About the Event
Rebels of the Neon God (Restored) 青少年哪吒（數位修復版）
(1992, Taiwan, 107 min.)
Directed by TSAI Ming-Liang 蔡明亮
Saturday, November 7, 7:00 p.m.
In collaboration with the Taiwan Academy, ‘Taiwanese Sensibility in Texas’
Before retaking the college entrance exams, Hsiao-kang, a boy who stays in a tutoring center every day, gets sick and tired of the monotonous days and crashes a sheet of glass with his fist to express his emotions. He stashes away his tuition fee to play games at Ximending and doodle around all day long. One day, he sees Ah-tze riding a motorcycle past him and gets attracted by this rebellious boy. Ah-tze is a speedster and playboy, having fun all the time. His life seems to be colorful, but in fact, he makes a living with stealing and selling stolen goods, dozing his youth away. A girl named Ah-kuei dates Ah-tze but never knows what she really is to him. When Hsiao-kang meets Ah-tze again, out of envy, he follows him in secret, longing to enter his world of freedom. The two young boys roaming in the perimeter of a city facilitates confusing loneliness to grow in their minds.
This is TSAI Ming-liang’s first feature-length film, awarded in the same year by Tokyo
International Film Festival and Festival des 3 Continents. Compared to other Taiwan films in
the 90s, its narration is slow, blank and simple. Without much dialogue and music or dramatic climax, the film is seen a lot to depict a situation with a single shot. The undercurrent lust of confused young people and loneliness behind rebellion are expressed with bold long shots to capture the boys lingering in the perimeter of a city. It shows not only the identities, but also the alienation among people. Some precise symbols, like “Water”, are used in the film, such as the heavy rainfall at night, puddles in a room or someone’s sweat and urine, to show TSAI Ming-liang’s unique aesthetics.
Discounted parking available in West Lot 4. Credit card required, $6 flat rate.
