I’m going to start with a confession: I’ve never actually seen Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. At least not yet.
The funny thing is that the film has lived on the edge of my awareness for quite some time. It occupies that strange category of movies that everyone seems to regard as more than just entertainment. The kind of film people revisit, discuss, analyze, and carry with them long after the credits roll. Art film seems where it fits best.
That idea reminds me of one of the most valuable classes I took during college: a combined course in advanced writing and cinema aesthetics. Until then, I mostly watched movies. That class taught me how to read them.
Suddenly, films weren’t just stories. They were layers of choices: themes, symbols, pacing, framing, character arcs, visual metaphors. The more closely I looked, the more I realized that great films often reveal themselves slowly. Sometimes they require multiple viewings. Sometimes they require a guide. Sometimes they simply require patience.
One assignment challenged us to write about our favorite film. For me, that film was Blade Runner. Looking back, I may have accidentally chosen the deep end of the pool but fortunately for me I needed some work perfecting my backstroke anyway (because of the popcorn; doesn’t taste so good when soggy).
My paper was titled More Human Than Human, borrowing the phrase from the film and, admittedly, appreciating its connection to a certain Rob Zombie song as well.
What fascinated me wasn’t merely the story itself. It was the film’s exploration of what it means to be human in the first place. The older I became, the more meaning I discovered inside it. Each viewing seemed to reveal something new.
That experience changed the way I approached storytelling. In many ways, movies are what inspired me to become a better writer. Not because I wanted to write movies, but because I wanted to understand why certain stories have more profound of an affect than others.
What made some characters feel real? Why do certain themes span the test of time? Why can a well-crafted story quietly alter the way we see ourselves.
Lately, I’ve taken a long break from film (thank you design and development); life has a way of pulling attention toward other pursuits. But I suspect there are still plenty of cinematic treasures waiting out there. Perhaps Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is one of them. The best part, I’ve got people in my life that I can continue to share this experience; which helps add more perspective. When I finally sit down to watch it, maybe I’ll return to this piece with a few new lessons to add.
Until then, I’ll remain grateful for the films, teachers, writers, artists, and even family who taught me that stories aren’t just meant to be consumed. Sometimes they’re meant to be studied.
—BiBiBi ;B