https://www.scmp.com/rss/519719/feed The latest news on Chow Yun-fat, Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, including celebrity news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Chloe Loung Chloe Loung This Labour Day long weekend may seem like the perfect time to catch up on some sleep, but you know what they say about Hong Kong, right? Whether you are in the mood for eating your way through a French alpine market, shaking off pre-race nerves with a Pilates-and-ice-bath combo, hunting down a rare Pokemon in Lai Chi Kok, or browsing ancient jade between glasses of wine in Wan Chai, this weekend has got you covered. Here is what is worth getting off the sofa for. 1. French GourMay As a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351960/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-labour-day-weekend-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3351960/5-best-things-do-hong-kong-labour-day-weekend-may-1-3?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 02:45:08 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee 3.5/5 stars The blockbuster prequel Cold War 1994 delivers exactly what it promised. Viewers come for the ridiculously overstuffed cast but stay for the relentlessly – almost ostentatiously – convoluted tale of power, corruption and betrayal. While you may not find its plot realistic, it is undeniably entertaining throughout. The new release opens with a quick recap of Cold War (2012) and Cold War 2 (2016), before moving six months forward to Hong Kong in 2017. Louis Koo Tin-lok’s new character,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351833/cold-war-1994-movie-review-hong-kong-crime-thriller-prequel-star-studded-blast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3351833/cold-war-1994-movie-review-hong-kong-crime-thriller-prequel-star-studded-blast?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 09:19:14 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Chow Yun-fat, the legendary Hong Kong actor, has sold a Mid-Levels flat after more than three decades, securing a roughly 91 per cent gain, as the city’s secondary housing market continues to strengthen. The 541 sq ft, three-bedroom flat in Corona Tower fetched HK$7.5 million (US$960,000), or HK$13,863 per square foot. The sale agreement was signed on February 11 and the transaction was registered on March 11, according to Land Registry records. The deal generated a gain of HK$3.58 million... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350739/chow-yun-fat-nets-91-gain-hong-kong-flat-after-31-years-prices-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3350739/chow-yun-fat-nets-91-gain-hong-kong-flat-after-31-years-prices-rebound?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:00:14 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Celebrated novelist Eileen Chang Ai-ling was not only a film fan, but she also worked as a film critic and wrote movie scripts. Chang’s own novellas were often considered difficult to adapt for the screen. “Her stories are beautiful because of their language and details, not their plots,” critic Paul Fonoroff wrote in the South China Morning Post. Nevertheless, the great Hong Kong director Ann Hui On-wah has tried three times, with Love in a Fallen City (1984), Eighteen Springs (1997) and Love... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348750/how-did-ann-hui-bring-eileen-changs-love-fallen-city-and-eighteen-springs-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3348750/how-did-ann-hui-bring-eileen-changs-love-fallen-city-and-eighteen-springs-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Today, the image is iconic. Enveloped by the blackness of night, a young Chow Yun-Fat holds a burning banknote, eyes aglow and arms clutched towards his chest in a state of ecstasy as he gazes into the growing flame. Behind him, co-star Cherie Chung Chor-hung gives a wide, revelatory grin as neon billboards in the distance are reflected in the harbour. More than a showcase of Chow and Chung’s thespian prowess, the photograph, snapped by Canadian photographer Greg Girard in 1987 on the set of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348803/greg-girards-photo-exhibition-shows-five-decades-hong-kong-and-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348803/greg-girards-photo-exhibition-shows-five-decades-hong-kong-and-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Anthony Wong Chau-sang is generally known as a character actor who specialises in crazed and outlandish roles. However, long before the Hong Kong cinema veteran became associated with these extreme stereotypes, he spent the early 1990s proving his expansive acting range, as showcased in these three films. 1. Full Contact (1992) Wong plays second fiddle to Chow Yun-fat in Ringo Lam Ling-tung’s hyperviolent actioner, but it is a meaty supporting role that links Chow to his would-be nemesis, played... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347937/3-anthony-wong-films-early-1990s-show-hong-kong-actors-wide-range?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347937/3-anthony-wong-films-early-1990s-show-hong-kong-actors-wide-range?