In the past, my impression of Hong Kong movies was largely shaped by the Phoenix Movie Channel. It seemed to play the same movie every time I turned it on, giving me a feeling akin to watching Tom and Jerry: always oscillating between humor and silliness.
I recently watched the 1987 version of A Chinese Ghost Story featuring Leslie Cheung and Joey Wong. It struck me as similar to A Chinese Odyssey. These Hong Kong films, often regarded as classics, generally have a cohesive plot, era-appropriate actors, and just the right dose of melodrama. It was only as the narratives grew more extravagant and the golden era faded that they seemed to lose their way.
In the film, a timid scholar is thrust into a whirlwind of bizarre energy due to an erotic encounter — or rather, an erotic dream. This might be what some refer to as “a grand love”. While the love story portrayed is captivating, it’s essential not to view such narratives as a model for real life. Can Ning Choi San truly make Nie Xiaoqian feel safe? It’s an intriguing question.
A quote from The Water Level of Perception reads, “I think the reason why so many people are constantly falling in and out of love, lamenting and griping about it — aside from the undeniable chemistry — is that love is a theater with minimal costs and a low ‘barrier to entry’.” I’ve always felt there was a flaw in this notion, but I couldn’t quite articulate my dissent.