The Black Cannon Incident (1985)
The Black Cannon Incident (1985)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Cast & Crew.
Liu Zifeng
Zhao Shuxin
Gerhard Olschewski
Hans Schmidt
Gao Ming
Li Renzhong
Yang Fengliang
Chen Hao-xiang
Yang Yazhou
Feng Liangcai
Wang Yi
Zhou Yuzhen
Ge Hui
Wu Kegong
Wang Beilong
Wang Hongye
Xie Wei
Liu Yumei
Zhao Xiuling
Zhao's Girlfriend
Huang Jianxin
Director
Zhang Xianliang
Writer
Feng Wei
Director of Photography
Wu Tianming
Producer
Li Wei
Adaptation
Wang Xinsheng
Director of Photography
Dali Chen
Editor
Duan Shutang
Production Manager
Cui Yisong
Production Manager
Liu Yichuan
Art Direction
Li Ganghua
Sound Recordist
Media.
Details.
Release DateJanuary 1, 1985
Original Name黑炮事件
StatusReleased
Running Time1h 39m
Genres
Last updated:
Wiki.
The Black Cannon Incident (Chinese: 黑砲事件; pinyin: Hēi Pào Shìjiàn) is a 1985 Chinese black comedy film satirizing the bureaucracy and paranoia of the Chinese authorities. Presented by Xi'an Film Studio and directed by Huang Jianxin, it stars Gao Ming, Gerhard Olschewski, and Liu Zifeng.
The film was screened out of competition at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
In the film, a mining engineer has the hobby of playing Chinese chess alone. After a chess piece mysteriously vanishes, he sends a telegram about searching for a missing cannon. The authorities mistake the telegram for a cryptic message, and re-assign the engineer. While the case is being investigated, an inexperienced interpreter is asked to replace the engineer in his contact with a German specialist. A mistranslation by the inept replacement leads to a faulty test run and to financial loss for the mining company.