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Winnie Chung Winnie Chung When the Hong Kong political crime thriller Cold War was released in 2012, it arguably shook up the market. Here was a big-budget actioner helmed by two industry veterans – Longman Leung Lok-man and Sunny Luk Kim-ching – making their directing debut, and headlined by a cast of some of Hong Kong’s biggest names such as Tony Leung Ka-fai, Aaron Kwok Fu-shing and Andy Lau Tak-wah. But if the directors were still unrecognisable, the film’s producer was not. Bill Kong Chi-keung, known for producing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347175/downton-abbey-game-thrones-actors-starring-cold-war-1994-exploring-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3347175/downton-abbey-game-thrones-actors-starring-cold-war-1994-exploring-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 04:15:08 +0000 Charmaine Yu Charmaine Yu This is the 72nd instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. What do Chow Yun-fat, Timothee Chalamet and Doh Kyung-soo have in common? They have all had to keep up with the razor-sharp mind of Hong Kong actress and television host Carol “Dodo” Cheng Yu-ling. From teaching Hollywood heartthrobs Cantonese to hosting the city’s most prestigious galas, Cheng’s presence is ubiquitous. Anyone who has watched the TVB anniversary awards or the local... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346208/how-carol-dodo-cheng-went-acting-chow-yun-fat-interviewing-hollywood-stars?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346208/how-carol-dodo-cheng-went-acting-chow-yun-fat-interviewing-hollywood-stars?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:15:07 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre The co-founder of streetwear brand Clot and retail store Juice with Edison Chen, Kevin Poon, known to friends as KPee, is one of the most connected creatives in Hong Kong and beyond. The “cultural entrepreneur” is also behind coffee chain Elephant Grounds, and high-end venues such as bar Cardinal Point, and is a key player in the city’s art scene. A regular at fashion week in Paris, Poon has A-listers such as Pharrell Williams, Takashi Murakami, Kaws and David Beckham on speed dial. How do you... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3345565/their-words-kevin-poon-unpacks-his-favourite-trends-hong-kong-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3345565/their-words-kevin-poon-unpacks-his-favourite-trends-hong-kong-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on February 27, 2021. By Phila Siu Legendary Hong Kong actor Ng Man-tat, best known for co-starring alongside “king of comedy” Stephen Chow Sing-chi in many popular films, died on Saturday afternoon of liver cancer. He was 70. Ng’s friend, Tenky Tin Kai-man, chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers, said the famous actor died peacefully at Tai Wai’s Union Hospital at 5.16pm, accompanied by his children and wife. “He left peacefully,” Tin said at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344578/legendary-hong-kong-actor-ng-man-tat-dies-70-2021-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3344578/legendary-hong-kong-actor-ng-man-tat-dies-70-2021-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 03:15:08 +0000 Chang Zi Qian Chang Zi Qian If the world assumes Chinese to be a monolith, then Chinese New Year brings a curious paradox. This is the festive season that ostensibly brings all Chinese people together, yet I have found it is also when our cultural deviations are most sharply magnified. In Singapore, the celebration has always been joyous and largely predictable. Then I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and suddenly, thanks to my mainland Chinese friends, the festival took on new meaning and my festive experience began to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343511/great-lunar-new-year-divide-and-how-i-bridged-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3343511/great-lunar-new-year-divide-and-how-i-bridged-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 01:30:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected five Trending in China stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How much coffee to drink a day to get the most health benefits? Experts reveal Studies show that drinking coffee comes with a range of health benefits. We look at what they are and how much is best to drink. 2. How people like 70-year-old Chow Yun-fat keep pushing their endurance limits Hong Kong actors Chow... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3343284/70-year-old-chow-yun-fats-endurance-feng-shui-advice-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3343284/70-year-old-chow-yun-fats-endurance-feng-shui-advice-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 07:30:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US accuses China of secret nuclear testing after offering Beijing arms treaty 2. As Beijing and Moscow tout ties, China’s companies keep Ukraine’s lights on 3. Call for tougher animal welfare laws after invasive turtle found in Hong Kong 4. Mum urges China star Eileen Gu to ‘wake up’, sparks... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3342859/china-accused-secret-nuclear-tests-eileen-gus-big-comeback-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3342859/china-accused-secret-nuclear-tests-eileen-gus-big-comeback-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:15:10 +0000 Sasha Gonzales Sasha Gonzales Hong Kong actors Chow Yun-fat, 70, Kent Cheng, 74, Lau Kong, 79, and Paw Hee-ching, 76, made headlines in January for being among the oldest participants in the 10km event at the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2026. In 2025, the then 69-year-old Chow ran the half-marathon at the event, completing the 13.1-mile (21km) race in two hours, 24 minutes and 33 seconds. Recently, a growing number of people in their sixties, seventies, eighties and older have been in the news for taking part in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342586/how-people-70-year-old-chow-yun-fat-keep-pushing-their-endurance-limits-they-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3342586/how-people-70-year-old-chow-yun-fat-keep-pushing-their-endurance-limits-they-age?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Hong Kong filmmaker Ronny Yu Yan-tai’s little-seen The Postman Fights Back (1982) is a highly unusual martial arts film that plays more like an American Western than a traditional wuxia. It features Leung Kar-yan as a courier in Republican China tasked with delivering a mysterious cargo to a violent mountain bandit, whose motley crew of associates includes a young Chow Yun-fat. Here we discuss The Postman Fights Back with film historian Frank Djeng, who provided the commentary with Yu for the 88... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340019/why-ronny-yus-postman-fights-back-starring-leung-kar-yan-unusual-wuxia-gem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340019/why-ronny-yus-postman-fights-back-starring-leung-kar-yan-unusual-wuxia-gem?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 09:15:09 +0000 Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Wong Tsz-to and Tsang Hiu-tung were the first men and women across the 10km finish line, each claiming their third title in this event and securing a sweep for the city at Sunday’s Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon. Although neither runner beat their times from last year, they said they were satisfied with their performances. Hong Kong triathlete Wong finished just after 6am, clocking a time of 31 minutes 11 seconds to edge out runner-up Tse Chun-yin at the finish at Victoria Harbour... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3340305/hong-kong-marathon-past-winners-wong-tsz-tsang-hiu-tung-claim-10km-races?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3340305/hong-kong-marathon-past-winners-wong-tsz-tsang-hiu-tung-claim-10km-races?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 07:30:14 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Magical illusions have existed as a form of entertainment for almost as long as human civilisation itself – think Tales of Khufu and the Magicians from ancient Egypt – but despite its long tradition, why do so few consider it a performing art? Zenneth Kok is a professional magician and mentalist seeking to change Hongkongers’ general perception of his craft with a 70-minute interactive mind-reading show titled The Memory Wall this weekend. Kok, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3338388/how-hong-kong-magician-and-mentalist-changing-perceptions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3338388/how-hong-kong-magician-and-mentalist-changing-perceptions?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 09:15:10 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Among the Post’s top film stories that resonated with readers in 2025 were several in a series profiling Hong Kong’s pop culture icons, in particular Deanie Ip, Faye Wong and Chow Yun-fat. Other stories that proved very popular covered the early films of Donnie Yen, high-profile wuxia films – a genre focusing on sword-wielding, chivalrous martial arts heroes in ancient China – and a 1988 British drama on Hong Kong immigrants. Here, we revisit seven top-performing stories of 2025. 1. A spotlight... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3337427/7-film-stories-2025-readers-loved-including-chow-yun-fat-deanie-ip-profiles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3337427/7-film-stories-2025-readers-loved-including-chow-yun-fat-deanie-ip-profiles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Dec 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Chow Yun-fat’s career has progressed through many phases: television performer, box-office poison, action superhero, Hollywood hopeful. In the 2000s, following the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the Hong Kong cinema icon made a number of films in mainland China, beginning with Zhang Yimou’s Curse of the Golden Flower. Here, we evaluate the quality of Chow’s mainland output. The Postmodern Life of my Aunt (2006) Superstar mainland actress Siqin Gaowa was popular in Hong Kong in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335180/chow-yun-fats-mainland-chinese-films-confucius-let-bullets-fly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3335180/chow-yun-fats-mainland-chinese-films-confucius-let-bullets-fly?