Hong Kong Movie
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Complete guide to the best Hong Kong movie experiences.
There's hardly a street or cha chaan teng in Hong Kong that hasn't had its celluloid moment, yet it can be a strangely uninspiring place to watch a movie. There are more than 50 movie theaters in the city but nearly all of them are bland multiplexes dedicated to the same mix of cheesy Hong Kong comedies, made-in-China epics and Hollywood schlock. Luckily, there are alternatives. Here's your guide to Hong Kong's most memorable movie-going experiences. Cinemas for cheapskates Compared to some places, Hong Kong is still an affordable place to catch a movie, with most cinemas charging between HK$55 and HK$80 for a ticket. But even here, a few places stand out from the pack for their great value. The oddly named Paris London New York cinema in Yuen Long is the city's cheapest at HK$35 for a regular ticket. Closer to town, Mongkok's Dynasty Theatre charges a very reasonable HK$45 -- and as a bonus, you'll get to enjoy the most spacious cinema in town, with more than 900 seats per screen. Paris London New York, Hong Lai Garden, Ho Pong Street, Tuen Mun, New Territories, tel +852 2452 2123. Dynasty Theatre, 4 Mongkok Road, Mongkok, Kowloon, tel +852 2399 0363. hong kong movie theatre Arthouse and indie flicks The Broadway Cinematheque has been a destination for discerning filmgoers since it opened in 1996 with a focus on independent movies from around the world. In recent years, more commercial films have been thrown into the mix, but the Cinematheque is still the most reliable place to see something you might not catch anywhere else. The weekly Sunday review of international cinema is especially worth seeking out. Also, in June, 20 French films will be shown as part of "Femmes, Femmes, Femmes," a special series on women in French cinema. Not far away, the Grand Cinema in West Kowloon has also been attracting its share of film lovers. Venus Wong, the general manager of Ying e Chi, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting independent film, says that it has become her favorite commercial cinema in Hong Kong. "There is usually something I would like to see, sometimes alternative and sometimes stupid movies for a laugh," she says. The Grand's 12 screens mean there's always room for off-beat movies and film festivals, several of which take place at the Grand. Broadway Cinematheque, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon, tel +852 2388 0002. The Grand Cinema, 2/F, Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon, tel +852 2196 8170. hong kong movie theatre Luxurious movie-going If you want to impress a date or just pamper yourself while watching the latest blockbuster, check out the Director's Club, which has two theaters with just 16 plush seats each. HK$175 will get you a ticket, bottomless drinks, endless popcorn and two hot dogs. Wines are available from HK$190 to HK$420 per bottle. Almost as comfortable is the AMC Pacific Place, which features big leather seats -- "the best seats around," says Time Out film critic Edmund Lee -- and a bar that serves beer and wine at reasonable prices. Director's Club, 5/F, Cityplaza, Taikoo Shing Road, Taikoo Place, tel +852 2567 3111; AMC Pacific Place, Level 1, Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Admiralty, tel +852 2265 8933. hong kong movie theatre Retro cinema The closing of the Fanling Theatre in January took away Hong Kong's last remaining 1950s movie house, and a jewel of a cinema at that. So where's a lover of old-fashioned movie-watching to go? Amy Chin, a veteran film producer who has worked on dozens of Hong Kong dramas and comedies, is fond of the Grand Ocean Cinema, a 1960s-era relic of the days when movie theaters had one big screen and more than a thousand seats. "I like big theatres and there's nowhere else with that kind of atmosphere anymore." Unfortunately, its balcony was removed by renovations in the 1990s, which also stripped the cinema of any retro charm is might have had. Grand Ocean Cinema, Ocean Centre, 3 Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, tel +852 2377 2188.
Delving into the history of fans and umbrellas
A recent visit to the China Fans Museum and the China Umbrellas Museum ignited a spark in me about the nature of these two traditional hand-held items. Fans are to keep one cool and umbrellas to prevent one from getting wet. But parasols usually provide shelter from the sun rather than the rain. Ancient Chinese scroll paintings too depict fans as being used for the same purpose. In my hometown, less than an hour's drive from Hangzhou, the words for fan and umbrella are similar. The two museums, situated in Hangzhou's Grand Canal Plaza, are home to a treasure-trove of history and tidbits about the two items that many take for granted. I learned at the museum that foldable fans came from Japan - though this is disputed by some scholars - while the flat fan went the other way. Delving into the history of fans and umbrellas As for the collapsible umbrella, the earliest references are from AD 21 when Wang Mang, a Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24) official who seized the throne, had one designed for a ceremonial four-wheeled carriage. But one need not visit a museum to know that fans and umbrellas are much more than functional items. During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), when Hangzhou was the nation's capital, fans were a popular gift item among the literati, who would inscribe lines of verses on them - very much like modern-day poets who share limericks on social media. While the fan dance is a staple all across China, the umbrella is sometimes used in martial arts movies, the latest example being the very British film Kingsman: The Secret Service, in which Colin Firth's character executes a brilliant fight scene with a black umbrella. Talk about cultural cross-pollination. In Hong Kong movies, even the fan can be a lethal weapon. In the old days there were many workshops and manufacturers in Hangzhou and its vicinity that specialized in the two items. When I was a child, every household had at least one oilpaper umbrella. However, in the 1980s when the umbrella with a retractable pole crossed the Taiwan Straits, it was such a hot item of fashion and convenience that it quickly replaced the older type of umbrella. I was even commissioned to buy two dozen umbrellas when I returned from one Guangzhou trip. I then felt as if I was trafficking a symbol of innovation. Three decades later, that kind of umbrella is so cheap and commonplace while the oilpaper one has almost become a heritage item. Likewise, the fan has not been totally replaced by power-driven amenities. There is something about a fan that opens to a drawing and calligraphy. It can never be matched by the electric fan or the air conditioner.
