Happy 66th Birthday, Ang Lee! Born today in 1965 as Lǐ Ān, this Taiwanese-born American screenwriter, producer, and film director's career has seen him experience international, critical and popular acclaim and range of accolades.
Lee was born in Chaozhou Township, Taiwan in a military dependents' village of the Republic of China Armed Forces.
Later, both of his parents later moved from Jiangxi province in Mainland China to Taiwan, following the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. Lee then grew up in a household that put heavy emphasis on education.
Lee's father had wanted him afterwards to become a professor, but he had become interested in drama and the arts in college. This early frustration set his career on the path of performance art.
Upon seeing Ingmar Bergman's 1960 Swedish black and white rape and revenge drama/thriller film 'Jungfrukällan' ('The Virgin Spring'), it was this experience of which had been a formative experience for Lee.
In the early 1990s, Lee had garnered success with his first three features.
The first two were the 1991 Chinese drama/comedy film 'Tui shou' ('Pushing Hands') and the second was the 1993 Chinese romantic comedy/drama film 'Xǐyàn' ('The Wedding Banquet').
The third was the 1994 Taiwanese comedy-drama/romance film 'Eat Drink Man Woman', which explored the relationships and conflicts between tradition and modernity, and Eastern and Western.
These three films are informally known as the "Father Knows Best" trilogy. The films eventually garnered Lee success both in his native Taiwan and internationally as well.
Of the trilogy, Lee co-wrote. co-produced, and directed the first film of which he is best known. This was also the second installment of the trilogy. The film is a co-production between Taiwan and the United States.
'The Wedding Banquet' tells of Wai-Tung Gao (Winston Chao) and his boyfriend Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein), who live happily as a gay couple in New York City.
However, Wai-Tung has not been open about his sexuality with his Taiwanese parents (Sihung Lung, Ah-Leh Gua), and decides to acquiesce to their wish for a traditional Chinese union.
This is by marrying Wei-Wei (May Chin), a struggling artist of whom is desperate for a green card. But the simple arrangement turns into a lavish debacle when Wai-Tung's parents plan an extravagant wedding banquet.
Lee also had a cameo in the film as Guest at the Wedding Banquet. However, he went uncredited.
The trilogy precipitated his arrival in Hollywood two years later with the 1995 American historical period drama film 'Sense and Sensibility'. Upon release, Lee received critical praise and a number of accolades.
Two years later, Lee co-produced and directed the second film of which he is best known. This was the 1997 American drama film 'The Ice Storm'.
Unfortunately, the film's release was limited, and therefore grossed $8 million at the box office against a production budget of $18 million.
The film was based on American novelist and short story writer Rick Moody's 1994 tragicomedy domestic fiction drama novel of the same name.
Critical response to 'The Ice Storm' was positive, and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 50th Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year.
American screenwriter Jame Schamus (of whom had co-produced the film) received the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay.
The following year, Sigourney Weaver won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. This occurred at the 51st British Academy Film Awards in mid-April 1998.
Two years later, Lee co-produced and directed the third film of which he is best known. This was the 2000 Taiwanese/Hong Kong/American/Chinese wuxia action/adventure film 'Wò hǔ cáng lóng' ('Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon').
The film was based on Chinese mystery, science fiction, and wuxia romance novelist Wang Dulu's comics fiction graphic novel of the same name.
The film featured an international cast of actors of Chinese ethnicity, including Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi and Chang Chen.
Set in 19th century Qing Dynasty China, a warrior, Master Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) gives his sword, Green Destiny, to his lover, Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh). This is to deliver to safe keeping.
Later, it is stolen, and the chase is on to find it. The search eventually leads to the House of Yu, where the story takes on a whole different level.
'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' premiered at the 53rd Cannes Film Festival in May of that same year. It eventually went on to become a multinational venture.
On a budget of the film was made on a $17 million, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' grossed $213.5 million at the box office. The film was theatrically released in the United States on December 8.
An overwhelming critical and commercial success, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' won over forty awards and was nominated for ten Oscars.
This included Best Picture, and won Best Foreign Language Film, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography, receiving the most nominations ever for a non-English language film at the time. This occurred at the 73rd Academy Awards in late March 2001.
Along with its awards success, 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' continues to be hailed as one of the greatest and most influential films. The film has been praised for its story, direction, and cinematography, and for its martial arts sequences.
Four years later, Lee directed the fourth film of which he is best known. This was the 2005 American romance/drama film 'Brokeback Mountain'.
The film was adapted from American novelist, short story writer, and journalist Anna Proulx's 1997 short story of the same name.
Upon release, the film was commercially successful. On a budget of $14 million, 'Brokeback Mountain' grossed $178.1 million worldwide. It was later included on many film critics' 2005 top-ten lists.
One year later, 'Brokeback Mountain' won three Oscars for Best Directing, Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay), and Best Music (Original Score). This occurred at the 78th Academy Awards in early March 2006.
However, 'Brokeback Mountain' was also a subject of controversies, such as its loss to Paul Haggis' 2005 American drama/independent film 'Crash' for the Academy Award for Best Picture, censorship, and criticism from conservative media outlets.
The sexuality of the main characters has been subject to discussion. 'Brokeback Mountain' has also been regarded as a turning point for the advancement of queer cinema into the mainstream.
Six years later, Lee directed the sixth and final film of which he is best known. This was the 2012 American/Taiwanese/British/Canadian adventure/drama film 'Life of Pi'.
It was based on Canadian author Yaan Martel's 2001 psychological adventure philosophical fiction novel of the same name.
The film began development shortly after the release of the book, and would see directors Alfonso Cuarón, Jean-Pierre Jeunet and M. Night Shyamalan involved at various stages before the hiring of Lee.
Upon release, 'Life of Pi' emerged as a critical and commercial success, earning over $609 million worldwide against a $120 million budget.
The following year, 'Life of Pi' received eleven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay,
However, it won four (the most for the event) for Best Directing, Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography, and Best Music (Original Score). This occurred at the 85th Academy Awards in late February 2013.
In 2018, 'Brokeback Mountain' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Among his credits, Lee is also known for directing 'Ride with the Devil' (1999), 'The Hulk' (2003), 'Taking Woodstock' (2009), and 'Gemini Man' (2019).
According to Lee's personal life, he currently resides in in Larchmont, in Westchester County, New York, with his wife and two sons.
Lee is sometimes described as a naturalized American citizen, but has said he is a permanent resident of United States. He has stated that he believes in the Taoist-Buddha.
Lee is the tenth-oldest winner for the Best Director Academy Award (won for 'Life of Pi at age fifty-eight years, one hundred and twenty-four days).
Lee is one of four directors to win the Golden Lion twice and the sole filmmaker to have been awarded the Golden Bear twice.
He has also been awarded Directors Guild of America, Golden Globe and British Academy Film Awards, among others, and is the recipient of the Order of Brilliant Star, the second highest civilian honor bestowed by the government of Taiwan.
Much of Lee's work is known for its emotional charge and exploration of repressed, hidden emotions, which commentators believe is responsible for his success in offsetting cultural barriers and achieving international recognition.
Lee was one of the first Chinese-born directors to find critical and commercial success on both sides of the Pacific.
Though he drew many of his influences from Asian cinema, Lee transcended his Taiwanese heritage to make films in such diverse settings.
Each of his features have demonstrated that Lee was the rare director able to communicate universal themes regardless of time, setting or culture.
To 19th century England and early-1970s Connecticut, he had hit upon the universal differences when culture, society and sexual mores collide among the generations.
Lee has been active from 1982–present.
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