18 (1993)
A haunting Taiwanese drama about a man who abandons his family and surrenders to gambling, drifting into a world of outlaws and moral dissolution.
18 - Movie Information
- Original Title: 十八啦
- Release Year: 1993
- Directed by: Ho Ping
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Drama
- Runtime: 1h 44m
- Original Language: Chinese
- Spoken Languages: Mandarin
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 14, 1993 (Taiwan)
- Production Companies: King's Entertainment Co., Ltd., Taiwan Film Culture Co.
- Production Countries: Taiwan
18 - Plot
A multi-lingual tour guide who owns multiple passports one day drives his wife and daughter to a desolate seashore town and checks in a secluded, spacious, ruins-like hotel. From that moment on, he throws himself into gambling, tossing the dice with local residents all day. Sometimes he wins big, but sometimes he loses all. Feeling neglected and uncomfortable, his wife and daughter soon leave him and return home. He stays and wanders in this fishing village and gradually immerses himself in the surroundings—a place rife with immoral vagabonds, outlaws and weirdoes.
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18 - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Ho Ping
Main Cast
- Lu Hsiao-Fen
- Tou Tsung-Hua
- Wu Hsing-Guo
- Hsiao Hou Tao
- Tan Yang
Writers
- Kuo Cheng
- Ho Ping
18 - FAQs
What is 18 (1993) about?
18 follows a multilingual tour guide who drives his family to a remote coastal town and becomes consumed by gambling. As his wife and daughter return home, he drifts deeper into a fishing village populated by outlaws, vagabonds, and eccentric characters, losing himself entirely in that marginal world.
Who directed the 1993 Taiwanese film 18?
18 was directed by Ho Ping, a Taiwanese filmmaker who also served as cinematographer on the film. He co-wrote the screenplay alongside Kuo Cheng, making 18 a deeply personal and visually distinctive project within Taiwanese cinema of the early 1990s.
Who are the main actors in 18?
The film stars Lu Hsiao-Fen (credited as Monica Lin) as Pearl / Ah-chiao, alongside Tou Tsung-Hua, Wu Hsing-Guo, Hsiao Hou Tao, and Tan Yang. Wu Hsing-Guo is particularly notable as one of Taiwan's most celebrated stage and screen performers.
What does the title 18 refer to in the film?
The title 18 — rendered in Chinese as 十八啦 — refers to the highest roll in a traditional dice game, where three sixes total eighteen. Gambling sits at the heart of the story, and the tagline frames it beautifully: "It is a story about a bowl and dice, the macrocosm and man."
When was 18 released and where?
18 had its theatrical release on September 14, 1993, in Taiwan. The film is a Taiwanese production and was made during a particularly fertile period for Taiwanese art cinema, a decade that produced internationally acclaimed works from directors like Hou Hsiao-hsien and Edward Yang.
How long is the film 18 (1993)?
18 runs for 104 minutes, or approximately 1 hour and 44 minutes. The film takes its time immersing viewers in the atmosphere of its isolated coastal setting, allowing the protagonist's slow psychological drift to unfold at a contemplative, unhurried pace.
What genre is the 1993 film 18?
18 is a drama. It belongs to the tradition of Taiwanese art cinema from the early 1990s, blending character study with atmospheric storytelling. The film explores themes of alienation, moral ambiguity, and the seductive pull of a life lived outside social norms.
What are some films similar to 18 (1993)?
If you enjoyed 18, you might appreciate other films that explore drifting, marginal characters, and morally complex worlds. Editorial picks associated with this film include Montana (2014) and Hello (2013), among others. Fans of Taiwanese cinema may also enjoy works by Hou Hsiao-hsien from the same era.
More About 18
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