I've just been blown away once again by a film. "Hero" starring Jet Li was incredible and you must see it if only to hear the awesome soundtrack. Everything from the opening tam-tams to the metallic sheen of the swords was an aural treat. It was nearly a perfect film: larger than life plot, magic, swordplay, beautiful and dangerous Asian goddesses, honor/betrayal, war, peace, love, hate. You name it.
And now I must get a zither! See the film and you'll hear what I mean.
-Shane
the music of "Hero" the film
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- KVRAF
- 4221 posts since 10 Oct, 2002 from Nashville, TN USA
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- something special
- 8630 posts since 16 Mar, 2002 from Birmingham, Alabama
yes, this is one I really want to see.Shane Sanders wrote:I've just been blown away once again by a film. "Hero" starring Jet Li was incredible and you must see it if only to hear the awesome soundtrack. Everything from the opening tam-tams to the metallic sheen of the swords was an aural treat. It was nearly a perfect film: larger than life plot, magic, swordplay, beautiful and dangerous Asian goddesses, honor/betrayal, war, peace, love, hate. You name it.
And now I must get a zither! See the film and you'll hear what I mean.
-Shane
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- KVRAF
- 1651 posts since 14 May, 2002 from Earth
I saw Hero it last night in the theater. It's a great movie, and I'm glad Quentin Tarantino brought it to the U.S - it's actually about 2 years old now. The music was definately awesome. Great stuff.
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- KVRian
- 868 posts since 2 Jan, 2003 from In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains
thanks for the tip lads....It looked like an excellent sensory treat from all the things Ive heard and this confirms it for me....
I think Ill see it tommorrow...
dano
I think Ill see it tommorrow...
dano
"In a sky full of people, only some want to fly,
Isn’t that crazy?"
Isn’t that crazy?"
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- KVRAF
- 10597 posts since 13 Jun, 2004 from Alberto Balsam
I hated this movie so much. I couldn't believe Quentin made it.
First off, most of the fighting scenes were badass, The music was good, and the cinematography was incredible. Some scenes were simply beautiful, and the whole concept that there was a different color to each story was a good artistic touch that tarantino added. Good acting, too.
however, the story was horribly cheesey and cliche. It was a complete mix of Crouching Tiger-Hidden Dragon, The Usual Suspects, and Romeo and Juliet (2 movies and a story that i love), all mixed together into a huge cheesefest. It was good scene, bad scene, good scene, bad scene, which gave it an overall awkward feeling.
There was one scene where they were running like Jesus Christ lizards across water, and also bouncing across the water by stabbing into the top af a lake with their swords - it was terrible and everybody laughed. There were numerous scenes with crazily unrealistic moves (note that i loved Crouching Tiger). There were also a bunch of little things (the murder-sensing candles, all of the emperor's men speeking at once, etc.) that turned the movie into a block of chedder.
By the end i wanted the movie to die.
First off, most of the fighting scenes were badass, The music was good, and the cinematography was incredible. Some scenes were simply beautiful, and the whole concept that there was a different color to each story was a good artistic touch that tarantino added. Good acting, too.
however, the story was horribly cheesey and cliche. It was a complete mix of Crouching Tiger-Hidden Dragon, The Usual Suspects, and Romeo and Juliet (2 movies and a story that i love), all mixed together into a huge cheesefest. It was good scene, bad scene, good scene, bad scene, which gave it an overall awkward feeling.
There was one scene where they were running like Jesus Christ lizards across water, and also bouncing across the water by stabbing into the top af a lake with their swords - it was terrible and everybody laughed. There were numerous scenes with crazily unrealistic moves (note that i loved Crouching Tiger). There were also a bunch of little things (the murder-sensing candles, all of the emperor's men speeking at once, etc.) that turned the movie into a block of chedder.
By the end i wanted the movie to die.
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- KVRian
- 868 posts since 2 Jan, 2003 from In the foothills of the Rocky Mountains
Hmmm... maybe I'll wait.... 
dano
dano
"In a sky full of people, only some want to fly,
Isn’t that crazy?"
Isn’t that crazy?"
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- KVRAF
- 10597 posts since 13 Jun, 2004 from Alberto Balsam
Don't take one person's word for it. many people loved it. Just go see it and see if you like for yourself. It wasn't bad to the point of me wishing i never saw it.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4221 posts since 10 Oct, 2002 from Nashville, TN USA
Quentin didn't make it as far as I can tell. Another director and writer was responsible for this, both of them Chinese. Perhaps Q's money helped distribute it?
The scenes you describe as cheddar can also be seen as pure Rimbaudian symbolism, especially the bit with the swords and the water. They were in a ritual fight over the death of the girl, whom they both respected. The water symbolized their desire not to harm each other as well as the purifying aspect of the ritual fight - and tears - and tears as a weapon. I could say more but won't. You do realize that the wire driven movements of these films are an old tradition within Kung Fu movies, right? It's choreographed dance, nothing more. It's ballet. It's supposed to be stylistic and it sure beats watching things blow up in a "realistic" way to me. Your mileage may vary, but I sit there entranced, suspending disbelief for the sake of the experience. I don't go to the cinema for realism myself, but for a type of catharsis experience. Sometimes I go because I'm too tire to do anything else, too.
