Film - "Made in Hong Kong" series, 2005

(adapted from archive.org's July 14, 2005 archive of the Freer Gallery's film listings)

Tenth Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival

This festival is cosponsored with the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office.

Kung Fu Hustle
Friday, July 15, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, July 17, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Stephen Chow, the clown prince of Hong Kong cinema, has made a career out of mercilessly lampooning everything from sports to cherished Chinese legends. His latest is an anarchic, relentlessly hilarious homage to - and parody of - classic martial arts movies. Featuring a cast of legendary Hong Kong action stars, it pits the ragtag denizens of a rundown slum against the dapper and ruthless Axe Gang in action sequences fueled by some of the most outrageous special effects ever devised. 2004 / 95 min. / Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles

DragonBlade
Friday, July 22, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, July 24, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Don't miss the chance to see Hong Kong's first CGI-animated blockbuster. Every bit as dazzling to watch as Shrek or The Incredibles, Antony Szeto's fantastic fable follows a teenage martial arts fanatic who sets out on an adventure in search of the legendary DragonBlade, a magical weapon that can only be wielded by the pure of heart and noble of spirit. 2005 / 82 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles.

Love Eterne
Friday, July 29, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, July 31, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
One of the all-time Hong Kong classics, this film directed by Han Hsiang-li tells the story of a young woman in fourth-century China who, against her parents' wishes, disguises herself as a man so she can go away to school. While there, she secretly falls in love with another young scholar. Will she be able to reveal her secret before it is too late? Adapted from the famous Chinese opera The Butterfly Lovers, this lavish production by the famed Shaw Brothers Studio features singing, dancing, beautiful traditional music, and colorful sets. 1962 / 123 min. / Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles

Come Drink with Me
Friday, August 5, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, August 7, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
King Hu, the godfather of Hong Kong action movies, perfected the gravity-defying fight scenes that characterize Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. In this, one of his greatest films, female action star Cheng Pei-pei plays Golden Swallow, a fierce warrior who, with the help of a mysterious kung fu master disguised as a drunken beggar, takes on a gang of thugs that kidnapped her brother. The film's gracefully choreographed action scenes are as powerful today as they were four decades ago. 1966 / 90 min. / Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles

Security Unlimited
Friday, August 12, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, August 14, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
The Hui Brothers—Michael, Sam, and Ricky—were the kings of Hong Kong comedy in the 1970s and 1980s, regularly delighting audiences with their goofball antics. In this last feature together, the famous comedy brothers act as a trio of bungling security guards who, in a nonstop parade of hilarious gags, foil a gang of determined villains. 1981 / 91 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

Police Story
Friday, August 19, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, August 21, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Worldwide superstar Jackie Chan first made a name for himself as the director and star of this caper about a cop tracking down the drug kingpin who framed him for murder. A showcase for Chan’s incredible athletic prowess and split-second timing, it shows off the effortless charisma and sparkling sense of humor that make him one of Hong Kong’s greatest stars. 1985 / 96 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles.

The Killer
Friday, August 26, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
Sunday, August 28, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium
No celebration of Hong Kong cinema would be complete without a contribution from John Woo, who led the Hong Kong action movie renaissance in the 1980s with his stylized odes to bloodshed and brotherhood. This film, with its Shakespearean plot and stunning, operatic shootouts, presents him at the top of his game. Chow Yun-fat plays an assassin who accidentally blinds a beautiful lounge singer. He resolves to pull one last job so he can pay for her operation. Danny Lee plays the cop on his trail who soon realizes that this is no ordinary criminal. 1989 / 110 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles.

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