Cinema of Hong Kong

The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major parts in the history of Chinese-language cinema, along with the cinema of China and the cinema of Taiwan. As a former Crown colony, Hong Kong had more artistic freedom than mainland China and Taiwan. It became a key place for filmmaking for Chinese speakers around the world, including its worldwide diaspora.

Hong Kong became the top film exporter in East Asia in the 1960s, with its film output passing Hollywood. It stayed the second-largest exporter (after Hollywood) from the 1970s through the 1990s. It also had the third-largest film industry in the world during the 1980s and 1990s, behind Hollywood and Bollywood. Even after an industry crisis in the mid-1990s and Hong Kong joining China in July 1997, Hong Kong films kept much of their unique style and still play an important role in world cinema. In the West, Hong Kong's lively pop cinema (especially Hong Kong action cinema) has long had a strong cult following, and is now widely known and copied.

Economically, the film industry and cultural and creative industries make up 5 per cent of Hong Kong's economy.

The Hong Kong industry

Hong Kong's film industry grew without much help from the government. It made movies that people loved, like comedies and action films. These movies often followed certain patterns to stay popular.

Hong Kong films mix ideas from Hollywood with traditions from Chinese stories and art. This mix, along with quick filming, gives Hong Kong movies special energy that people from other places enjoy.

The industry relies on famous actors to draw in audiences. Many stars started in TV shows or music, especially Cantopop songs. Because the industry is small, actors and directors are always busy making many films each year.

Movies in Hong Kong are usually made with smaller budgets than in America. A big movie might cost around US$5 million, while smaller ones can cost less than US$1 million. Very special projects can cost up to US$20 million, but these are rare. Even with these budgets, Hong Kong films can look very polished because of lower costs and wages.

For a long time, Hong Kong films were made without recording sound while shooting. This made it easier to add different languages later, especially for exporting the films. Recently, filming with real sound has become more common as people now see it as a sign of higher quality.

History

1909 to World War II

In the early days, Hong Kong's cinema was smaller than that of mainland China, especially the city of Shanghai. Only a few films from this time still exist.

Early films were linked to Chinese opera. The first movies were short comedies based on opera scenes. The first feature film, Zhuangzi Tests His Wife, was also based on opera and directed by Lai Man-Wai. Lai's family acted in the film, making it a milestone.

World War I slowed cinema growth because Germany made film stock. In 1923, Lai and others started Hong Kong's first Chinese-owned company. But they moved to the mainland in 1924 due to rules.

The 1940s–1960s

After World War II, Hong Kong's cinema grew because of new people and money from mainland China. The population rose a lot during this time.

Cantonese and Mandarin films grew separately. Mandarin films often had bigger budgets and were popular for export. Cantonese films were more common but seen as less important. Subtitles helped films reach more people.

Cantonese opera films were very popular, with stars like Yam Kim Fai and Pak Suet Sin. Low-budget martial arts films with Kwan Tak Hing as Wong Fei Hung were hits. Fantasy and modern stories were popular too.

In Mandarin films, Shaw Brothers and Cathay were the top studios. They made many different kinds of films. The Shaws made more intense wuxia films in the late 1960s.

Years of transformation (1970s)

In the 1970s, Mandarin films and Shaw Brothers were strong. But Cantonese cinema almost disappeared. Shaw Brothers led the martial arts genre, but changes were coming.

Television helped bring back Cantonese films. The comedy The House of 72 Tenants was a big hit in 1973. The Hui Brothers made popular Cantonese comedies. These films helped Cantonese films succeed again.

Golden Harvest became a major studio. They worked with Bruce Lee, whose films made martial arts popular worldwide. Golden Harvest also signed Jackie Chan, who became a big star in Asia.

1980s – early 1990s: the boom years

The 1980s and early 1990s were great for Hong Kong cinema. Cantonese films became dominant, and the industry improved.

Hong Kong films did well in international markets, especially in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. They also gained attention in the West.

Companies like Cinema City made popular films. Directors Tsui Hark and Wong Jing became important. John Woo's films with stars like Chow Yun-fat and Brigitte Lin were hits. Jackie Chan's comedies and Jet Li's films were also popular.

Mid-1990s – present: Post-boom

In the mid-1990s, the Hong Kong film industry faced challenges. The number of films made each year dropped, and revenues fell. Reasons included changes in what people liked and competition from Hollywood.

Despite these challenges, some films did well. Directors like Johnnie To had success with crime films.

Censorship

In 2021, new rules were introduced in Hong Kong. These rules give authorities the power to ban films that might threaten national security. This has led to concerns about the film industry becoming more controlled. Some films have been banned or changed because of scenes or messages that authorities did not approve of.