*********************************************************
To celebrate the Year of Snake, the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA)'s new programme "Joyous Hustle in New Year Bustle" will celebrate the festive occasion with comedies starring veteran stars like the hilarious Tang Kei-chen; comedians Leung Sing-po, Tam Lan-hing and Tang Bik-wan; funnyman Dean Shek; the lovable Woo Fung; and pop stars George Lam and Alan Tam, with the latter playing the Fairy of Fortune.
The four films with New Year lucky greetings will be shown on February 16 and 17 at the Cinema of the HKFA. They comprise the very funny "Fortune" (1960); the family comedy "Sail Before the Wind" (1965); "Lucky Strike" (1970), on chasing a winning lottery ticket; and the New Year blockbuster "Kung Hei Fat Choy" (1985).
"Fortune" features a tale of true love that turns into a hilarious gender-switch farce when the handsome scholar Law Kim-long falls head over heels for the beautiful Wan-liang (played by Tang Bik-wan). To confess his love, Law infiltrates her household dressed as a girl but ends up attracting unwanted attention from her lustful father Leung Sing-po and Wan-liang's unattractive sister, who sees through the disguises and forces Law to marry her. The two lovebirds concoct a genius plan to escape.
Fortune and family often go hand in hand in New Year comedies, and the typical New Year comedy "Sail Before the Wind" is no exception. Tang Kei-chen has all the riches but doesn't share much of it, even in the New Year red packets. His two elder sons often mistake counterfeit jewellery as the real thing while their wives, the fatty Tam Lan-hing and skinny Lee Hong-kum create silly schemes to steal the family fortune. Only youngest son Woo Fung is hardworking and has a kind-hearted wife. As in all New Year comedies, the good are rewarded and the bad get just desserts.
¡@¡@
Director Liu Fang-kang's "Lucky Strike" focuses on a hard-luck painter who has a winning lottery ticket, but accidentally loses it with an old suit jacket which is eventually picked up for use as a film prop. At the same time, a gang boss is also looking for an old suit jacket which is carrying his narcotics, and the situation leads the two desperate parties to raise hell on a film set.
Director Dean Shek's "Kung Hei Fat Choy" is a typical 1980s New Year comedy with spectacular action scenes. Alan Tam stars as the Fairy of Fortune who has been exiled to the human world but falls in love with the sister of a restaurant owner. In the course of his journey, he becomes the target of people looking to profit from his power including a NASA scientist and rich shop owner George Lam.
¡@¡@
All screenings are in Cantonese except "Lucky Strike", which is in Mandarin. "Kung Hei Fat Choy" has Chinese and English subtitles while the rest are without subtitles.
Tickets priced at $40 are available at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price concessionary tickets are available for senior citizens aged 60 and above, people with disabilities and their minders, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Credit card bookings can be made on 2111 5999, or on the Internet at www.urbtix.hk .
¡@¡@
Detailed programme information can be found in "ProFolio 66", distributed at all performing venues of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. For enquiries, please call 2739 2139 or 2734 2900, or browse the webpage at www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/filmprog/english/2012jh/2012jh_index.html .
Ends/Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Issued at HKT 15:08
NNNN
