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Lingerie worn by star Hu Chin in the film "Golden Lotus", costumes worn by Linda Lin Dai in "The Kingdom and the Beauty" and a water colour painting by director Li Han-hsiang, will be on display at the "Li Han-hsiang, Storyteller" exhibition at the Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA).
The two-month exhibition will be held from now to June 3 at the Exhibition Hall of the HKFA, presenting reconstructed film sets of Li's evocative erotica, Qing dynasty costumes worn in his historical epics, photo albums, prop jewellery and accessories, artifacts and oral-history interviews with Li's friends and colleagues. Admission is free.
Guests at tonight's (March 30) opening ceremony include Li Han-hsiang's daughters Ms Margaret Li, Ms Mary Lee and Ms Merisa J. Lee; the Assistant Director of the Leisure and Cultural Services (Heritage and Museum), Dr Ng Chi-wa; the Chief Manager (Film & Cultural Exchange), Miss Pang Lo-mei; film stars Hu Chin, Ti Lung, Lisa Lu, Wang Ping, Elliot Yueh Hua, Tanny Tien Ni, Michelle Yam, Kuk Fung, Kwan Shan, Helen Poon, Gordon Liu Chia-hui, Susan Shaw Yin-yin, Jen Chieh, Linda Chu Hsiang-yun, Joe Cheung and film veterans.
Stars Sylvia Chang, Hu Chin and Elliot Yueh Hua also met the audience before the screening of "The Dream of the Red Chamber" at the Cinema of the HKFA.
Hu Chin will also appear before the screening of "Golden Lotus" tomorrow (March 31) at 7.30pm and veteran actor Kuk Fung will meet the audience on April 6 after the 5pm screening of "Tiger Killer".
In the seminar "Li Han-hsiang and his Actors" to be held 4.30pm tomorrow (March 31) at the Cinema of HKFA, Hu Chin, Margaret Li and Ti Lung will share their experience of working with Li. Critics Yau Ching, Po Fung, and HKFA Programmer Sam Ho will have another seminar "The Genre Films of Li Han-hsiang" at 5pm on April 7. Both seminars are conducted in Cantonese.
A new publication "Li Han-hsiang, Storyteller" re-evaluating Li's rich, versatile career and interviews with Li and his collaborators, is published in separate Chinese and English editions.
Li was active in the film industry for almost 50 years, and excelled in a wide variety of genres including historical epics, sumptuous regional opera films, delightful tales about cheating, witty light comedies and evocative erotica.
He joined the Hong Kong film industry in 1948, and established himself as a major director with his historical epics and "huangmei diao" films at Shaw Brothers. In 1963, he went to Taiwan to establish Grand Motion Picture Company, which transformed the film industry of Taiwan in a brief tenure of five years.
When Grand Motion Picture later ran into financial trouble, Li rejoined Shaw Brothers in 1972 and directed a string of profitable comedies and erotic tales. After re-establishing his reputation, he earned the privilege to make the historical dramas "The Empress Dowager" and "The Last Tempest". In 1982, he filmed "The Burning of the Imperial Palace" and "Reign Behind a Curtain" at the Imperial Palace in Beijing, which became big hits and critical favorites.
Thirty-five titles directed or produced by Li will be shown from today (March 30) to May 25 at HKFA. They include some of his best films and cherished titles, such as the historical epics "The Empress Dowager", "The Burning of the Imperial Palace", "Reign Behind the Curtain" and "Empress Wu Tse-tien"; the "huangmei diao" movies "The Kingdom and the Beauty" and "The Love Eterne"; the erotic film "Golden Lotus"; the hilarious comedy "The Warlord"; the Taiwan masterpieces "The Winter", "At Dawn", and others.
Tickets priced at $30 for the screenings are available now at all URBTIX outlets. Half-price tickets are available for senior citizens, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance recipients. Reservations can be made by phone on 2734 9009, or on the internet at www.urbtix.hk.
Detailed programme information and various discounts can be obtained in the "Profolio 36" distributed at all performing venues of the LCSD. For enquiries, please call 2739 2139 or 2734 2900 or browse the websites: www.filmarchive.gov.hk or www.lcsd.gov.hk/fp.
Ends/Friday, March 30, 2007
Issued at HKT 20:50
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