A City of Sadness main backdrop
A City of Sadness main poster

A City of Sadness

Visit website

7.4/10 • 137

1989-10-212h 38m

DramaHistory

The story of a family embroiled in the "White Terror," the Kuomintang government's anti-communist political repression that was wrought on the Taiwanese people from 1947-1987.

Directors
Hou Hsiao-hsien
Writters
Wu Nien-jen, Chu Tien-wen

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Tony Leung

    Tony Leung

    Wen-Ching

  2. Hsin Shu-Fen

    Hsin Shu-Fen

    Wu Kuan Mei / Hinome

  3. Chan Chung-Yung

    Chan Chung-Yung

    Wen-Heung

  4. Jack Kao

    Jack Kao

    Wen Leung

  5. Tai Bo

    Tai Bo

    Ah Jia

  6. Li Tian-Lu

    Li Tian-Lu

    Ah Lu

  7. Grace Chen Shu-Fang

    Grace Chen Shu-Fang

    Meidai

  8. Wu Nien-jen

    Wu Nien-jen

    Mr. Wu

  9. Tsai Chen-Nan

    Tsai Chen-Nan

    Singer

Reviews1

View Reviews
badelf Avatar

badelf

Nov 15, 2021

9/10

This film, even at 20 years old, may be the strongest cinematic statement I've ever seen against country "boundaries" and "imperialism". Between the beginning of the 20th century, Chinese people lived in Taiwan under Japanese rule for two generations. By WW II, they were living alongside the Japanese and the remaining (that's another story) indigenous peoples more or less peacefully. The Taiwanese, after two generations, were neither Chinese, nor Japanese, nor indigenous. When Japan lost the war and withdrew, the Chinese government took over with disastrous consequences. THAT is viscerally described in this masterpiece. What's really lost on a white boy like me is the nuances of the dialects. In fact, the reason that Tony Leung is a deaf mute is that he couldn't convincingly speak the Taiwanese dialect! (At least I'm in good company, LOL)

Media

  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster
  • A City of Sadness poster

Recommendations

  • The Voice of the Moon main backdrop

    The Voice of the Moon

    6.8

  • The Time to Live and the Time to Die main backdrop

    The Time to Live and the Time to Die

    7.4

  • Terrorizers main backdrop

    Terrorizers

    7.4

  • Dust in the Wind main backdrop

    Dust in the Wind

    7.6

  • Twenty main backdrop

    Twenty

    7.2

  • The Night of the Shooting Stars main backdrop

    The Night of the Shooting Stars

    7.1

  • Only You main backdrop

    Only You

    7.3

  • Trust main backdrop

    Trust

    6.8

  • Big World main backdrop

    Big World

    7.5

  • The Madness of Dr. Tube main backdrop

    The Madness of Dr. Tube

    5.2

  • A Woman Called Sada Abe main backdrop

    A Woman Called Sada Abe

    5.5

  • Green Night main backdrop

    Green Night

    5.7

  • No Backdrop

    Receiver

    7.0

  • The Cannibals main backdrop

    The Cannibals

    6.8

  • A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon main backdrop

    A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

    6.4

  • Palombella rossa main backdrop

    Palombella rossa

    7.2

  • Werckmeister Harmonies main backdrop

    Werckmeister Harmonies

    7.9

  • Sadako vs. Kayako main backdrop

    Sadako vs. Kayako

    5.6

  • Through a Glass Darkly main backdrop

    Through a Glass Darkly

    7.8

  • The Way Home main backdrop

    The Way Home

    8.0

Status
Released
Original Language
Chinese
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
No keywords have been added.