24 Questions
In which year was A Brighter Summer Day selected as the Taiwanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards?
1991
What is the English title of A Brighter Summer Day derived from?
Elvis Presley's song lyrics
Where is the film A Brighter Summer Day set?
Taipei in the late 1950s and early 1960s
How has A Brighter Summer Day been ranked in the Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time poll?
78th
According to film critic Godfrey Cheshire, A Brighter Summer Day has 'two faces, just as it has two titles' due to:
The sudden change of plots the film experiences halfway through its running time
Jonathan Rosenbaum named A Brighter Summer Day one of his 100 favorite films of all-time in 2004 and arguably the greatest Taiwanese film ever, likewise voted it one of the 10 best films of the 1990s. He extolled its 'novelistic richness of character, setting, and milieu,' use of objects, significance in the Taiwanese New Wave, and likened it to:
Rebel Without a Cause in their 'nocturnal lyricism and cosmic despair'
In Film Comment's best films of the 1990s poll, A Brighter Summer Day was considered one of the 10 best or 10 most underrated films of the 1990s by 7 critics, academics, and programmers, including Barbara Scharres, former programmer at the Chicago Film Center, who named it the film of the 1990s, calling it a 'film that transforms narrative through its deeply personal sense of observation, and grips the emotions and imagination with its steadfast power.' This indicates that the film was highly regarded for its:
Narrative transformation and emotional impact
According to Ari Aster, A Brighter Summer Day is like The Godfather in that it:
Convinces the viewer that they are watching the greatest movie ever made
According to film critic Godfrey Cheshire, the film's Chinese title, which translates as 'The Youth Killing Incident on Guling Street,' refers to:
A notorious crime that inspired the film
The 'outward' face of A Brighter Summer Day, as described by Godfrey Cheshire, presents a highly critical view of a society in which all proper authority has been eroded or undermined, reflecting a very:
Confucian concern
According to film critic Godfrey Cheshire, the 'inward' face of A Brighter Summer Day, indicated by the lyrics of the 1960 Elvis Presley hit 'Are You Lonesome Tonight,' presents a more:
Introspective and family-oriented movie
According to film critic Godfrey Cheshire, the sudden change of plots in A Brighter Summer Day halfway through its running time results in:
A shift from a fraught, violent story about teenage gangs to a more introspective and family-oriented movie
Who made his debut in the film A Brighter Summer Day?
Chang Chen
Which film did Director Edward Yang use as a model for the gangster movie A Brighter Summer Day?
Goodfellas
How many different versions of A Brighter Summer Day were edited?
Three
What is the ranking of A Brighter Summer Day on the review-compiling list They Shoot Pictures, Don't They?
110th
What is the Rotten Tomatoes rating for A Brighter Summer Day based on 24 reviews?
100%
Who praised the film, stating, 'In every aspect of technique... this film is a work of absolute mastery'?
A.O. Scott
Who considers A Brighter Summer Day as his favorite Yang film and voted it as one of the 10 best films of the 1990s?
David Bordwell
What is the literal translation of the film's original Chinese title?
The Homicide Incident of the Youth on Guling Street
In which year was the film A Brighter Summer Day set?
1960s
What is the main incident depicted in the film A Brighter Summer Day?
A murder involving a 14-year-old boy and his girlfriend
What political environment is the murder incident depicted in?
1960s Taiwan
Which film festival did A Brighter Summer Day win awards at?
Golden Horse Film Festival
Study Notes
A Brighter Summer Day Summary
- The film is set in 1960s Taipei and is based on a real incident involving a 14-year-old boy who murders his girlfriend, who was also involved with a teenaged gang leader.
- The film depicts the murder incident in the context of the political environment in Taiwan at that time, with an introduction stating that millions of Mainland Chinese fled to Taiwan after the civil war defeat by the Chinese Communists in 1949, creating an uneasy atmosphere for their children.
- The film's cast includes Chang Chen, Chang Kuo-chu, Elaine Jin, Lisa Yang, and others, with Chang Chen making his debut in the film.
- Director Edward Yang used Goodfellas as a model for the gangster movie.
- The film received critical acclaim and won awards at the Golden Horse Film Festival, Asia Pacific Film Festival, Kinema Junpo Awards, and Tokyo International Film Festival.
- Three different versions of the film were edited: the original 237-minute version, a three-hour version, and a shorter 127-minute version.
- A Brighter Summer Day is ranked as the 110th most acclaimed film ever and the most acclaimed from 1991 on the review-compiling list They Shoot Pictures, Don't They.
- On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a perfect rating of 100% based on 24 reviews, with an average score of 9.40/10.
- A.O. Scott of The New York Times praised the film, stating, "In every aspect of technique — from the smoky colors and the bustling, off-center compositions to the architecture of the story and the emotional precision of the performances — this film is a work of absolute mastery."
- David Bordwell considers it his favorite Yang film and voted it as one of the 10 best films of the 1990s.
- The film's original Chinese title translates literally as "The Homicide Incident of the Youth on Guling Street," referring to the 14-year-old son of a civil servant who murders his girlfriend, who was also involved with a teenaged gang leader, for unclear reasons.
- The film places the murder incident in the context of the conflict between gangs of children of formerly-mainland families and those of Taiwanese families, in the political environment of Taiwan at that time.
"A Brighter Summer Day" Summary Quiz: Test your knowledge of this critically acclaimed 1991 Taiwanese film directed by Edward Yang. Explore the film's plot, characters, cast, awards, and its historical and political context in 1960s Taipei.
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