Movie Type: Action Thriller, Police Detective Film
Themes: Whistleblowers, Lone Wolves
Main Cast: Mickey Rourke, John Lone, Ariane, Leonard Termo, Ray Barry
Release Year: 1985
Country: US
Run Time: 136 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Best known for his 1978 film The Deer Hunter or perhaps the less-successful Heaven's Gate, director Michael Cimino turned to this fast-paced actioner set in an authentic (back lot) Chinatown. This thriller stars a rogue Polish-American cop (Mickey Rourke) out to not only keep Chinatown safe for the local consumers, but to dismantle its deep-rooted crime and drug cartels as well. No one backs the crusading cop in the latter objective, and as he faces a suave and wily crime boss (John Lone of The Last Emperor) and a libidinous newscaster (Ariane), he may be taking on more than he can handle. At least his wife thinks so, and the guys at City Hall think so -- but mayhem and murder will strew the streets with corpses before the smoke clears and the dust settles, and a vague, unresolved future sets in. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Review
This urban crime epic has style to burn but is ultimately unsatisfying; this is unfortunate because director Michael Cimino has the visual touch Year of the Dragon needs. He films the story's events in a sweeping and sumptuous style and brings a real kinetic flair to the film's action sequences. Unfortunately, the script leaves the viewer with precious few reasons to become emotionally invested: the character of Stanley White is as selfish as he is irresponsible and the film's two major female characters are portrayed as icy, overbearing caricatures. There's also a relentlessly shrill tone to the film; characters never have real conversations, they either trade insults or shout at each other. Thankfully, there are a few good performances to reward the patient viewer: Mickey Rourke puts the full weight of his charisma behind Stanley White and manages to make him compelling if not likeable, while John Lone is the epitome of sly evil as his Chinatown nemesis. Their battle of wills generates real dramatic sparks, it's just a shame the film they're in doesn't offer them a better vehicle. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide
Caroline Kava - Connie White; Eddie Jones - William McKenna; Joey Chin - Ronnie Chang; K. Dock Yip - Milton Bin; Pao Han Lin - Fred Hung; Mark Hammer - Commissioner; Dennis Dun - Herbert Kwong; Fabia Drake - Nun; Raymond Gardner - Funeral Musician; Keenan Leung - Pei Brother; Jack Kehler - Alan Perez; George Kodisch - Police Sergeant; Lisa Lee - Jade Cobra Girl; Paul L.Q. Lee - Jackie Wong's Son; Tony Lip - Lenny Carranza; Joanna Merlin; Gerald L. Orange - Bear Siku; Jimmy Sun - Elder; David Lee - Dragon King Boy; Sammy Lee - Pei Brother; Jerry Chan - Jade Cobra Boy; Tisa Chang - Nun; Michael Acampora - Funeral Musician; Billy Asai - Shanghai Palace Musician; Gloria Au - Joey Tai's Daughter; Vallo Benjamin - DEA Man; Joseph Bonaventura - Lagnese; Matthew Castiglione - Funeral Musician; Doreen Chan - Red Hair; Myra Chen - Shanghai Palace Singer; Steven Chen - Tony Ho; Chi Moy - Dragon King Girl; Chi On Soo Hoo - Shanghai Palace Musician; Chin Feng - Dragon King Boy; James Chin - Southwind Waiter; Lucille D'Agnillo - Mrs. Bukowski; Daniel Davin - Francis Kearney; Fan Mui Sang - White Powder Ma; Pat Fuji - Shanghai Palace Hostess; Manny Fung - Jackie Wong's 2nd Son; Steve Hanson - Funeral Musician; Aileen Ho - Jade Cobra Girl; Richie Hsiu - Dragon King Boy; Jiwon Chang - Dragon King Girl; Irene Jung - Dragon King Girl; Kader Ma - Jackie Wong's Assassin; Jeff Khowong - Jade Cobra Boy; Kuni Mikami - Shanghai Palace Musician; Geoffrey Lee - Shanghai Palace Hostess; Josie Lee - Dragon King Girl; Lin Ngan Ng - Chinese Widow; Dermot McNamara - Scappy Peck; Bruno Millotti - Italian Waiter; Ming C. Lee - Jackie Wong; Roza Ng - Laura Wong Tai; Anthony Parrillo - Funeral Musician; Cecelia Pei - Harry Yung's Secretary; Quan Eng - Mortician; Jilly Rizzo - Schiro; Paul Scaglione - Teddy Tedesco; James Scales - Connie's Assassin; Johnny Shia - Chia; John Sparks - Tracy's TV Cameraman; Julian Szumilo - Roman Catholic Priest; Gardell Tung - Jade Cobra Boy; Matthew Tung - Southwind Waiter; Carmine Venezia - Funeral Musician; Way Dong Woo - Elder; Jadin Wong - Mrs. Harry Yung; Janice Wong - Tina; Kelly Wong - Dragon King Girl; Emily Woo - Mrs. Wong; Harry Yip - Old General; Yuk Fan Yiu - Dragon King Boy; Yukio Yamamoto - Ban Sung; Jack Lee - Dragon King Boy; Victor Wong - Harry Yung; Bruce Kennedy - Surveillance Technician