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Denise Tsang Denise Tsang Asia’s largest K-pop award show, scheduled for Friday evening and Saturday at Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Stadium, will be downsized in light of the Tai Po fire, with boy band Mirror pulling out of the event. The group announced on Friday that they would not appear at the two-day 2025 MAMA Awards, following earlier rumours over the withdrawals of film stars Michelle Yeoh Choo Kheng and Chow Yun-fat. Makerville, the 12-member group’s management company, made the announcement on Mirror’s Instagram... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334450/mama-awards-hong-kong-be-downsized-mirror-withdraws-wake-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3334450/mama-awards-hong-kong-be-downsized-mirror-withdraws-wake-tai-po-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 03:25:08 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong veteran actor “Benz Hung” Hui Shiu-hung has died at the age of 76 from complications arising from cancer. Television host Maria Luisa Leitao, a close friend of the actor, revealed on Tuesday that Hui had died at Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital at 2.30am due to “multiple organ failure caused by cancer”. “Hui was surrounded by his many family and friends. His family expressed gratitude to his friends – both those who visited him in hospital and those who called from abroad to check on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330574/hong-kong-veteran-actor-benz-hung-hui-shiu-hung-dies-age-76?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3330574/hong-kong-veteran-actor-benz-hung-hui-shiu-hung-dies-age-76?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 05:14:26 +0000 Dave Besseling Dave Besseling “Enormous work pressure and his moody nature were blamed for singer Danny Chan Pak-keung being admitted to Queen Mary Hospital’s intensive care unit yesterday […] His aunt said the 33-year-old singer/composer had been very busy lately,” reported the South China Morning Post on May 20, 1992. “Chan fainted on Monday night in his home on MacDonnell Road, Mid-Levels, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. His agent, Ms Katie Chan, said yesterday he was merely ‘drunk’ and had subsequently... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3329243/when-cantopop-star-danny-chan-collapsed-and-went-coma-1992-then-died-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3329243/when-cantopop-star-danny-chan-collapsed-and-went-coma-1992-then-died-year-later?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:15:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. How Chow Yun-fat became one of Hong Kong’s most down-to-earth superstars For five decades, Chow Yun-fat has been two people. There is the global superstar, and then there is the man Hongkongers simply call “Fat Gor” (Big Brother Fat), the down-to-earth celebrity spotted running marathons, riding the MTR and buses,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3329067/chow-yun-fats-journey-stardom-qin-dynastys-legacy-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3329067/chow-yun-fats-journey-stardom-qin-dynastys-legacy-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 07:00:07 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak This is the 61st instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. For five decades, Chow Yun-fat has been two people. There is the global superstar: the impossibly cool anti-hero of John Woo Yu-sum’s action classics such as The Killer (1989) and Hard Boiled (1992); the stoic, high-flying warrior of Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000); and one of the highest-paid actors in Chinese-language cinema. And then there is the man Hongkongers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3328297/how-chow-yun-fat-became-hong-kong-cinema-superstar-without-losing-his-humility?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3328297/how-chow-yun-fat-became-hong-kong-cinema-superstar-without-losing-his-humility?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis The late Ringo Lam Ling-tung’s City on Fire was such a big hit that the Hong Kong director decided to follow up with another gritty crime drama, Prison on Fire. But that film and its sequel were quite different to City on Fire. Here’s how. Prison on Fire (1987) While the name of this local classic saw Lam leaning on the title of City on Fire, the film itself differs considerably in style. City on Fire is far from realistic – though it is justifiably considered less stylised than John Woo... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325993/how-ringo-lams-prison-fire-films-starring-chow-yun-fat-mix-action-and-social-comment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3325993/how-ringo-lams-prison-fire-films-starring-chow-yun-fat-mix-action-and-social-comment?