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HOMECOLUMNSSHOPPINGHEALTH&BEAUTYPEOPLETOP10LISTSMOVIEREVIEWSSEARCHBYWRITERHONGKONG|Jul13,2011SEARCHENTIRESITESEARCHHONGKONGPLACESRESTAURANTSEVENTSNIGHTLIFENEWS&FEATURESTRAVELCLASSIFIEDSHomeScreenSirensScreenSirensAs"3DSexandZen:ExtremeEcstasy,"theworld'sfirst3DskinflickproducedrighthereinHongKong,hitscinemasthismonth,wethinkit'shightimetolookbackatthe40-yearhistoryofthecity'seroticfilmindustry.
IsitboundforaresurgenceByGraceTsoi|publishedApr07,2011TheSwingingSeventiesThefirstwaveoferoticfilmsInthe1970s,thefirstwaveoferoticfilmsfilledHongKongcinemas:actressesshottofameaftershowingtheircurvaceousbodiesonthebigscreen;peoplewerecaptivatedbytheseductiveimagery;andevenfamousdirectorstoyedwithmakingsexflicks.
ItwasthegoldenageoferoticmoviesinHongKong—whennoonethoughtitwasabigdealtomakesexualmovies,andsomeevenconsiderederoticfilmsacinematicnormofthetime.
ThaterawasalsoaculturallyturbulenttimeforHongKong.
Westernartistswereexploringthemesofsexualliberation,andmoviessuchas31LikeHKMagazineonFacebookLike3,971"DeepThroat"and"Emmanuelle"hitHongKongtheaters.
Undersuchinfluences,HongKongmoviemakersbeganmakinglocaleroticmovies,dubbingthem"fengyuefilms.
"SuchacinematicexperimentwaspossibleinHongKongalsobecauseofitsuniquepoliticalsituation.
"Themainlandonlyproducedpropagandafilmsatthattime.
InTaiwan,theyeitherproducedpropagandafilms,ormade[romancenovelist]ChiungYao-styledromanceflicks,"saysVerdyLeung,VisitingLectureratHongKongBaptistUniversity'sAcademyofFilm.
"Youwouldn'texpecttoseeanythingsexualinthesefilms.
"Apartfromforeigntrends,HongKongfilmmakershadpracticalreasonstostartmakingeroticmovies.
Moviemakershadneverbeforeworriedaboutcompetition.
Butthatchangedin1967,withthelaunchofTVB,thefirstfreetelevisionchannelinHongKong.
"Itwasabigchallengeforthemovieindustry.
Peoplehadonlywatchedmoviesforentertainmentbefore,sotherewerealotofgrandcinemas,whichcouldaccommodatethousandsofaudiencemembers.
Butwhentelevisionfirstcame,everyoneturnedtoitbecauseitwasfree,andpeoplewerestillpooratthattime.
Box-officerevenuedroppeddramatically,andmoviemakershadtofindsomeotherwaystoensuresurvival,"explainsLittleGrass,authorofthe"HongKongEroticHistory"(whichwasbannedfromtheHongKongBookFairbytheTradeDevelopmentCouncilin2004).
Filmmakersusedcarnalandsexualscenestoattracttheeyeballsofmoviegoers,aslawprohibitedtelevisionprogramsfromcontainingsexscenes.
Theytooktherightrisk—thelocalmoviebusinesswassalvaged.
Plus,theploytowinbackviewersalsospurredalargermovementinthefilmindustry.
ShawBrothersStudiowasthedominantmovieproductioncompanyatthattime,boldinitssupportoffengyuefilmsandknownforevenincludingsexscenesinmoviesofothergenres.
Interestingly,HongKong'sfirstfamousdirectoroferoticmovies,LeeHung,isactuallyawoman.
In1969,LeemovedtoHongKongandsetupaproductioncompanythatspecializedinmakingsexflicks.
"Itisimpossibletowatchthemoviesnow,buttheycouldgetquitepornographic.
[Youcantell]justlookingatthemoviestills,"LittleGrasssays.
Becausesocietywasstillveryconservative,Lee'scompanysooncloseddown,butnotbeforesheblazedapathforother(male)directorstofollowlater.
The1970sweretheglorydaysofHongKongfengyuemovies,whichwouldnothavebeenpossiblewithouttheskillandcraftofdifferentdirectors.
Abovetherest,oneishailedasthemaster.
"ThemoviesdirectedbyLiHan-hsiangalwaysevokeahistoricalfeeling,"saysDr.
