Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site bunny.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!bunny!mkw0
From: mkw0@bunny.UUCP (Maurice Wong)
Newsgroups: net.movies
Subject: Re: YEAR OF THE DRAGON (spoiler)
Message-ID: <173@bunny.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 23-Aug-85 14:25:26 EDT
Article-I.D.: bunny.173
Posted: Fri Aug 23 14:25:26 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 25-Aug-85 00:21:16 EDT
References: <2097T3B@psuvm>
Organization: GTE Laboratories, Waltham, MA
Lines: 104

> ......                                      But from the ground up
> this film is inconsistent, sleazy, poorly acted, lacking in simple
> continuity, racist, sexist, and unbelievable......
>      
> -- Tom Benson
>      

I haven't seen this movie, but I probably won't because of a flyer
distributed by the Asian American Resource Workshop in Boston.  I will
try to reproduce the flyer below for your information.

(Side 1 of flyer)

                     BOYCOTT "YEAR OF THE DRAGON"

                  AN END TO RACIST AND SEXIST FILMS!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Day of Protest             :  Write:  President
Saturday, August 24                 :          SACK Theaters
Picket SACK 57 - 200 Stuart St.     :          141 Tremont Street
                 Downtown Boston    :          Boston, MA  02116
Film times are 1:30, 4:30, 7:30     :
           and 10:15 pm             :          President
                                    :          MGM/UA Entertainment
     Show your concern              :          1350 Avenue of the Americas
    about anti-Asian films!         :          New York, NY
                                    :  
                                    :  Tell them you support the
                                    :  boycott!
---------------------------------------------------------------------

                          NO MORE STEREOTYPES!

                        STOP ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE!

Information:  Asian American Resource Workshop, 27 Beach St., Boston,
              MA 02111  (617) 426-5313


(Side 2 of flyer)

                 YEAR OF THE DRAGON - FACT OR FICTION?

In the YEAR OF THE DRAGON, director Michael Cimino (_The_Deerhunter_)
and screenwriter Oliver Stone (_Scarface_), have teamed up to create new
heights in cinematic racism, sexism, and violence.

YEAR OF THE DRAGON offends everyone with its racial slurs and distorted
images of Asians, Blacks, and women.  If Hollywood can get away with
this film, who will be next?

Cimino's version of Chinatown distorts fact with fiction, and extends
damaging cliches and stereotypes.
            
                *******************************************

FICTION:  Chinatown is a war-zone, where the leaders are criminals and
the youths are thugs.

FACT:     Chinatown is a vital and diverse community of businesses,
community organizations, arts groups, social services and all the
elements that make up a neighborhood.

                          *********************

FICTION:  Tracy Tzu is "an aggressive television reporter who develops
an antagonistic and yet ultimately passionate relationship with police
captain Stanley White."

FACT:     The submissive Tzu character is a rehash of the old Suzie Wong
formula.  Women are tired of these sexist images.

                          **********************

FICTION:  Producer Dino de Laurentis provided major and meaningful
employment for Asian American actors.

FACT:     The price of employment in this movie is the perpetuation of
destructive and demeaning stereotypes.

                          **********************

FICTION:  YEAR OF THE DRAGON provides a service to the Chinatown
community by bringing world attention to its problems.

FACT:     The movie does a disservice to Chinatown by sensationalizing
crime.  At the same time it makes light of problems like housing,
employment, health care, and anti-Asian violence.

               ************************************************

                    Fact: You can make a difference!

                      Send a message to Hollywood:
                 We won't pay to see racist and sexist movies!

               *************************************************

-- 
Maurice Wong

ARPA or CSnet : wong%gte-labs.csnet@csnet-relay
UUCP: ...harvard!bunny!mkw0