[2014.04.16] THE MIDNIGHT AFTER RELEASES A CATEGORY IIB VERSION

courtesy of singtao.com

The cast looks forward to a sequel

Director Fruit Chan for his 55th birthday not only receives a light bus cake but also a kiss from Kara Wai
courtesy of mingpao.com

The Hong Kong category III film THE MIDNIGHT AFTER (NA YEH LING SUN, NGOR JOR SEUNG LIU WONG GOK HOI WONG DAI PO DIK HUNG VAN) as of yesterday after 6 days in release broke HK$10 million at the box office and left in the dust the same week release ENTHRALLED (OI.CHUM.MAI) and its HK$530,000. It even caught up to the almost two weeks in release 3D NAKED AMBITION (3D HO CHING)'s 13 million. MIDNIGHT director Fruit Chan Gor yesterday led actors Kara Wai Ying Hung, Janice Man Wing Shan, Shine, Sam Lee Chan Sam, Cheuk Wan Chi and producer Chan Fai Hung to take a light bus to a Tai Po cafe shoot location for a chicken pie celebration. They also announced that starting tomorrow a category IIB version will be released for viewers under age 18. Birthday body Chan Gor received a light bus cake and Siu Hung's kiss. Having just won the Hong Kong Film Award Best Supporting Actress, Siu Hung also received flowers.

Turning 55 yesterday, Chan Gor carried a birthday cake as the team the birthday song. He immediately made a birthday wish, "I wish for MIDNIGHT to make 30 million and a sequel." He said that if the film would make over 25 million he would consider a sequel. He felt that making the movie was not hard, but writing a good script was.

Speaking of the good response to the film's category III version after almost a week in release, the category IIB version release seemed to be a move to pump up the box office. Chan Gor explained, "Actually I fought for the category IIB version for a long time, since young people would really like to watch it. The internet novel's standards were looser than the film, but the film became category III. Without the category IIB version, it would be unfair to young viewers under the age of 18. They have complained online that they couldn't see it." He pointed out that the IIB version cut the foul language and violence to their minimum. "The film censorship regulation is very strict, with a lot of moral defense. I made it very mild mannered and didn't promote violence, however, like film standards with Pang Ho Cheung and (Juno) Mak Chun Lung's films, foul language had to be dropped to 15 words. Lam Chan Sam's foul language name also had to be made into a homophone."

As for online criticism that the film was hard to understand and not loyal to the original work, Chan Gor responded, "Like the passengers in MIDNIGHT, they don't need to understand too much as they can slowly find the answer. It is impossible to please the entire world. If I made it like the original people would call me lazy. The film production of course would save the essence then change it into the script. If you don't understand you can watch it again."

Siu Hung looked forward to the MIDNIGHT sequel. She, Yam Tat Wa and Janice Man all wanted to be its boss and will invest their salaries into the production. They will look forward to share in the film box office profit. She said, "I treat it like encouraging Hong Kong film, I never thought about a raise after winning an award. Even with RIGOR MORTIS (GEUNG SI) I let it up to him. Not everything had to be about maximum profit, some things you have to return. My achievements came from Hong Kong, when I am needed I would put in an effort. In history I have had honor, brilliance and contributions." She said that after winning Best Actress, she had to wait several years before she had a chance to make another Hong Kong film; she stressed that she was not complaining, only she had a connection to Hong Kong film and hoped to make more Hong Kong film. Siu Hung said, "If someone hears complaining, I apologize. I only hope that domestically there is a little sense of importance. I am a greedy person, greedy about how others see me as important. It is not that others don't see me as important, only I am a little greedier. This is the emotion of an emotional disorder patient." Janice Man was happy for the film's box office and Siu Hung, instead when she received online praises about her own acting she just let them take their natural course. She felt that a good box office was practical.