& Edward Yang

A Brighter Summer Day

8.2

Based on a true story, primarily on a conflict between two youth gangs, a 14-year-old boy's girlfriend conflicts with the head of one gang for an unclear reason, until finally the conflict comes to a violent climax.

Director: , Edward Yang
Main Cast: Chang Kuo-Chu, Elaine Jin
Soundtrack: , Hongda Zhang
Cinematography: , Chang Hui-kung, Longyu Zhang
Screenplay: , Yan Hong-Ya, Mingtang Lai, Alex Yang, Edward Yang

Original title in Taiwan is 牯嶺街少年殺人事件.

Cinema Premiere: March 12, 1993

What do English critics think?

English Reviews

3 english reviews of A Brighter Summer Day (1991)

1. Blu-ray.com

9 / 10

It is a special film that one probably needs to see twice in order to fully grasp the depth of its story and appreciate the artistic vision of its creator.
blu-ray.com »
2. The Guardian

8 / 10

What makes this such a striking film is how the larger scope works perfectly in tandem with the very specific time and setting.
theguardian.com »
3. The New Yorker

No Rating

Yang brings a melancholy tenderness to his recollections, filming intricately staged action in long takes of a rueful, contemplative reserve and bringing the past to life by way of closely observed objects—an American tape recorder, a radio from China, a Japanese sword, a flashlight stolen from the movie studio.
newyorker.com »