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Ronny Yu Yan-tai made unusual ghost films before becoming a superstar director with the kung fu fantasy The Bride With White Hair, while Tsui Hark made comedies before reinventing the martial arts genre in the 1990s. Here we look at two relatively unseen works from the star Hong Kong directors. The Occupant (1984) “Long before he scared Hollywood with The Bride of Chucky and Freddy vs. Jason, director Ronny Yu Yan-tai made this spooky horror hit for Cinema City, a suspenseful mystery that is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3319584/2-films-star-hong-kong-directors-ronny-yu-and-tsui-hark-you-probably-havent-seen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3319584/2-films-star-hong-kong-directors-ronny-yu-and-tsui-hark-you-probably-havent-seen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Richard James Havis Richard James Havis Hong Kong filmmaker Wai Ka-fai made his name when he co-founded Milkyway Image with Johnnie To Kei-fung and went about producing, writing, directing or co-directing innovative genre takes like The Odd One Dies, which made the company internationally famous in the late 1990s. For quite some time, Wai kept himself in the background, leaving the ebullient To as the face of the company. But his creative input was never in doubt. Here we look at Wai’s first three films as director. 1. Peace Hotel... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315045/how-hong-kong-director-wai-ka-fais-first-3-films-revealed-his-storytelling-range?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315045/how-hong-kong-director-wai-ka-fais-first-3-films-revealed-his-storytelling-range?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 04:15:07 +0000 From Oscar-winning art directors and Hollywood stunt choreographers to veteran producers and actors, explore the journeys of these talented individuals who have shaped the industry. Discover their insights, collaborations with icons like Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-fat, and Bruce Lee, and their perspectives on the future of Hong Kong film. 1. Oscar-Winning art director Tim Yip on Michelle Yeoh’s broken leg, Chow Yun-fat’s martial arts moves in A Better Tomorrow and his movie career Yip reflects on his... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3300234/hong-kong-cinema-legends-and-greats-open-about-their-careers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3300234/hong-kong-cinema-legends-and-greats-open-about-their-careers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:00:09 +0000 Overseas fans of classic Hong Kong films had some good news recently: Shout! Studios bought worldwide rights, excluding some Asian territories, to the Golden Princess library and plans to start making the films available abroad. The library of 156 films actually comprises both the Cinema City library and the Golden Princess Productions library, and features films made by Tsui Hark’s Film Workshop. Cinema City was formed in 1979 by comedians Dean Shek Tin, Karl Maka and Raymond Wong Pak-ming;... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3295577/better-tomorrow-bullet-head-10-best-golden-princess-films-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3295577/better-tomorrow-bullet-head-10-best-golden-princess-films-ranked?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jan 2025 20:15:10 +0000 The Chinese literary classic Journey to the West, written by Ming dynasty author Wu Cheng’en, may be known for its battle scenes and action, but it is religious in nature. One of the ideas behind the novel, which tells of a journey to the “Eastern Heaven” of India to find some Buddhist sutras, is to show that Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism can work together as a religious system. Portions of the book have been adapted for television, film, comic books and even video games many times,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293177/donnie-yen-wukong-notable-monkey-king-adaptations-contemporary-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293177/donnie-yen-wukong-notable-monkey-king-adaptations-contemporary-hong-kong-cinema?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:15:08 +0000 The influence of internationally famous films like Enter the Dragon and Police Story on the course of Hong Kong filmmaking is well known. But at different points in its history, Hong Kong cinema was influenced by many other films shot in the city. Below we recall some of them. 1. Story of a Discharged Prisoner (1967) Story of a Discharged Prisoner, a social drama posing as a crime film, was prolific filmmaker Patrick Lung Kong’s most influential work. He was the first Hong Kong filmmaker to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3292463/8-classic-hong-kong-movies-changed-course-filmmaking-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3292463/8-classic-hong-kong-movies-changed-course-filmmaking-city?