Experimental shorts, film culture, and Third World Cinema in 1950s–1970s Hong Kong: An interview with Law Kar

Abstract

AbstractLaw Kar provides a comprehensive overview of his thoughts on the historical development of left-wing and progressive cinema in Hong Kong from the 1940s–1970s. Law Kar introduces the concept of ­“spontaneous” in relation to “third cinema” produced in Hong Kong, which allows space for the critical thinking of the creative personnel working on the films and the audiences watching them. Law’s insights complicate the political horizon of left-wing films and moves beyond simply repeating the line of the studios’ dominating the films within the Cold War context; instead, what emerges is a political spectrum that is much wider than the studio. This not only echoes the idea of spontaneity laid out by Fanon in the decolonization project but challenges understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of progressive films and media in Hong Kong. Law Kar is a veteran film critic in Hong Kong. Since the 1960s he has served as editor for publications such as The Chinese Student Weekly (Zhongguo xuesheng zhoubao), Intellectual Biweekly (Zhishi fenzi shuang zhou kan), and made several experimental films such as Beg for Life (Qi shi). He later worked for the Hong Kong International Film Festival and Hong Kong Film Archive. He recently received the Award for Professional Achievement at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.Notes1 Castle Peak refers to the Castle Peak Hospital, which was the oldest psychiatric hospital in Hong Kong, established in 1961.2 Miao Yu at the time worked for USIS as a full-time researcher, and edited and wrote for his own magazine in off office hours. His daughter Cora Miao later became a famous actress in Hong Kong. She starred in many of Ann Hui’s films including Boat People (1983) and Love in a Fallen City (1988). She is married to the Hollywood Chinese-American director Wayne Wong.3 Protect Diaoyutai Movement (Xianggang baowei diaoyutai shiwei shijian, 1971). The Diaoyutai movement or Baodiao movement (Defend the Diaoyu Islands Movement) mainly refers to the student movement in early 1970s Hong Kong, Taiwan and the overseas Chinese community that asserts Chinese sovereignty over the Diaoyu or Senkaku Islands. These movements inspired a lot of young Chinese students (mainly Hong Kong and Taiwan students) from across the political spectrum to rally against police brutality and Japanese and American imperialism.4 The 70s Biweekly was a radical magazine founded in 1970 by a group of young people composed of artists, writers, social workers and activists whose political positions ranged from anarchist to internationalist to Trotskyist. They include Ng Chung Yin, Chan Qing Wai and Mok Chiu-yu.5 Another short film directed by Law Kar.6 Law Kar said that there were several cine clubs to promote film appreciation and to discuss and criticize the local film industry, but only College Cine Club (1967-71) and Phoenix Cine Club (1974-1986) promoted amateur/indie filmmaking.7 College Life (started in 1955) and The Chinese Student Weekly (started in 1952) were two young student magazines funded by Youlian Union Press, which was a pro-US publishing press. Both magazines aimed at introducing young people in Hong Kong to traditional Chinese art and culture, Western theory and practice in democracy, and freedom and science in order to resist Communist culture.8 Chang Cheh was a significant martial arts film director in the late 1960s who paved the way to portray the yanggang hero (or ultra-masculine hero) on the screen. His works include The Assassin (1967), One Armed Swordsman (1967) and The Five Venoms (1978). He trained a lot of action stars and directors like Ti Lung, David Chiang, Wang Yu, Chen Kuan-Tai and Wu Ma.9 Law Kar was one of the editors of the film section of The Chinese Student Weekly and wrote a lot of film criticism for it.10 Stephen Soong (1919-1996) was a literary critic, translator, scriptwriter and producer. He worked in Motion Picture and General Investment Company before joining Shaw Brothers in 1965, where he became the chief executive for script-writing.11 Xi Xi is the penname of Zhang Yan, who is a famous writer, teacher, novelist, and poet in Hong Kong. One of her works My City, published in 1979, is often considered by scholars and young students to be the hallmark of Hong Kong identity breaking away from national identity to local identity.12 In the credits of The Window, Xi Xi used the pseudonym Luk Wah-jan.13 Chiu Kang Chien (1940-2013) was a scriptwriter and film director. He moved from Taiwan to Hong Kong and worked in the Shaw Brothers in the late-1960s. He later became one of the key scriptwriters in the Hong Kong New Wave. He was one of the founders of an avant-garde magazine Theatre Quarterly (Ju chang ji kan), which introduced Euro-American modernism and film culture to Taiwan.14 These are a couple of the Pro-Beijing aligned leftist newspapers in Hong Kong.15 Chen Yingzhen (1937-2016) was a Taiwanese author and scholar. Influenced by socialism and modern Chinese writer Lu Xun, Chen wrote a lot of realist novels. He was prosecuted and sent to jail in Taiwan for gathering people together in Taiwan to read leftist books that promoted Marxist-Leninism and Communism.Additional informationNotes on contributorsRaymond TsangTom Cunliffe is a lecturer in East Asian Film and Media studies at University College London. His essays have appeared in journals including Film History, Framework, JCMS, and Screen. He is currently working on a book about the filmmaker Lung Kong.Tom CunliffeRaymond Tsang is a lecturer at the University of Southern California. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Cinema Studies from New York University. His research interests include a wide range of topics including wuxia films, Third Cinema, and political films during the Cold War.