Set just prior to the start of the 21st century, this vaguely futuristic quarantine story follows two residents of a quickly crumbling building who refuse to leave their homes in spite of a virus that has forced the evacuation of the area. As rain pours down relentlessly, a single man is stuck with an unfinished plumbing job and a hole in his floor. This results in a very odd relationship with the woman who lives below him. Combining deadpan humor with an austere view of loneliness and a couple of unexpected musical numbers, Tsai Ming-Liang crafted one of the most original films of the 1990s. Re-released for this current moment by Big World Pictures, the apocalyptic absurdity of this work is sure to resonate.
- Year1998
- Runtime89 min
- LanguageMandarin with English subtitles
- CountryTaiwan
- PremiereCannes
- DirectorTsai Ming-liang
- ScreenwriterYang Ping-Ying, Tsai Ming-liang
- ProducerPeggy Chiao
- CastYang Kuei-mei, Lee Kang-sheng, Tien Miao, Hsiang-Chu Tong
- CinematographerLiao Pen-jung
- EditorJu-kuan Hsiao
- MusicGrace Chang
Set just prior to the start of the 21st century, this vaguely futuristic quarantine story follows two residents of a quickly crumbling building who refuse to leave their homes in spite of a virus that has forced the evacuation of the area. As rain pours down relentlessly, a single man is stuck with an unfinished plumbing job and a hole in his floor. This results in a very odd relationship with the woman who lives below him. Combining deadpan humor with an austere view of loneliness and a couple of unexpected musical numbers, Tsai Ming-Liang crafted one of the most original films of the 1990s. Re-released for this current moment by Big World Pictures, the apocalyptic absurdity of this work is sure to resonate.
- Year1998
- Runtime89 min
- LanguageMandarin with English subtitles
- CountryTaiwan
- PremiereCannes
- DirectorTsai Ming-liang
- ScreenwriterYang Ping-Ying, Tsai Ming-liang
- ProducerPeggy Chiao
- CastYang Kuei-mei, Lee Kang-sheng, Tien Miao, Hsiang-Chu Tong
- CinematographerLiao Pen-jung
- EditorJu-kuan Hsiao
- MusicGrace Chang