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Hong Kong cinema
Jackie Chan and Jet Li were icons of Hong Kong films in the previous decade. Now they are both kung fu masters of the Hollywood silver screen. Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said 5 years ago that Hong Kong should aspire to be the Hollywood of the Orient. But the closest the industry has come to meeting this aspiration might perhaps be the recent success of Infernal Affairs.
It was,
however, ruined with the dollar-lustful follow-ups.
What we have left now are only comedies of the lowest grade made with
pop-stars for sheer cheap laughs.
Hong Kong cinema has long lost its glory and credibility, which once had its very own and original value that even Hollywood looked up to.
Now, apparently, we are light-years behind in capital, but do we lack the talent, the motivation, and the potential elements for a revival?
Of course, aiming at making a visual spectacle better than The Lord of the Rings would be far too ambitious. But like the contemporary European cinema, avant-garde films are also greatly celebrated and have been gaining extensive credibility. And Hong Kong may as well go along this path with our limited resources.
Hong Kong moviemakers like Fruit Chan and Wong Kar Wai are here to take the lead.
At least they are here to let us know we do not lack world-class talents and the ability on the part of the directors.
But would investing in such an industry that might be overly innovative be an unwise decision?
Aren’t Hong Kong cinema-goers interested in seeing their favorite idols in films that do not require any brain power?
The fact is the opposite.
Hong Kong holds many film festivals annually – The French Cinepanorama, Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and the recent Francois Truffaut Film Festival in Broadway Cinematheque, to name only a few.
Hong Kong has a population that loves quality films and they do support them. Many more are ready to devote themselves to the industry and are ambitious in making it flourish. What it lacks is, down to the line, capital.
While the government is trying desperately to invite foreign investments to drain away our wealth, perhaps we the people should consider being the boss and make our living.
Making our own quality movies might well be a way to be productive economically and culturally.
Stephen Chan
The Chinese University of Hong Kong