Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts epic film directed by Ang Lee and released in 2000. It is based on the novel of the same name by Wang Dulu.
The film is set in 18th century China and tells the story of two warriors, Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai, who are in love but have never acted on their feelings due to social conventions. Li Mu Bai, a renowned swordsman, entrusts his legendary sword, the Green Destiny, to Yu Shu Lien, who is tasked with delivering it to a friend in Beijing. However, the sword is stolen by a masked thief, setting in motion a series of events that lead to a confrontation between the two warriors and their enemies.
The film is noted for its visually stunning action sequences, which feature gravity-defying stunts and acrobatics, as well as its themes of love, honor, and duty. It also explores the relationships between the characters, including the forbidden romance between Yu Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai, and the complex dynamic between the young thief Jen and her mentor Jade Fox.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was a critical and commercial success, winning four Academy Awards, including Best Foreign Language Film, and becoming the highest-grossing foreign language film in the United States at the time. It is widely regarded as a masterpiece of martial arts cinema and a landmark in the history of Chinese-language cinema.
| Traditional | 臥虎藏龍 |
|---|---|
| Simplified | 卧虎藏龙 |
| Mandarin | Wò hǔ cáng lóng |
| Directed by | Ang Lee |
| Produced by | Bill Kong Hsu Li-kong Ang Lee |
| Screenplay by | Wang Hui-ling James Schamus Kuo Jung Tsai |
| Based on | Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Wang Dulu |
| Starring | Chow Yun-fat Michelle Yeoh Zhang Ziyi Chang Chen Sihung Lung Cheng Pei-pei |
| Music by | Tan Dun |
| Cinematography | Peter Pau |
| Edited by | Tim Squyres |
| Production companies |
Sony Pictures Classics Columbia Pictures Film Production Asia Good Machine International Edko Films Zoom Hunt Productions China Film Co-Production Corp. Asian Union Film & Entertainment Ltd. |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
| Release date | May 18, 2000 (Cannes) July 7, 2000 (Taiwan) July 8, 2000 (Mainland China) July 13, 2000 (Hong Kong) December 8, 2000 (United States) |
| Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Taiwan China Hong Kong United States |
| Language | Mandarin Chinese |
| Budget | US$17 million |
| Box office | US$213.5 million |