New Dragon Gate Inn

"In the desert, only the strong survive."

1992 1h 44m CN

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 157

ActionThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

During the Ming Dynasty, power-crazed eunuch Tso Siu Yan rules his desert region of China as if he were Emperor, ruthlessly thwarts plots against him and sets a trap for one of his enemies at the Dragon Gate Inn.

“In the desert, only the strong survive.”

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Cast

Maggie Cheung
Jade
Brigitte Lin
Yau Mo Yan
Tony Leung Ka-fai
Chow Wai On
Donnie Yen
Eunuch Tso Siu Yan
Yen Shi-Kwan
Ho Fu
Yuen Cheung-Yan
Iron
Lau Shun
Cha
Lawrence Ng
Chuen

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Raymond Lee Wai-Man
Writers: Charcoal Tan, Tsui Hark
Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin
Countries: Hong Kong

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

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Cantonese, Mandarin.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Dragon Inn Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

AWARDS

Did you know

Directed by Raymond Lee Wai-Man, shot by Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Philip Chan Fei-Lit. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin and Tony Leung Ka-fai carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Raymond Lee Wai-Man directs. Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai behind the camera. Philip Chan Fei-Lit scores. Poon Hung cuts. Produced in Hong Kong. Dialogue in Cantonese, Mandarin.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

134 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Cantonese, Mandarin.
3Part of the "Dragon Inn Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Raymond Lee Wai-Man, shot by Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Philip Chan Fei-Lit. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Poon Hung shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin and Tony Leung Ka-fai carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "In the desert, only the strong survive.".
10IMDB entry: tt0105859 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Arthur Wong Ngok-Tai
Original score: Philip Chan Fei-Lit
Editing: Poon Hung
Runtime: 104 min · 1h 44m
Status: Released
Original language: CN
Certification (US): NR
IMDB: New Dragon Gate Inn (1992)

Part of

Dragon Inn Collection

The Dragon Inn trilogy revolves around an inn setting across different timeframes, featuring distinct characters with varied agendas. Each film showcases enemies or unwelcome guests entering the inn, prompting the protagonists to defend, fight, or ambush them. Despite fantastical elements like dragons and flying swords, the narratives focus on power dynamics and personal battles rather than typical fantasy tropes, exploring the mental and emotional effects of violence on characters. The inn serves as a haven, safe-house, or battlefield, with its owner often playing a central role in protecting it from harm while pursuing personal motives. Despite different settings and characters, all films end with significant ramifications for the inn, its owners, and the factions involved.