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Film Archive's "Morning Matinee" series to showcase various Hong Kong musical films (with photos)
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     The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the programme "Cinematic Silhouettes of Song and Dance" in the "Morning Matinee" from January 27 to May 5. Fifteen Hong Kong musical films from different eras will be screened at 11am on Fridays to enable audiences to revisit the splendid dancing scenes along with the hit tunes of the time. 

     Hong Kong's musical films have blended diverse popular cultural elements, spawning a glorious manifestation of cinematic art and creating a unique film genre of local song-and-dance film. The first selected film is "Song of a Songstress" (1948), a semi-autobiographical film of singer Zhou Xuan. It is followed by "Portrait of Four Beauties" (1948), a post-war song-and-dance film that reflects the anxiety of the director Hu Xinling after he settled in Hong Kong and his pensive thoughts on his own artistic career. "Mambo Girl" (1957), one of the most emblematic works of Grace Chang, showcases the merrier atmosphere of Hong Kong society emerging from the gloom of war.

     The musical films that were brought to life by filmmakers, musicians and choreographers in the 1950s and 1960s also demonstrated the vision and prowess of the film industry. These works include "Calendar Girl" (1959), which sets the benchmark of the glorious musical film style of the director Doe Ching, "Les Belles" (1961) showcasing iconic dances of various countries and the large-scale musical film "Hong Kong Nocturne" (1967). 

     Works from the same period also include "It's Always Spring" (1962) co-written by the renowned martial art film director Chang Cheh, "The Lark" (1965), which is filled with classic melodies, comedies with musical extravaganza "Love Parade" (1963) and "The Dancing Millionairess" (1964), as well as "Colourful Youth" (Restored Version) (1966) starred by Chan Po-chu and Siao Fong-fong, "Summer and Spring" (1967) and "King Drummer" (1967) that carries stories of a drummer. 

     There were also high quality musical films produced in Hong Kong at the turn of the new millennium. They include "I Have a Date with Spring" (1994), which won Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actress and Best New Performer at the 14th Hong Kong Film Awards and "The Way We Dance" (2013), which is about young dancers pursuing their dreams and had become the talk of the town at that time. 

     "Colourful Youth", "Summer and Spring", "I Have a Date with Spring" and "The Way We Dance" are in Cantonese while the others are in Mandarin. "Song of a Songstress" is with Chinese lyrics. "Les Belles", "Love Parade", "The Dancing Millionairess", "The Lark”, "Hong Kong Nocturne”, "King Drummer” and "The Way We Dance” are with Chinese and English subtitles and the other films are without subtitles.

     Tickets for each film priced at $30 are now available at URBTIX (www.urbtix.hk). For credit card telephone bookings, please call 3166 1288. For programme details, please visit www.filmarchive.gov.hk/en_US/web/hkfa/pe-event-2023-cs.html or call 2739 2139.

     To safeguard public health, all persons entering indoor venues under the management of the LCSD must wear their own masks.
 
Ends/Wednesday, December 28, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:32
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The Hong Kong Film Archive of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "Cinematic Silhouettes of Song and Dance" in the "Morning Matinee" from January 27 to May 5. Fifteen Hong Kong musical films from different eras will be screened at 11am on Fridays to enable audiences to revisit the splendid dancing scenes along with the hit tunes of the time. Photo shows a film still of "Song of a Songstress" (1948).
The Hong Kong Film Archive of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "Cinematic Silhouettes of Song and Dance" in the "Morning Matinee" from January 27 to May 5. Fifteen Hong Kong musical films from different eras will be screened at 11am on Fridays to enable audiences to revisit the splendid dancing scenes along with the hit tunes of the time. Photo shows a film still of "Portrait of Four Beauties" (1948).
The Hong Kong Film Archive of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "Cinematic Silhouettes of Song and Dance" in the "Morning Matinee" from January 27 to May 5. Fifteen Hong Kong musical films from different eras will be screened at 11am on Fridays to enable audiences to revisit the splendid dancing scenes along with the hit tunes of the time. Photo shows a film still of "Colourful Youth" (Restored Version) (1966).
The Hong Kong Film Archive of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will present the programme "Cinematic Silhouettes of Song and Dance" in the "Morning Matinee" from January 27 to May 5. Fifteen Hong Kong musical films from different eras will be screened at 11am on Fridays to enable audiences to revisit the splendid dancing scenes along with the hit tunes of the time. Photo shows a film still of "Summer and Spring" (1967).