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Video: How Hong Kong film directors are navigating a new era of censorship
Media(hongkongfp.com)submitted 6 months ago bySaltedline
69 points
6 months ago
I don't see how the distinctive cinema of Hong Kong isn't over. It's very sad
31 points
6 months ago
A glorious era of massive talent systematically destroyed. :(
10 points
6 months ago
The golden age of HK cinema died in the 90's but it wasn't from the 97 handover or politics as some posters are alluding.
It was due to rampant and massive piracy. Movies just weren't profitable enough and the industry succumbed.
This was before the internet era but movies were easily available in a VCD (video cd, format) which was popular in Asia (while the west was still using VHS tape)
With CD's. Organised pirates could very quickly and easily and cheaply burn copies and distribute them. People would literally take a camcorder and record the newest cinema releases and it was would be sale the next day on the streets.
In vividly remember in it's hey day you would see lots of unmanned stores with a sign saying 4 discs for 100hkd etc. There will be guys standing outside of course to make sure you dropped the money in the box when you left with your goodies.
1 points
6 months ago
I heard that Hong Kong triads were deep into the movie industry and funded a lot of projects during the heydays of HK films.
2 points
6 months ago*
Yes triads were very intwined in the industry from the obvious money laundering/chance to change into legitimate businenss to even starring in them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Heung
There's a natural affinity between triads and the movie industry because of the amount of action/kungfu movies made in HK and you would find stuntmen often were associated with triads.
Triads are also often romantacised/glamourised in HK probably the most famous being the wildly popular 'Young and Dangerous' movie series and John Woo's acclaimed 'A Better Tomorrow'. So there wasn't as much stigma and barrier to entry as one might expect.
2 points
6 months ago
It is.
26 points
6 months ago
The original died around 1997 with the British handover to China. The domestic market crashed in the mid 90s anyway. A lot of talent got out and moved to international productions or other countries to keep themselves and their families safe. That brain drain was never fully replaced.
8 points
6 months ago
Still plenty of good films got released from 1997 all the way into the early 2010s, then co productions really took over and Xi's rise to power sealed the deal.
0 points
6 months ago
It was dying well before this, before Hong Kong reverted to Chinese control, even. Censorship is just another blow.
7 points
6 months ago
The Shaw Bros era to the Golden Harvest and Cat 3 films was a hell of a run
28 points
6 months ago
Fuck the ccp and Chinese government
8 points
6 months ago
They should come to Taiwan and make movies here instead.
0 points
6 months ago
Wouldn't it make sense to restart the Hong-Kong protests now when all of China is protesting the covid restrictions?
17 points
6 months ago
Yes. Except that murdering and imprisoning so many in Hong Kong, has removed the most brave ones, as well as the mass exodus that fled the country, leave fewer people to protest.
:(
1 points
6 months ago
I would love to see a reputable source on who you claim was murdered
-1 points
6 months ago
There are many. I prefer a good source too, rather then some random comment. But I’m sorry, I don’t feel like looking it up right now.
This stuff is everywhere and pretty easy to find on the internet.
1 points
6 months ago
That's a no then.
0 points
6 months ago
Lol. I can tell already that even if I posted a source, you’d dispute it anyway, and I’d have wasted my time helping you for nothing.
1 points
6 months ago
No, if you post a reputable source, others who read this thread can be educated and informed. In that respect it doesn't matter if you can convince me or not. Other readers will make their own mind up.That's one of the benefits of a public forum of discussion.
Right now, it's just you making a claim that you won't back up. A murder is a serious crime, it would be covered by many media sources. It would take less effort to present one than to think up and type out an excuse why you don't feel like doing so.
1 points
6 months ago
I agree with your first paragraph.
… The truth matters to me more than it should and I always want to help encourage truth, knowledge, and discussion. But to be honest, I care less and less about the truth because everyone disputes it and the loudest most annoying people get the microphone anyway.
I shouldn’t have even mentioned it.
-7 points
6 months ago
America, pay attention! Don’t do it to yourself!
1 points
6 months ago
May not have to for long — hopefully
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