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| Director Ho Cheuk Tin adapts the 2013 Tai Kok Tsui murdered parents case into THE SPARRING PARTNER |
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| Philip Yung |
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| In the film Mak Pui Tung (left) plays the accomplice, Yeung Wai Lun (right) plays the murderer. Both started as stage actors |
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| Court scenes take up half of THE SPARRING PARTNER. Louisa So and Jan Lamb play defense attorneys courtesy of mingpao.com |
New director Ho Cheuk Tin's first feature film THE SPARRING PARTNER (JING YI WUI LONG) starred Jan Lamb Hoi Fung, Louisa So Yuk Wa, Yeung Wai Lun and Mak Pui Tung. Based on the 2013 "Tai Kok Tsui son murdered parents case" that rocked Hong Kong. Ho Cheuk Tin's mentors were directors Dante Lam Chiu Yin and Philip Yung Tsz Kwong. From them he learned a lot and received a lot of inspiration. His first feature film ws not as difficult as he imagined, thanks to Yung Tsz Kwong giving a lot of advice and even helping with editing. In recent years Hong Kong film industry had a flood of new directors, which Ho Cheuk Tin felt was a good thing. This industry needed new blood and the competition could be positive. Only with the chance to make movies would they improve. Hong Kong film recently received viewer support, but he worried that it would just be a mirage. He hoped that the audience would continue to support domestic productions.
Ho Cheuk Tin revealed that adapting the "Tai Kok Tsui son murdered parents case" was producer Yung Tsz Kwong's idea. In 2016 he met Yung Tsz Kwong from working on UNDER THE LION ROCK (SI JI SHAN HA). Later he worked at his office as an assistant director and screenwriter. At the time the Yung Tsz Kwong directed mystery film PORT OF CALL (DAP HUET CHUM MUI) was in release and became a hot topic. Many mystery fans suggested cases and ideas that could be made, finally he felt that this Tai Kok Tsui case was rich in drama. The suspect once shot videos to call for people's help to look for his parents, but soon he was uncovered as a possible culprit. The case led to a lot of discussions online. With all the intrigue during the court trial, it was suitable for making into a movie.
What made this movie intriguing was that it was complex, controversial and had a very high degree of solvability. Ho Cheuk Tin said that the film involved elements like the people, the money, the source of the family problem and the friendship between the murderer and the accomplice. In the film the culprit Cheung Hin Chung had a lot of emotional scenes, accomplice Tong Man Kei also puzzled people. Yeung Wai Lun and Mak Pui Tung had a lot of room to perform, however because they came from the stage their methods of expression were more exaggerated. This time for the movie they needed a little time to adjust, like asking Mak Pui Tung to lie in bed and breathlessly speak over the phone. He would have to give up the performance method of speaking loudly. However they very quickly got used to it.
Ho Cheuk Tin revealed that he cast Yeung Wai Lun as the star as the strong recommendation of Philip Yung Tsz Kwong, because he used stage actor Michael Ning (Bak Ji) in PORT OF CALL (DAP HUET CHUM MUI) very successfully and even won the Hong Kong Film Award and the Golden Horse Award Bes Supporting Actor. He proved that stage actors have certain substance. In addition Yeung Wai Lun was size wise was short and small, rather similar to the real person. He believed that he had the ability to master the character. Yeung Wai Lun recommended Mak Pu Tung to play the accomplice, because they have worked together many times before. Their real life friendship was suitable for use in this film and they also had great chemistry.
Ho Cheuk Tin said, "Aside from using stage actors, I also invited (Jan) Lamb Hoi Fung, (Louisa) So Yuk Wa, (Michael) Chow Man Kin and others to help. They haven't made a movie in awhile, so they hold an attraction over the audience. Thus producer Yung Tsz Kwong and I aren't worried about the box office."
The film is 120 minutes long. Ho Cheuk Tin hoped to display the beginning to the end of the entire case with authenticity. He said that his first feature film was not as difficult as he has imagined, because he worked with Lam Chiu Yin on two films UNBEATABLE (GIK JIN) and TO THE FORE (POR FUNG). He also worked as an executive director for Yung Tsz Kwong's WHERE THE WIND BLOWS (FUNG JOI HEI SI) and for Radio and Television Hong Kong. He said, "I really admire Lam Chiu Yin's passion, from him I learned to do everything myself and to be efficient in handling things; Yung Tsz Yung also inspired me, his character depictions were outstanding, his ways of thinking also had a very wide range. Whether in production or editing he has done very well. Everyone often neglect editing, actually editing can help elevate the film effects and show their best. This time I am the director, Yung Tsz Kwong gave me a lot of advice and even helped with editing."
Ho Cheuk Tin said that the only thing hard to handle was the court scene. This part took up half the movie, but with only 6 days to shoot and resource was limited. Every second counted and the challenge was enormous. He said, "The real trial wasn't just as a war of words. I don't want the courtroom scenes to be dull, so I turned the camera from the court to the crime scene and reenact the occurrence of the case. I also added historical war footage, to make the visuals richer. Many people felt I was greedy, going all the way with the first film. Maybe there wouldn't be a second time."
Recently some Hong Kong films have become big hits, Ho Cheuk Tin also worried whether it would just be a mirage. He said, "In the first half year due to the pandemic, cinemas were closed and no movie was released. Movies that were done were all postponed for release in the second half of the year, everyone has been starving for movies for a long time. I don't know whether it was just a slight rebound. I hope Hong Kong viewers' passion would not fade, as they would continue to support domestic production." He predicted that returning to the glory days of several hundred movies produced every year would be hard. "I am very envious that past directors made several movies a year. I am considered lucky, I have already made my second movie OVER MY DEAD BODY (SEI SI SEI SI SEI SUP SEI). Only with the opportunity to make movies would I improve. If the market would grow double its current production rate it would already be great."
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