In step with the times
In its 35th year, Hong Kong Dance Company has built a rich, critically acclaimed repertoire, even as they keep learning from their journey so far. Dara Wang has a ringside view of what's to come. In its 35th anniversary year, Hong Kong Dance Company (HKDC) is ready to take the stage with an exciting new range of shows. While The Legend of Mulan continues to be the flagship production of the company, four years running, the current season will see performances of Storm Clouds, Reveries of the Red Chamber and Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword, scheduled to debut in coming months. HKDC adaptations of Chinese classics are usually done with a view to making these more relatable to the audience. While the trend in cinema or literature has been to make a super-hero of Mulan, HKDC's Artistic Director Yang Yuntao is in favor of playing up the human side of the fable of Mulan, trying to draw parallels with the daily lives of common people. "For people like us with no personal experience of war, the saga of Mulan in the battlefield seems too far away from our lives. However, the filial ties and fortitude displayed by Mulan in a harsh environment can strike the right chord with a contemporary audience," said Yang. HKDC performances resonate well with the audience also because of their emphasis on conveying the emotion of a piece. HKDC's principal dancer Pan Lingjuan said, "HKDC scales down the display of dance techniques in favor of a smooth conveying of emotion. Even an abrupt kick- a basic dance move - might come in the way of the audience appreciating the mood of the moment." Dancer Tong Chi-man reiterated the importance of maintaining perfect synchronicity between dancers performing in a group. "Each move by a dancer in a group plays an important part to help immerse the audience into the story," he said. In a new bottle It took Yang a while to figure what the audience really like. The productions that seemed to him to have reached a level of creative excellence after he had put in hours of hard work, failed at the box office. For example, Spring Ritual-Eulogy, in which performers simulated the movement of brush strokes drawing Chinese characters, did not go down too well with the audience. On the other hand, the shows Yang had put together without much artistic thought turned out to be hits. For example, his adaptation of A Chinese Ghost Story more or less followed the original version, which was well taken by the audience. "The big applause from the audience surprised but also disappointed me. I realized they were cheering more on account of their memory of the classic story rather than my creation," said Yang. Since then, Yang considers both factors - familiarity and artistic innovation - while choreographing new shows. To get a better understanding of local taste, Yang, who is from the mainland, has tied up with Hong Kong comic artist Ma Wing-shing. Together they worked on the dance dramas Storm Clouds which debuted in 2014 and Chinese Hero: Tales of the Blood Sword will open later this year. Adapting Storm Clouds from a hugely popular comic series by Ma Wing-shing was an experiment. Fans of the comic, who had never been to a dance drama performance before, attended the show. "Some fans told me openly that they came only because they liked Ma's work although they weren't that interested in dance," said Yang. "But I am satisfied that they had their first experience of entering a theater to see my work." HKDC now targets potential audience across the board, as they believe everyone should have a taste of this performance form. Yang revealed that next year they have plans of bringing the story of Hong Kong movies from the 1970s to 1980s on stage. It's a story Hong Kong people are familiar with and will hopefully help enlarge HKDC's audience base. Mix and match HKDC's repertoire covers ancient Chinese ballad, martial arts-based legend, ethnic folklore, and stories set in the present. While each genre is presented in its distinctive style, Yang has combined contemporary and traditional Chinese dance styles, as well as worked out unlikely fusions between the East and the West. "I think this is exactly where our strength lies," says Yang. "It gives us greater flexibility in terms of artistic expression. In my eyes, the boundary between East and West has already blurred." Last year, HKDC presented The Legend of Mulan at New York's Lincon Center. On Saturday, they are performing the well-acclaimed dance drama, The Butterfly Lovers, at a dance festival in Seoul. Yang and his troupe enjoy their trips abroad. They are too seasoned by now to get overwhelmed by the newness and unfamiliarity of a culture different from theirs. "I never see a theater abroad as a totally strange place. I can always make good friends with people from different cultural backgrounds," said Yang. Tong feels it's probably easier for dancers to communicate with people from a different culture, being trained users of the body language. The principle of communicating without words also works internally, for HKDC's dancers come from different parts of China, and speak different dialects. Pan recalled an anecdote about meeting a fan during the performance of Mulan at Lincon Center. "He waited backstage for more than an hour to meet me. When he finally did, he was totally surprised at my height, as I seemed much taller playing Mulan on stage," said Pan, smiling. Evidently, an HKDC show can work like magic on the audience. Someone playing the heroine assumes larger-than-life proportions on stage, by dint of a performance delivered with panache. (HK Edition 04/22/2016 page7)
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1 Hong Kong movie awarded in Osaka Asian Film Festival.
2 A Hong Kong movie entitled " Love in the Buff" has won the Audience Award in the competition section of the Osaka Asian Film Festival this year, according to the local government press release on Monday.
3 Wong Chun, director of the Hong Kong movie Mad World, talks about the film at a press.