The Gallants

[GeneChing]

I was leaning towards Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame for my fav pick of last year, but The Gallants just stole it away. I watched in last Saturday morning - couldn't sleep so at 3AM I popped it into my DVD player to see if the subtitles worked and I just couldn't stop watching it. THIS FILM ROCKS. It's such an old skool homage. It celebrates that golden era of Golden Harvest and Shaw Brothers films with an innovative update for 2010. It even has the Fist of Fury soundtrack. There's some hysterical comic elements and shades of Tarantino. It begins a little Napoleon Dynamite-ish, but moves into something completely different. There are a few cliches, but the ending isn't cliche. In fact, >>>POSSIBLE SPOILER<<< if you expect the cliche finale, well don't.>>>END SPOILER<<< Seeing Chen Kuan Tai and Bruce Leung Siu Lung in action again was a great treat, although truth be told, I wouldn't have recognized them if not for the credits.

This will resonate with anyone who has ever trained with a traditional old skool kung fu master.

[GeneChing]

The Chinese name is Da Leitai (打擂台). Da as in Sanda; Leitai as in the raised platform on which kung fu duels are fought. An alternative title is Fists Of Dignity, which I like a little better, especially as there's some homage to Fist of Fury. Gallant means chivalry and noble spirit, which does fit for this film, but it's such an antiquated term that it doesn't sell the film. It's more like a bad translation.

I'm posting the lyrics to FIST OF FURY here. If you see Gallants, and I urge you to do so, you'll understand. We published these in the Wisdom section of our Sept/Oct 2006 issue.

FIST OF FURY LYRICS
I use hands to hold my fellow man
I use hands to help with what I can
But when I face an unjust injury
Then I’ll change my hands into fists of fury

I use hands to show my friendliness
I use hands to give a kind caress
Bu when a man slaughters fellowman
Then I’ll change my hands into fist of fury

No more hands to give my love to you
But you’ll know I’ve done what I must do
I’ve fought the strong and I did right the wrong
When I changed my hands into fists of fury

[GeneChing]

What did I say for my review? "My pick for the BEST OF 2010!"

Gallants and Dee split HK Film Awards
By Patrick Frater
Sun, 17 April 2011, 23:59 PM (HKT)
Awards News

The 30th Hong Kong Film Awards (香港電影金像獎) split their honours on Sunday night between fantasy actioner Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame (狄仁杰之通天帝國) and retro martial arts picture Gallants (打擂台).

While Detective Dee collected six awards including best director for Tsui Hark (徐克) and best actress for Carina Lau (劉嘉玲), the more Hong Kong-focussed Gallants claimed the final prize for best picture. Earlier in the evening it had collected three others including both supporting actor and actress.

Detective Dee also collected awards for best costume, best art direction, visual effects and best sound.

Other winners included Stool Pigeon (線人, Nicholas Tse 謝霆鋒 as best actor) and Ip Man 2 (葉問2, Sammo Hung 洪金寶 for best action direction) and Love In A Puff (志明與春嬌, Pang Ho-cheung 彭浩翔 and Heiward Mak 麥曦茵 for best screenplay).

Japan's Confessions (告白) collected the award for best Asian film, beating favourites Aftershock (唐山大地震) and Under The Hawthorn Tree (山楂樹之戀).

Guest presenters in the nearly four hours included Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢), Chow Yun-fat (周潤發), Vicki Zhao (趙薇), Eric Tsang (曾志偉), Michael Hui (許冠文), Kara Hui (惠英紅), Jackie Chan (成龍) and Zhou Xun (周迅).

Spotted in the audience were Gordon Chan (陳嘉上), Peter Lam (林建岳), Nansun Shi (施南生), Jack So (蘇澤光), John Chong (莊澄), James Wang Zhonglei (王中磊), Raymond Wong (黃浩然) and a tearful Cecilia Cheung (張柏芝).
Earlier this year Gallants was named as the best picture of 2010 in the Hong Kong Film Critics Society Awards (香港電影評論學會大獎).

[JesseSmooth]

Great movie. Gives hope for the future of (Hong Kong) kung fu films.

[doug maverick]

doesnt this movie star all the old school stars? doesnt give me hope...makes me feel sad.

[GeneChing]

You must see it before you judge. Chen Kuan Tai and Bruce Leung Siu Lung turn in amazing performances. It gave me hope too because their roles are perfect for them as aging martial arts stars. The film has a tongue-in-cheek edge from the get-go, but they portray their characters with dignity.

I just watched it again and it didn't have nearly the impact upon me like with the first time, as I knew where it was all going. The initial appeal was that Gallants is such a different take on the genre. But I still loved Master Law's role - his character is my new idol.

I think you'll enjoy this, Doug. It's a significant martial arts film (obviously now with the HKFA award). See it.

Can anyone tell me why it said "Ketamine" on the TV when Cheung first enters Law's Tea Shop?

[doug maverick]

You must see it before you judge. Chen Kuan Tai and Bruce Leung Siu Lung turn in amazing performances. It gave me hope too because their roles are perfect for them as aging martial arts stars. The film has a tongue-in-cheek edge from the get-go, but they portray their characters with dignity.

I just watched it again and it didn't have nearly the impact upon me like with the first time, as I knew where it was all going. The initial appeal was that Gallants is such a different take on the genre. But I still loved Master Law's role - his character is my new idol.

I think you'll enjoy this, Doug. It's a significant martial arts film (obviously now with the HKFA award). See it.

Can anyone tell me why it said "Ketamine" on the TV when Cheung first enters Law's Tea Shop?

its why it makes me sad gene....their are no real youngsters with talent like thisn in hk anymore.