Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

Be the first to write a review

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Evan Cater
Though it was made in Taiwan, set in China, and written in Mandarin, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is something of a cultural hybrid. The film was the brainchild of a Taiwanese director (Ang Lee) with an impressive Hollywood résumé that includes Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm. The screenplay was adapted from a Chinese novel by two Asians and an American and it featured international movie star Chow Yun Fat. Stylistically, the movie drew as much from Hollywood romantic epics as it did from Chinese martial arts dramas. The challenge for the film's composer, Tan Dun, was to score the film with music that would represent its multicultural origins and multifaceted ...
See more details below
CD
$8.54
BN.com price
(Save 5%)$8.99 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (CD)
  • All (11) from $6.45   
  • New (11) from $6.45   

More About This Product

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Evan Cater
Though it was made in Taiwan, set in China, and written in Mandarin, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is something of a cultural hybrid. The film was the brainchild of a Taiwanese director (Ang Lee) with an impressive Hollywood résumé that includes Sense and Sensibility and The Ice Storm. The screenplay was adapted from a Chinese novel by two Asians and an American and it featured international movie star Chow Yun Fat. Stylistically, the movie drew as much from Hollywood romantic epics as it did from Chinese martial arts dramas. The challenge for the film's composer, Tan Dun, was to score the film with music that would represent its multicultural origins and multifaceted influences. His solution was to blend sweeping Western orchestral music with traditional Chinese instruments like rawap, tar drums, and Chinese erhu while using another internationally renowned Asian, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, as a sort of bridge between the two styles. Dun's strategy works beautifully in the film, striking perfectly the delicate balance between the exotic and the familiar -- exactly what is required by a script that paints a romanticized fantasy version of ancient China grounded in universal emotional experience. The romantic themes ("The Eternal Vow," "Farewell") are stirring without being manipulative and memorable without being repetitive. Even more impressive are the musical pieces for the film's graceful combat scenes. Unlike most American action films, Crouching Tiger does not swamp the audience in discordant suspense music. And though the warriors do fly across their battlefields like stones skipping lightly across a pond, Dun does not attempt an E.T.-like soaring score. Instead, the action scenes are accompanied by vibrant Chinese rhythms, mercifully abandoning melody altogether. The only false moment on the soundtrack is the grating end credit pop ballad "A Love Before Time," which is performed by Asian-American singer CoCo Lee. The song is a transparent attempt to mimic Celine Dion's megahit closer for Titanic, "My Heart Will Go On," and it is an infuriatingly commercial conclusion to a gloriously original film.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 3/2/2010
  • Label: Sony Classics
  • UPC: 886976085926
  • Catalog Number: 760859
  • Sales rank: 9,785

Album Credits

Performance Credits
Tan Dun Primary Artist, Conductor
Yo-Yo Ma Cello
Jorge Calandrelli Conductor, Keyboards
Julio Hernandez Electric Bass
Wendy Pedersen Background Vocals
Archie Pena Percussion
Dan Warner Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar
Tommy Anthony Background Vocals
CoCo Lee Vocals
David Cossin Percussion
Yuanlin Chen Sampling
Tang Jun Qiao Bawu, Dizi
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Performing Ensemble
Shanghai Percussion Ensemble Percussion Ensemble
Ma Xiaohui Erhu
Chen Xieyang Conductor
Shanghai National Orchestra Performing Ensemble
Alimjan Rawap
Kasim Hand Drums
Wen-De Hsieh Background Vocals
Paula Ma Background Vocals
Technical Credits
Jorge Calandrelli Arranger, Composer, Programming, Producer
Richard King Engineer
Dave Reitzas Engineer
Lisa Sparagano Art Direction
Javier Garza Engineer
Ken Fredette Art Direction
Tan Dun Composer, Producer
Alfred Figueroa Engineer
Jason Morey Management
Laraine Perri Executive Producer
Xu Gou Qin Engineer
James Schamus Lyricist
Lu Xiaoxing Engineer
Steven Epstein Producer
Freddy Piñero Engineer
Paula Ma Vocal Producer
Kuo-Tai Chung Engineer
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Be the first to write a review
( 0 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(0)

4 Star

(0)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously