Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Time Out Hong Kong's list of top 100 Hong Kong films


To commemorate Hong Kong's 100 years of cinema and their 100th issue, Time Out Hong Kong's film editor Edmund Lee and his team of critics have assembled a list of their top 100 films (though really 102 since a couple of choices are two-part films).

It's very pleasing to see the Wong Kar-wai gem 花樣年華 (In the Mood for Love) at the number one position atop the list. It is a lovely and subtle masterpiece that has influenced many other filmmakers.

Rounding out the top ten are Ann Hui's 投奔怒海 (Boat People), John Woo's 英雄本色 (A Better Tomorrow), Li Han-hsiang's 梁山伯與祝英台 (The Love Eterne), Wong Kar-wai's 阿飛正傳 (Days of Being Wild), Ang Lee's 臥虎藏龍 (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), Cecile Tang Shu-shuen's 董夫人 (The Arch), Michael Hui's 半斤八両 (The Private Eyes), Johnnie To's 黑社會:以和為貴 (Election 2), and Johnny Mak's Long Arm of the Law 省港旗兵.

Most of the selections on the list are from recent years. The oldest film in this ranking is Cai Chusheng's 孤島天堂 (Orphan Island Paradise) from 1939.

The article provides descriptions and commentary on the films. Some of it is quite amusing such as this description on #14 on the list 無間道 (Infernal Affairs) which was the basis of the Hollywood remake The Departed.
If you really think about it, they should have put a spoiler warning on the promo posters of this exemplary undercover cop thriller: after all, what’s the point of a suspense noir when even your elderly neighbour – and her maid – knew that Tony Leung is going to put a gun to Andy Lau’s head at the movie’s climax? More ridiculous still: some guy called Marty did an obscure little remake and won a piece of bronze or two in Hollywood, where Hong Kong was spelled as ‘J-a-p-a-n’.
http://www.timeout.com.hk/film/features/47714/the-100-greatest-hong-kong-films.html

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The 100 Greatest Hong Kong Films

1. In the Mood for Love 花樣年華 (2000)
Dir Wong Kar-wai (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung)

2. Boat People 投奔怒海 (1982)
Dir Ann Hui (George Lam, Season Ma, Andy Lau, Cora Miao)

3. A Better Tomorrow 英雄本色 (1986)
Dir John Woo (Chow Yun-fat, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung)

4. The Love Eterne 梁山伯與祝英台 (1963)
Dir Li Han-hsiang (Betty Loh Ti, Ivy Ling Po)

5. Days of Being Wild 阿飛正傳 (1990)
Dir Wong Kar-wai (Leslie Cheung, Maggie Cheung, Andy Lau, Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai)

6. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 臥虎藏龍 (2000)
Dir Ang Lee (Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen)

7. The Arch 董夫人 (1969)
Dir Cecile Tang Shu-shuen (Lisa Lu, Roy Chiao, Hilda Chou Hsuan)

8. The Private Eyes 半斤八両 (1976)
Dir Michael Hui (Michael Hui, Sam Hui, Ricky Hui)

9. Election 2 黑社會:以和為貴 (2006)
Dir Johnnie To (Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Nick Cheung, Lam Ka-tung)

10. Long Arm of the Law 省港旗兵 (1984)
Dir Johnny Mak (Lam Wai, Wong Kin, Kong Lung)

11. The Wild, Wild Rose 野玫瑰之戀 (1960)
Dir Wang Tianlin (Grace Chang, Chang Yang, Dolly Soo Fung)

12. Comrades: Almost a Love Story 甜蜜蜜 (1996)
Dir Peter Chan (Leon Lai, Maggie Cheung, Eric Tsang)

13. Fist of Fury 精武門 (1972)
Dir Lo Wei (Bruce Lee, Nora Miao)

14. Infernal Affairs 無間道 (2002)
Dir Andrew Lau, Alan Mak (Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Eric Tsang)

