Eight Hundred Heroes
Scr: Yang Hansheng
Prod Co: China Film Studio
Cast: Yuan Muzhi, Chan Bo-yee, Zhang Shufan, Hong Hong
1938 | B&W | D Beta | Silent | Chinese Intertitles | 53min
Views of Hong Kong
1936 | B&W | D Beta | Silent | Chi & Eng Intertitles | 9min
Hong Kong Sceneries
Live music accompaniment by Ernesto Maurice Corpus
Three films were collected locally in 1995.
Daniel Wang, the late father of Dolores Wang, operated a lab before the World War II. Among the many films his lab processed were films about the anti- Japanese war efforts, copies of which he had kept and treasured. During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, such copies, when discovered by authorities, would mean certain execution. Determined to protect them while fleeing the war, Wang copied the 35mm films onto 16mm prints, which were more convenient to carry. He also buried some prints in the ground to prevent them from being discovered, safeguarding these films of important historical values.
Eight Hundred Heroes is about a prominent historical incident during the battle of Shanghai. After several months of fierce fighting, the Colonel of the nationalist army Xie Jinyuan (Yuan Muzhi) and his 800 soldiers courageously give protection to the army's retreat and defend a strategically-important warehouse to the very end. The cherished moment of a girl scout risking her life to deliver the national flag is also depicted. Ms Dolores Wang not only donated a copy of this wartime classic, but also the Views of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Sceneries produced in the 30s and 40s. Views of Hong Kong was produced by Hong Kong Tourist Association to promote Hong Kong and attract foreign visitors while Hong Kong Sceneries captures the city's many facets with landmarks and iconic architectures, providing a precious record of old Hong Kong.
| Date | Time | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 19/6/2021 (Sat) # | 12:00pm | Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive |
# Post-screening talk with Dr Vivian Ting
The contents of the programme do not represent the views of the presenter. The presenter reserves the right to change the programme should unavoidable circumstances make it necessary.