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Dec 2024 20:15:07 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Celebrities like Chow Yun-fat may have had to slash prices of their luxury homes on The Peak, Hong Kong’s most exclusive residential address, but analysts believe the worst is over and high-end homes will be back in demand next year. The recently concluded annual meeting of China’s central economic work conference chaired by President Xi Jinping, which hinted at more aggressive and bolder policy easing to stabilise the nation’s property and stock markets next year, will boost confidence in the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3292219/will-hong-kong-celebrities-chow-yun-fat-find-buyers-their-luxury-homes-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3292219/will-hong-kong-celebrities-chow-yun-fat-find-buyers-their-luxury-homes-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 23:00:09 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Even the actor famed for playing tough-as-nails characters in Hong Kong classics like The Killer and Hard Boiled is taking a beating amid a slump in the city’s luxury property market. Chow Yun-fat, a beloved local actor who went on to Hollywood fame, has had to slash the asking price of his luxury home in Hong Kong’s most exclusive enclave The Peak by about 14 per cent, according to several property agents. “The original asking price was HK$220 million [US$28.3 million] and now it’s just HK$190... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3290011/chow-yun-fat-slashes-price-luxury-hong-kong-property-14-market-slumps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3290011/chow-yun-fat-slashes-price-luxury-hong-kong-property-14-market-slumps?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Dec 2024 10:00:38 +0000 1. From the Beckhams in the Maldives to Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-fat in Hong Kong, as well as Blackpink in Bangkok, discover Asia’s top celebrity hangouts Where might you bump into A-listers like David Beckham, Michelle Yeoh, Blackpink, Katy Perry or Tiger Woods? Check out our list of Asia’s elite destinations where stars have left their mark. 2. Where have celebs like Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Heidi Klum, Rihanna and more been going for their 2024 holidays? This year celebrities like Lopez,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3285538/want-bump-beyonce-keanu-reeves-david-beckham-william-and-kate-rihanna-or-george-clooney-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3285538/want-bump-beyonce-keanu-reeves-david-beckham-william-and-kate-rihanna-or-george-clooney-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Nov 2024 10:00:14 +0000 We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. South China Sea: how should Philippines respond to China’s Sabina Shoal moves? 2. Southeast Asia’s struggle to stay afloat amid a flood of cheap Chinese imports 3. China’s super-radar detects plasma bubble over the pyramids in Giza 4. Malaysia’s failed war on drugs: can mandatory rehab break the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3277711/philippines-sabina-shoal-dilemma-chinese-super-radars-giza-discovery-5-weekend-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3277711/philippines-sabina-shoal-dilemma-chinese-super-radars-giza-discovery-5-weekend-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Sep 2024 04:30:08 +0000 During Hong Kong’s filmmaking heyday in the late 20th century, so many movies were made that directors carried over ideas from film to film, actors kept their personas in different roles, and cross-referencing was common. That was especially true of the gambling movies of the late 1980s and early 1990s, a highly prolific genre made famous by producer and director Wong Jing with 1989’s God of Gamblers. Wong’s film was parodied by rising star Stephen Chow Sing-chi and director Jeff Lau Chun-wai... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3277347/how-hong-kongs-gambling-film-genre-was-spurred-andy-lau-chow-yun-fat-and-stephen-chow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3277347/how-hong-kongs-gambling-film-genre-was-spurred-andy-lau-chow-yun-fat-and-stephen-chow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 23:45:07 +0000 Lately, a vintage video clip has been doing the rounds on social media of Chow Yun-fat taking part in an athletic meet. No surprises, you might say: well-known for his love of outdoor sports, the actor has frequently made the news during the past year for his near-professional performances in Hong Kong races. That is not the Chow we see in the newly unearthed clip, however. Here, the gangly, shaggy-haired Chow is seen running barefoot on a muddy track, emerging a very unlikely victor in a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3277149/chow-yun-fat-tony-leung-and-stephen-chow-were-all-80s-hong-kong-tv-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3277149/chow-yun-fat-tony-leung-and-stephen-chow-were-all-80s-hong-kong-tv-show?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Sep 2024 23:15:06 +0000 2/5 stars Plans to remake John Woo Yu-sum’s 1989 action masterpiece The Killer have been circling in Hollywood for decades, with some of the industry’s biggest names at one time attached. Thirty-five years on, a gender-flipped reimagining finally appears, with Woo himself directing. Set in Paris and shot partly in French, the film once again follows an honourable assassin and a sympathetic cop who put aside their differences to end a criminal conspiracy. There are doves, a church and a blinded... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3275566/killer-movie-review-john-woos-gender-flipped-remake-his-action-classic-dud?