Li Mu Bai meditating with sword (better quality)

[RayHomewood]

A nice clip, regardless of style(s). Please stop squabbling and simply enjoy it! : )

[JJaaPPaaSSee]

does any1 know film like this?

[MrXwolverinex]

@JJaaPPaaSSee house of flying daggers and hero

[tedmanowar]

What a performance by Yun-Fat Chow... He's an absolute joy to watch...

[shkotay]

The film overall was totally epic.

But this scene is STILL my very favorite.

Chow Yun Fat made that sword speak for real. Does anybody know what styles he incorporated? Michelles Yeohs acting was amazing too, her expression so revealing. So much for one small scene. I watch this yet again and am like....wow.

[SsehKalai]

While this is a wonderful movie and a brilliant form. This is not a specific style of Jian form. It was something that was specifically made for the movie. As to wanting a floppy blade, that's a demonstration thing. The most accurate sword in the movie is actually the plain one Li Mu Bai uses when the Green Destiny is stolen.

Rigid blades, with a central ridge for extra strength at what -ALL- antique Jian have. Floppy light blades are for movies and useless demonstration.

[shkotay]

He is such a consumate swordsman. This scene and the look Shu Lien gives him while he is practicing spoke volumes without uttering a word and with such great depth, it was moving. Through his art the sword spoke, in a way. This 2 mins of the film was my favorite (and there were many great scenes) part of the movie.

[pustullia]

Wudang Tai Chi...

[kenushitojurishima]

I love this thread lol

[mahram]

Ugh... this dub is horrific. What's wrong with the original performance?

[ryosunfist]

@mahram

i agree the original audio completes this scene

[gamma235]

I've looked into it. I'm pretty sure it's just well choreographed. It has elements from lots of different forms. The Taichi sword forms are not nearly as exciting and this is definitely not a Ba Gua form. I would be really happy to know the full story behind this scene though, cause the passion and skill that Chow Yun Fat demonstrates here is pretty awesome. I want to learn Wudan Kung Fu!!!!

[zieba]

Hehe, ok, but first learn how to say it: 武当 (Wǔdāng), not Wudan... frien'.... not kung fu, but 功夫 (Gōng fu)...

[gamma235]

Actually I'm using common spellings to avoid confusing people. I would also call it "tai ji quan" or "zhou run fa", if i wanted to get really technical. Also there is a very involved history behind the romanization of Chinese words complicated by the fact that there are about 53 different dialects of Chinese. In fact, the people from the region of Wu Dang Shan, probably don't even pronounce it that way! Pick on the guy who spells "because" as "cuz"?

你麻煩阿！！！！

[zieba]

我麻烦马？我从来没有麻烦啊！：）

Don't know about guy who speaks "because" as "cuz", 因为 :) I'm not an English guy. People from Wudang shan region possibly don't pronounc it that way, but for sure they also do not pronounce it like 'Wudan Kung Fu'. That's said. Have a nice day.

[kuru2k9]

@zieba So in China it IS actually pronouced as Gung Fu....great stuff. It would not surprise me if Hong King called Gung Fu "Kung Fu", considering those assholes LOVE to steal credit :).

I know it was Gung Fu all along, why? Because Ghandi (from India, some philosopher) created the martial art and brought it to china :).

[pandacommanda]

@gamma235 Surprisingly, it's mostly tai chi, with bits from some (I think) snake kung fu and a few other styles. The only reason tai chi isn't so exciting to watch is because people usually do it slowly- speed it up like this and it looks as fancy as any other martial arts form.

[franzfasching]

@gamma23  it doesn´t matter which style you are doing.

Find a good teacher (in tai chi, wushu, karate ..it simple depends where you are living) and continue training for some years every day ..

.if you have trained for some years with a teacher, you simple can buy a DVD, and learn every form you want

.. but there is a good chance, that you are quite happy with the forms you have learned from your teacher, even if the form is not nice enough to get a lady smile :-)

Best regards

[DrPoon]

the rza would fuck all of em up cuz he protects his neck

[zieba]

Of course. Who is rza then? Possibly not a Chinese (not very Chinese name he/she (?) has...).

[DrPoon]

It was a joke. It went right over your head, or you're far to up-tight to recognize it.