Credit
Victoria Paul - Art Director, Marietta Ciriello - Costume Designer, Michael Cimino - Director, Françoise Bonnot - Editor, David Mansfield - Composer (Music Score), Lucia Hwong - Composer (Music Score), David A. Stephenson - Musical Direction/Supervision, John Caglione, Jr. - Makeup Special Effects, Alberto Fava - Makeup Special Effects, David Forrest - Makeup Special Effects, Wolf Kroeger - Production Designer, Alex Thomson - Cinematographer, Dino de Laurentiis - Producer, Robert Drumheller - Set Designer, Richard Kane - Set Designer, Gretchen Rau - Set Designer, Randy Ostrow - Set Designer, Debby Porter - Stunts, Michael Cimino - Screenwriter, Stanley Mann - Screenwriter, Oliver Stone - Screenwriter, Robert Daley - Book Author
Mickey Rourke plays Stanley White, a decorated police captain and Vietnam War veteran who is assigned to New York City's Chinatown, which he makes his personal mission to rid of crime. John Lone plays Joey Tai, a young man who ruthlessly rises up to become the head of the Chinese triad societies, and as a result of his ambition, creates a high profile both for himself and the triads' activities. Together, they end the uneasy truce that has existed between the triads and the police precinct. The film is an exploration of gangs, the illegal drug trade, ethnicity, racism, and stereotypes.
Production details
As with Streets of Fire, most of the film was filmed not on location but at soundstages in Wilmington, North Carolina,[1] after meticulous research of various locales which could be passed off as Little China and/or the Orient.
Mickey Rourke was only 31 years old at the time of filming, much younger than the character of Stanley White (intended to be a Vietnam veteran in his 50s). Rourke mentioned in an interview that he was hesitant to accept the role due to the vast age difference, but eventually changed his mind because of his willingness to work with director Michael Cimino again. Cimino drew heavily on the real-life boxing prowess of Rourke. At first, Rourke did not take his physical training seriously, so Cimino hired a Hells Angel to be Rourke's instructor, with "spectacular"[attribution needed] results.
The real Stanley White, upon whom the film's principal character is based, went on to make several cameo appearances in the films of Year of the Dragon co-screenwriter Oliver Stone. In JFK, White plays a member of the assassination team that Jim Garrison speculates was actually responsible for the President's death. In Nixon, White has a brief cameo during the horse-racetrack scene between Anthony Hopkins and Bob Hoskins. White has also served as a technical adviser on many of Stone's films.
Reception
Year of the Dragon received polarizing reviews upon its release in 1985. The film was nominated for five Razzie Awards, including Worst Screenplay, Worst Picture and Worst Actress. It sparked much controversy, and was protested in demonstrations by members of the Chinese American and Asian American communities who criticized the film for giving a stereotyped and inaccurate portrayal of Chinese Americans and Chinatown. John Simon, writing for the National Review, commented: "The new film is, like everything he has done — including the Oscar-winning Deer Hunter — an abomination."[2]
Vincent Canby defended the film for The New York Times, writing: "Year of the Dragon is light years away from being a classic, but then it makes no pretense at being anything more than what it is — an elaborately produced gangster film that isn't boring for a minute, composed of excesses in behavior, language and visual effects that, eventually, exert their own hypnotic effect."[3] Influential French film periodical Cahiers du cinéma named it to its annual Top Ten list. There were heavy campaigns for John Lone to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in this film. He failed to receive one, but did receive a Golden Globe nomination. Quentin Tarantino has praised this film as one of his favorites, naming its climactic train tracks shoot-out as one of his favorite "Killer Movie Moments" in 2004, remarking, "You forget to breathe during it!".[4]
References
^Benson, Sheila (August 16, 1985). "Movie Review: A Riveting Look at Chinatown Year of the Dragon". Los Angeles Times.
