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Vivienne Chow

Andy Lau Tak-wah  last night claimed the title of biggest grossing movie star in 20 years, beating Stephen Chow Sing-chi,  while Sandra Ng Kwun-yu  was named box office queen at the Hong Kong Blockbuster Awards 1985-2005. The 108 films Lau has starred in over the past two decades have taken more than $1.7 billion at the box office.

'Please tell me which award is worth more than $1.7 billion?' said the dumbfounded Lau, whose Infernal Affairs is number five on the list of top earners. 'I never thought it would hit $1.7 billion. I really enjoyed making the films.'

Despite having made the hits Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer, the two highest grossing movies of the past two decades, Chow came second to Lau with films earning $1.3 billion.

Action star Jackie Chan,  who has four movies in the top 10, came third with $894 million.

On the women's side, films by comedy actress Ng made more than $700 million, just beating Cannes best actress Maggie Cheung Man-yuk.  Late Canto-pop diva Anita Mui Yim-fong  came third, with than $500 million.

'This award is more meaningful than any acting awards,' said Ng. 'It shows the audience appreciates my films.'

Despite being criticised for his movies' bad taste and toilet humour, director Wong Jing  was the most successful movie director in terms of generating profits. His movies, including God of Gambler's Return, which came in at number six, made more than $1 billion.

'It is such a shame that all the bankable directors are already in their 40s,' he said at the ceremony last night. 'Young directors are too artistic. They dare not face the public by making commercial films. I hope that more young directors can make commercial movies.'

Awards organiser UA Cinemas earlier announced a list of the top 10 blockbusters, mainly films from before the handover.

Film Critics Society chairman Shum Long-tin  said that behind the big figures lay a grim future. 'There's a lack of blockbusters since 1999 and it doesn't look like there will be ways to improve the situation. Perhaps we should start thinking Hong Kong should not be making that many films.'



Andy Lau, Sandra Ng pull $2.4b at box office