Murder sensing candles. Man, that would bring me into a theater, not drive me away. I'm totally into magic realism in art.
The scenes you describe as cheddar can also be seen as pure Rimbaudian symbolism, especially the bit with the swords and the water. They were in a ritual fight over the death of the girl, whom they both respected. The water symbolized their desire not to harm each other as well as the purifying aspect of the ritual fight - and tears - and tears as a weapon. I could say more but won't. You do realize that the wire driven movements of these films are an old tradition within Kung Fu movies, right? It's choreographed dance, nothing more. It's ballet. It's supposed to be stylistic and it sure beats watching things blow up in a "realistic" way to me. Your mileage may vary, but I sit there entranced, suspending disbelief for the sake of the experience. I don't go to the cinema for realism myself, but for a type of catharsis experience. Sometimes I go because I'm too tire to do anything else, too.
Murder sensing candles. Man, that would bring me into a theater, not drive me away. I'm totally into magic realism in art.
Last edited by Shane Sanders on Sun Aug 29, 2004 6:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 7873 posts since 21 Dec, 2002 from MD USA
he didn'tChase wrote:I hated this movie so much. I couldn't believe Quentin made it.
my music: http://www.alexcooperusa.com
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
"It's hard to be humble, when you're as great as I am." Muhammad Ali
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- KVRAF
- 1651 posts since 14 May, 2002 from Earth
He had nothing to do with the movie, he just funded it's release in the US.
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- KVRAF
- 25049 posts since 12 Jul, 2003 from West Caprazumia
yes - I was completely enchanted as well when I saw it 
cheers for your intellectual interpretation, Shane
edit: the music during the fight scene in the court (with the old man acompanying the fight with his Zither) was totally stunning.
cheers for your intellectual interpretation, Shane
edit: the music during the fight scene in the court (with the old man acompanying the fight with his Zither) was totally stunning.
Last edited by jens on Sun Aug 29, 2004 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 1651 posts since 14 May, 2002 from Earth
Also, a lot of times people will think things are cheesy because they don't understand them. Most of the time it's symbolic stuff - as Shane described the water scene in Hero. For example, there were a lot of "cheesy" scenes in Kill Bill as well but most of them were loved by people who are familiar with old school japan made kung fu flicks because he was paying a tribute to them during those scenes.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4221 posts since 10 Oct, 2002 from Nashville, TN USA
I agree. And the chorus chanting in "Hero" where the throng of guards were entreating the Overlord for action was pure Greek drama. And for me, it was musical, too. Unison shouting is powerful, and in this case, served a plot purpose as well.smart wrote:Also, a lot of times people will think things are cheesy because they don't understand them. Most of the time it's symbolic stuff - as Shane described the water scene in Hero. For example, there were a lot of "cheesy" scenes in Kill Bill as well but most of them were loved by people who are familiar with old school japan made kung fu flicks because he was paying a tribute to them during those scenes.
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- KVRAF
- 12977 posts since 29 Sep, 2003 from Ottawa, Canada
One of my biggest shortcomings is that I always expect people to see things through other eyes than their own. Lots of people in the theatre laughed at various scenes, which kind of put me in a bad mood, and all I could think was,
"You stupid, stupid cretins. You just don't get it, and you never will because your cultural perspective is too narrow."
I have to admit, it probably reflects more poorly on me to have such thoughts than on them for laughing at the film.
I'm the same way with music. I always think people will be more open-minded to different styles and perspectives. But they rarely are. Again, more my fault than theirs... but that's the honest truth of it.
Greg
"You stupid, stupid cretins. You just don't get it, and you never will because your cultural perspective is too narrow."
I have to admit, it probably reflects more poorly on me to have such thoughts than on them for laughing at the film.
I'm the same way with music. I always think people will be more open-minded to different styles and perspectives. But they rarely are. Again, more my fault than theirs... but that's the honest truth of it.
Greg
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- KVRAF
- 10597 posts since 13 Jun, 2004 from Alberto Balsam
Damn, shane, did you help make that movie or something? you seem to be defending it with your life.
it pisses me off when someone says they don't like something, and then other people play the "oh, that's just because youre closed minded" game. Excuse me for not knowing that two men bouncing off of water on their swords and then playing pong with a single water droplet (note that they werent jumping then. they were just standing on the water) represented pure Rimbaudian symbolism. I love the older martial arts movies, particularly Bruce Lee flicks. They represented things like "pure Rimbaudian symbolism" as well without ridiculously fake fighting scenes.
it pisses me off when someone says they don't like something, and then other people play the "oh, that's just because youre closed minded" game. Excuse me for not knowing that two men bouncing off of water on their swords and then playing pong with a single water droplet (note that they werent jumping then. they were just standing on the water) represented pure Rimbaudian symbolism. I love the older martial arts movies, particularly Bruce Lee flicks. They represented things like "pure Rimbaudian symbolism" as well without ridiculously fake fighting scenes.