SobelChan,SeniorLecturerattheAcademyofFilmatHongKongBaptistUniversity.
"Healsopaidalotofattentiontothephotography,artandlighting.
"LihailedfromthemainlandandwasdeeplyinterestedinChinesecultureandhistory,sohehadapassionforturningclassicliteratureandhistoricalhappeningsintorealistic,relevanttalesforthesilverscreen.
"Lilikedcollectingeroticantiquesanderotichistoricalinformation,"LittleGrasssays.
"Heusedalltheseinhismovies,whichfeelveryauthentic.
"(Whatashame,though,thatLi'svastcollectionoferoticparaphernaliawasburnedanddestroyedbyhisfamilyafterhisdeathin1996.
)WhileLifocusedonmakingfengyuemoviessetinancientChina,anotherprominentdirector,LuChi,specializedinmodernandgrassrootssexualmovies.
Beforeslippingbehindthecamera,Luwasactuallyanactorwhowasimmenselypopularduringthe1960s.
Aftermovingbackstage,Lufirstdirectedsomeartsyfilmsthatwerepoorlyreceived.
Hethenmadeuphismindtoproduceeroticfilmsinstead,andevensetupaproductioncompanytomakethem.
Lu'sfilmscontainveryexplicitimagesthatborderonpornographic.
Ascontradictorymightitsound,Lu'smoviesalsofocusedondeliveringmoralmessagesandembeddingtraditionalvalues.
Inhisfilms,womenwereoftenportrayedasoppressedandinsearchofsalvation,whilemenweredepictedasmanipulativeandexploitativeofthefemalecharacters.
AnothernotabledirectoroferoticfilmswasHoFan.
Originallyaphotographer,Hoemphasizedaesthetics,imagesandphotography—perhapsattheexpenseofstory-telling.
Howasapersistentandprolificeroticfilmmaker.
Hestartedmakingtheminthe1970sandwasstillatitinthe1990s.
(VeronicaYipYukHing's"HiddenDesire"wasoneofhispiecesfromthatperiod.
)Bytheearly1980s,though,thewaveoffengyuefilmsspearheadedbythesedirectorsgraduallydieddown.
Tothisday,expertsdebatetheexactreasonsforitsdemise.
"Somepeoplesaythatit'sbecausethe1980swasthegoldenageofHongKongcinema,"Leungsays.
"Moviessoldanyways,anditwasnotnecessaryformoviemakerstoproduceeroticfilms[tomakemoney].
"HongKonginthe1980salsosawtheriseofanewbreedofconservatism—onethatwasagainstaspiritofsexualliberation,whichmanythoughtfengyuemoviespreachedandcondoned.
In1977,agroupofuniversitystudentsformedanactivistgroupcriticalofmassmedia,whichtheyblamedforpromotingandspreadingviolenceandpornography.
Later,thesamekindofmovementpromptedfurthersocialproteststargetingatrectifyingtheperceivedimmoralityofHongKong.
Itwasnotuntil1988,whenthegovernmentannouncedanewclassificationsystemformovies,thatthecitysawarevivaloflocalsexflicks.
Must-watchmoviesofthe70sCinematicclassicsIntimateConfessionsofAChineseCourtesan(1972)提交DirectorChorYuenisbestknownforhiswuxia(martialarts)movies,andheincorporatedtheseelementsintothemakingofhiseroticfilms,whichculminatedinthemasterpiece,"IntimateConfessionsofaChineseCourtesan.
"JinE,aninnocentgirl,isabductedandsoldtoabrothel.
ShethenchangeshernametoAiNuandswearstotakerevengebykillingherclients.
SeducedbyAiNu'sbeautyandtoughpersonality,thebawdLadyChunfallsforher.
AiNuthenappeasesLadyChunandlearnsmartialartsfromherinordertobetterexactherrevenge.
ItwasthefirstHongKongfilmtodepictalesbianrelationship.
SomescenesarequitesexualasthecharactersdescribeS&M,andthereisafairamountofnudity,asthestorytakesplaceinabrothel.
TheGoldenLotus(1974)TheclassicnoveloftheMingDynasty,"ThePlumintheGoldenVase"remainsatimelessinspirationforeroticfilmmakersinHongKong.
Amongallthemovieadaptations,noonehassurpassedLiHang-hsiang's"TheGoldenLotus.
"ItportraysthestoryofaconcupiscentmerchantXimenQing,wholustsafterPanJinlian,thewifeofWuDalang.
ThetwomurderWuandPanmarriesintoXimen'sfamilyashisfifthwife.
