Crouching+Tiger+Hidden+Dragon

== Li Mu Bai, a great swordsman and martial artist, decides to relinquish his prized sword, the Green Destiny to a trusted friend, Sir Te, and retire from the dark world of fighting. When the sword is stolen from the case his friend placed it in, Lu Mu Bai is pulled back into the fighting underworld where he must find the sword. It is established from the beginning that he wants to avenge his long deceased master’s death, by the evil Jade Fox. Throughout the movie, Li Mu Bai attempts to retrieve the sword and avenge his master’s death by killing Jade Fox. He is joined by his friend, Yu Shu Lien, the un-conceded love of his life. ==

Composition
== Throughout the film, there are many fight scenes. What all these fight scenes share in common is the cinematographer’s inclination to use Birdseye shots. This recurring image ties in with the calm, melancholy tone of the film; even in the most intense fights, this long, Birdseye view conveys a sense of serenity that emphasizes the theme of the ancient Chinese proverb, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, to which there is more to an individual than meets the eye. ==

Color
== In the fight scenes, color is also used to create a serene tone. Many of the fight scenes take place at night, and thus have an indigo hue. Even in the non-night fighting scenes, it feels very calm because of the soft colors used such as green and blue (bamboos and sky). This blue hue is recurring throughout the film, not just at night but intentionally at peaceful moments to emphasize the tranquil state of mind of the characters, in both fighting scenes and intimate scenes. ==

Lighting
== The lighting in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, simply put, is not deliberate. What this does is, unlike many western films, not allow the audience to know from the start which characters are suspicious and turn out to be the bad guy and which aren’t. In Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, many of the characters have secret identifies, and as such, the director doesn’t want the audience to be able to distinguish through high key lighting, under-lighting, etc which of the characters are evil. == (Left: Good Guy, Right: Bad Guy) <--As you can see, there isn't much difference in lighting. Actually, one might assume the good guy here is bad, because the lighting is actually higher key than for the bad guy.

Costumes
== Each character in this film has his/her unique costume, some more ambiguous than others. Li Mu Bai, the master swordsman, is always seen in his warriors robe, a one piece garment. This garment is symbolic because of it’s deceiving nature, making a great martial artist seem ordinary on the outside, yet radiating power within. This ties in directly to the theme that there is more than is seen on the outside. The other costumes are relatively straightforwards, with the thief dressed as a thief, and the evil Jade Fox in an evil robe-like garment. ==

Theme: Teacher-Student Relationship
== This theme is portrayed through not only plot, but also in composition. In the story, Li Mu Bai wants to be able to have an apprentice again, to be able to teach someone his skills. This recurring theme is shown throughout the movie in the same manner, from a long shot, side perspective. This occurs only between fights with Li Mu Bai and Jen, as it is Jen who Li Mu Bai wants to mentor. ==

Props
== The story arguably evolves around a “prop,” the 400 year old “Green Destiny” sword. This sword, while on the surface seems like any other (just kidding it doesn’t because most swords aren’t green), actually has a great history and story behind it. ==

Camera Movement
== The camera movement in this film is very supportive of the calm, fluid tone. Unlike most action films, Crouching Tiger, Hiding Dragon has smooth following of action; thus even in the most violent of action sequences the viewer still feels as if at peace, without much quarrel going on. The fighting seemingly integrates itself perfectly with the music, setting, and camera movement. == (Left: Camera is steady as Jen flies down the waterfall, Right: While Jen's martial art skills are thoroughly complex, the camera pans left to right smoothly, and follows action smoothly with no shake)

Setting
== With many a new scene comes a new setting introduction. These serene, calm settings stimulate the senses, allowing the right tone to be set for what the director wants you to expect next. For example, with the introduction of a bridge from afar, with a steaming river running under it, you would expect that the scene would have something to do with the bridge, and indeed it does; the introduction of a bridge signifies the girl jumping off the bridge just moments later. ==

Actions
== The fighting sequences in this film also work to support the underlying themes of the film. The graceful, acrobatic flying fighting scenes create a sense of surreality. The fighting is very intense yet relaxed, this is due to camera movement and actor movement. Most traditional action scenes will be handheld, with an abundance of camera shake to make the viewer “feel” the action. However, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon<range type="comment" id="404335382_8"> disregards this traditional practice and uses different means such as panning, following, and just long, still shots for the fight scenes</range id="404335382_8">. The actions are also fluid, as I mentioned before. The returns of blows are almost dance-like, they are very smooth in the action of striking and retracting, versus the jarring and disorienting haymakers and jabs in more modern fight sequences. ==

<range type="comment" id="404335382_9">Theme: Lo</range id="404335382_9">ve
== Finally, there is the ultimate theme of love, which simultaneously occurs in two pairs of characters in the film. In both cases, similar shots and similar colors are used in the intimate scenes to create a recurring pattern of love that the audience can perceive. Whenever the camera starts from a long shot and cuts into close up with a cool color (such as blue), the mood of the film changes. ==