TAKING A WALK through the doors of the Hong Kong Film Archive in Siu Sai Wan is like taking a walk back in time. As part of the Back To Dreamland programme, the archive's exhibition hall has been transformed into a nightclub from the 1950s. The dimly lit space has been filled with film posters of the day, the view of which is occasionally blocked by a wide canopy of potted coconut trees scattered around the room. About 20 tables are neatly set and covered with red-and-white patterned tablecloths. At the end of the hall lies a stage, and a live band is breathing light jazz out over the crowd.
It's the archive's 'An Evening Back To Dreamland', transporting guests back to the 50s and 60s - the golden era of Hong Kong cinema - and Cathay studio, a stable which housed some of the biggest stars and produced some of our best-loved films.
A history of this era has just been retold in a book, Cathay Story, which features profiles of the studio's superstars. Two of them are here, furiously signing copies of the book for a mass of fans. Wang Lai, 75, is as elegant as she was when she was the darling of the silver screen. Born Wang Delan, the Shandong native came to Hong Kong in 1952 with her husband, the actor He Bin, whom she married in 1944. Since 1952, Wang has starred in more than 200 films, including Golden Lotus (1957), The Wild, Wild Rose (1960) and Father And Son (1963), for which she won the Golden Horse for best supporting actress. Her versatility earned her the title of 'the actress with 1,000 faces'.
Though Wang is kept busy signing autographs, her delight is obvious. 'I'm very happy tonight because I haven't seen them [her fellow actors] for a long time. We used to see each other all the time on the film sets. But we don't get together that often any more after most stopped making films,' says Wang, whose last films were Ang Lee's Pushing Hands (1991) and Ann Hui's My American Grandson (1991).
Sitting opposite her is Kelly Lai Chen, 68, who is also under siege from passionate fans but is also far from unhappy. Lai made his screen debut in 1956 with Green Hills And Jade Valleys. He worked with Wang on Golden Lotus the following year and was most recently seen in a cameo in Wong Kar-wai's In The Mood For Love (2001). Lai is famous for his gentle manners and his vulnerable and sensitive image. While he signs autographs, Lai talks to Wang about his life now. 'I've been retired for more than 10 years,' he says. 'I don't have much to do at the moment. I just live a simple life, spending time with my family and grandchildren.'
Wang says her life is also a far cry from when fans followed her every move. 'I split my time between Hong Kong and Canada and am now making the most of being with my grandchildren. It's much more quiet now,' she says.
Hilda Chou Hsuan, 53, who joined the studio at 14 and was known as Cathay's favourite, is here too. 'Young people know nothing about the past. It's important to tell them how films used to be. They were not those being shown in cinemas for seven days then available on pirated VCDs,' Chou says.