Wednesday, December 14, 2011

From Riches to Rags (1979)

From Riches to Rags (1979)

December 15th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)

November 8th of this year witnessed the passing of a man who became a comic legend throughout East and South East Asia, Ricky Hui 許冠英. Mastering comedy from television to film, he, along with the other Hui brothers, would dominate Hong Kong comedy. This series usually shows a major Hui Brothers film every semester, but because of this death it seems more appropriate to showcase one of his star roles.

Like his other brothers he appeared in a large number of his own projects, although frequently playing second fiddle such as Mr. Vampire (1985) as well as gaining major success for creative efforts behind the camera. His persona was one of the odd, strange looking man who seemed to be out of touch with what was going on, living in his own dream world. He rarely got the girl, saved the day or helped the hero. But his characters always dreamed, usually of power, dignity or wealth.

In From Riches to Rags (1979) he is another working class nobody. Only this time through random chance, he becomes fabulously wealthy. As he begins to live out his fantasies he repeatedly comes face to face with his own limitations as well as the natural variety of freak occurrences, Triad gangs and scheming friends. Directed by John Woo who what then known as a director of Cantonese dialect comedies, the film is a showcase of the kind of comic style that evolved from Hong Kong television of the early 1970’s with all of its energy and inventiveness.

Hong Kong, Director John Woo, Cast Ricky Hui Koon-Ying, JoJo Chan, Tong Jing and Yik Ga, 98 minutes, in Cantonese with English subtitles

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Flying Man of Ma Lan aka Flight Man (1973)

The Flying Man of Ma Lan aka Flight Man (1973)


December 8th, 7:00PM in Garland 104 (2441 E. Hartford)

Taiwanese director Ting Shan-Hsi returned home after making his name in Hong Kong to direct an unusual tale of the Japanese era. In 1934 a man falls afoul of a crackdown by the Japanese authorities. Forced to flee he eventually find his way to the aboriginal people who life in the mountainous interior.
This Hong Kong financed Taiwanese film is unusual in sever ways. Firstly it is a rarity for Taiwanese films of this period to showcase, or even acknowledge the aboriginal inhabitants. Secondly it deals with politically sensitive material with respect to the Japanese, again a rarity. Although these elements are handled with a caviler sensibility it is still interesting to watch how viewpoints are portrayed in 1973's look back into the recent past.
Flight man is perhaps most notable for casting Ivy Ling Po as the central aboriginal character. Throughout the 1960's she became wildly popular in a particular kind of opera film literally translated as Yellow Plume opera, mostly for playing male roles. But by this time the genre was on the decline and she was attempting to carve out a career in swordplay and drama films. But this film also sees her return to a musical role, and where better to do it in then Taiwan, arguably the place in which she was best loved in her Opera days.
Taiwan, Director Ting Shan-Hsi, Cast Ivy Ling Po, Wong Yung, Shan Mao and Yee Yuen, 90 minutes, in Mandarin with English subtitles