from action to arthouse
Transcription
from action to arthouse
FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE A CELEBRATION OF THE CINEMA OF HONG KONG AND MAINLAND CHINA FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 1 SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW (SEE P14) FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE: A CELEBRATION OF THE CINEMA OF HONG KONG AND MAINLAND CHINA The cinema of Hong Kong and China has it all: martial arts mayhem, robust comedy, insane horror and heartbreaking drama. With heroes who risk life and limb to create iconic screen personas, pioneering directors and incredible stories set against a turbulent political history, there’s something for everyone. Now increasingly intertwined as a result of commercial and cultural exchange, this brochure celebrates a vibrant period of filmmaking when the identities of these cinematic territories were more distinct and more reflective of specific cultural sensibilities. We explore titles from the prolific and varied output of Hong Kong powerhouse Golden Harvest, classics from local heroes and global action stars such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, and a selection from China’s perennially political national cinema. Join the celebration, and start to plan your audience’s (re)discovery of some of East Asia’s true cinematic wonders. For updates and further details - see www.parkcircus.com/china Words: John Berra is a lecturer in Film Studies at Tsinghua University. He is the co-editor of World Film Locations: Beijing (Intellect, 2012) and World Film Locations: Shanghai (Intellect, 2014). He is the co-editor of the East Asian Journal of Popular Culture, while his academic articles on the cinema of East Asia have been published in Asian Cinema, Geography Compass, and Science Fiction Film and Television. John is also a regular contributor to the industry publication The Chinese Film Market and the Asian popular culture website VCinema. Images: © the appropriate studio. All rights reserved. Brochure designed by and © Park Circus Limited, 2014. All rights reserved. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE COVER IMAGE: HERO (SEE P18) PAGE 2 ENTER THE FAT DRAGON (SEE P6) DISTRIBUTION MATERIALS Some titles are available on DCP. These are marked throughout this brochure with DIGITAL . MARKETING MATERIALS We have high res publicity images and copy for each film available for inclusion in your own brochures and websites. For some titles we can supply trailers, posters or print ready poster files for you to duplicate locally to help promote screenings. TERRITORY AVAILABILITY Note that inclusion of a title within this catalogue does not guarantee rights or print availability for a specific territory. Please get in touch for further details. BOOKING TITLES Please contact your usual sales person to make bookings. UK Office - for International/UK enquiries: Park Circus Limited T: +44 (0) 141 332 2175 E: info@parkcircus.com France Office - for France enquiries: Park Circus Films SARL E: france@parkcircus.com US Office - for US Domestic enquiries (Miramax titles only): Park Circus LLC T: (661) 702 2136 E: us@parkcircus.com For US Domestic enquiries about Sony titles, please contact Sony Repertory directly: Sony Repertory T: 310-244-7913 E: Christopher_Lane@spe.sony.com For US Domestic enquiries about Warner titles, please contact WB Classics directly: WB Classics T: 818-954-5886 E: WBClassics@warnerbros.com FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 3 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST IMAGE: THE BLADE (SEE P5) Founded in 1970 by Raymond Chow and Leonard Ho, the Hong Kong film studio Golden Harvest released hundreds of films before it withdrew from production in 2003. Chow and Ho were former employees of Shaw Brothers - the largest production company in Hong Kong, and one that was notorious for its restrictive control of talent. However, they were determined to go in a different direction with their new venture. Golden Harvest would quickly build vital relationships with directors and stars, allowing them the greater creative freedom that reinvigorated the Hong Kong film industry through a run of box office smashes across a range of popular genres. For much of the 1970s-1980s, Golden Harvest thrived on a broadly appealing mixture of kung fu, comedy, fantasy, and horror. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Tsui Hark are just four of the names closely associated with the studio during this boom period when it was producing 25-30 films per-year, many of which enjoyed further success in export markets. In the 1990s, Golden Harvest would diversify by dabbling in art-house fare, while also tapping into new urban trends such as the ‘triad youth’ genre. This section celebrates the studio’s legacy through an eclectic selection of fully-fledged classics, cult favourites, and some fabulous obscurities that are ripe for rediscovery. This section gives just a flavour of the 170 Golden Harvest titles we have available. Please get inTO touch if you would like us to send you the full list. FROM ACTION ARTHOUSE PAGE 4 Dir: Tsui Hark, 1995, 101 mins, Warner Starring: Zhao Wen-zhou, Xiong