ThestoryrevolvesthepromiscuoussexlifeofXimenandthestrugglesamonghiswives.
Someoftheplotmightsoundratherexplicit,butdirectorLiHan-hsiangturnedtheancienttextintoacompellingandseductivetale.
Watchoutforababy-facedJackieChan,whoplaysapearvendorinthemovie.
StarletsforSale(1977)LuChi'sdirectingskillsmaynotbehighlyacclaimed,buthismoviesaredefinitelyworthwatching—especiallyifyouarecuriousaboutHongKonglifeinthe1970s.
Hismoviesare,ifnothingelse,reflectiveofthesocialrealitiesatthattime.
In1977,thegovernmentrelaxedcensorshiprules,andsothisfilmbecamethefirstHongKongproductiontoshowpubichair.
(Somemoremovietrivia:ChanWai-yingwasthefirstactresstodoit.
)Thestorydescribeshowstarsselltheirbodiesformoney—somewillingly,othersnot.
Inthefilm,oneoftheactresseskillsherselfafterthemediaharassesher;afterthat,othersregrettheirharshbehaviorandtrytorectifywhattheydid.
LuChididalwaysliketogetalittlepreachytowardtheend.
TheExtraordinaryLifeofTinaLeungTherewasmoretothisfamouseroticfilmactressthanmeetstheeye.
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Intheheydayoferoticcinemainthe1970s,manyactressesputontorridperformancesinfengyuemovies,butonlyTinaLeung,alsoknownasDiNa,isrememberedtodayasatrueHongKongsexsymbol.
Hersexinesswasnotjustabouthervoluptuousbody—Hongkongerswereequallyimpressedbyherknowledge,businessacumenandpatriotism.
Throughoutherfilmingcareer,Leungalwaysmaintainedasexkittenimage.
Butsheonlyshottofamefollowingherperformancein"TheWarlord,"directedbymaestroLiHan-hsiang,inwhichshewasthefirstlocalactresstoappearnudeonscreen.
Playingthefourthwifeofawarlord,Leungrosefromabathtogreetherlover.
Theaudience,whichwasstillconservativeatthattime,wasdazzledwithLeung'srosyskin,generouscurvesandslenderlegs.
However,Leunglatersaidsheregrettedtheperformance.
Infact,Leung'scinematiccareerdidnotstartinHongKong,butinThailand.
Attheageof17,shemettheyoungerbrotherofthethenprimeministerofThailand.
Stunnedbyherbeauty,hepursuedherandofferedherfilmroles.
Becauseofherpopularity,shebecameaknownfigureinhighsocietyandwassurroundedwithsocialitesandimportantpoliticalpeopleduringhertimethere.
InaninterviewwithCableTVin2008,sheclaimedthatshewascollectingintelligencefortheChineseCommunistPartyatthattime.
"Iplayedaspyinmyfirstmovie.
Buttheydidn'tknowthatIwasalreadyaspyinreallife,"Leungsaid.
TheThaiofficialshadcertainlycommittedamistakebyunderestimatingLeung.
Awell-readwoman(despiteanunremarkableformaleducation),shewasdeeplyinfluencedbyherfather,auniversityprofessor.
LeungwaswellversedinChinesehistoryandliteratureandinfactpennedatotaloffourbooksinherlifetime.
Unlikeotherstars,Leungwasveryoutspokenaboutherpoliticalleaningsandshehadidentifiedherselfasacommunistsympathizer.
WhentheCulturalRevolutionreacheditszenithin1973,Leungattemptedtoreturntothemainlandto"servethepeople.
"Atherpeakoffame,Leungbadefarewelltothesilverscreenandbecameanentrepreneur.
However,herbusinessfailedandshedeclaredbankruptcy(infact,shewasalsothefirstpersontodeclarebankruptcyinHongKong).
ItwasrumoredthatLeungwasindebtofmorethan$100million.
Miraculously,sheovercameherfinancialproblemsandrepaidallherdebtswithinfouryears.
Later,sheventuredintotheaerospaceindustry,provingtobeasavvybusinesswoman—itwasestimatedhercompanymademorethan$500millioninrevenueperyear.
Leung'sknackforbusinessmadeherabillionaire,butshealsosawindustryasawaytosalvagethecountrybyopeningupitseconomy.
Inherventures,shehelpedChinaacquiremilitaryandaeronauticalequipment.
ShealsohelpedwiththemarketingofGalileo,aglobalsatellitenavigationsystemdevelopedbytheEuropeans,claimingthatthemovewastohelpChinastandonequalfootingagainsttheAmericans.
