Exploring Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s Part 1: Era and Film History (English edition)

Exploring Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s

Part 1: Era and Film History (English edition)

Research on Hong Kong films of the 1930s and 1940s had always been fraught with difficulties due to the lack of materials from the period. In recent years, a cache of precious film prints and other relevant materials were discovered, making a real breakthrough in the study of Hong Kong cinema. In 2021, a symposium entitled ‘From Silent to Sound—Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s' was held as part of the programmes celebrating the Hong Kong Film Archive's 20th anniversary. This led to the publication of this collection of essays presented by scholars and researchers for the symposium, which has been divided into Parts 1 and 2.

Although Hong Kong's film industry existed as early as in the 1910s, it did not begin to thrive until the 1930s. However, at that time, the rest of the world was shrouded in uncertainties of the events leading up to the Second World War and the Mainland was focused on resistance efforts against the Japanese invasion. Before Hong Kong fell under the Japanese occupation in 1941, the local film industry responded readily to the War of Resistance Against the Japanese, while also absorbing the Mainland talents and funding that came southward due to the war. This unique set of conditions contributed to the uniqueness of Hong Kong cinema. After the war, Mandarin films flourished, as if pitting themselves against Cantonese films. 

Part 1: Era and Film History is an explication of the history of Hong Kong film industry divided into three segments: ‘Pre-war Film-Related Events in the 1930s', ‘Film Stories During Wartime', and ‘The 1940s and Post-war Demobilisation'. It explores how the Hong Kong film industry was influenced by the political climate over different periods of time; and how filmmakers, including directors, screenwriters, heads of film companies and cinema owners, took advantage of their respective positions and seized opportunities arising from various crises. In the face of those treacherous and ever-changing times, the filmmakers came up with various management strategies and techniques, and ceaselessly unleashed their creativity to survive and thrive.

240 pages. Published in 2022. Free download. (Edited by Kwok Ching-ling and May Ng)

Download Exploring Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s Part 1: Era and Film History (English edition) 
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Click here to watch the videos of the ‘From Silent to Sound—Hong Kong Films of the 1930s and 1940s' symposium.