[2021.10.01] DIRECTOR LONGMAN LEUNG CONSIDERS GIVING UP PAST HONG KONG SCENERY IN ANITA

Louise Wong as Anita Mui and Terrance Lau as Leslie Cheung

Director Longman Leung brings back the Lee Theater for the audience
courtesy of mingpao.com

The biographical film ANITA (MUI YIM FONG) remembered the late music diva Anita Mui Yim Fong will open on November 12th. In the film Louise Wong Dan Nei played Mui Yim Fong, Terrance Lau Chun Him and Fish Liew Chi Yu played Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing and Ann Mui Oi Fong. The film company yesterday released a production special, explaining how behind the scene workers put all their thoughts into bringing 1960s and 1970s structures like the Lai Chi Kok Amusement Park, Tsim Sha Tsui East harbor, the Lee Theater, Millie's Department Store back to the audience.

Director and screenwriter Longman Leung said that this biographical film had enormous expenses, fortunately he had the support of his boss. He said that the film was handled in a narrative method, in the process he had no way to study whether each street sign would be historically accurate, but he would bring back the most key signs and would try to be exact with the rest. He hoped to bring the feeling of that era back. Longman Leung also mentioned that for the TST East harbor scene, only the New World building did not need post production handling. He admitted that he thought about giving up for a moment. "It's so expensive, I might as well not shoot it. However everyone pleaded with me; don't give up; even for the most complicated part of the computer generated special effects, they said, 'We get the most feel from them, don't give up the scenery, we want to make them!' I also thank everyone for encouraging me at my weakest." He said that Hong Kong was a rapidly changing city. For viewers who never experienced it, if they were able to experience the Hong Kong of yesteryears, they might be surprised that Hong Kong actually looked like that back then. he felt this was one of the responsibilities of a filmmaker.