Xin-XIn Tsui Hark’s typically frenetic reimagining of the wuxia (martial hero) classic The One Armed Swordsman (1967) follows the violent destiny of Ding On (Zhao Wen-zhou), an orphan who takes over the running of a sword-making foundry when the master abdicates. However, when he learns that one of bandits who has been terrorising the surrounding area (Xiong Xin-Xin) is also the man who killed his father, Ding On rejects a life of stability in favour of a quest for vengeance. Hark reinvigorates the wuxia genre with thoroughly modern techniques, such as fast editing and a roving camera. The director’s use of colour is at its most expressionistic, with Ding On’s fierce bloodlust seeping on to the screen through Hark’s near-psychedelic palette. The Blade was rejected by Hong Kong audiences on release as contemporary visions were more in fashion, but has since become a classic due to its dizzying deconstruction of genre tropes. BLOOD REINCARNATION Dir: Ding Sin-Saai, 1974, 98 mins, Warner Starring: Peter Yang A ghoulish collection of horror stories derived from various Chinese superstitions are made all the more terrifying by the visceral charge that was characteristic of Golden Harvest’s run of 1970s shockers. In The Treasure, a greedy couple murder an elderly lady and attempt to steal the ‘fortune’ that she has buried in a remote field; in The Wanton, a dead body ‘refuses’ to be disposed of when an adulterous pair try to get rid of the woman’s husband; and in the title story, a wrongly executed doctor (Peter Yang) returns to haunt his home as a ghost, but only has seven days to settle the score for the injustice he has suffered. Although these are tried-and-tested horror narratives, director Ding Sin-Saai pulls off a number of plot surprises, with the ensuing shocks often enhanced by ear-splitting audio effects. Blending black comedy and melodrama into his trio of twisted tales, Sin-Saai balances all the elements with skill to ensure a genuinely spooky atmosphere throughout. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 5 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST THE BLADE Dir: Peter Chan, 1996, 116 mins, Warner, Starring: Maggie Cheung, Leon Lai, Eric Tsang Peter Chan’s award-winning masterpiece follows the intertwined fortunes of two starcrossed Chinese immigrants, Xiao-Jun (played by pop star Leon Lai) and Qiao (Maggie Cheung) over the course of ten years in Hong Kong. They engage in a casual romance that is interrupted by changes in economic circumstance or the presence of other romantic partners: he has a wife back in Guangzhou, and she becomes involved with local gangster Pao (Eic Tsang). Although they choose to ignore matters of the heart in favour of pursuing individual wealth, Xiao-Jun and Qiao prove to be forever bonded by their immigrant status, while Hong Kong undergoes disorientating change that further intensifies their mutual dislocation. Chan’s sensitively restrained handling of this deeply involving nearaffair between two people who try their best not to fall in love with one another is perfectly complemented by a nostalgic soundtrack of songs by the pop idol Teresa Teng. Cheung’s performance is emotionally affecting yet seemingly effortless, while Lai known primarily as a pop star - matches her with a layered characterisation that reveals previously untapped depths. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 6 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST COMRADES: ALMOST A LOVE STORY THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST ENTER THE FAT DRAGON Dir: Sammo Hung, 1978, 100 mins, Warner Starring: Sammo Hung Made at the peak of the Brucesploitation period, this absurdist action-comedy finds pudgy pig farmer Lung (Sammo Hung) travelling from his rural home to Hong Kong where he plans to work at his uncle’s noodle shop. However, he finds himself trying to defend the business from a local gang, a task that he is not physically up to, despite his best efforts to emulate his idol, Bruce Lee. A further chance to prove himself comes when a female friend is kidnapped and Lung leaps to the rescue. Lung may admire Lee, but lacks his physique, leading to some fitfully amusing impersonations when he tries to find courage by channelling the famous stances of his hero. Taking aim at the industry’s desperate attempt to find ‘the new Bruce Lee’, Hung even includes a hilarious face-off between a pair of rival Lee imitators! Enter the Fat Dragon was only Hung’s second directorial credit, but he was already just as comfortable behind the camera as he was in front of it. KITCHEN Dir: Yim Ho, 1997, 124 mins, Warner Starring: Jordan Chan, Law Kar-Ying, Yasuko Tomita Louie (Jordan Chan) is a Hong Kong hairdresser who lives with his transsexual mother Emma (Law KarYing). He visits a remote Chinese province to attend the funeral of a former client where he encounters the deceased’s beautiful but enigmatic granddaughter, Aggie (Yasuko Tomita). After discovering that the emotionally traumatised young woman is spending most of her time sleeping on the kitchen floor of an apartment that is scheduled for demolition, Louie takes her home and an unusual relationship develops between these two lonely souls. Loosely adapted from Banana Yoshimoto’s 1988 novel, writer-director Yim Ho creates a spellbinding atmosphere that makes this film a fascinating companion piece to the original text. Ho uses a languid blue lighting scheme to create a deeply melancholic mood, while achingly vulnerable performances from Chan and Tomita complete the director’s dreamlike vision. Kitchen is a hypnotic meditation on mourning and human connection that richly deserves a wider international audience than it has received to date. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 7 Dir: Billy Chan, 1990, 90 mins, Warner Starring: Joyce Godenzi, Agnes Aurelio Kuang (Joyce Godenzi) is a member of a family of thieves who ends up behind bars after being betrayed by her ruthless sister, Ngan Ping (Agnes Aurelio). On release she seeks to settle the score and reluctantly teams-up with the cops for a sting operation. Licence to Steal is a riotous action-comedy which features one of the best performances from model-turned-actress Godenzi who puts her ‘fighting femme’ persona to good use when sparring with scheming nemesis Aurelio and the ever-villainous Billy Chow. In the late1980s, Godenzi was tipped for success within the ‘fighting femme’ genre as she seemed to be following in the illustrious footsteps of Michelle Yeoh, but she would instead become more famous for marrying Sammo Hung. Nonetheless, Godenzi has since acquired a cult following from Hong Kong action aficionados, with Licence to Steal being a particularly good example of her briefly realised star potential. PEDICAB DRIVER Dir: Sammo Hung, 1989, 95 mins, Warner Starring: Sammo Hung With its hectic mix of audacious action, slapstick comedy, tragic romance, and thirst for vengeance, Pedicab Driver exemplifies that, however wildly uneven the Hong Kong cinema of the 1980s could be in terms of tone, it was just as wildly entertaining. Lo Tung (Sammo Hung) and Mai Chien-Tang (Max Mok) are hard-working pedicab drivers in 1930s Macau. They both fall in love with local girls: Lo Tung meets baker’s apprentice Ping (Nina Li Chi), while Mai Chien-Tang romances the rather secretive Hsiao Tsui (Fennie Yuen) after he accidentally knocks her down. Complications ensue as Ping’s boss, Fong (Suen Yuet), also has his eye on her despite being much older, while Hsiao Tsui is connected to local Triad boss Master 5 (John Shum). This second obstacle to true love causes the initially light-hearted narrative to take an altogether darker turn as Lo Tung finds himself taking on the mob in spectacular fashion. Highlights include a chase sequence in which Lo Tung’s pedicab gradually falls to pieces and a pole fight in a gambling den featuring the legendary Lau Kar Leung. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 8 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST LICENCE TO STEAL THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST PORTLAND STREET BLUES Dir: Raymond Yip, 1988, 114 mins, Warner Starring: Sandra Ng, Kristy Yeung, Shu Qi Portland Street Blues is a gritty spin-off from the Young and Dangerous series that focuses on the exploits of Sister 13 (Sandra Ng), the lesbian leader of Hong Kong’s Portland Street gangs. Her life up until this point is recalled in flashbacks while attending the funeral of her luckless gambler father: we see how a rough upbringing and unrequited love have made Sister 13 a boss to not only be feared, but respected. The supporting players include Kristy Yeung as Sister 13’s young lover and Shu Qi who sheds her starlet image with a breakthrough dramatic performance as a junkie seeking vengeance against the cop who dumped her. Portland Street Blues packs a lot drama into its running time, but it’s a propulsive saga with Ng proving to be a charismatic anchor. Ng’s portrayal of Sister 13’s journey from innocent tomboy to hardened underworld figure won her both Hong Kong Film Award and the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award for Best Leading Actress. PROJECT A Dir: Jackie Chan, 1983, 106 mins, Miramax Starring: Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao After struggling to break into the US market with a The Big Brawl (1980) and The Cannonball Run (1980), Jackie Chan returned to Hong Kong to team-up with Yuen Biao and Sammo Hung for the period spectacle of Project A. Set in the 1800s, it follows the efforts of Chan’s marine police officer to stop ship-raiding pirates at a time when the British rule the land but nefarious bandits are very much in control of the waters. It’s not particularly accurate with regards to Hong Kong history, but Chan deftly balances action and slapstick comedy against the background of handsomely mounted sets. Many of the humorous set-pieces reference Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, with a clock tower stunt by Chan paying homage to Lloyd’s silent classic Safety Last! (1923). Also included is a hysterical bike chase with Chan navigating the increasingly narrow city streets, and an explosive climax involving some wayward grenades. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 9 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST PROJECT S Dir: Stanley Tong, 1993, 104 mins, Warner Starring: Michelle Yeoh, Jackie Chan Following a 5-year break from the film industry due to her marriage to a Hong Kong business tycoon, martial arts queen Michelle Yeoh returned to the big screen opposite Jackie Chan in Police Story 3: Supercop (1992) in the role of mainland police officer Jessica Yang. She then continued her comeback with this exciting spin-off vehicle in which Yang is dispatched to Hong Kong to investigate a series of crimes carried out by robbers with high tech resources, only to discover that she has a very personal connection to the ringleader. Project S pitches the get-rich-quick attitude of Hong Kong with the patriotic duty of mainland China, as Yang sacrifices her future happiness in the name of law and order. Highlights include a hand-to-hand battle which pits Yang against an opponent twice her size, and a shoot-out in a crumbling factory. There is also an outrageous cameo from Chan who turns up in drag in a sequence unrelated to the main plot in order to lighten the otherwise largely serious tone. RUMBLE IN THE BRONX Dir: Stanley Tong, 1996, 104 min, Warner Starring: Jackie Chan ‘No Fear. No Stuntman. No Equal.’ More than a decade after Jackie Chan last tried to crack the US market with the ill-fated cop thriller The Protector (1985), the promotional tagline for Rumble in the Bronx sought to emphasise his sheer physical bravery over that of the Hollywood action stars of the period. An aggressive campaign by distributor New Line Cinema resulted in crossover success for this Golden Harvest production, proving that Chan’s signature brand of action could appeal to an American audience, if the star had sufficient control over the set-pieces. The storyline follow a predictable ‘fish out of water’ arc with Jackie visiting the US for a family wedding, only to end up taking on the local gang which is causing trouble at the neighbourhood market. Vancouver doubles unconvincingly for New York, but Rumble in the Bronx is all about the jaw-dropping stunts: they include an incredible leap from a rooftop parking lot and a motorcycle chase which sent most of the main players to the hospital. Due to insurance concerns, Chan’s subsequent Hollywood studio outings would be comparatively risk-free. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 10 Dir: Andrew Lau, 1996, 97 mins, Warner Starring: Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chang, Michael Tse Set in the high-stakes underworld of Hong Kong Triad society, Young and Dangerous is a flashy ensemble piece that combined the risky allure of its milieu and a cast of appealing stars (Ekin Cheng, Jordan Chan, Michael Tse) into a hugely successful franchise that would be rebooted in 2013 with Young and Dangerous: Reloaded. Adapted from a comic book series, it follows a close-knit crew of young men who rapidly establish themselves as enforcers in an underworld organisation. But their friendship is ruptured by ambition, accusations of violating orders, an ill-fated assassination attempt and enforced exile. The film’s emphasis on unapologetically slick urban imagery and insistence that Triad organisations can evidence virtuous behaviour infuriated some critics on release. Yet such controversy only served to fuel the immense popularity of Young and Dangerous with the local audience, which ultimately responded to the bond between the main characters rather than the film’s more vacuous elements. Three sequels would be swiftly released within the following year, not to mention a number of vastly inferior ‘Triad youth’ rip-offs. See also: Infernal Affairs, the first in the Hong Kong crime trilogy that inspired Scorsese to remake it as The Departed (and win his first Oscar®). ZU WARRIORS FROM THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN Dir: Tsui Hark, 1983, 95 mins, Miramax Starring: Yuen Biao, Adam Cheng Fantastical events take place in Fifth Century mythic China where Sichuan province is being torn apart due to decades of civil unrest. Ti Ming-Chi (Yuen Biao) is warrior caught in the midst of a battle between warring clans, but finds himself allied with martial arts master Ting-Yin (Adam Cheng) on a quest to find the legendary twin swords which are the only weapons that can possibly stop the supernatural evil that is about to sweep through the land. The abundance of special effects contributed to Hark’s reputation as the ‘Steven Spielberg of Hong Kong’, even though they were not exactly state-of-the-art at the time of production. Yet however dated Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain may seem in this respect, it remains a giddily entertaining spectacle due to its madcap genre-splicing with wuxia (martial hero), horror, and broad comedy all generously stirred into Hark’s cinematic pot. The film developed a cult following in the US, with John Carpenter stating that is was a significant influence on his action-fantasy Big Trouble in Little China (1986). FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 11 THE GLORY DAYS OF GOLDEN HARVEST YOUNG & DANGEROUS HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION ENTER THE DRAGON (SEE P13) HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION Being an action star in