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3275566/killer-movie-review-john-woos-gender-flipped-remake-his-action-classic-dud?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2024 07:00:09 +0000 Even though John Woo Yu-sum films such as The Killer beautify carnage, the director has often said he disapproves of violence. This is borne out in his Vietnam war epic Bullet in the Head and his English-language war drama Windtalkers. The brutal scenes in Bullet in the Head show violence for what it is – ugly and disgusting. Woo depicts the merciless nature of combat, and the film is a powerful anti-war statement. The movie tells the story of three Hong Kong youths who flee to Saigon and get... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3274685/bullet-head-john-woos-best-film-its-focus-male-friendship-woo-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3274685/bullet-head-john-woos-best-film-its-focus-male-friendship-woo-go?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Aug 2024 03:15:10 +0000 In the summer of 1974, Canadian Greg Girard, then aged 18, boarded a freighter from San Francisco to Hong Kong, arriving 18 days later to start what would become a love affair with East Asia that continues to this day. “It’s wild to think that it has been 50 years since I first landed in Hong Kong,” says Girard via Zoom from his home city, Vancouver. Almost exactly five decades to the day, in fact: the immigration stamp in his passport reads August 4, 1974. “I travelled by freighter because I... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3273804/photographer-greg-girard-hong-kong-x-taipei-street-photography-workshop-hes-hosting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3273804/photographer-greg-girard-hong-kong-x-taipei-street-photography-workshop-hes-hosting?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2024 10:15:08 +0000 An open-air restaurant in Hong Kong that previously featured in many local films has confirmed it will shut down in late September after 60 years, even as news of its imminent closure attracted crowds of diners. Scores of customers stood in line outside Shatin Inn Restaurant in Sha Tin before it opened at noon on Wednesday after its usual weekly rest-day closure, as word spread that the establishment would soon shut for good. Many cars were parked outside and all of the restaurant’s 20 tables... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3273600/hong-kongs-shatin-inn-restaurant-close-september-calling-curtain-60-year-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3273600/hong-kongs-shatin-inn-restaurant-close-september-calling-curtain-60-year-history?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Legendary Cantopop singer Frances Yip Lai-yee has come full circle, returning to her roots in Hong Kong to celebrate the city’s rich musical heritage. But while her 55-year career has been illustrious, it is also linked inextricably to that of her mentors, James Wong Jim and Joseph Koo Ka-fai, who revolutionised Cantopop with their innovative blend of Chinese and Western music, as well as lyrics melding literary Chinese and colloquial Cantonese. Yip’s hits have resonated with Chinese-speaking... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3271853/cantopop-star-frances-yip-revisits-her-work-james-wong-jim-and-joseph-koo-ka-fai-put-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3271853/cantopop-star-frances-yip-revisits-her-work-james-wong-jim-and-joseph-koo-ka-fai-put-hong-kongs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jul 2024 11:00:09 +0000 Film trailers are an effective way to grab an audience’s attention. A well-edited one can translate into more viewers – and that means more money for the film’s makers. Over the decades, their role in film marketing has evolved: in the 1940s, trailers could run for as long as four minutes, a reflection of slower-paced lives. In today’s hectic, attention-span-diluted world, they average half that time. To showcase stand-out examples from Hong Kong cinema, the Leisure and Cultural Services... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3266872/star-studded-hong-kong-movie-trailers-focus-exhibition-exploring-their-importance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3266872/star-studded-hong-kong-movie-trailers-focus-exhibition-exploring-their-importance?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:15:08 +0000 Simon Yam Tat-wah, who began his film career as an extra in 1975, is perhaps Hong Kong’s most ubiquitous actor. Best known for his parts in Category III (adults-only) films in the 1990s and for a slew of roles playing Hong Kong triad criminals, the prolific film and television performer has in fact played all kinds of characters in all kinds of genres. Below, we explore Yam’s significant contribution to Hong Kong cinema with Grady Hendrix, a bestselling novelist and expert on Asian film. Simon... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3266554/simon-yam-hong-kongs-most-fearless-actor-triads-gigolos-killers-he-played-them-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3266554/simon-yam-hong-kongs-most-fearless-actor-triads-gigolos-killers-he-played-them-all?