King Drummer
Prod Co: Shaw Brothers
Cast: Lily Ho, Ling Yun, Yang Fan, Golden Chen Hung-lieh, Angela Yu Chien
1967 | Colour | DCP | Mandarin | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 96min
The talented dockyard worker Sun Zhiqiang (Ling Yun) is discovered by Lizhen (Lily Ho), manager of her band The Sparks, to replace the drummer 'Golden Arm' Charlie Zhao (Golden Chen Hung-lieh). The new arrival becomes an overnight sensation, earning him the nickname 'Thunderbolt' but also the jealous wrath of his predecessor. This puts a dent in Zhiqiang's love life as he and Lizhen start falling for each other. Zhiqiang's mother is also fervently against her son getting involved in the music scene. Featuring many popular idols, the film is helmed by Japanese director Umetsugu Inoue. Inoue, following the success of Hong Kong Nocturne, was brought in again by the Shaw Brothers as contemporary song and dance films are his forte. With a sharp eye for what is trendy, the director centres the film not just on teens forming a band but specifically on the drummer, perhaps the most fashionable career choice that could be imagined then. This makes the film stand out from typical musicals focused on singers or dancers, in no small part due to the vibrant drumming performances by Ling and Chen. The director celebrates the new generation's aspirations with a film brimming with the zest and energy of youths.
©Licensed by Celestial Pictures Limited. All rights reserved.
Date | Time | Venue |
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21/4/2023 (Fri) [Full House] | 11:00am | Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive |
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