Dir: Wong Hok-sing
Orig Story: Tsui Tsi-long
Scr/Librettist: Poon Cheuk
Prod Co: Lap Shun
Cast: Lam Kar-sing, Chan Ho-kau, Lan Chi Pak, Yam Bing-yee, Poon Yat On
1964 B&W D Beta Cantonese Chinese Lyrics 101 min

 

With his Cantonese opera background, Wong Hok-sing merged stage blocking and choreography well with cinematic techniques in this Cantonese opera version of Romeo and Juliet. Adapted from a blockbuster of Hing Sun Sing Troupe in 1963, Wong retained the symbolic gestures of Lan Chi Pak's portrayal for arch-villain but rearranged the blocking and choreography for Lam Kar-sing and Chan Ho-kau in the final scene where they are trapped by fire; he had them perform hair-flinging in unison and round-walking together with holding-hands. Besides, Wong used montage sequences to show the life of growing up of character; under cranked the combat scenes to increase motion and utilized tracking shots to emphasize special operatic movements, his uses of cinematic techniques matched the plots development and music rhythm perfectly, the music was also enriched by adding Western musical instruments.