[gamma235]

Hey DrPoon, give this guy a break: he's not a native speaker of English and doesn't understand our nuances and sense of humor. On another note... I AM American, and I'm tired of people judging America as if the people from that country are not a part of the human race. We are not more "pesky" than other people. Also Wudan is the way it is spelled in the movie. I was copying that spelling to avoid confusion. Taiwanese people don't use pinyin. That's the way the Chinese romanize Mandarin.

[mcryanv]

@zieba SMFH.. the RZA?! he's from the Wu-Tang Clan. one of New Yorks best hip hop groups of all time. there first album (Enter The 36 Chambers) was solely inspired by old imported martial arts movies. the RZA also did the sound track for Kill Bill, and Afro Samurai... he's a beast.

[Blazinfistsoffury]

LOL!

[mumbleora]

What is the name of this form and from what style? Does anyone know?

[Zippyraww]

all time favorite sword.

[acupunturamtch]

iLOVE THIS MOVI

[blestcurst]

WU TANG STYLE

[zieba]

No, WUDANG (武当).

[Scalpelslippage]

well, you see, you're both quite correct. The han characters 武当 can be translated to both wudang and wutang, depending on who is doing the translation. A similar phenomena is seen with other translations that cause dualities when put into english, such as kung fu or gung fu, or taoism and daoism.

[easy4killa]

how is this movie called? :D

[zieba]

!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (臥虎藏龍), frien'...

[Fishstixj4l]

this is how cool people meditate :)

[Troyocorus]

looks a lot like a bagua form

[ShyningStar1]

well  this is based on the wudang reigion so it could be so

[YouFirstEye]

As the story goes, Li Mu Bai is a wudang swordsman. The sword play in this clip is beautiful and has elements of wushu and traditional elements. Cinematographer, Peter Pau, did an excellent job. However, it is not from a wudang sword form.

[airforceallie]

best part of the movie

[dfuzz1114]

agreed

[roblox619]

i remember this movie i saw it like years ago wit my uncle XP

[TheChum12]

Li Mu Bai is the man! I prefer watching this movie with subs. I need to learn Mandarin.

[Wings23]

Hes Training with the sword.

[zieba]

Ok, it's only english.

You get the idea.

[osassamutema]

that blade looks like a steel-ceramic (jade) alloy!

[zieba]

Yhmm, and in the movie, Sir Te says that it has more than 400 years...

[fishpig20]

lmao the wires pwn

[NiteOwl22]

This was a great movie, but this scene was actually my favorite in the whole movie. I love how he demonstrates his skill..amazing.

[phrethead666]

perhaps the metal used is stronger and therefore even though it is less dense it is still stronger the actual structure discussed earlier in the movie says it all

[Armace47]

Can anyone tell me why a sword with a blade that flops about would be better than one with a stationary blade? This isn't sarcasm, I enjoyed the movie, and I really do want to know why, if there is an explanation. It just seems to me that a blade like that would shatter easily if your opponent kept hammering at it, but I'm ignorant, so... =P

[notasmartportal]

I think it's better because it's easier to handle.

[xAikaNoKurayami]

Actually, that's the exact reason that they're made that felxible. A rigid and stationary blade would have a lot of increased reisistance, and therefore pressure on the blade, leading to cracking and all-out shattering. Blades were made to easily bend to accomodate the force of impact. All the really hardcore clashing you see in most movies is silly; if you notice here, the only times blades strike hard is when the blow cannot be deflected or completely avoided.

[Armace47]

Makes a lot of sense. Actually, when I came back and looked at this a couple of days after asking the question, I felt silly and realised it would probably be the opposite. =P

Out of interest, would a blade like Li Mu Bai's be "easier to handle", if it's possible to say?

[chaplain31]

yes, it would be. the blade is lighter which allows you to move it faster and more accurately than any European, discounting rapiers and their kin, blade i have ever held

[0dour]

wtf i didnt know there was an english dub

[ro332]

Yes, there is an english dub on the dvd but unfortunately it is not an accurate depiction of the script! There are errors on some of the most crucial moments of the movie that are not translated into English properly. In fact, even the subtitled DVD version of the movie is subtitled differently to the big screen version which to me. Hard to believe the studio didn't pick up on the little bits. Fantastic movie, nonetheless.

[zieba]

I belive so.

[upabittoolate]

is that 8 stroke method?