Hong Kong is truly a full-time job. Although some of the main players featured here have appeared in other genres, each has remained a staple of the Hong Kong action scene, undertaking a range of heroic roles in exciting stories of pride, justice, revenge, and social duty. Usually performing their own death-defying stunts, fearless stars such as Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Donnie Yen and Chow Yun Fat have constructed identities that are synonymous with that of Hong Kong itself, becoming both local legends and global icons. Whether their weapon of choice is a sword, a gun, or their bare hands, the characters portrayed by these stars always exude a strong sense of purpose. Yet the shared heroic masculinity that has been constructed through collaboration with the world’s finest fight choreographers is also informed by highly individual approaches to drama, humour, and the cultivation of screen presence. The following selection of titles celebrates some of their finest achievements as they battle their foes against backdrops both ancient and contemporary. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 12 DIGITAL Dir: Yuen Woo-ping, 1978, 111 mins, Sony Starring: Jackie Chan Loosely based on the early years of legendary martial artist Wong Fei-hung, this Hong Kong classic has a mischievous and undisciplined young man nicknamed Naughty Panther (Jackie Chan) learning Drunken Fist Kung Fu from the demanding Beggar So (Simon Yuen). In contrast with most portrayals of the sifu (master) figure, the cantankerous Beggar So appears to be a borderline-alcoholic geriatric. However, he is also a martial arts master who has been known to cripple his students with an overly-rigorous training regime. Drunken Master takes the main plot elements and principal players from Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow (1978) (see p14), which was released just a few months earlier, and imbues them with the comedic sensibility that would become the key ingredient for Chan’s superstardom. Although it provides a steady stream of laughs, Drunken Master is also respectful to its martial arts legacy. See also: Drunken Master 2 (aka The Legend of the Drunken Master for more drunk boxing and Chan heroics. Time Magazine named Drunken Master 2 as one of the top 100 best films of all time in 2005. ENTER THE DRAGON DIGITAL Dir: Robert Clouse, 1973, 102 mins, Warner Starring: Bruce Lee Much-imitated, often-parodied, never equalled: Enter the Dragon became an international phenomenon on release with its fusion of Bruce Lee’s formidable fighting style and impressive Hollywood production values, not to mention Lalo Schifrin’s playfully stylish score. The plot blends James Bond with Fu Manchu as Lee’s martial arts expert goes undercover as a tournament participant on the island of the evil Mr Han (Shih Kien), who is suspected by British Intelligence of being involved in drug trafficking and prostitution. The other contenders in the contest include two Americans: Roper (John Saxon), a playboy on the run from the mob, and Williams (Jim Kelly), an activist who has fled the US following an altercation with a pair of police officers. Both get the chance to show their skills, but this was always intended as a vehicle for Lee, whose cool charisma was at its peak in his last completed role. The scene in which Lee takes on dozens of Han’s guards – including a young Jackie Chan, who he dispatches with a vicious neck break – remains a blistering demonstration of the star’s absolute control of mind and body. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 13 HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION DRUNKEN MASTER DIGITAL Dir: Yuen Woo-ping, 1978, 98 mins, Sony Starring: Jackie Chan Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow not only launched Jackie Chan as a major film star, but also marked the directorial debut of Yuen Woo-ping, who would become a pioneer of martial arts cinema in terms of both local and global production. It tells the story of an orphan adopted by a kung fu school (Chan) who is used as their janitor and often abused by the teachers until he befriends an elderly master and receives training in the Snake-style of kung fu. Prior to Snake in the Eagle’s Shadow, Chan had been under contract to Lo Wei, whose had unsuccessfully tried to mould the star as “the new Bruce Lee” in five films that had successively failed at the box office. Chan was loaned to Seasonal Films and partnered with Yuen, who allowed the performer the freedom to develop his more comedic screen persona. This collaboration resulted in a box office smash that would serve as the template for Chan’s next film, Drunken Master (1978) (see p13), while also showing that the local audience wanted something new rather than a rehash of former screen glories. FULL CONTACT Dir: Ringo Lam, 1992, 96mins, Sony Starring: Chow Yun Fat Revenge, Heroic Bloodshed-style. Chow Yun Fat’s club bouncer hijacks a truck full of weapons with his friend Anthony Wong, but is double-crossed and left for dead. After recuperating, he returns to seek vengeance and win back his ex-girlfriend (Ann Bridgewater) who is now involved with his sworn enemy. Full Contact performed poorly at the Hong Kong box office on release as Chow’s audience was less than enamoured with the usually well-groomed star’s more rugged appearance. However, the image of a gunblazing Chow on a motorcycle has since become a crucial part of his iconography. Full Contact is also one of the best examples of Ringo Lam’s approach to action cinema which is fairly pared-down when compared to John Woo’s balletic aesthetic. The fights, shoot-outs, and stabbings are delivered with brutal efficiency, although Lam does let loose with a legendary ‘bullet cam’ shot during a nightclub gun battle. Full Contact adopts the cynical worldview of an American crime thriller, but Lam’s expert handling of the pyrotechnics ensures that this is unmistakably a Hong Kong product. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 14 HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION SNAKE IN THE EAGLE’S SHADOW Dir: Yuen Woo-ping, 1993, 85 mins, Miramax Starring: Donnie Yen, Rongguang Yu The corrupt officials of a Chinese village are continually robbed by the masked bandit known as Iron Monkey (Rongguang Yu). When traveling physician Wong Kei-ying (Donnie Yen) arrives in town with his young son and demonstrates great martial arts skills during an attempted robbery, he is arrested on suspicion of being Iron Monkey. Pressured into finding the real bandit by the authorities in order to prove his innocence, Wong accepts the mission, but ultimately teams-up with Iron Monkey to combat the untrustworthy government. Widely regarded as one of the greatest martial arts films to emerge from Hong Kong in the 1990s, Iron Monkey was written and produced by Tsui Hark, who insisted on adding a few comedic scenes for light relief. However, the dominant sensibility here is that of director Yuen Woo-Ping who stages a succession of thrilling combat scenes that become increasingly audacious in terms of scale and sheer technique. Amongst the incredible fight choreography on display is the staggering climactic ‘wire-fu’ sequence in which the heroes battle their nemesis on burning wooden poles over a pit of fire. SO CLOSE Dir: Corey Yuen, 2002, 110 mins, Sony Starring: Shu Qi, Zhao Wei, Karen Mok Lynn (Shu Qi) and Sue (Zhao Wei) are sisters and partners in industrial espionage, who use their late father’s secret satellite technology to gain an edge over their rivals and law enforcement agents. Lynn carries out the missions while computer hacker Sue provides remote technical support: Sue wants to be more involved in field work but Lynn tries to protect her by keeping her at a distance from the action. They become fascinated by the cop on their trail Kong Yat-hung (Karen Mok), who becomes an unlikely ally when their latest assignment goes wrong. Often summarised as a Hong Kong spin on the Hollywood blockbuster Charlie’s Angels (2000) due to its emphasis on the physical prowess of its similarly glamorous leading ladies, So Close is fastpaced entertainment with plenty of moves of its own. It’s also a throwback to the ‘fighting femme’ films that were a staple of 1980s Hong Kong cinema featuring copious action set-pieces and some pleasing interplay between the stars. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 15 HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION IRON MONKEY More than simply the beloved court jester of the Hong Kong film industry, Stephen Chow is action comedy royalty. He is the chief proponent of one of the region’s most idiosyncratic and identifiable exports, the “Mo lei tau” (literally, nonsensical) style of comedy filmmaking that he practically came to define throughout his work in the 90s. Starting that decade as an actor – with his major breakthrough coming in 1990’s All for the Winner – by its end Chow had also began to turn his hand to producing, directing and screenwriting. Already established locally as a polymath of the preposterous, Chow’s international breakthrough came in 2001 with Shaolin Soccer and his success was cemented with 2004’s Kung Fu Hustle. Chow’s crossover success played a part in the increased international awareness of Hong Kong and Chinese cinema. His parodies and pastiches play-off existing cultural and generic expectations by distorting and subverting them. Chow puts Hong Kong cinema through a manic auteurist blender: gone are elegant floating wire fights and refined choreographic sequences, in are outrageous CGI melees and cartoonish brawls. These films are perfect for late night cult classic screenings or as a double bill. SHAOLIN SOCCER Dir: Stephen Chow, 2001, 113 mins, Miramax. Starring: Stephen Chow, Zhou Wei In addition to producing, writing and directing, Chow stars here as Sing, a former shaolin monk turned streetcleaner who recruits a motley crew of his former brethren into a soccer team in order to promote the Kung Fu good news to the masses. Team Shaolin enters a major tournament and a head-tohead with the unambiguously named and performance-enhanced Team Evil is inevitable. The acrobatic sporting action that forms the centerpiece of the film laughs in the face of modern science and good taste as soccer balls fly through the air so quickly they catch fire, bodies are pulverised, grandstands