Of all the contemporary directors, Ang Lee is the least likely to be pigeonholed. In the last six years he's moved from 19th-century England ("Sense and Sensibility") to Watergate-era New England ("The Ice Storm") to the Civil War ("Ride With the Devil") to ancient China ("Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon").
His graceful transitions between genre and setting are rooted in his education, which took place in Taiwan and the United States. Having lived in two societies, Lee can find the common threads in the most divergent of groups. "Sense and Sensibility," based on the Jane Austen novel, is a departure from the suburban American angst in "The Ice Storm," yet both films hone in on character and feeling.
Lee's most recent film, the spectacular "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" is further proof of the director's talent for stretching genre walls. "Crouching Tiger" is an action film, an epic drama, and an art film. It's also a subtitled film, a dubious distinction in the West where reading and movies are sworn enemies. However, "Crouching Tiger" is quickly approaching "Life is Beautiful's" U.S. box office record for a foreign film — proof that its subtitles and artsy soul aren't hindering its appeal to U.S. audiences.
Critics have always lauded Lee's work and that's been reflected in his awards nominations. In 1996 he earned a Best Director Golden Globe nomination for "Sense and Sensibility" and in 2001, with "Crouching Tiger" in his pocket, he snatched that same award from favorite Steven Soderbergh. Lee has never been nominated for a Best Director Oscar, a detail that will likely change in 2001 with "Crouching Tiger," but his films "The Wedding Banquet" and "Eat Drink Man Woman" received Best Foreign Film nods and "Sense and Sensibility" was a nominee for Best Picture.
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Director Filmography:
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| Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) | Spotlight |
2000 |
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Ride with the Devil |
1999 |
| The Ice Storm |
1997 |
| Sense and Sensibility |
1995 |
| Eat Drink Man Woman |
1994 |
| The Wedding Banquet |
1993 |
| Pushing Hands |
1992 |
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Full IMDb Filmography
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Ang Lee: Hulking Director
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In a move that solidifies his status as a director who spits on genre limitations, Ang Lee has signed on to helm "The Hulk." The director of "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" and "Sense and Sensibility" will take on his first blockbuster project, which is aiming for release in 2003. For more on "The Hulk" visit Coming Attractions.
Posted: 01/28/01
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