[2024.01.05] DAYO WONG AND MICHAEL HUI REUNITE FOR NEW FILM AFTER 32 YEARS

Two comedy stars work on the Emperor Motion Picture POR DEI YUK
courtesy of singtao.com

Dayo Wong says working with Michael Hui again after 32 years is a miracle

The film team participates in the production start ceremony

Michelle Wai plays a Taoist priest and cuts her hair short.  Catherine Chau plays Dayo Wong's girlfriend
courtesy of mingpao.com

Comedy stars of two generations Michael Hui Koon Man and Dayo Wong Tze Wa starred in the film POR DEI YUK (BREAKING HELL), which held a production start ceremony yesterday. At the worship ceremony, aside from them were also actors Michelle Wai Sze Nga, Catherine Chau Ka Yi, Chu Pak Hong, Paul Chun Pui, Elaine Jin (Kam Yin Ling) and Emperor boss Albert Yeung Sau Sing. Hui Koo Man and Wong Tze Wa teamed up again 32 years after the film THE MAGIC TOUCH (SUN SUEN), which Tze Wa felt was a miracle and even believed that Hui Koo Man would be able to reach new heights.

Hui Koon Man revealed since WHERE THE WIND BLOWS (FUNG JOI HEI SI) he has not made a movie in over 4 years, until he ran into this "unrivaled" POR DEI YUK script. In addition he and Tze Wa have always had chemistry, finally 32 years since THE MAGIC TOUCH (SUN SUEN) they have reunited. "We actually wanted to make a movie together as soon as possible, but we are after perfection. Waiting for the right script has been very hard." Tze Wa complimented Hui Koon Man. "After last year's peak, when I presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to him, this time would be another peak."

Tze Wa stated that he never thought over 30 years ago Hui Koon Man would personally call him. At the time he has considered that it might have been a scam, until today they were able to act together gain. He felt like it was a miracle. Hui Koon Man explained that back then he squeezed every last drop of himself onto THE MAGIC TOUCH script and almost wanted to kill himself, then he heard people say that Wong Tze Wa's stand up comedy was powerful and had a lot of ideas. So he called him. Tze Wa said, "Fortunately my heart was healthy, anyone who wants to find me can ask something to call me!" Hui Koon Man answered, "I respect stand up comedy, so I took my kids and the whole family. I even told them to remember to laugh louder. I didn't expect that at the opening when he tossed a stack of paper it would already be very funny. At the time I didn't know he wanted to be a star, otherwise he wouldn't have been just coming up with ideas. I wouldn't have asked (Leon) Lai Ming to star!" Tze Wa also joked, "So I spent 30 years to tell you I am vain."

Would they participate in creating the script together this time? Tze Wa said that surprisingly someone has already written a very exciting script that had to be able to coax him as well as Hui Koon Man. Hui Koon Man admitted, "This film had many funny scenes, but it is about life and death. Now Hong Kong viewers are very smart. You can't just make them laugh, they are also after the feeling. This time Tze Wa was in the wedding business, but under the pandemic he had no business. I was in the funeral business and had the best business." Tze Wa pointed out that Hong Kong directors and screenwriters over the years have wanted to make the subject of the Hong Kong funeral industry. He said that he has seen a funeral on the holy river of India. He has also seen an aerial funeral that fed the eagles, but Hong Kong funeral would be no less exciting. Within it "Breaking Hell" was like a crazy party. "The feeling was solemn yet crazy, the subject was authentic yet cosmic." Hui Koon Man also agreed that "Breaking Hell" belonged to a Taoist ceremony, from which extended to an originally created story about life and death. The entire world would get it too, so it was both domestic and global. Tze Wa even felt that "Breaking Hell" could be said as one of Hong Kong's intellectual property, privilege, this time they won the jackpot. This time was also the first time funeral parlor and coffin home were open to Hong Kong film for location shoot. "One day while shooting at the funeral parlor, I realized that the visual and the scenery have never been seen in other films!"

Returning to work after 4 years, Hui Koon Man joked that he was also very used to be an actor but he wanted to challenge his own physical abilities. "Working several dozen hours a day, I am pretty fit. I am fine, I am tough!" Tze Wa joked, "I kind of can't take it, but he still can!" The 81 year old Hui Koon Man said, "I am a senior and I still can, no one can do anything but risk their live because I am the oldest. However maybe (Patrick) Tse Yin is older than me, but he isn't coming to make movies."

Michelle Wai Sze Nga and Catherine Chau Ka Yi yesterday participated in the film POR DEI YUK's opening ceremony. In the film Wai Sze Nga cut her hair short to play Hui Koon Man's explosive daughter. Everyday she would have to get upset and yell at people. After the shoot the next day she would always find micro blood vessel bursts on her face. In addition in the film she was responsible for the Taoist ceremony "Breaking Hell" at funerals. Before her performance she spent half a year to learn, but in reality no woman has done the "breaking Hell" job. She wanted to thank the director for giving her the opportunity to learn. In the future she could rely on this skill to make extra money. "However the learning process was very hard, I had to set off spark with the sword, and fire had to be on the sword. I also had to keep spinning. Even my instructor has burnt his arm. At home when I practiced the sword tossing I almost stabbed my face. Luckily I blocked it with my arm in time. My arm was bleeding, otherwise I would have a scar on my face." In addition, Wai Sze Nga in the film had to perform without make up, but many times the director said that she still had make up on her face. She could only tell him that she was just as pretty without make up. In the end she had to have darker eye circles to make her look a little uglier.

Chau Ka Yi after THE GRAND GRAND MASTER (MUK DOI JUNG SI) again played the girlfriend who lived and ate at the expense of Wong Tze Wa, thus working together she was not nervous at all. In addition the team before the production began arranged for a dinner for everyone to get familiar first. Ka Yi praised Tze Wa and Hui Koon Man as friendly and funny, but would she be afraid that they would improvise on the spot during the shoot? Ka Yi said, "No, before the shoot we have rehearsed the scenes and made room, we would discuss how to shoot the scene in advance."