[2015.08.14] RINGO LAM DIRECTS AGAIN COMPLETELY FOR MONEY

courtesy of singtao.com

Ringo Lam hopes the new generation will be able to put all their hearts into making movies and continue to spread Hong Kong films

Shawn Yue and Louis Koo

Louis Koo and Joseph Chang
courtesy of mingpao.com

Director Ringo Lam Lan Tung returned to directing after seven years with WILD CITY (MAI SING). He pointed out that he directed again because he has spent all the money that he made before 2010. Lam Lan Tung has been to Hollywood and made American dollars; he said that actually the Americans came to make money from the Chinese, but he felt fortunate to have made American money. He still liked to make Hong Kong films.

WILD CITY took two years to prepare and starred Louis Koo Tin Lok, Joseph Chang (Cheung Hau Chuen) and Shawn Yue Man Lok. Lam Lan Tung said that the three leads were like him in different eras. Goo Jai was the current him, Lok Jai was when he was young and immature, Cheung Hau Chuen was when he was at his saddest and wandering the world. Lam Lan Tung continued that this film's subject was suitable for the entire world because everyone wanted to make money. He too wanted to have enough money to live the life that he longed for, but he could not take the money with him. He hoped the new generation would properly make some quality films so Hong Kong films would continue on. Even when they went to the Mainland to make money, they should not forget Hong Kong where they were born.

Lam Lan Tung was close with Chow Yun Fat and Johnnie To Kei Fung. He joked that he had to make more money to be able to hang out with them, and said that back then he started in the same artist training class as Chow Yun Fat. To Kei Fung was his junior. Lam Lan Tung said that now he realized that actually an actor could make so much money, if he knew then he would have to tough it out instead of suffering as a director.

Many dangerous stunts were in WILD CITY, in one scene Goo Jai, Cheung Hau Chuen and others rammed into a bus with a car from the pedestrian walk way. This scene had no special effect at all. Lam Lan Tung said that this time all the stunt scenes were all approved in advanced and the government was very supportive with street shoots and cheap rent on government buildings for them to shoot in, unlike when he made FULL ALERT (GO DOH GAI BEI) and THE SUSPECT (GIK DOH CHUNG FAN) and had to move the shoot to the Philippines.