RED CLIFF
Part I & PART II
DESTINY LIES IN THE WIND
(ORIGINAL INTERNATIONAL VERSION)

Simply amazing in every aspect. 280 minutes of pure brilliance. Nothing is left out. If you see one movie, make it this one.

Asian robot-like acting?

What did you not get? There is a lot of stuff that is unsaid in this movie. If you study Chinese philosophy you will see the light.

Also, I did not get what you meant about the battle scenes.

taoteching

Asian robot-like acting?

The actors in those movies often only show very little emotions (compared to actors in western movies), in return those movies work with a lot of symbolism and (to me) look a bit overloaded with it. I had expected John Woo to make it more Hollywood like in that aspect, but apperantly it rather was made for the Asian audience than that of the US or Europe.

taoteching

What did you not get? There is a lot of stuff that is unsaid in this movie. If you study Chinese philosophy you will see the light.

I think it is a movie about Chinese history, not philosophie.

taoteching

Also, I did not get what you meant about the battle scenes.

Single superheros who attack the entire enemy army on their own with their Kung Fu, and get away without a scratch? Battles won by turning around shields to blind the enemy? Fancy formations ballets and stuff like that? That's more 1970s style or that of cheap martial arts movies. In this movie I had expected a bit more realism. But I have to admitt that also Hollywood often miserably fails when trying to show pre-gunpowder combat. From the latest of that kind only Troy, even though otherwise being a rather crap movie too, has some scences that come close to it.

On a side note.
Americans and Europeans have become weak and overly dramatized. They have become lax in there day to day living. The Chinese want our standard of living and they are willing to put in 70 hour weeks,every week, for nearly nothing.

You forget that this is the golden age of taoism, Confucianism, Feng Shui (Chinese geomancy), and the Art of War.

This is a romanticized version of stories of legendary Chinese warriors.

You seem like a direct to the point forward kind of fellow. I bet you fight with pure anger and aggression. Preferring direct attacks and wanting the battle over as soon as possible.

taoteching

On a side note.
Americans and Europeans have become weak and overly dramatized. They have become lax in there day to day living. The Chinese want our standard of living and they are willing to put in 70 hour weeks,every week, for nearly nothing.

It is a cultural thing and not a result of bad acting. And also not related to being week or tough. Westerners have a different attitude to how and when show what kind of emotions, and also a different approach to display emotions in a movie.

taoteching

You forget that this is the golden age of taoism, Confucianism, Feng Shui (Chinese geomancy), and the Art of War.

and?

I think it is a movie about Chinese history, not philosophie.

taoteching

This is a romanticized version of stories of legendary Chinese warriors.

In this case it should be labled as a fantasy movie, not a history movie.

taoteching

You seem like a direct to the point forward kind of fellow. I bet you fight with pure anger and aggression. Preferring direct attacks and wanting the battle over as soon as possible.

No reason to take it personal when I critize a romanticized display of legendary figures/action as certainly a-historical and rather unrealistical.

I can honestly say that out of all of the Shaw Brother's movies, ...

Knowing the philosophy of that time is important to understanding human behavior of that time and place. It gives us more insight in understanding a film of a particular time piece. It is not mandatory that anyone do "research" before watching a movie. That is why we like things we know about and do things we are good at.

I do not believe it was labeled as a pure history movie.

Can I ask you this? Could a U.S. NAVY SEAL fuck up more than one guy? More than two guys? More than three?

I was just trying to coax you into playing chess.

The Man Who Would Be King

Which is better? Chinese Martial Arts or Japanese Martial Arts? This was a very cool movie. I really liked the Chinese weapons versus Japanese weapons.