Watch Goodbye, Dragon Inn

Goodbye, Dragon Inn is a Taiwanese movie released in 2003. It was directed by Ming-liang Tsai and stars Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen, and Kiyonobu Mitamura. This movie is considered an arthouse film that pays homage to cinema. The plot of Goodbye, Dragon Inn takes place over the course of one evening at an old movie theater in Taiwan that is about to close down. The movie theater is screening a classic kung-fu movie titled Dragon Inn, which was directed by King Hu in 1966. The viewers are few and far between, and as the evening progresses, the theater empties out even more, leaving only a few stragglers remaining.

The story follows a few different characters, including an aging movie usher played by Kang-sheng Lee, a Japanese tourist, and a man looking for sexual intimacy with other men. They all have their own reasons for coming to the theater, and some are more successful in fulfilling their goals than others.

While the movie plays on the screen, the characters interact with each other in a subtle and quiet way, as if they are all in their own dream world. This is a common theme in Ming-liang Tsai's movies, where the characters are often isolated and alone despite being in a public space.

The movie theater is portrayed as a haunted and eerie place, with creaky seats and dark corners. The director uses long takes and slow camera movements to create a sense of stillness and emptiness. This, combined with the lack of dialogue, makes for a movie that is deliberately slow-paced and meditative.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn is a love letter to cinema, and to the movie-going experience. It is a movie that celebrates the magic of the big screen, and the memories that come with going to the movies. The audience watching the classic movie on the screen is a nod to cinema's past, while the few remaining characters in the theater are a glimpse into cinema's future.

The movie also explores the concept of loneliness and isolation. The theater is a place where people can come together and watch a movie, but at the same time, everyone is alone in their own thoughts. The movie theater is a temporary escape from reality, but once the lights come back on and the credits roll, the audience must return to their everyday lives.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn is a movie that requires patience and an appreciation for slow cinema. It is a movie that rewards its viewers with its beautiful cinematography, haunting atmosphere, and poetic storytelling. This movie is not for everyone, but for those who are willing to take the journey, it is a unique and unforgettable experience.

Goodbye, Dragon Inn is a 2004 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 22 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 83.