Tsui Hark’s 1984 comedy classic, Shanghai Blues, will screen the prestigious Cannes Classics section of the festival’s 77th edition to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary. The film was Hark’s seventh production which also launched his Film Workshop label, teaming him up with longtime partner Nansun Shi.
Starring are Kenny Bee, Sylvia Chang, and Sally Yeh, Shanghai Blues is set against the backdrop of wartime Shanghai in the 1940’s, weaving a poignant love story between a soldier, Tung Kwok-Man (Bee) and a young woman Shu-Shu (Chang). Though they vow to meet after the war ends, unfortunately, they walk away not able to recognize each other’s faces or remember their names. Through a series of misplaced opportunities, the two lovebirds keep missing their reunion, even though fate has a funny way of bringing them ever so closer to each other.
Infused with a delightful blend of innocent romanticism, satirical wit, and whimsical sophistication, “Shanghai Blues” showcased director Tsui Hark as a burgeoning master who could seamlessly fuse different genre’s for the screen.
Hark and longtime production partner Nansun Shi led the film’s meticulous restoration via their celebrated label, in collaboration with L’Immagine Ritrovata, and with its soundtrack remixed by One Cool Sound. Besides new grading, the restoration project features new dubbing, with each character speaking in their native dialects – Mandarin, Shanghainese, Cantonese and other from various regions – adding an extra layer of authenticity and depth to the entertaining script.
Hark remains an enduring favorite among Asian film fans and Hong Kong cinema audiences alike, directing hits like Once Upon A Time In China 1-3 & 5, 1983’s Zu Warriors from Magic Mountain and its 2001 revival, Zu Warriors, crime thriller Time And Tide, and Jean-Claude Van Damme actioners Double Team and Knock Off. In addition to his directing resumé, his credits sit on both sides of the lens with a few memorable characters roles over the years, including in Dangerous Encounters of the First Kind, the Aces Go Places franchise, and the hit Michelle Yeoh/Cynthia Rothrock two-hander, Yes, Madam!, to name a few.
Film Workshop’s credits extend even further as a platform for Hong Kong film history since the 1980s, such as John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow, Tony Ching Siu-Tung’s A Chinese Ghost Story, and the Detective Dee series, as well as Daniel Lee’s Black Mask and Hark’s own sequel, Black Mask 2: City Of Masks, and box office smash hit The Battle Of Lake Changjin.
The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival kicks off on Tuesday, May 14.
