Shaw Sisters: The Fighting Women of Hong Kong Cinema (Reading University)
In 1967, Shaw Brothers Studios released The One-Armed Swordsman. This was the beginning of their “Steel Hero” martial arts genre, which would make them famous throughout the world. Female cinema-goers certainly weren’t complaining, but the studios started to receive letters from husbands, worried that their wives, would compare them, to Gordon Liu or Hua Yueh.
Posted in Events and tagged china, Chinese, cinema, culture, film, Hong Kong, kung fu, movies, Run Run Shaw, Shaw Brothers Studios
An Evening of Independent Chinese Animation
This year’s Chinese Visual Festival is collaborating with the Chinese Independent Film Festival to bring to the UK their 10th anniversary animation selection, and I went to see it at King’s College in the middle of May.
Posted in Events and tagged animation, china, CIFF, cinema, culture, CVF, festival, film, history of animation, indie, King's College, london
China Underground – A Translated Sample
An interview with the band Vagabond Street, by John YingLing, for his upcoming documentary, China Underground.
I’ve translated about 3 hours of interviews for this project, which is now heavily into post production (but could still do with more funding). This will be one of the video programe available to accompany my talk “Peking Into Punk”.
Posted in Curated & Translated and tagged china, China Underground, Chinese, documentary, film, Guangzhou, indie music, music, pop culture, punk, rock, Vagabond Street
Deformity Sci-Fi
残废科幻 (“Can Fei Ke Huan”), quite crudely translated as “Deformity Sci-Fi”, is a peculiar, heady mix, shot in Shanxi, the hometown of up and coming Chinese indie director Jianqiang Xue (a.k.a. Kokoka). It follows the lives and misdemeanors of a gang of lowly thugs as they go about their daily business, arguing, fighting, drinking, collecting money and committing crimes against the backdrop of an imminent alien visitation.
Posted in Events and tagged china, Chinese, cinema, culture, CVF, Deformity Sci-Fi, festival, film, indie, movie, Sci-Fi, Shanxi
Special ID and HK-Mainland Collaborations
“Undercover cops walking a line between triad loyalty and law and order” is practically the bread and butter of the Hong Kong film industry, from classics like City On Fire, to its imitation in games like Sleeping Dogs.
Here, it is Chan Chi-Lung, played by Donnie Yen, who penetrates the echelons of Hong Kong’s gangster world, after severe reprimanding, as a last ditch attempt at returning to the force . His partner and boss, Captain Cheung (Ronald Cheung) promises to give Chan his “big break”, only after he has helped in solving one last case that would allow Cheung to retire in glory.
Posted in Events and tagged action, china, Chinese, cinema, City on Fire, cops, culture, Donnie Yen, film, gangster movie, Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema, Special ID, Terracotta Festival
The Fresh Perspective of Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons
2013’s Chinese New Year movie, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons is a kungfu fantasy film directed by Chi-kin Kwok and Stephen Chow. It’s based on one of the four cornerstones of Chinese classical literature, Xi You Ji or Journey to the West. Set in the Tang Dynasty, the novel tells the story of the monk Tripitaka and his perilous journey to India in search for Buddhist sutras, accompanied by his disciples and bodyguards, three reformed demons – a mischievous but super powerful monkey spirit, a fallen god turned pig demon and a fish demon.
Posted in Articles, Events and tagged china, Chinese, classic, demons, film, Journey to the West, kungfu, literature, Monkey King, movie, novel, Stephen Chow, wuxi a
Sir Run Run Shaw: An Obituary
Run Run Shaw passed away this week at the age of 106. He is known for the great his kung fu movies, and his contributions to the Hong Kong movie industry. However, to me, the impact of Run Run Shaw and his brothers were far wider even than this.
Posted in Events and tagged Bladerunner, china, Chinese, culture, film, kungfu, movie, obituary, Shaw Brothers Studios
Fairytale Killer: A Twisted Tale of Heroism and Redemption
Fairytale Killer, released in Asia in May last year, is the work of influential Hong Kong director Danny Pang (Bangkok Dangerous, The Eye), in collaboration with the excellent Thai director, Decha Srimantra (Ong Bak, Chocolate). It stars Sean Lau (Mad Detective, A Life Without Principle), Wang Bao Qiang (Blind Shaft) and star of Pang’s The Child’s Eye, Elanne Kwong.
Posted in Events and tagged china, Chinese, cinema, culture, Danny Pang, Decha Srimantra, fairytale, film, Hong Kong cinema, horror, Thai cinema, thriller
Tai Chi Zero & the Rise of Wuxia Steampunk
When I first saw the trailer for Tai Chi Zero last year, I was incredibly impressed and couldn’t wait to see it. Tai Chi Hero, the sequel, was released a month later, October 2012. So far there has been no UK release. On May the 4th, I got to go a one-off showing of the two films in Stratford, courtesy of Terracotta Distribution cross promoting with Sci Fi London, the amazing people who brought the films for showcasing so that English film lovers got a chance to watch it. Tai Chi Zero blew me away. So as well as adding this review to my repertoire of Chinese pop culture articles, I also hope that it will in some way, help with films find a distributor in the UK.
Posted in Events and tagged china, cinema, culture, film, kungfu, steampunk, tai chi
Orange You Glad the Mandarin Isn’t Chinese
Iron Man 3 came out in the UK a month ago, and watching it, a few things came to mind. I’ve waited this long so this article will not be seen as spoilers, but if you still haven’t watched it, Iron Man 3’s Mandarin….
Posted in Articles and tagged Avengers, china, comics, culture, film, Ironman