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An Exclusive Interview
with Gordon Chan and Dante Lam
(Part II)
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Cinespot: : In recent years, Hong Kong audiences love to use the term “flop” to describe poor movies. Many of the nonsensical
comedy movies are labeled as big flops. What do you think about it? Are you worried as your new film is also a crazy comedy?
Chan: : A flop? Then what is a good movie? I think different people have different perceptions. I believe that the audiences of
Undercover Hidden Dragon are mostly looking for a good laugh, and that's what we provided.
Cinespot: When you were writing the script, would you sacrifice your own style for the sake of the audiences? As you said,
the target audiences of this film are mostly looking for fun from the performance of Ronald Cheng, a trendy icon of comedy. So would
you tend to follow the trend more in the expense of other creative elements?
Lam: The biggest disaster of a commercial filmmaker is to stay away from the audiences! One day if you have become so rich
that you are living in a nice house and driving your dream car, and you don't even need to go out to enjoy a luxurious life, how can you still
call yourself an artist (in a commercial filmmaking sense)?
We need to keep a close relationship with the audiences. Instead of staying away from them, we need to guide them. It is quite pointless to
work if we only make movies that are told from an international panorama, or from a European perspective, or anything Hong Kong audiences
feel hard to understand.
Cinespot: From some surveys we read, most people tend to believe that a good script is essential to draw them to the theater,
and sometimes it is even more important than having a grand cast. What is your view?
Chan: Oh, it is a lie! It is always easier to say something than to actually do it. We (Hong Kong filmmakers) certainly have good
scripts, but if there is no good actors performing, how many people do you think would be interested to see such a film? This analysis seems
logical, but in reality, it is another story. For instance, while we probably may feel better going to the newsstand to get the newspaper,
we usually end up going to the convenient store. It is the nature of human being. We always have a lot of idealistic and thoughtful ideas,
and we can talk well about them too, but if we actually have to execute them, it is just totally different
Cinespot: So does it mean you agree with the controversial discourse sometimes ago when some of the filmmakers were proposing
the "big star + big budget" plans to save Hong Kong cinema?
Lam: Let me put it this way, from a more objective standpoint, it seems that the phrase "to save Hong Kong cinema" has really
magnified the matter a bit. If we see it in a simpler way, the fundamental question we want to ask is actually how to rekindle the interest
of the audience. Our problem now is that most audiences lack the initiative to go to the theater. Blockbusters are more attractive and
could generate more audiences because they have bigger budgets, bigger promotions and big name actors attached.
Cinespot: But it seems like this trend is inevitable. Take the Hong Kong Film Academy Award this year as an example, most
of the nominated films are big budget movies, and we shouldn't forget that the nomination list was voted by the industry professionals.
Chan: I don't really see it as a bad thing. I understand that in the past, the nominations tended to be more even, there were
blockbusters and also low budget dramas. While this year, there are more bigger movies. But then, if you take a look at Seven Sword
and Perhaps Love, you would see that, despite its budget, they really succeeded very well in capturing the attentions of the audiences.
I consider it very important, especially when, as we said before, during a time when the audiences really lack the initiative to go to see
Hong Kong movies, we really need movies that could rekindle the interest of the audiences, we need to let them know that we are still
making movies.
In the past HKFAA, both box office hits are low budget movies received proper
attentions. The award winning Beast Cops was also not a big budget movie! Now
that since people are beginning to ignore HK movies, it is important for HKFAA to set
up a clear definition telling people these five movies are really great, and Hong
Kong movies are still worth to see! At least we would have five movies to be remembered each year.
It is important for people to remember the films.
Lam: I also don't think the condition is that bad. Take a look at this year's Oscar, the best film is Crash, an absolutely
low budget production (as compared to the blockbusters). In terms of the production value, it only parallels to a television production
level, but then the story of the film is really good, and the theme is also meaningful, that's why it won! I believe that it is the same for
the situation in Hong Kong. No doubt a big budget movie is having a little more advantage, but then, when you are talking about the
title of "best film", the most important thing is always the story/drama!
Cinespot: Talking about Oscar, it is usually connected with this place called Hollywood. Director Lam, as a renowned
director specialized in action cinema, have you ever thought of trying your luck there?
