Year of the Dragon
“It isn't the Bronx or Brooklyn, it isn't even New York. It's Chinatown... and it's about to explode.”
Synopsis
In New York, racist Capt. Stanley White becomes obsessed with destroying a Chinese-American drug ring run by Joey Tai, an up-and-coming young gangster as ambitious as he is ruthless. While pursuing an unauthorized investigation, White grows increasingly willing to violate police protocol, resorting to progressively violent measures -- even as his concerned wife, Connie, and his superiors beg him to consider the consequences of his actions.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Year of the Dragon ≣ 1985 ≣ Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-04-02
Top Cast
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Mickey Rourke
Stanley White
John Lone
Joey Tai
Ariane
Tracy Tzu
Leonard Termo
Angelo Rizzo
Raymond J. Barry
Louis Bukowski
Caroline Kava
Connie White
Eddie Jones
William McKenna
Joey Chin
Ronnie Chang
Victor Wong
Harry Yung
K. Dock Yip
Milton Bin
Bau Hon-Lam
Fred Hung
Way Dong Woo
Elder
Jimmy Sun
Elder
Daniel Davin
Francis Kearney
Mark Hammer
Commissioner Sullivan
Dennis Dun
Herbert Kwong
David Lee
Dragon King
Jack Kehler
Alan Perez
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 16, 1985
Wide Cinema Exhibition
April 17, 2003
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$24M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$18.7M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.78x
-$5.3M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Michael Cimino
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Cimino, Oliver Stone
- Original Score
- David Mansfield
- Original Title
- Year of the Dragon
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- Mandarin, English, Polish, Vietnamese
- Runtime
- 2h 14m
- Production Budget
- $24M
- Worldwide Gross
- $18.7M
- Production Studios
- The De Laurentiis Company, Michael Cimino Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Michael Cimino
Michael Cimino, Oliver Stone, Robert Daley
David Mansfield
Alex Thomson
Noëlle Boisson, Françoise Bonnot
Dino De Laurentiis
Department Leadership Roster
Michael Cimino
Director
Alex Thomson
Director of Photography
Dino De Laurentiis
Producer
Michael Cimino
Screenplay
Noëlle Boisson
Editor
Françoise Bonnot
Editor
David Mansfield
Original Music Composer
Oliver Stone
Screenplay
Buddy Van Horn
Stunt Coordinator
Wolf Kroeger
Production Design
Marietta Ciriello
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Year of the Dragon.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Year of the Dragon.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Year of the Dragon
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Year of the Dragon about?
In New York, racist Capt. Stanley White becomes obsessed with destroying a Chinese-American drug ring run by Joey Tai, an up-and-coming young gangster as ambitious as he is ruthless. While pursuing an unauthorized investigation, White grows increasingly willing to violate police protocol, resorting to progressively violent measures -- even as his concerned wife, Connie, and his superiors beg him to consider the consequences of his actions.
Who directed Year of the Dragon?
Year of the Dragon was directed by Michael Cimino.
Who stars in Year of the Dragon?
The principal cast of Year of the Dragon includes Mickey Rourke, John Lone, Ariane, Leonard Termo, Raymond J. Barry.
When was Year of the Dragon released and how long is it?
Year of the Dragon was released in 1985 with a total runtime of 2h 14m.
What was the box office and production budget of Year of the Dragon?
Year of the Dragon had a reported production budget of $24M and grossed $18.7M at the worldwide box office (0.78 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for Year of the Dragon?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Year of the Dragon was composed by David Mansfield.
Is Year of the Dragon based on a book or true story?
Year of the Dragon is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Robert Daley".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Year of the Dragon?
Year of the Dragon holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).