destroyed and the collective jaws of the audience hit the floor. KUNG FU HUSTLE Dir: Stephen Chow, 2004, 99 mins, Sony. Starring: Stephen Chow Roger Ebert perhaps best captured the delight (and confusion) Chow’s second crossover hit provoked in international audiences when he described it as “like Jackie Chan and Buster Keaton meet Quentin Tarantino and Bugs Bunny”. Ever irreverent, Kung Fu Hustle’s all but arbitrary plotline blends a chaotic sample of pop culture references as it follows the showdown between the inhabitants of a Shanghai slum called Pig Sty Alley and the violent members of the Axe Gang. This forms a backdrop for some of Chow’s typically outlandish fight sequences, this time featuring an ensemble cast populated by Hong Kong legends such as Yuen Wah and Bruce Leung. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 16 HEROES AND HEROINES OF HONG KONG ACTION STEPHEN CHOW IMAGE: CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (SEE P19) FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE The commercial cinema of Mainland China is often defined by restriction, but the works featured in this section directly tackle national history and contemporary society with style, passion, and, in several cases, a wicked sense of humour. China’s film industry has rapidly developed since the instigation of ‘opening up’ reforms, allowing Fifth Generation directors such as Tian Zhuangzhuang and Zhang Yimou increasingly wider canvases on which to paint visions that are often more politically complex than their frequently ravishing visuals suggest, while satirists like Feng Xiaogang have been able to skewer social trends under the guise of crowd-pleasing humour. By using such popular narrative forms as adventure, comedy, wuxia (martial hero), and the biopic, these directors have captured the attention of the domestic audience, while striking a chord with international cinemagoers. Whether it is the madcap modernity of Big Shot’s Funeral, the respectful period recreation of The Go Master, or the rough-hewn reality of Not One Less, these are films which reflect China’s ever-changing landscape from feudal past to capitalist present. PAGE 17 MAINLAND CHINA’S MYTH, HISTORY AND HARD REALITY MAINLAND CHINA’S MYTH, HISTORY AND HARD REALITY Dir: Feng Xiaogang, 2001, 100 mins, Sony Starring: Ge You, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Kwan Feng Xiaogang has been so successful in the comedy genre that the term ‘Feng comedy’ has been coined to describe the director’s brand of broad satire, which aims to entertain the popular audience by peppering farcical situations with sharp references to current social trends. Big Shot’s Funeral is ‘Feng comedy’ at its best, with the director poking fun at the rapid commercialisation of China in the early-2000s. Opportunistic cameraman YoYo (Ge You) seeks to make a fortune by selling advertising space against the proposed public funeral of a major American director Don Tyler (Donald Sutherland) who has fallen into a coma while shooting a movie in Beijing. He also tries to win the affections of the director’s assistant, Lucy (Rosamund Kwan), who is taken in by YoYo’s everyman charm but repelled by the crassness of his scheme. Hilarity ensues as YoYo is swept up in the free market rush, dealing with demands from a variety of corporate sponsors and heading towards a manic breakdown as the lure of big money rapidly transforms the event from respectful ceremony to vulgar spectacle. THE GO MASTER Dir: Tian Zhuangzhuang, 2006, 104 mins, ICA (UK rights only) Starring: Chang Chen This handsomely mounted biopic from Fifth Generation figurehead Tian Zhuangzhuang covers the life of Wu Qingyuan (Chang Chen), whose talent for Go (a board game for two players using black and white playing pieces) took him from his native China to Japan in 1928 at the age of 14. Embarking on a professional career during a politically tumultuous period, Wu dedicates himself to mastering the game of Go, even when the breakout of Sino-Japanese War in the 1930s threatens to intrude on his family life and intensely focussed state. Taiwanese actor Chen immerses himself in the title role, while Tian’s formal aesthetic perfectly reflects the stoic reserve of his subject with its exquisite distancing and unhurried craftsmanship. Tian celebrates the sanctuary that comes from Go as Wu uses his efforts to remain its undisputed champion as a means of escaping the complicated climate of the period. Yet politics refuse to be pushed to the periphery, as Tian skilfully notes how the significant moments in the player’s remarkable career intersect with some of the most devastating events of the 1940s. