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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Wayne Wang
USA 1982

 

Wayne Wang’s breakthrough feature is an indie landmark, traveling the back alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown in its playful update of classic film noir. 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 (Wood Moy) and his nephew Steve (Marc Hayashi) 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, Chan Is Missing is a continuously fresh and surprising landmark of indie invention that playfully flips decades of cinematic stereotypes on their heads.

***

Two cabbies search San Francisco's Chinatown for a mysterious character who has disappeared with their $4000. Their quest leads them on a humorous, if mundane, journey which illuminates the many problems experienced by Chinese-Americans trying to assimilate into contemporary American society.

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 24th, 1982 (New York New Directors and New Films Festival)

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Review: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution Criterion Spine #1124 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:15:44.581        
Video

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 45,963,743,668 bytes

Feature: 22,792,691,712 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.94 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English (SDH), English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Criterion

 

1.33:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 45,963,743,668 bytes

Feature: 22,792,691,712 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.94 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

New conversations between Wang and critic Hua Hsu (33:45), and Wang and filmmaker Ang Lee (24:49)
Documentary on the making of the film "Is Chan Still Missing", directed by Debbie Lum (28:47)
Conversation between Wang and film programmer Dennis Lim (17:35)
Trailer (1:52)


Blu-ray Release Date: May 31st, 2022

Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 11

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (May 2022): Criterion have transferred Wayne Wang's Chan is Missing to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Director-Approved Special Edition". Chan is Missing was shot in 16mm, in black and white with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The 1080P looks gorgeous with the predictably heavy grain textures. Contrast is beautifully layered with inky black levels and the image is pristinely clean. This appears to be a highly authentic appearance on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a max'ed out bitrate.

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Chan is Missing has no strong aggressive moments. The score is credited to Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo (his only film work.) It's fun to hear in the opening are (We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock sung in Chinese, plus there is Los Lobos' Sabor a mí, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Grant Avenue sung by Pat Suzuki and at the end and Michel Legrand's theme from 'The Go-Between'. Criterion offer optional English and English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray offer a new conversation between Wang and critic Hua Hsu recorded by Criterion in January 2022. In it, they discuss Wang's path to becoming a filmmaker and the cultural context of Chan is Missing. There is also a new conversation with film programmer and critic Dennis Lim who interviews director Wayne Wang about his varied career in film for over 17-minutes. Also a conversation between Wayne Wang and Ang Lee discuss Chan Is Missing, their filmmaking influences, and their experiences working in American cinema as Asian directors. It runs 25-minutes. Is Chan Still Missing?, is a 2005 making-of documentary directed by Debbie Lum on the production of Chan Is Missing featuring interviews with actors Laureen Chew, Marc Hayashi, and Wood Moy; sound recordist Curtis Choy; and film historian Stephen Gong. Lastly is a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Oliver Wang.

Wayne Wang's Chan is Missing is plotted as a take-off, or homage, to the Charlie Chan film series - however the un-established "Chan" is the missing person - which becomes the film's central theme - both seeking him and defining a understandable portrait of him. As cabbie Jo and his nephew Steve investigate the titular character's whereabouts, they get an unusual, enigmatic, sketch of him that works as a reflective corollary of the Chinese American community. Yes, it has embraceable noir tropes with some wonderful shots. It's very cool - excellent filmmaking. I'm very happy with the Criterion Blu-ray's authentic a/v and extensive new extras. This is great! Strongly recommeded!

Gary Tooze

 


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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Criterion Spine #1124 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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