Infamous HK action movie corporation Bu Let Chow Ah Inc. is back in business. As a well-informed agent told us, BLCA Inc. has signed new contracts with Hongkong cinematic action heroes like Siau Tao Li-huai, Sha Li Ton and Bao Lu Pan.
As we have been told, two films are in the pipeline, "The Night Of The Lone Gunman", and "Destination Freedom", both written by Jeung Fei Chaang. They are scheduled for release in July, 1999.
| GAMBLING
Definition: gambling is illegal, but the Hong Kong chinese love it. Plots include scams (rip someone off), tournaments (the big game), and benefit (win all to save a friend; win all to retire). Many Gambling movies feature super-opponents with nigh-supernatual gambling abilities, or a gathering of champions; exaples: God of Gamblers (by Wong Jin), The Queen of Gamble (by Siu Sang), Casino Tycoon (by Wong Jin) |
| GUNPLAY
Definition: genre set in the modern time; lots of firearms combat; modernization of Chinese swordsman movies with guns instead of swords; examples: The Killer, Hardboiled (by John Woo) |
Kung Fu Kid Cop
The Beautiful Skies Of San Francisco
| KUNG-FU
COMEDY
Definition: genre set either in the modern time or in the past; mostly martial arts plots enhanced by comical twists like replacements (the kung fu element has been replaced by another type of action; e.g., rice cooking contest), incompetent characters (the heroes are idiots that overcome the odds), schizo-spoofs (a whacky, over-the-edge mixture of disparate elements from all genres; take everything you like and throw it into the bowl), and mockeries (the movie takes the sacred cows of the genre and makes hamburger of them). |
| MARTIAL
ARTS
Definition: genre set either in the modern time (Modern Martial Arts) or in the past (18th century or earlier, usually in China, called Period Martial Arts - the equivalent of the American Western movie); lots of martial arts combat (subgenre: Wuxia films; only armed Martial Arts, set in the past); examples: Once Upon A Time In China (by Tsui Hark), 36th Chamber of Shaolin (by Lau Kar Leung), Police Story III: Supercop (by Stanley Tong) |
| BIZARRE
FANTASY
Definition: a catch-all category that I stole shamelessly from the HKAT! action game. Bizarre Fantasy features lots of fantastic elements (dragons, magic, horror, science-fiction); examples: A Chinese Ghost Story (by Tsui Hark), The Heroic Trio (by Johnny To) |