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Summary:

A mystery man, a murder, and a wad of missing cash in his wryly offbeat breakthrough, Wayne Wang updates the ingredients of classic film noir for the streets of contemporary San Francisco's Chinatown. When their business partner disappears with the money they had planned to use for a cab license, driver Jo and his nephew Steve scour the city's back alleys, waterfronts, and Chinese restaurants to track him down. But what begins as a search for a missing man gradually turns into a far deeper and more elusive investigation into the complexities and contradictions of Chinese American identity. The first feature by an Asian American filmmaker to play widely and get mainstream critical appreciation, it is a continuously fresh and surprising landmark of the indie invention that playfully flips decades of cinematic stereotypes on their heads.

Contributors:

Wang, Wayne, 1949- , film director, screenwriter, film producer, editor of moving image work

Cronin, Isaac , screenwriter

Seltzer, Terrel , screenwriter

Moy, Wood , actor

Hayashi, Marc , actor

Chew, Laureen , actor

Wang, Zhengfang , actor

Tabios, Presco , actor

Chin, Michael , director of photography

Kikuchi-Yngojo, Robert , composer

Criterion Collection (Firm) , publisher, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/pbl

Wayne Wang Productions , production company, http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/prn

Languages:

English
Chinese

Language Notes:

English, Cantonese, and Mandarin dialogue; optional English translation.

Main Work:

Chan is missing (Motion picture)

Included Works:

Chan is missing (Motion picture)

Chan is missing (Motion picture) (English)

Related Series:

Criterion collection; [volume] 1124

Subjects:

Chinese Americans — California — San Francisco — Drama

Taxicab drivers — California — San Francisco — Drama

Missing persons — Investigation — California — San Francisco — Drama

Assimilation (Sociology) — Drama

Assimilation (Sociology)

Chinese Americans

Missing persons — Investigation

Taxicab drivers

California — San Francisco

Missing persons

United States

Genres:

Motion pictures

Drama

Film noir

Comedy films

Feature films

Fiction films

Video recordings for the hearing impaired

System Details:

Blu-ray; region A; monaural.

Performers:

Cast: Wood Moy (Jo), Marc Hayashi (Steve), Laureen Chew (Amy), Peter Wang (Henry), Presco Tabios (Presco), Frankie Alarcon (Frankie), Judy Nihei (lawyer), Eileen Yeung (Mrs. Chan), George Woo (George), Emily Yamasaki (Jenny), Virginia R. Cerenio (Jenny's friend), Roy Chan (Mr. Lee), Leong Pui Chee (Mr. Fong).

Production Credits:

Cinematography, Michael Chin ; music, Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo ; producer and editor, Wayne Wang.

General Notes:

English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH)
Originally released as a motion picture in 1982
Full screen (1.33:1).
Special edition features: Is Chan still missing? (a making-of documentary by Debbie Lum); new conversations between Wang and critic Hua Hsu and Wang and filmmaker Ang Lee; conversation between Wang and film programmer Dennis Lim; trailer; plus, an essay by critic Oliver Wang.
Accompanied by folded sheet (12 pages) containing an essay by critic Oliver Wang.
Named to the National Film Registry in 1995 by the Library of Congress.

Physical Description:

1 videodisc (75 min.) : sound, black and white ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 folded sheet (12 unnumbered pages : illustrations ; 17 cm).

Physical Characteristics:

4 3/4 in.; monochrome

Audio Characteristics:

digital; optical; mono; sound

Film Characteristics:

1.33:1; full screen

Digital Characteristics:

video file; Blu-ray; region A

Call Numbers:

CHA 1982 BLU

ISBNs:

9781681439358
1681439352

Other Standard Numbers:

Universal Product Code: 715515271714
Publisher Number, The Criterion Collection: CC3356BD

OCLC Numbers:

1308957213