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 18 MAINLAND CHINA’S MYTH, HISTORY AND HARD REALITY BIG SHOT’S FUNERAL Dir: Zhang Yimou, 2002, 99 mins, Miramax Starring: Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi China, the Warring States period: the nameless prefect of a small province (Jet Li) arrives at the state’s capital city to meet King Qin (Chen Daoming), who has already survived several attempts on his life and now lives a heavily-guarded existence as he tries to unify the nation. Li’s character claims to have killed the king’s wouldbe assassins, Broken Sword and Flying Snow (Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung), with his accounts of these epic battles unfolding in ravishing extended flashbacks. Donnie Yen appears as the assassin Long Sky, while Zhang Ziyi plays Moon, the dedicated apprentice of Broken Sword. Hero is a sumptuous wuxia (martial hero) adventure which finds Zhang Yimou creating some of his most painterly compositions in collaboration with renowned cinematographer Christopher Doyle, who provides an abundance of symbolic colour. They also realise some dazzling displays of gravity-defying combat with each character being allocated a particular fighting style, while their moves are complemented by the block-busting and stick-tapping percussion of Tan Dun. The composer’s wonderful classical score also provides much of the film’s romanticism through subtle yet significant re-workings of a beautiful main theme. See also: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee’s acrobatic spectaclular. Martial arts masters Li Mu Bai (Chow Yun-Fat) and Shu Lien (Michelle Yeoh) battle against evil forces to recover their stolen sword, the legendary Green Destiny. Winner of two Golden Globes, four BAFTAs, and four Academy Awards. KEKEXILI: MOUNTAIN PATROL Dir: Lu Chuan, 2004, 90 mins, Sony Starring: Zhang Lei Kekexili, Tibet: poachers and volunteer vigilante rangers engage in a dangerous game in this treacherous mountain region as the former seeks to make a living by killing and skinning rare antelope for sale to the luxury market, while the latter aim to stop them. When this battle of wits results in a murder being committed, journalist Ga Yu (Zhang Lei) is dispatched from Beijing to investigate, and accompanies the rangers on their next patrol. Lu Chuan’s second feature following the small town noir The Missing Gun (2002) is a gripping adventure which finds the director making stunning use of his widescreen canvas. The illequipped crusaders for justice are not only out-gunned by their ruthless adversaries, but also constantly under threat from the stunning yet merciless surrounding environment with its tough terrain, shifting weather conditions, and deadly quicksand. Kekexili: Mountain Patrol had a major impact in China in terms of increasing general awareness of poaching and the potential extinction of an increasingly rare species, leading the government to pledge crucial support for wildlife protection in Tibet. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 19 MAINLAND CHINA’S MYTH, HISTORY AND HARD REALITY HERO Dir: Zhang Yimou, 1999, 106 mins, Sony Starring: Wei Minzhi Not One Less addresses the issue of education reform in China. A 13-year-old teacher Wei Minzhi arrives in a remote village to substitute for its school’s only instructor while he goes away on family business, but struggles to keep the attention of her more disruptive students due to her lack of experience and only being able to use one piece of chalk per day due to budget issues. Having promised to ensure that none of the students leave to work in the big city, she is forced to travel to Zhangjiakou when one of the boys takes off in search money-making opportunities. Using amateur actors whose roles reflect their real-life experiences, and adopting a neorealist style, Zhang Yimou has crafted a moving commentary on the rural/urban divide. Issues of authority and bureaucracy are raised throughout as Wei’s lack of money or social status force her to overcome each obstacle through sheer tenacity. Much early discussion of Not One Less revolved around whether Zhang was criticising the state or promoting its initiatives, but his ninth feature is now widely considered to be one of the director’s most emotionally compelling works. A WOMAN, A GUN AND A NOODLE SHOP Dir: Zhang Yimou, 2009, 95 mins, Sony Starring: Sun Honglei, Xiao Shenyang, Yan Ni A remake of Blood Simple (1984), this slapstick thriller transposes the murderous events of the Coen Brother’s debut feature from 1980s Texas to 19th Century China. In a small desert town, a noodle shop proprietor Wang (Ni Dahong) regularly beats the young wife (Yan Ni) who he had purchased several years earlier. She seeks solace in the arms of shop servant Li (Xiao Shenyang), but when her husband finds out, he enlists the assistance of corrupt police detective Zhang (Sun Honglei) to take his revenge. Flamboyant in design and performance, A Woman, a Gun and a Noodle Shop transforms hardboiled noir into fabulous farce, although the grisly elements of the original are maintained alongside its broader sense of humour. The rural lyricism or epic grandeur that are largely perceived as the director’s forte are here entirely absent in favour of a nihilistic folk tale where everyone is to some extent at fault. It’s a true one-off in Zhang Yimou’s filmography, evidencing a previously unseen mischievousness as events moves at a hectic pace through a feudal landscape depicted as a moral wasteland. FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 20 MAINLAND CHINA’S MYTH, HISTORY AND HARD REALITY NOT ONE LESS WWW.PARKCIRCUS.COM FROM ACTION TO ARTHOUSE PAGE 21 © 2014 Park Circus Limited. All Rights Reserved.