[2025.02.11] SALARY IS NEGOTIABLE FOR CHOW YUN FAT TO SUPPORT HONG KONG FILMS WITH GOOD SUBJECTS

Turbo Liu, Wang Boqiang and Chow Yun Fat
courtesy on.cc

Turbo Liu and Wang Baoqiang make the trip to Hong Kong to promote DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 with Chow Yun Fat
courtesy singtao.com

Chow Yun Fat laments that the Hong Kong film market environment is in critical condition and is willing to reduce his salary to support the industry

Turbo Liu, Wang Baoqiang and Chow Yun Fat say that this collaboration is pleasant and hopes to team up again

Director Chen Sicheng (second left) and Da Mo (second right) lead Chow Yun Fat, Wang Baoqiag and Turbo Liu to wish DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 success at the Hong Kong box office
courtesy mingpao.com

Stars run in various runs of the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon

Runners surround Chow Yun Fat after the run for photos, dubbing him the "Favorite Runner of the Race"

Chow Yun Fat praises the good weather for making the run comfortable

After finishing the run Chow Yun Fat takes photos with other participants

Korean star Lee Jae Yoon of Netflix's PHYSICAL 100 SEASOIN 2 - UNDERGOUND is happy to get a photo with his idol Chow Yun Fat

Natalie Tong and Jazz Lam stress that Kevin Cheng's relationship with "A FISTFUL OF STANCES family" has not changed

Andy Leung becomes the 1st artist to finish the 10 K run

Mandy Tam has an asthma attack during the run but still beats her finish time last year

Inez Leong rushes to watch her 3 year old eldest daughter's first dance performance after the race

Poki Ng registers for the run but is nowhere to be seen
courtesy mingpao.com

Still in release in the mainland, DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 received 2.8 billion yuan (RMB) during the Lunar New Year. A premiere was held in Hong Kong last night, two "DETECTIVE CHINATOWN" Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, directors Chen Sicheng and Dai Mo made a special trip to Hong Kong to meet with the "Chinatown" Tong Lord Chow Yun Fat (Fat Gor) and appear together to meet the Hong Kong audience. Fat Soh Jasmine Tan and Dr. Peter Lam Kin Ngok, Mandarin Motion Pictures Chairman Raymond Wong Pak Ming, Rebecca Zhu Chenli and her mother all attended the premiere. Fat Gor said that Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran invited him to join DETECTIVE CHINATOWN. He also publicly called on the government to increase support to boost the Hong Kong film industry, and Fat Gor said that with good subjects he would be willing to reduce their salaries to support Hong Kong films.

Fat Gor, Wang Baoqiang, Liu Haoran and the two directors appeared together in red promotional costumes, director Chen Sicheng said that this time DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 added the Hong Kong audience's favorite Fat Gor. Because mainland movies have always been average at the Hong Kong box office, he hoped that this time with Fat Gor will have better results.

Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran have worked together for the fourth time, but Wang Baoqiang still felt that the performance was still challenging. When the two met for the first time in the film, Liu Haoran only wore a pair of "boxers". The two had to be in a fix position in mid-air, and they already wanted to laugh during the shoot. Liu Haoran said that he was afraid that he would vomit, so he did not eat or drink before the shoot. "During the shoot I really wanted to laugh, but I had to hold it; otherwise we would end up kissing."

Fat Gor said that he was moved to perform because he received a good script that moved him. "In 1994 director Wu Kam Chuen (King Hu) asked me to perform in a movie about Chinese railroad laborers in the U.S., but nothing came of it and later he passed away. I never guess that 30 years later, Director Chen would ask me to make DETECTIVE CHINATOWN 1900 and play a Chinese worker. How could there be such a coincidence, this can be regarded as a fulfillment of my dream, and also the dream of director Wu Kam Chuen."

As for the large number of Putonghua and English dialogues in the film, including the scene where he defended himself in court and spoke a series of dialogues in fluent English for nearly three minutes, "Because 95 percent lawyers in America are white, I choose to defend myself. How did everyone get here? Who built this transcontinental railway, one hammer strike at a time?....." both the director and the audience were impressed with him.

Fat Gor felt that it was also a new challenge. As an actor, he also found it very motivating, "The few movies I have made in the United States before together have not had as long English dialogues as this time." On the stage, Fat Gor joked that Wang Baoqiang after making Donnie Yen Chi Tan's movie actually spoke Cantonese very well. He even taught Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran to tell everyone New Year's greetings such as "Wishing you prosperity and good health", and Fat Gor even joked that Wang Baoqiang's Cantonese with Hebei accent sounded great.

After the launch ceremony, the three leads spoke to the media. Fat Gor said that because Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran would leave on the same day after the premiere, he would not have the opportunity to play host and take them to have Hong Kong gourmet. Fat Gor also pointed out that they have worked hard since the first day of the Lunar New Year in a national promotional tour. Would they come again to thank the audience if there was a good box office in Hong Kong? Fat Gor replied on behalf of Wang Baoqiang with a smile. "For HK$ 10 billion they will come again. I have been to Guangzhou before to thank the audience, and I will thank the audience when friends in Hong Kong charter a show. I will thank the audience all the way to the New Territories and all 19 districts, thank everywhere until I 'wilt'."

Would Fat Gor want to join DETECTIVE CHINATOWN as a detective in the future to investigate cases together? Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran said in unison that they would have no problem, and would welcome Fat Gor to join. The two were not afraid of Fat Gor asking them to run again, because they were used to running when they were not filming now. Would they come to Hong Kong to run a marathon with Fat Gor? Fat Gor proposed that Wang Baoqiang run 10 kilometers with him. Liu Haoran also joked, "I have no problem either, I just ran 10 kilometers on my birthday on October 10th. It was also the first time I ran so long." Fat Gor praised him for having long legs.

Speaking of Fat Gor not making a Hong Kong film for a long time, he joked that he could only make one if someone would hire him. He could work on any subject, but he had to read the script. What if he would need to speak a foreign language? "Not Indian, I may be able to say just a few words!"

Has he paid attention to the new actors in Hong Kong? "It's like Sister Lily (Leung Shun Yan)'s grandson (Nicholas) Yuen Ho Chung is pretty good, an actor I noticed and has won the improvement award. However very few movies are being made, and very few productions are starting. It's very difficult."

Fat Gor noticed that the Hong Kong film market has not improved, and pointed out that the mainland has similar problems. The mainland market is large and people are willing to spend money though. Hong Kong is poorer in that the bosses no longer invest in big productions, which have to borrow money and take out loans from the government. When financing problems appear, directors would have difficulties when they want to make new subjects. Is more encouragement from the government needed? Fat Gor said, "The encouragement is not enough and needs more. Film production is so expensive, so expensive that you don't even recognize your own Ma. Professionals can only take one step at a time. Hong Kong had more than 300 Hong Kong films produced every year in its heyday, and now there are only about 20 some left. The gap is so big. Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, etc. used to buy Hong Kong films, but now they all have their own local productions and don't need to buy Hong Kong films. Income has invisibly become less, which has become a difficulty." Fat Gor also pointed out that most Hong Kong-made films are mainly based on subjects such as drug sweeps, action, and family ethics, and it is rare for a boss to invest in alternative subjects such as A GUILTY CONSCIENCE (DUK SIT DAI JONG) and THE LAST DANCE (POR. DEI YUK). Would he be willing to reduce his salary and make some sincere and low-cost productions? Fat Gor said, "It's all about the script, when I like the subject, the price will be negotiable!"