Thankstoherefforts,theairportsinmostmainlandcitieshadinstalledthesystembythe1980s.
Leung'sprivatelifewasalsothecauseofmuchcontroversy.
In1967,theunmarriedLeungscandalizedthecitybyannouncingherpregnancy.
ShethenwedswimmingcoachMaYizhang.
However,themarriageonlylastedforfiveyears.
Leung'sdivorcedidnotstopothermenfrompursuingher.
ATVproducerattemptedtocommitsuicidebyswallowing84sleepingpillsaftershespurnedhisadvances,whileJosiahLauKa-kitdivorcedhiswifetowinLeung'sheart.
However,allthesemenbitterlyfailedandsheremainedsinglefortherestofherlife.
ForLeung,hergreatestlovewasherdaughter,TinaMa.
Inhermemoir,Leungreminiscedaboutwhenherdaughterhitpuberty—shewouldhunchherbackinordertohidehergrowingbreasts.
LeungatfirstfoundithardtoacceptthatherdaughtersufferedfromGenderIdentityDisorder.
ButLeungsupportedherdaughter,andTinafinallybecameMichaelMaTin-yuattheageof25,afterundergoingsexreassignmentsurgery.
In2005,Leungmadeasurprisecomebacktothelocalentertainmentindustry.
Nolongeraseeminglysuperficialsexkitten,shehostedofTVB'sdocumentaryprogram"ACenturyofChina.
"Leung'sknowledge,intelligenceandeloquencewonhercriticalacclaim.
LeungwasdiagnosedwithcervicalcancerandshepassedawayinApril2010attheageof65.
Apartfromherbeauty,LeungwillalsoberememberedasalegendinthehistoryofHongKong.
AClimaxfortheEroticFilmIndustryThe1980sand90swereanothergoldenage.
ThedevelopmentofHongKong'seroticfilmindustryreachedanotherclimaxinlate1980s,whenthegovernmentestablishedtheFilmClassificationSystem,whichassignedeverymoviemadeintothreecategories.
Underthenewsystem,CategoryIIImoviesbecamestrictly"adults-only.
"ThoseweretheglorydaysforHongKongeroticfilmmakers,andthenumberoferoticmoviesmadewasastonishinglyhigh.
In1990,forexample,about1,200moviesweresenttotheTelevisionandEntertainmentLicensingAuthorityforrating.
Ofthose,morethan500weregradedCategoryIIImovies.
"Filmmakersnolongerhadtohesitate,andtheycouldmakemoviesthattargetedanaudiencethatenjoyedsexflicks,"saysVerdyLeung.
"Theydidn'tneedtoworryaboutmoralcriticismsbecausetheyweremakingCategoryIIImovies,whichareforadultsonlyanyway.
"Thesystembroughtmoreclaritytothebusiness,andfilmmakersbecamebolderinexploringtheproductionoferoticmovies.
Therewasalsoamonetaryincentive:theproductioncostofskinflickswasn'thigh,andtherewasagoodchancethattheywouldgeneratesizableprofitsforinvestorssinceinterestineroticmovieswasrobust.
Moviemakersofthaterawereverycreativeandproducedfilmsbasedondifferentthemes.
Someofthesexflickswerelooselybasedonclassicworksofliterature,suchas"TheGoldenLotus"and"StrangeStoriesFromaChineseStudio.
"Somefilmmakersdrewreferencesfromrealandhigh-profilecrimecases,especiallythegruesomeonesthatcenteredaroundrapes.
Stillothers,suchas"TheEternalEvilofAsia,"centeredonthemesofAsianwitchcraftandthelike.
ThesefilmsappealedtomoviegoersacrossAsia.
"AudiencesfromcountrieslikeThailandandMalaysiaactuallylovedthesekindsofmovies,buttheycouldnotproducesuchmoviesbythemselves,"SobelChansays.
"Therefore,theyhadastrongdemandforsuchfilms.
"Thissuccessfulwaveoferoticfilms,however,wouldnothavebeenpossiblewithoutthewillingandeagerparticipationofhotactresses.
Somewell-knownstarletssawsheddingtheirclothesasasurefirewaytoreachabreakthroughintheircinematiccareers.
OnepioneeroftheperiodwasVeronicaYipYuk-hing.
AMissAsiaPageantwinner,YipshottofamebystarringinthreeCategoryIIImovies:"TakeMe,""HiddenDesire"and"PrettyWoman.
