Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Classic Hong Kong Cinema Lobby Cards....NSFW =)

MURDER ON THE WEDDING NIGHT (1977)
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Ohhhhhhh! Boobies! Though this blog is based upon CAT III films and other tales of ribaldry, this is the actual first post to contain a little nudity. I mostly try to beat around the bush (or, 'beat the bush' as HK film subtitles usually say) in regards to nudity, only alluding to scenes of nekkid people. But, while seeking assistance from a few friends with researching the earliest scenes of HK erotica for a future podcast, a friend of mine and Shaw Bros. enthusiast (nerd), K.W. hooked me up with a few old school lobby cards from his collection while on his search. And he scored nicely. I had a reservation or two about putting these up because of the nudity (Me reserved? Yes, actually. On occasion.) but thought that these images were to good to pass up sharing. Above, is Law Chun's 1977 adult erotic drama MURDER ON THE WEDDING NIGHT. I have not seen it, or even heard of it before K.W. sent it along. Enjoy the rest of the smutty fun finds below.

HE WHO NEVER DIES (1979)
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As K.W. put it, Danny Lee pimpin' in HE WHO NEVER DIES, from INFRAMAN director, Hua Shan.


CAVE OF THE SILKEN WEB (1967)
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Angie Yu Chien is nestled snug in notorious Shaw Bros. director Ho Meng-hua's, CAVE OF THE SILKEN WEB.



THE KUNG FU MONKS (1975)
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Also known as, THE MONK, Dean Shek-tin wrote and directed this slightly erotic martial arts picture combining nudity and kung-fu. Above, Fung Hak-on sexes a comely young maiden. And it's only rated CAT II?!

AN AMOROUS WOMAN OF TANG DYNASTY (1984)
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I first saw this film a few months back while going through a Shaw Bros. erotica phase and was so glad that I did. Eddie Fong Ling-ching's 1984 epic, AN AMOROUS WOMAN OF TANG DYNASTY, has yet to leave my memory. I have only seen the truncated version but I am on the lookout for the full copy. The scene in the lobby card above is my absolute favorite from the film where Alex Man Chi-leung comes to rescue Pat Ha Man-jik from a few bastard swordsmen. See this film!

AN AMOROUS WOMAN OF TANG DYNASTY (1984)
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LOST SOULS (1980)
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Surely most noted for the films MEN BEHIND THE SUN in 1988 and a sequel of sorts, BLACK SUN: THE NANKING MASSACRE, in 1995, director Mau Dui-fai aka T.F Mous, was a Shaw Bros. genre director in the late 70's and early 80's. He was known to push the envelope with naughty and dangerous exploitation elements, more times than not, peppering the proceedings with some social commentary. The lobby cards above and below, from the 1980 roughie, LOST SOULS, is one such example. The film reels off in the extreme with a ton of nudity and torture-porn violence. It's a tough watch for most, even for me. Dui-fai, as sensationalistic as his celluloid exploits may seem, his images are rooted in realism. Which leads to us squirming in our seats upon seeing his films.

LOST SOULS (1980)
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Big, big thanks to K.W. for the lobby cards. Keep 'em coming! For more of K.W.'s lobby cards, check out the absolutely great Facebook page, Past Divas of Hong Kong Cinema, where K-dub share his collection and his knowledge of all things old school HK cinema. You'll also find a ton of other great images from HK cinemas past. To my big brutha K.W.! The richest man in town!

10 comments:

  1. I've got a bunch of these, too, some complete sets and others a few cards here and there; for the erotic stuff, I mean. Stuff like SUGAR DADDIES, THAT'S ADULTERY!, THE NOTORIOUS FRAME UP and WEDDING NIGHTS. Great post, by the way, KW.

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  2. So the Celestial DVD of Amorous Woman is not the full version? I think I read that before.

    Angela Yu Chien never disappoints. Maybe I need to watch that one a third time? I think her part is really minor in there, though. Just one of the gals in the web.

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  3. Lobby cards are something I've never really been interested in buying, but these look really cool

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  4. venoms5, I just recently started getting into old school erotica and I dig the 'modern' comedy-erotica films the most. I would love to se those lobby cards you mentioned.

    Glenn, I'm not sure if the full cut of 'An Amorous Woman' is available. I also have the Celestial print. I haven't seen Cave of the Silken Web but I think I do have it on vcd? Is it any good?

    AHND, I was never into lobby cards until the past few years. I have a few sets from 80's-90's films that I have yet to post. In fact, i forgot I even had them. I think it's time to post 'em =)

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  5. Hi Kingwho? --

    Have you seen "The Bamboo House of Dolls"? I found it harder to watch than "Lost Souls" -- and, actually, couldn't finish it.

    More re "Lost Souls": it's a particularly interesting work for me because it can feel like the extreme cousin of Cecille Tang Shu Shuen's already plenty bleak "China Behind" (which was banned from being screened for 13 years by the Hong Kong colonial government!).

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  6. Hi YTSL. I have seen 'The Bamboo House of Dolls.' I saw it maybe 12-13 years ago and don't really remember much of it. It was at a time I was exploring other national cinemas exploitation films, including women-in-prison movies. I originally saw it on a German vhs but have recently found an updated copy and I am going to watch it again very soon.

    I watched Lost Souls for the first time late last year and was more affected by it than I remember being affected by the earlier exploitation films of this ilk that I had seen. So I am interested in revisiting 'The Bamboo House of Dolls' to see how I will react?

    I haven't seen 'China Behind.' Is it available? I am really interested in seeing it.

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  7. Hi again Kingwho? --

    FWIW, I found "Lost Souls" more emotionally involving than "The Bamboo House of Dolls" -- shocking but less outright exploitative and, well, sleazy, feeling.

    Re "China Behind": as far as I know, it's not available on any home video format. Rather, you have to look out for rare screenings of it -- not impossible in New York, which is where I got to see the director's equally rare "The Arch".

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  8. YTSL, Yes. Lost Souls did feel less sleazy than Bamboo House of Dolls.

    I looked and looked but couldn't find a copy of China Behind. I will keep my eyes and ears out for it. I will also seek out The Arch. never heard of it? Thanks! =)

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  9. I hope you don't mind if i use these for my blog...

    Let me know if you want these to be removed!

    Thank you.

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  10. Hi , Luca. Sorry. These lobby cards aren't mine so please do not use them. Thanks!

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