[2023.08.26] IT REMAINS OPENING PASSES HK$ 1 MILLLION

Anson Lo hopes that viewers would be able to a different Anson Lo while watching IT REMAINS

Anson Lo, Summer Chan and Chu Pak Hong all have had supernatural encounters

Anson Lo has many emotional scenes in the film
courtesy of mingpao.com

MIRROR member Anson Lo Hon Ting's second film IT REMAINS (YEUNG WON) two days ago opened, with previews its box office has exceeded HK$ 1.1 million to become the fastest Hong Kong film to pass the 1 million mark this summer. Anson Lo has not dared to predict IT REMAINS' box office. If the audience would sense how well his emotional performance was then he would already be very happy. He agreed with elder Chu Pak Hong, for an actor making a movie is a gain. Accumulating experience from the performance, he would not put too much emphasis on success or failure. In the film Anson Lo became possessed by a ghost, in real life he too has had supernatural encounters. In the past he was constantly "crushed by a ghost", but he felt that since he has not done anything bad or hurt people he was not afraid anymore. In the past few years he has had any.

Anson Lo, Tommy Chu Pak Hong and Summer Chan Chi Huen starred in IT REMAINS. Speaking of their box office expectation, Chu Pak Hong said, "When the shoot is finished I am done, let it to Heaven." Anson Lo's first movie SHOWBIZ SPY (GA MO NUI TUEN)'s box office was HK$ 7.95 million, the performance was less than ideal. Would he look forward to IT REMAINS performing well? He said that he did not know how much the box office should be to be considered good. "SHOWBIZ SPY was released when cinemas opened up again during the pandemic. With this box office number, I as a new comer would already consider it good. I didn't feel it was bad at all. (Would you feel that the pandemic release made the movie a sacrifice?) It wasn't a sacrifice at all, it was Heaven's arrangement. As for IT REMAINS' box office, I haven't thought much about it."

Would he attend audience appreciation shows like mad to pump up the box office? Anson Lo said that for now he still has yet to receive any audience appreciation notice. He hoped that viewers after watching would sense the ideas in the film and like the film, which would already be great. "If everyone focuses on Anson Lo, I hope that they would be able to see a different Anson Lo. It would be an extra reward, my gain." How much would he predict IT REMAINS' box office to be? He said, "I really don't know, the box office nowadays, I don't know what is great and what isn't. I really don't know." He looked to Chu Pak Hong for help. The latter felt that Anson Lo was still young, even if he loses he would be able to afford it. "Many big stars, actors and Best Actors have made a lot of movies that lost money. There is no need to mind that. If you have to count everything it would be very tiring, very tough." Anson Lo agreed, "Big brother has said what I wanted to say, I wouldn't put too much emphasis on success or failure, I hope everyone would be able to see my emotional performance in IT REMAINS. I would already be very happy."

Anson Lo in the film had many emotional scenes. Facing the sudden loss of his girlfriend, he blamed himself and drank all day to numb himself. When he ran into supernatural incidents fear would arise. Has he run into any difficulty with the performance? He said, "The character is more depressed or suppressed. Because of his girlfriend's passing, a lot of what he sees or runs into would remind him of her. I have to use my eyes to express that, and in a short period of time too. So it was quite a challenge. Luckily we had meetings and table reads early on, everyone created together and gave me a lot of suggestions. During the shoot I had Mr. Chu Pak Hong's leadership and assistance from the sideline." Chu Pak Hong denied leading them, as he only shared his own views and experience. As the film neared its ending, Anson Lo became possessed by a ghost. He had to play two characters by himself, which he said was a lot of fun but also very tiring. "While possessed I am calmer, but also struggle to free myself. It is like finishing a work out, I am very tired!" Chu Pak Hong remembered that during the shoot the temperature was in single digits, but he still had to float to the surface in dark water.

Speaking of supernatural incidents, Anson Lo revealed that he used to be "crushed by a ghost" constantly. At the same time he has heard people speaking, once a male voice yelled at him for several minutes. "Many people say I am supernatural sensitive, sensing these things very easily. Several years ago I was still 'crushed by a ghost', as frequently as once every other day. I was no longer afraid of getting 'crushed' because I felt I haven't done anything bad, or hurt anything, I was pretty filial so nothing would happen probably. Over the past few years it hasn't happened again."

In the film each person had their own secret. Chu Pak Hong said that in real life since he has already spent over half a year he has completely let go of everything. Now he tried to be as happy as possible, let everything up to fate. Only then would he be able to live happily. Anson Lo pointed out that his latest trouble came from not being able to please his family. "My family feels that I haven't taken the time to be with them, unable to go on vacation together. However I am really too busy with my jobs, I don't want to postpone them for personal reasons. (Have you reflected that to the company?) The company is willing to help me resolve it, but I don't want to manufacture trouble. I would try to think of ways to achieve the balance. (Have you had any knot in your heart before/) No, I haven't regretted anything I have done." He admitted that now is his career surge period. Was he worried that his body would not be able to handle it? He said that that happened early in the year. "Earlier I had stomach ache and headache twice, because rest and diet were off balance. Before a show I didn't eat. Now I wouldn't, I would try to eat something, drink less black coffee and more water. My body is much healthier than before."

Chu Pak Hong and Chan Chi Huen were also sensitive to spirits. The former remembers that once at a theater rehearsal, he left the actors break room early in the morning. Suddenly he heard someone screamed by his ear. "At first I thought I was being pranked, I ran out to yell at someone; but when I saw that they have already gone very far, it would have been impossible to prank me." Chan Chi Huen played soccer with her cousin when she was little and hit a "lord of the land". At the time she immediately apologized. When she got home and bathed, a voice said to her "thank you". She got goose bumps and immediately ran to look for Mommy.