Hong Kong movies to become Hong Kong movies again?

Interesting--and delightful in correct--news from Chinese Films. Given the lack of artistic and box office success of co-productions between Hong Kong and the mainland, Hong Kong some (at least two) filmmakers are going back to the styles and content that made the former Crown Colony the cinematic powerhouse it was prior to 1997. The limitless audience in the PRC together with seeming inexhaustible supply of capital from mainland financiers attracted Hong Kong artists but the compromises in both style and content demanded by their new masters meant that their films wouldn't be really popular anywhere.

Two movies mentioned are "Nightfall", a gangster flick with Nick Cheung and Simon Yam is in post-production and Wong Kar-Wai's "The Grandmasters" with Chang Chen, Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai is scheduled to open in 2012. The date can't be any more exact since, in an exquisite understatement the article notes that Wong "is known for moving slowly when it comes to directing films." A poster for "Nightfall".

Maggie Cheung Man-Yuk and Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia in "Dragon Inn"

Why we love Hong Kong movies: Maggie Cheung and Brigitte Lin in grainy stills from the original "Dragon Inn". In this Year of the Dragon "New Dragon Inn", a restoration of the original film will be released on February 24, twenty years from the day of the initial opening.

Xinhua

Zhao Wei in Harper's Bazaar

Zhao Wei lounging around (with heartthrob Huang Xiaoming) serving as a display for expensive jewelry, looking cool and languorous.

A few more at Sina

Chrissie Chau hands out money as superheroine

Put Chrissie Chau in tight leather pants, a satin top with a plunging neckline, boots and a cape and you will draw a crowd. Have her hand out money to poor people and you will have a photo-op that one might think exploits the poor people getting the New Year's envelopes.

She appears here as the Hong Kong Bauhinia Xia, who may become a lead in a movie although the movie exists only as a poster at this point. She is also the star of a comic; read about Bauhinia Xia at 21CB and, as usual, Dennis Lee.

Those familiar with Catholic hagiography might see Bauhinia Xia as a 21st century, Chinese, female version of, say, Martin De Porres or Francis of Assisi (but without the organization skills).

Here is Chrissie as Lady Bountiful:

Lots more leather and lace at Sina

Sun Feifei in her underwear

This is how art directors for fashion magazines make their money: coming up with unique ideas like having an attractive actress pose in lingerie and heels.

Xinhua

Zhang Xin-Yi New Year's Photoshoot

Guess what? It's Lunar New Year a time for actresses and models to have their pictures taken with the clothing and props. Zhang Xin-Yi doesn't restrict herself to wearing red and and holding red envelopes although those shots are never ignored:

The always popular silly grin and even sillier outfit.