Lam: Hmmm, I don't really see it that way, I guess, hmmm, Hollywood is certainly a very captivating place, and you know
why they like Hong Kong filmmakers? It is because they are simply amazed by our ability to make quality movies with such a low
budget and time, and how we are able to solve difficult problems in brilliant and economical ways. If I really go there, I guess my
interest is to introduce my work style to them, rather than becoming another employee within their system. Well, I guess I probably
bring it too far... Referring back to your question, it seems that I still don't have the ability to go there, and I also think that it is not
my world, not a place I can survive...
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Cinespot: As we know, mainland is going to tighten the co-production policies, how do you think we can respond to it?
Chan: Actually mainland is not the only market for Hong Kong cinema, we also have the US, Europe, Japan, Korea and
some more. For instance, Although Andrew Lau's recent film Daisy was invested by Koreans and features a Korean cast,
it is actually a Korean-packaged Hong Kong film, a big portion of the crew is from Hong Kong. I believe it is the future direction
of Hong Kong cinema. Rather than working on our own, we need to consider the possibility of breaking out and trying more
pan-Asia collaborations. The development of our industry now is really very unhealthy. The employment rate is only about 50%,
as compared to the normal 70~80% rate.
Lam: I really doubt if we actually have 50%, haha. I guess we can only hope for a better tomorrow. I think it is not really
a bad thing to tighten the policies. It would let the investors understand what exactly we could do without the mainland market.
Take director Soi Cheang as an example, now he has acquired some investments from Japan and he could do what he couldn't do
before. You know his ideas are quite dark but still, he could find people that appreciate his style. That shows very well that
Hong Kong filmmakers are tough enough to survive even if we have lost any particular market.
Cinespot: So have you thought of trying this kind of pan-Asia production?
Lam: : Sure I want! In a Hong Kong film, we always have to make a lot of compromises. If I can try to go "outside",
perhaps I would be able to do something more creative, and experiment with ideas that I couldn't do in the past.
Cinespot: About the development of Hong Kong cinema, support from the government is very important, say, the
Hong Kong Entertainment Expo was just held not long ago. But then, some people consider it a show and would prefer
more concrete assistance. What do you two think about the policy of the government?
Lam: I think we don't really have to complicate matters..
Chan: It is better than nothing
Lam: Yes, imagine if the government totally ignores us, it would be even worse! You are right that the event is a
show, but there were really participants! There were really many people coming from overseas to participate and visit this
show! It really gave them an impression that Hong Kong cinema is still full of energy (at least in a superficial sense) and it
reinforced their faith in working with Hong Kong filmmakers. If we don't even have this kind of event, then we are really over!
Chan: Yes, at least we can let foreign people know that Hong Kong cinema is still not dead yet. We still have
Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. It is difficult for us to ask for enormous resources from the government, our situation is
different from say, Korea. Korean cinema is fortunate to receive huge support from the government, but then, they are in
a growing stage and the support of the government is essential. While in Hong Kong, a free-trade community, as there is
so many different types of industries in need of assistance from the government, it is very hard for us to ask for too much
from them. I think it is good to see that the government is at least willing to organize events like the Hong Kong Entertainment
Expo. But in the long run, we certainly have to rely on ourselves after all.
Cinespot: Last but not least, Can you tell us something about your future plans?
Chan: I guess I'll focus on the production of Julius Caesar first. This is a movie I always wanted to make. Now that
I have got the opportunity, a good script, good investors and actors, I would spend most of my time on it. I might also work with Ronald
again later, but it is probably not going to be a comedy. More information will be disclosed later
Lam: I am happy that some of the plans I have been thinking for a long time, plans that were not possible due to commercial
consideration, are finally about to blossom. Because of the change of the market, some ideas deemed impossible by investors in the
past are actually being positively received now. Perhaps they feel that the market is so dry now that it is possible to do something different
if we want a breakthrough. Timing is really important for filmmaking. Something you have been storing could always be retrieved at the right time.
Cinespot: That sounds great. Director Chan and Lam, thank you very much again for sharing a wonderful evening with us. Let's
hope that Undercover Hidden Dragon will become a box office hit, and also good luck to your future plans.
Chan / Lam: Thank you!
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Conclusion
In conclusion, the interview was successful. Director Gordon Chan and Dante Lam were very generous
and answered all of our questions in details. Again, we would like to appreciate director Chan
and Lam for sharing their valuable time with us. Please give a round applause to them!
Thank you!
Host / Text: Eric Liu
Planning: Eric Liu, K. Lui
Photos: Ray
Translation: K. Lui
4/2006
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Click here to go back to Part I.
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