Hong Kong Heartbreaker - the early career of Chow Yun-Fat
additional film information
About Goldig Films
Where can I find these films?
Are any of these films subtitled in English?
Are these films really any good?
Why are the details on some films missing?
About Goldig Films
Chow Yun-Fat signed on with Goldig Films H.K., a producer and distributor of films
in the 1970s. Apparently something of an assembly line cranking out low-budget
films, they were produced by Alex Gouw and directed by Cheung Sum, Yeung Kuen and
a few others. Specializing in martial arts films (such as Kung Fu Master Named
Black Cat) and tittilation movies (the sort in which CYF starred), Goldig hosted
such stars as Chow Yun-Fat, Tsang Kong, Yu On-On and Alan Tang Kwong-Wing in their
very early days.
Now part of Gouw Assets group, there is a web site run by Gouw devoted to disposing
of the copyrights of these old films. It can be found at http://www.goldigfilms.com.hk.
As is noted on the Goldig site, CYF and Goldig/Gouw do not see eye-to-eye on his stint with the studio. For one
thing, he maintains he was only paid around US$500 for each film in which he appeared. Gouw disputes
this, claiming he made over US$700. For more, visit the Goldig site.
Where can I find these films?
Some Goldig films are now being released on VCD. Their Private Lives, Massage Girls
and Bed For Day, Bed For Night were all released in 2003/2004. The other films
could possibly also be found at Asian movie rental outlets, depending on how far back
their inventory goes, but your best is just to ask around and borrow a copy from a
fellow CYF enthusiast.
Are any of these films subtitled in English?
Their Private Lives has been subtitled in English, but the VCD release does not
feature the subs. Apparently Miss O exists in a subtitled print somewhere, but the only copy
I have ever seen has been so poorly transferred that by the time it made it from the cinema to
home video (in the '80s) it was re-subtitled with Chinese subtitles simply overlaid over
the original Chinese/English ones! Because these original cinematic versions were not transferred
with the benefit of pan-and-scan to video, most of the subs are cut off at the bottom of the screen.
A subtitled version of The Reincarnation was issued by a concern named Sunny Video many
years ago, but unless you have accesss to a video store which hasn't purged its shelves in a few
decades, the chances of finding this one are slim - and that pretty much goes for all of the other
old films that have not been released on VCD.
To date, the re-releases of Goldig movies on VCD do not feature English subs.
Are these films really any good?
It depends on your definition of "good". For action lovers, the answer would probably be
'no, not really'. CYF's early films were a ghost story, a Cantonese opera film, some
sexploitation films and a cop drama. Not the stuff of The Killer. If you are
interested in the growth of a talent and wish to see it in its early stages, these films
are definitely good. Usually the picture quality is abysmal, the Chinese subtitles
horribly intrusive on the picture and the storylines trite and contrived, but it is
interesting to see CYF grow from just another actor to one of true gift.
Why are the details on two films missing?
Because I haven't seen them, of course. The Hunter, The Butterfly and The Crocodile and Learned Bride
Thrice Fools The Bridegroom are almost unknown except for the title and the skimpiest of other info. While
CYF stars in the first, apparently he only has a cameo in the latter (according to the Goldig site). Maybe one day
a copy of these two will surface and then we can all enjoy yet another look at the Emperor of Hong Kong
Cinema in the days before his coronation.
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