The Bride with White Hair

This is one of the few times a classic Chinese novel has been accurately brought to life on the big screen.So why do I say this film is so great? How about brilliant acting, incredible cinematography, great music & sound effects, and the most un-Hollywood ending of all time.I would give a kidney to find a CD of the soundtrack. And never has a film made you want to see the sequel so bad in your life. My only regret is that Ronny Yu will never be able to top this film. Flat-out brilliant!

Zhuo Yi-Hang (Leslie Cheung) is raised by his master Tzu Yang (Fong Pao) to be his successor in the leadership of their clan. Yi-Hang meets Lien (Brigitte Lin), a warrior adopted by wolves and accepted by a tribe leaded by the evil magic twins Ji Wushuang (Francis Ng / Elaine Lui), in a lake, and they fall in love for each other. Yi-Hang promises to trust her forever. However, Ji Wushuang also loves Lien and she is sent away from their tribe. When the clan of Yi-Hang is attacked, he does not believe on Lien, thinking that she killed his master and cursing their love.

This beautiful and tragic love story, a kind of Chinese version of "Romeo and Juliet", has wonderful cinematography and costumes. The choreography of the fights is also amazing. The non-linear screenplay is a little confused, but when the viewer sees for the second time, it becomes clearer. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Entre o Amor e a Glória" ("Between the Love and the Glory")

A big, mainstream Chinese movie, "bang bang, kiss kiss", except with swords and sorcery. "Clang clang, kiss kiss". Yet,I liked it.

I was a little worried when it started out, it looked like it might get high-handed or overblown. It's a fine line between mythic and stupid, but the reviews on IMDb were all so glowing, I kept at it. The love story was engaging, very believable, and the conflicts were unique. The movie manages to drop on the mythic side of the line.

One thing I noticed: The values are all what we call Western. The individual over the group, the convictions of the heart over the traditions of the clan, etc., and there was no real question about it. The main character kind of reminded me of James Dean or Montgomery Clift. There was even some actual kissing, too, which I think is a Western thing.

It's well done. I especially liked the acting of the two leads. You might find itinteresting, as long as you don't mind the dark witchy stuff or the definitely R-rated violence.

I'm looking forward to Part II. I feel like I'm crowding into the back of a big Hong Kong movie theater.

This is an insanely entertaining movie, which plays more like an opera. It's a wild fantasy about the normal warring clans in ancient China. It has it all, a great love story, Kung Fu fights out the ass with all the flying acrobatics you could want. And best of all Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia as the high flying wolf girl with magical skills. This is a tour de force of everything us Americans liked about "Crouching Tiger". The ending is fabulous, with a Kung Fu fight right out of the comic books. Even director Vu said the final battle he wanted to resemble a pin ball machine. It does, and it's crazy, and he made a movie that I couldn't recommend any higher. I'm looking forward to watching the first sequel very much.

Colorful Asian fantasy with the emphasis on romance and fanciful action; enjoyable enough in itself but not particularly compelling. The plot and look of the film reminded me of the "Chinese Ghost Story" Trilogy (1987-91), which I watched – and loved – only a few years back, while the gravity-defying stunts looked forward to Ang Lee's (obviously more accomplished) CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000). As is the norm for this sort of film, the characters are all stock types (the nasty Siamese-twin villains being a particular liability) – which means that, for all the pseudo-philosophy which gets spouted (usually by elders) from time to time, the tale follows a rigid, rather simplistic and all-too-familiar path which doesn't allow for much depth or surprise…though "The Bride With White HaIr" herself (when she belatedly appears) is a memorable creation – and I wouldn't mind catching up eventually with this film's sequel (from the same year and director).