"ItwouldbeeasytoassumethatYipwasjustanotherprettyairhead—butshewasn't.
Shecreatedaboldimageforherselfandpeopletookherseriously,muchlikeChrissieChau,amodern-daymodelwhohasattractedattentionforbothherlooksandheroutspokenpersonality.
Aftersheplayedrolesinthethreeadultmovies,Yipalsostarredinmanycriticallyacclaimedfilms—andsheearnedtwonominationsatthe1994HongKongFilmAwards.
AfterYip'scommercialsuccess,alotofactresseswantedtocopyherandstarineroticfilmsthemselves.
However,itwasonlyLolettaLeeLai-chun,whosucceededinlaunchingaseriouscareerbywayofskinflicks.
"Itwasveryexciting.
Weactuallygrewupwatching'HappyGhost'andLeehadalwayskeptagirl-next-doorimage.
Thensuddenly,yousawherstarringinCat.
IIImovies,"LittleGrasssays.
Withherchild-likefaceandcurvybody,Leebecameeveryman'sfantasy.
ThosewhoarefamiliarwithHongKongmoviesshouldalsorememberAmyYip,anotherstarfromthe90s.
Yipmightnothavebeenagreatbeauty,butherhugebreastsmeantthateveryoneknewhername.
Shestarredin"SexandZen,"a1991moviedirectedbyJohnnyMakDong-hung.
Itwasablockbuster,grossedmorethan$18millionandwasthefirstinaseriesthathasculminatedintherecentlyopened3Dinstallment.
Butforallhersuccess,itisworthnotingthatYipneverflashednipplesorherprivatepartsonthesilverscreen.
TheDeclineofEroticFilmButcananew3DflicksparkarevivalHongKongcinemasnolongershoweroticfilms,relegatingthemtoDVDsortheinternet.
Thesedays,popularactressesaren'twillingtoshedtheirclothesonscreen.
Audiencesareturning,instead,towatchJapaneseadultvideos(morecommonlyknownas"AV").
Since1997,thesetrendshavebeenunfolding—andthat'swhyHongKong'seroticfilmindustryiswithering.
"First,HongKongmoviesareindecline.
Second,evenacrosstheworld,eroticfilmsareindecline,too.
Backin70sand80s,therewerealotoflarge-scalesexflicks,suchas'DeepThroat'and'Emmanuelle,'"saysStephenShiu,produceroftherecentlyreleased"3DSexandZen:ExtremeEcstasy.
""Butinthe90s,filmmakersnolongermadesuchfilmsbecausetheindustryhadbeenhardhitbytheinternet.
Peopledon'tneedtopaywhentheydownloadporn,andthesexscenesarealwayswaymoreexplicitthaneroticfilmsthatareshowninthetheater.
"Insteadofgoingoutandsittingwithabunchofstrangers,porn-watcherstodayprefermoreprivacytowatchbythemselves.
Therehavealsobeengeneralseachangesinsocialnorms,whichhaveledfilmmakerstobecautiouswhenitcomestoboundary-pushingprojects.
"HongKongsocietyhasbecomemoreconservativeovertheyears,"saysLeung.
"Producerswouldn'ttaketheriskofmakingcontroversialfilms[now].
"Duetothisshiftinperception,actressesviewpornmoviesasathreattotheircareers—nolongerdoesstarringinonemeanashotatthebigleagues.
Butnottoolongago,manybigstars—suchasLeslieCheungKwok-wingandCherieChungChor-Hung—actuallyfilmederoticmovies,andnoonethoughttwiceaboutit.
Itseems,however,thatthereissomemomentumforarevivaloferoticmoviesinHongKong—perhapspropelledbytheadventof3Dtechnologyanditsapplicationtoporn.
ButwhileShiuisoptimisticthat"3DSex&Zen"willbeabox-officeblockbuster,heholdsthattheaudienceinHongKongistoolimitedtosparkanindustry-widerenaissance.
Atrueresurgencewillrequireamainlandaudience,too,whichwillbeimpossibleaslongaspornisofficiallyprohibitedthere.
"ThegoldenageofHongKongeroticfilmwon'tcomebackunlesstheChinesemarketopensup,"saysShiu,whoaddsthathewon'tgiveuptheCopyright2004-2010AsiaCityOnlineLtd.
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HeisdeterminedtooutlastChina'spornban:"IamwaitingforthedaywhenChinaallowseroticmovies.
Afterall,theyhavetoalloweroticfilmseventually,andthismoviecouldmakeover$1billion.
Let'sseewholiveslonger!
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