15. Sorrows of the Forbidden City 清宮秘史 (1948)
Dir Zhu Shilin (Zhou Xuan, Shu Shi, Rhoqing Tang)

16. Homecoming 似水流年 (1984)
Dir Yim Ho (Josephine Koo, Siqin Gaowa, Xie Weixiong)

17. Made in Hong Kong 香港製造 (1997)
Dir Fruit Chan (Sam Lee, Wenders Li, Neiky Yim)

18. Cold Nights 寒夜 (1955)
Dir Lee Sun-fung (Ng Cho-fan, Pak Yin, Wong Man-lei)

19. A Chinese Odyssey Part One: Pandora’s Box 西遊記第壹佰零壹回之月光寶盒
A Chinese Odyssey Part Two: Cinderella 西遊記大結局之仙履奇緣 (1995)
Dir Jeff Lau (Stephen Chow, Athena Chu, Ng Man-tat, Law Kar-ying)

20. Center Stage 阮玲玉 (1992)
Dir Stanley Kwan (Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Tony Leung Ka-fai)

21. The Story of a Discharged Prisoner 英雄本色 (1967)
Dir Patrick Lung Kong (Patrick Tse Yin, Sek Kin, Wong Wai)

22. An Autumn’s Tale 秋天的童話 (1987)
Dir Mabel Cheung (Chow Yun-fat, Cherie Chung, Danny Chan)

23. A Chinese Ghost Story 倩女幽魂 (1987)
Dir Ching Siu-tung (Leslie Cheung, Joey Wang, Wu Ma)

24. Raining in the Mountain 空山靈雨 (1979)
Dir King Hu (Hsu Feng, Tung Lin, Sun Yue, Tien Feng)

25. Chungking Express 重慶森林 (1994)
Dir Wong Kar-wai (Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Faye Wong, Tony Leung Chiu-wai)

26. The Warlords 投名狀 (2007)
Dir Peter Chan (Jet Li, Andy Lau, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Xu Jinglei)

27. China Behind 再見中國 (1974)
Dir Cecile Tang Shu-shuen (Tsang Kei-luk, Poon Yu-man, Siu Siu-ling, Fung Bo-yin)

28. A Simple Life 桃姐 (2011)
Dir Ann Hui (Deanie Ip, Andy Lau)

29. In the Face of Demolition 危樓春曉 (1953)
Dir Lee Tit (Cheung Ying, Tsi Lo-lin, Ng Cho-fan)

30. The Eternal Love 同命鴛鴦 (1960)
Dir Zhu Shilin (Fu Che, Hsia Moon, Kung Chiu-hsia, Bao Fong)

31. Ordinary Heroes 千言萬語 (1999)
Dir Ann Hui (Loletta Lee, Tse Kwan Ho, Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Lee Kang-sheng)

32. Mad Detective 神探 (2007)
Dir Johnnie To, Wai Ka-fai (Lau Ching-wan, Andy On, Lam Ka-tung)

33. Father and Son 父子情 (1981)
Dir Allen Fong (Shi Lei, Lee Yue-tin, Cheng Yu-or)

34. Drunken Master 醉拳 (1978)
Dir Yuen Woo-ping (Jackie Chan, Yuen Siu-tien, Hwang Jang-lee)

35. Rouge 胭脂扣 (1988)
Dir Stanley Kwan (Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, Alex Man)

36. One-Armed Swordsman 獨臂刀 (1967)
Dir Chang Cheh (Jimmy Wang Yu, Chiao Chiao)

37. The Orphan 人海孤鴻 (1960)
Dir Lee Sun-fung (Ng Cho-fan, Pak Yin, Bruce Lee)

38. Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain 新蜀山劍俠 (1983)
Dir Tsui Hark (Yuen Biao, Adam Cheng, Brigitte Lin, Sammo Hung)

39. My Intimate Partner 難兄難弟 (1960)
Dir Chun Kim (Patrick Tse Yin, Woo Fung, Nam Hung)

40. The Kingdom and the Beauty 江山美人 (1959)
Dir Li Han-hsiang (Linda Lin Dai, Zhao Lei, King Hu)

41. City on Fire 龍虎風雲 (1987)
Dir Ringo Lam (Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sun Yeuh)

42. Shaolin Soccer 少林足球 (2001)
Dir Stephen Chow (Stephen Chow, Zhao Wei, Ng Man-tat)

43. Summer Snow 女人,四十。 (1995)
Dir Ann Hui (Josephine Siao, Roy Chiao, Law Kar-ying)

44. Tears of the Pearl River 珠江淚 (1950)
Dir Wang Weiyi (Li Qing, Wong Sun, Cheung Ying)

45. The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter 五郎八卦棍 (1983)
Dir Liu Chia-liang (Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu Sheng, Kara Hui)

