MovieChat Forums > Year of the Dragon (1985) Discussion > Terrible. Racist. Incoherent ...... I'm ...

Terrible. Racist. Incoherent ...... I'm stunned.

posted 10 years ago by Chanpuru
26 replies | jump to latest

I'm struggling to understand why some people think this film is so great. There's certainly a good concept buried in there somewhere...and if someone said the original script was good I could imagine it. But watching this for the first time I was staggered by how much of a mess it is.

It's so incoherent it looks like there was 3 directors and 4 editors! Characters appear and then just disappear (Denis Dunn??). Characters disappear for a reason and then reappear for no reason (Caroline Kava, Victor Wong??). And as for the acting....good god...John Lone is giving an Oscar performance whilst Ariane Koizumi and Caroline Kava are so bad it is literally laughable.

And after all the choppiness and confusion with story threads that are never fully realised, there's the question of racism. By chance I've read a few articles recently on the lingering objectification of East Asian women...and I have to say this is a blatant example. The lead character is supposed to be a flawed hero who is trying to clean up the corruption and can't be bought (because he's a Pole). However he turns up at Ariane's and there is this truly weird scene combining clichéd Asian female submission to white men (no means yes) bordering on a rape scene. Cut to another scene and suddenly the next time they meet she says "I love you"

I honestly can't believe this scrambled mess of a movie. Watch it for John Lone and that's all,

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Firstly Rourke's character is racist in the way that I described. Moreover, he even repeatedly makes generalisations again and again about "the Chinese" as if saying this criminal having a scam typifies a third of the people on the planet earth!! This movie hasn't aged well and belongs as a forgotten relic highlighting a small-minded period. And if Rourke hates criminals so much why does he act like one. I say again....the truly weird sex scene is very rapey.

John Lone's character is a scum-bag but why does his comment have to represent anything other than the excuses of that criminal??

where does this sinister Charlie Chan image come from ????

I'm sorry I don't understand this comment??

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

I agree it's trash, but I didn't find it entertaining at all. And as for compulsively watchable....only because it's so terrible.

Technically impressive in what way? The script is a shambles and it seems to have been edited by a committee

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Trust me I can absolutely appreciate a trashy movie and even some downright junk for sh*ts and giggles....but this film is just badly made mediocrity. It's not a guilty pleasure, a so-bad-it's-good or a b-movie masterpiece. It's none of those. And it's you that are telling me to appreciate its technical beauty.

And as for "lightening up" the only serious point I've made is regarding the overt peculiar racism in this film. Not good.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

You've misunderstood. I'm not telling you what you should like. Far from it. If you like it, good luck to you mate. But you can't have it both ways......when I say that I don't like it you can't then say things like:

If you can't recognize this movie's technical prowess, you don't know much about the aesthetics of cinema.

and just dismiss my opinion as if I'm ignorant. Some of the cinematography is good, most of the editing is choppy and the scripting is appalling. So an occasionally well shot disaster is not in my opinion technically great.

Lastly regarding the racism....I won't retread everything I said in my initial posts but I also won't except that everything I've mentioned was an intentional commentary on a characters flaws. Some of it was just 80s racism that you wouldn't get away with now....especially the weird 'rape' scene that I mentioned initially

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

I'm guessing that's your concession. About time too....

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Yawn

And you're right, I have made my point. Time to move on.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Hahaha

So long bad loser.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Some great points you made there. Very interesting indeed. You've given me a thoughtful moment of evaluation and forced me to confront the inner me through painful introspection.

I thank you as a brother for the journey that you have started me on.....to hopefully one day arrive at a point where I'm a little wiser and ultimately a better man.

I will always love you

Farewell

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Yeah you're probably right. I only get myself into trouble.

Like the other day I was criticising the Black and White Minstrels Show when I should have just enjoyed it for the music and recognising that it's just "Of its time". No offence meant.

I guess that picking up on weird racism is what us sensitive souls do.

Sorry I'm not more easily accepting and blinkered.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Chanpuru 10 years ago

Chinatown? Never heard of it. Probably a Z-list film without any famous actors...so I'm not interested

Oh and check out Breakfast at Tiffany's. A personal favourite of mine without a hint of racism (phew). There's also a rather delightful young Japanese actor called Mickey Rooney. He's hilarious.

[–] Benjatron_Gear_Solid 9 years ago

Well....I still liked it.

[–] bighalsy 8 years ago

The only racist here is the OP. Asians can't be bad? No mention of how the other ethnicities are portrayed in a negative light. And there's zero objectification of women in this film. It's the exact opposite in fact. OP, you're an idiot, and the only real bigot and racist here.

[–] Chanpuru 8 years ago

Sorry, who said Asians can't be bad? Was that the voice in your head providing you with a 'straw man argument' for you to rage about?

If you genuinely can't see what I described then just say that....don't just make sh*t up to suit your distorted view.

[–] TheArgentinian (7251) 4 years ago

"However he turns up at Ariane's and there is this truly weird scene combining clichéd Asian female submission to white men (no means yes) bordering on a rape scene. Cut to another scene and suddenly the next time they meet she says "I love you""

That bothered me too. White treats women like shit and they all fall for him. Ridiculous.

[–] legnadibrom (6515) 4 years ago

welcome to hollywood, where 90% of scripts were written by men pre-2000s

[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

This is a good fuckin’ movie, so good that I have it my video library; but this is a shit thread, partly because the interlocutor to the OP deleted him bitty self. Partly because it is all but STIPULATED that Mickey Rourke‘s character is racist; ergo, no debate. It’s racist, OP. It WANTS to be racist. The film AGREES with your point. Now go stuff your irrelevant point up your ass.