese can be understood by all Chinese in the world - thanks to Shih Huang-ti (First Sovereign Emperor of Ch'in of China.) Please bear with me, the short Chinese history lesson will end here. Therefore, it is INEXCUSABLE for Columbia not to include the Chinese as one of the subtitles. Another major feature that is conspicuously missing from this DVD release is the two music videos done by CoCo Lee in both English and Mandarin. It is a major disappointment that the two music videos are not included here. Oddly enough, even though the director Ang Lee openly declared that he doesn't want to release an English dubbed version of the movie at the theaters, Columbia decided to include an English dubbed soundtrack for this DVD. No doubt it is a move to pacify the American audience who are too lazy to read the English subtitle. In reality, most critics prefer the original Mandarin version than the English dubbed version. Looks like Columbia is trying to rush out this major release to the market by cutting corners and short-changing the videophiles in the process. I know this movie was just released today (06-05-2001) in the DVD format, I hope Columbia goes back and redo this DVD and give us a perfect DVD the next time around, soon. Otherwise, this is a NEAR-perfect DVD.
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