46. Motherhood 慈母心 (1960)
Dir Tso Kea (Cheung Ying, Wong Man-lei, Ha Ping)

47. Reign Behind a Curtain 垂簾聽政 (1983)
Dir Li Han-hsiang (Tony Leung Ka-fai, Liu Xiaoqing, Chen Ye)

48. McDull, Prince de la Bun 麥兜.菠蘿油王子 (2004)
Dir Toe Yuen (Voiced by Andy Lau, Sandra Ng, Anthony Wong Chau-sang)

49. Dirty Ho 爛頭何 (1979)
Dir Liu Chia-liang (Gordon Liu, Wong Yue)

50. Our Sister Hedy 四千金 (1957)
Dir Doe Ching (Mu Hong, Julie Yeh Feng, Jeanette Lin Tsui, Dolly Soo Fung)

51. God of Gamblers 賭神 (1989)
Dir Wong Jing (Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, Joey Wang)

52. The Mission 鎗火 (1999)
Dir Johnnie To (Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Francis Ng, Jackie Lui, Roy Cheung, Lam Suet)

53. Ashes of Time 東邪西毒 (1994)
Dir Wong Kar-wai (Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung Ka-fai, Tony Leung Chiu-wai)

54. The Prodigal Son 敗家仔 (1981)
Dir Sammo Hung (Yuen Biao, Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying, Frankie Chan)

55. Autumn Moon 秋月 (1992)
Dir Clara Law (Masatoshi Nagase, Li Pui-wai)

56. Peking Opera Blues 刀馬旦 (1986)
Dir Tsui Hark (Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh)

57. Festival Moon 中秋月 (1953)
Dir Zhu Shilin (Han Fei, Jiang Hua, Kung Chiu-hsia)

58. Dangerous Encounters – First Kind 第一類型危險 (1980)
Dir Tsui Hark (Lin Chen-chi, Lo Lieh, Che Bo-law, Albert Au)

59. Parents’ Hearts 父母心 (1955)
Dir Chun Kim (Ma Si-tsang, Wong Man-lei, Lam Kar-sing, Yuen Siu-fai)

60. 92 The Legendary la Rose Noire 92黑玫瑰對黑玫瑰 (1992)
Dir Jeff Lau (Tony Leung Ka-fai, Maggie Shiu, Wong Wan-sze, Fung Bo-bo)

61. The Way of the Dragon 猛龍過江 (1972)
Dir Bruce Lee (Bruce Lee, Nora Miao, Chuck Norris)

62. The Killer 喋血雙雄 (1989)
Dir John Woo (Chow Yun-fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh)

63. Love in a Puff 志明與春嬌 (2010)
Dir Pang Ho-cheung (Shawn Yu, Miriam Yeung)

64. The Butterfly Murders 蝶變 (1979)
Dir Tsui Hark (Lau Siu-Ming, Michelle Yim, Wong Shu-tong)

65. Police Story 警察故事 (1985)
Dir Jackie Chan (Jackie Chan, Brigitte Lin, Maggie Cheung)

66. Mr. Vampire 殭屍先生 (1985)
Dir Ricky Lau (Lam Ching-ying, Ricky Hui, Chin Siu-ho)

67. After This Our Exile 父子 (2006)
Dir Patrick Tam (Aaron Kwok, Ng King-to, Charlie Young)

68. To Liv(e) 浮世戀曲 (1992)
Dir Evans Chan (Lindzay Chan, Josephine Koo, Anthony Wong Yiu-ming)

69. Come Drink with Me 大醉俠 (1966)
Dir King Hu (Cheng Pei-pei, Yueh Hua, Chen Hung-lieh)

70. Once Upon a Time in China 黃飛鴻 (1991)
Dir Tsui Hark (Jet Li, Yuen Biao, Rosamund Kwan)

71. The Blue and the Black 藍與黑
The Blue and the Black 2 藍與黑續集 (1966)
Dir Doe Ching (Linda Lin Dai, Kwan Shan, Pat Ting Hung)