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 20:15:08 +0000 One lawmaker recently suggested that Hong Kong films should tell “good stories” and be devoid of negativity if they are to be funded by the government. But such a position risks stifling creativity and innovation. Hong Kong films resonate with audiences not because they paint a rosy and utopian picture, but because they hold up a mirror to Hongkongers’ daily struggles and challenges. In navigating the harsh realities through cinema, viewers will find stories of perseverance, resilience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3263408/tell-good-story-hong-kong-films-must-first-be-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3263408/tell-good-story-hong-kong-films-must-first-be-authentic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 01:30:12 +0000 In the 2000s, Hollywood studios decided there was money to be made from manga. But not only were they awfully late to the party, the results were uniformly terrible. From the Wachowskis’ Technicolor car crash Speed Racer (2008) to M. Night Shyamalan’s manga-influenced clanger The Last Airbender (2010), the films upset diehard fans, casual viewers and critics alike. Yet only Dragonball Evolution (2009) was so bad that those involved felt the need to apologise. Beginning in 1984 and expanding to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3262167/how-dragonball-evolution-hollywoods-worst-ever-manga-adaptation-made-mockery-akira-toriyamas-iconic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/film-tv/article/3262167/how-dragonball-evolution-hollywoods-worst-ever-manga-adaptation-made-mockery-akira-toriyamas-iconic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 May 2024 20:15:31 +0000 This is the 24th instalment in a biweekly series profiling major Hong Kong pop culture figures of recent decades. The late Lydia Sum Tin-ha (also known as Lydia Shum) was a Hong Kong comedian, actress and emcee whose presence in the city’s entertainment industry influenced three generations. Known for her boisterous laugh, black-framed glasses and plump figure, the actress first gained mainstream recognition with her appearances on the variety show Enjoy Yourself Tonight, after which she became... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3261951/life-hong-kongs-happy-fruit-lydia-sum-comedian-actress-and-emcee-fei-fei-did-everything-heart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3261951/life-hong-kongs-happy-fruit-lydia-sum-comedian-actress-and-emcee-fei-fei-did-everything-heart?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 May 2024 23:15:16 +0000 The closure of the President Theatre cinema in Hong Kong’s bustling Causeway Bay on Tuesday was an emotional day for film enthusiast Leo Lo, who said the shutting down of the 58-year-old landmark was a “loss” that reflected major changes in Hong Kong. Lo, in his forties, joined other mostly older residents to watch the final showings at the cinema and take photographs of the venue as they bid it farewell. “I work in the film industry, which is why this is particularly poignant to me,” Lo said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3260990/closing-president-theatre-hong-kongs-causeway-bay-marks-end-era?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3260990/closing-president-theatre-hong-kongs-causeway-bay-marks-end-era?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 15:15:23 +0000 Canadian photographer Greg Girard is paying homage to his beloved Hong Kong in May with a one-day live event comprising a photography exhibition that also includes a performance by an experimental post-punk band with a loyal following in the city. “Greg Girard: Hong Kong Made Me,” which takes place on May 11 at the M+ museum of visual culture in West Kowloon, showcases Girard’s photos, many taken in the 1980s and 1990s, alongside archival materials from other Hong Kong film-set... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3260732/photographs-pay-homage-hong-kong-cinema-heyday-paired-post-punk-band-m-museum-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3260732/photographs-pay-homage-hong-kong-cinema-heyday-paired-post-punk-band-m-museum-event?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Apr 2024 03:15:10 +0000 Perhaps because of his early interactions with Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan always wanted to make it big in the United States. One of the reasons that Chan signed with Golden Harvest in the late 1970s was that the studio said it would try to make him an international star. That first attempt, which included 1980’s The Big Brawl and 1985’s The Protector, fell flat, and Chan gave up on the idea of achieving fame in the West, spending the rest of the 1980s and the early 1990s consolidating his position... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3259580/how-rush-hour-made-jackie-chan-hollywood-superstar-and-why-it-wasnt-enough-stop-him-returning-hong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3259580/how-rush-hour-made-jackie-chan-hollywood-superstar-and-why-it-wasnt-enough-stop-him-returning-hong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2024 00:15:13 +0000