Year of the Dragon

"It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode."

1985 2h 14m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

★6.8TMDB · 510

ActionCrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In New York, racist Capt. Stanley White becomes obsessed with destroying a Chinese-American drug ring run by Joey Tai, an up-and-coming young gangster as ambitious as he is ruthless. While pursuing an unauthorized investigation, White grows increasingly willing to violate police protocol, resorting to progressively violent measures -- even as his concerned wife, Connie, and his superiors beg him to consider the consequences of his actions.

“It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode.”

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Cast

Mickey Rourke
Stanley White
John Lone
Joey Tai
Ariane
Tracy Tzu
Leonard Termo
Angelo Rizzo
Raymond J. Barry
Louis Bukowski
Caroline Kava
Connie White
Eddie Jones
William McKenna
Joey Chin
Ronnie Chang

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Cimino
Writers: Michael Cimino, Oliver Stone
Languages: Mandarin, English, Polish, Vietnamese
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 78% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

41 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Mandarin, English, Polish, Vietnamese.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Cimino, shot by Alex Thomson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by David Mansfield. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Noëlle Boisson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Mickey Rourke and John Lone and Ariane carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Cimino directs. Alex Thomson behind the camera. David Mansfield scores. Noëlle Boisson cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in Mandarin, English, Polish, Vietnamese.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 78% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
241 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Dialogue crosses 4 languages: Mandarin, English, Polish, Vietnamese.
4Directed by Michael Cimino, shot by Alex Thomson. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by David Mansfield. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Noëlle Boisson shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Mickey Rourke and John Lone and Ariane carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode.".
9IMDB entry: tt0090350 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.