72. PTU (2003)
Dir Johnnie To (Simon Yam, Maggie Shiu, Lam Suet)

73. The House of 72 Tenants 七十二家房客 (1973)
Dir Chor Yuen (Hu Chin, Yueh Hua, Ching Li)

74. Beast Cops 野獸刑警 (1998)
Dir Gordon Chan, Dante Lam (Anthony Wong Chau-sang, Michael Wong)

75. The Purple Hairpin 紫釵記 (1959)
Dir Lee Tit (Yam Kim-fai, Pak Suet-sin, Leung Sing-po)

76. Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan 愛奴 (1972)
Dir Chor Yuen (Lily Ho, Betty Pei Ti, Yueh Hua)

77. Ah Ying 半邊人 (1983)
Dir Allen Fong (Hui So-ying, Peter Wang)

78. C’est la vie, mon chéri 新不了情 (1993)
Dir Derek Yee (Anita Yuen, Lau Ching-wan)

79. Happy Together 春光乍洩 (1997)
Dir Wong Kar-wai (Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Chang Chen)

80. The Great Devotion 可憐天下父母心 (1960)
Dir Chor Yuen (Cheung Wood-yau, Pak Yin)

81. Mambo Girl 曼波女郎 (1957)
Dir Yi Wen (Grace Chang, Peter Chen Ho, Kitty Ting Hao)

82. Ip Man 葉問 (2008)
Dir Wilson Yip (Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Lynn Hung)

83. The Magic Blade 天涯‧明月‧刀 (1976)
Dir Chor Yuen (Ti Lung, Lo Lieh, Ching Li)

84. Man on the Brink 邊緣人 (1981)
Dir Alex Cheung (Eddie Chan, Kam Hing-yin, Callan Leung)

85. Nomad 烈火青春 (1982)
Dir Patrick Tam (Leslie Cheung, Pat Ha, Kent Tong, Cecilia Yip)

86. Laugh, Clown, Laugh 笑笑笑 (1960)
Dir Li Pingqian (Bao Fong, Shek Hwei, Kung Chiu-hsia)

87. Kung Fu Hustle 功夫 (2004)
Dir Stephen Chow (Stephen Chow, Danny Chan Kwok-kwan, Yuen Qiu)

88. Empress Wu 武則天 (1963)
Dir Li Han-hsiang (Li Lihua, Zhao Lei, Grace Ting Ning)

89. An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty 唐朝豪放女 (1984)
Dir Eddie Fong (Pat Ha, Alex Man, Zhang Guozhu)

90. The Spooky Bunch 撞到正 (1980)
Dir Ann Hui (Josephine Siao, Kenny Bee)

91. Durian Durian 榴槤飄飄 (2000)
Dir Fruit Chan (Qin Hailu, Mak Wai-fan)

92. Father Takes a Bride 小兒女 (1963)
Dir Wang Tianlin (Lucilla You Min, Wang Yin, Kelly Lai Chen, Wang Lai)

93. KJ 音樂人生 (2009)
Dir Cheung King-wai (Wong Ka-jeng)

94. Viva Erotica 色情男女 (1996)
Dir Derek Yee, Lo Chi-leung (Leslie Cheung, Shu Qi, Karen Mok)

95. Orphan Island Paradise 孤島天堂 (1939)
Dir Cai Chusheng (Li Lili, Li Qing)

96. The Secret 瘋劫 (1979)
Dir Ann Hui (Sylvia Chang, Angie Chiu, Tsui Siu-keung)

97. Naked Killer 赤裸羔羊 (1992)
Dir Clarence Fok (Chingmy Yau, Simon Yam, Carrie Ng)

98. The Kid 細路祥 (1950)
Dir Fung Fung (Bruce Lee, Yee Chau-shui, Lee Hoi-chuen, Fung Fung)

99. Hard Boiled 辣手神探 (1992)
Dir John Woo (Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Teresa Mo)

100. Gallants 打擂台 (2010)
Dir Derek Kwok, Clement Cheng (Leung Siu-lung, Chen Kuan-tai, Teddy Robin)

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