Chu Siu-Boh
A Death Pass is an outstanding crime drama spiced with a touch of ‘Jane Bond'. A sequel to the police story Girl Detective 001 (1966), director Chor Yuen and scriptwriter Szeto On retain the undercover plot but turn the film into more of an atmospheric mystery, in which a series of murders are committed after the victims are served with a provocative Death Pass. Connie Chan Po-chu stays truth to the ‘Jane Bond' persona of a virginal action woman, exuding tender charm and steely professionalism all at once. Under Chor's able direction, Szeto's complicated story is executed with style and vigour, culminating in a climatic dramatic plot twist, realised beautifully by the performance of veteran actor Leung Sing-por.
The beloved king of Hong Kong comic book characters, Old Master Q, is back in live action again by popular demand. This hilarious sequel to Mr Funny-bone finds him, and his delightful sidekick "Big Potato", opening an Old-fashioned healing clinic - leading to a fun and fascinating clash (cultural and otherwise) when the old ways smack face first into ultra-modern Hong Kong. But, this being the great Mr Funny-bone, he triumphs in spite of himself and his large-cranium companion.
Based in Chinese opera, the film tells the story of a young scholar in the Tang Dynasty, Li Yi who travels to the capital Changan to take the national civil examination. During the Lantern Festival, he encounters Huo Xiaoyu in the night market and picks up the purple hairpin she leaves behind by chance. Using the hairpin as a token of love, Li proposes to her on that same night. However, “the course of true love never did run smooth.” With the assistance of a mysterious man in the yellow robe (Huangshanke), together they have to fight against the wicked plot of Official Lu.
A beautiful Cantonese opera about the forbidden love between a princess and a scholar. The backdrop is Ming dynasty China and the two would rather die than be apart.
Banker Fung Yan-tsang is a seasoned criminal in fraudulent activities. The righteous cat burglar Ham Siu-fo has issued a deadline for Fung to return the scammed money. Despite the obstacles put up by Fung's allies Chow Wai-pak and his stepwife Julie, Ham still manages to reclaim the money which is accordingly returned to the customers. In the process, Ham is reunited with her long-lost twin sister Katherine, Chow's daughter. Since losing her mother whose health took a turn for the worse after Chow's marriage to Julie, Ham has undertaken a chivalrous course in the footsteps of her aunt. She thwarts the scam marriage set up by Fung for Katherine and his idle son, using the servant Chu Yat-keung as bait, and exposes Fung's illicit affair with Julie. Crossing boundaries of class and wealth, the servant Chu and Katherine become man and wife. A happy Ham leaves, continuing to devote her life to the causes of social justice.
Two orphan boys indulge in petty theft after the war. One, Chow, is caught but gets adopted by a policeman. He turns out a solid young citizen. Lee, the boy who escapes, grows up to be a triad. When the two re-meet, Lee is attracted to Chow’s stepsister. Some years later, Chow is now a cop and vows to smash Lee’s gang. After a struggle with his conscience, Lee agrees to help.
Lawyer Fan Kam-man believes that his wife Chun Yuen-yung perished in a plane crash three years ago and walks down the aisle again with Yan Bik-kei. In fact, Chun survived a crash-landing on a deserted island with fellow passenger Wong Ah-lik, a biologist. Returning to civilisation, Chun sabotages their wedding night at the hotel. Overjoyed with her safe return, Fan pulls off a feat with his mother and wife to terrify Yan into divorcing him. However the lie is exposed when Wong shows up. Unyielding, the women settle to serve as wives to the same man. Mistaking Fan for the person Chun is going to see, the eavesdropping Yan goes to the date in her stead and unwittingly sleeps with Wong. Yan finally settles for Wong, putting an end to the topsy-turvy.
Yuen is a reformed criminal who rescues Mei from an attempted assault on a boat and then marries her. A year later, Big brother (Sek Kin) comes looking for Yuen to return to his criminal past. Yuen refuses and chooses the straight path. Big brother doesn’t like this, so he stages a gambling den robbery and frames Yuen.
In search for her perfect groom, Sit (Tang Bik-wan) goes to a bordello and falls in love with talented Lee (Mak Bing-wing). Burning with jealousy, the Imperial Tutor's son (Siu Chung-kwan) frames Lee for treason, yet accidentally gets killed by Sit when she rescues Lee. To avenge his son's death, the Imperial Tutor tricks the couple into joining force in overthrowing the emperor and plans to accuse them of treason. Sit, who turns out to be the emperor's long-lost daughter, follows Lee to the palace for investigation. In the film, Tang Bik-wan put on various guises in her character, e.g. dressing as an ugly and Zhongshan dialect-speaking woman when she weds, disguising as a man while investigating. She proved herself a well-rounded diva with her marvellous singing, switching between different dialects and operatic styles. The scenes with Mak Bing-wing also show great chemistry, as the duo evolve from quarrelsome lovers to husband and wife.
An adaptation of Tong Tik-sang's now-legendary Cantonese Opera piece, the film features divas Yam Kim-fai and Pak Suet-sin (left with Yam), who play the story's lead lovers, and Lan Chi Pak, the sinister official who tries to break up the relationship. Leung Sing-po plays the pair's friend as well as the mysterious 'man in yellow' who exposes plans to separate the couple.
