The Terrorizers (1986) Kong bu fen zi (original title)

Director:

Edward Yang

Writers:

Edward Yang
Hsiao Yeh

Release Date:

1986 (Taiwan)

Genre:

Drama

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Cora Miao	...	Zhou Yufang
Bao-ming Gu	...	The cop (as Paoming Ku)
Wang An
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Feng Kang Chu
Shanqun Hong
Jiaqing Huang
Shi-Jye Jin	...	Zhou's lover
Lichun Lee	...	Li Lizhong
Deming Lu
Shaojun Ma
Chonghua Ni
Mingyang Shi
Zhiwen Xiao
Anshun You

Directed by
Edward Yang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edward Yang
Hsiao Yeh

Produced by
Chi-pin Chao	....	associate producer
Raymond Chow	....	executive producer
Deng Fei Lin	....	producer

Original Music by
Xiaoliang Weng

Cinematography by
Tsan Chang

Film Editing by
Ching-Song Liao

Production Management
Guoliang Xu	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mingtang Lai	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Du-Che Tu	....	sound

Special Effects by
Chu-chung Tsao	....	pyrotechnician

Camera and Electrical Department
Shao-Ming Kong	....	assistant camera
Shu-lin Li	....	still photographer
Ming-kuo Lin	....	assistant camera
Yi-Ming Lo	....	assistant camera
Chi-hsin Ma	....	assistant camera
Fuxing Zhen	....	gaffer

Other crew
Chi-pin Chao	....	planner

Production Companies

• Central Motion Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Golden Harvest Company (1986) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Inbaubel (1986) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Splendor Films (2011) (France) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

"Kong bu fen zi" - Taiwan (original title)
"The Terrorisers" - Hong Kong (English title) (imdb display title)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

Taiwan | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin | Min Nan

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

Taipei City, Taiwan

Company:

Central Motion Pictures Corporation

Movie Connections:

Features Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)

The Terrorizers

After ho-hum reactions to YI YI and BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY, this is the first Yang movie that I liked. The interwoven plot threads slowly reveal themselves in pieces, culminating in a finale that pulls everything together and yet opens up new mysteries. There is some fine cinematography, and the themes of alienation and disconnectedness give you something to chew on. However, I really can only appreciate this on an intellectual level. For me to really love a movie, I have to have some kind of emotional reaction to it. It has to be touching, or amusing, or exciting, or frightening. Like a lot of Antonioni (whose name repeatedly pops up in the reviews of this film), it only left me cold. Only one scene (when the writer weeps in her confused husband's embrace) had any kind of emotional resonance with me. I don't mind a film that makes you think, but there has to be something else to hook me in and encourage me to give it thought. For those who love cinema on a more intellectual level, however, I imagine this would be more rewarding.