Recently, VIUTV's entertainment talk show invited Hong Kong film director Johnny To as a guest and was interviewed by the host Gu Dezhao. Director Johnny To has not made a feature film since "Threesome", but he is still committed to organizing the Fresh Wave International Short Film Festival to cultivate a new generation of Hong Kong film talents, and his influence in the Hong Kong film industry has not diminished.
In the program, Gu Dezhao mentioned that director To Qifeng is one of the few directors who can shoot both commercial and personal theme films, and To Qifeng also shared several works that he believes are close to his personality, including "Gunfire", "PTU", "Banishment" and the highly personal "Judo Dragon and Tiger List", in which he expresses very independent thoughts. As for the choice between making commercial and auteur films, Johnny To succinctly explains the reason in two words: "survival." He goes on to explain the realities of the film industry: "If you often only make movies that you like, but your boss doesn't like, will he come back to you? I often say that we must be prepared with two hands, the first is to have a position in the market, but use the market position to achieve the basic support for directors and writers. ”
However, Johnny To also mentions special examples outside the world of commercial films: "It's okay to have no [market position] and it doesn't have to be that way. Some people only make their own films, how can Wong Kar-wai's films ever be commercial? His success is very persistent, but also very difficult, in fact, it is very hard, a movie is made for several years. Don't think that you don't know how to make movies after shooting for a few years, his intensity of grasping the sense of cinema is beyond the reach of many directors nowadays. ”
As for commercial films, Johnny To thinks that it is easier to calculate production, and as for the person who is the best at commercial calculations in Hong Kong films, he mentioned Stephen Chow, who has worked with him many times: "You said that the most powerful person now, I think you (Gu Dezhao) also agree, it is Stephen Chow!" Although it was rumored that Johnny To and Stephen Chow broke up when filming "Jigong" 30 years ago, Du Sir admired this old partner: "I think he is very good at calculation, and his films are definitely commercial." I said Hong Kong films, not to mention the world, Hong Kong films are really kings! ”
Johnny To described Stephen Chow, who is good at calculating the commercial value of films, as "the king of Hong Kong-made commercial films". After Stephen Chow and Johnny To collaborated on "Jigong" 30 years ago, it was rumored that the two broke up unhappily.
Johnny To also continued to say that in his understanding, Stephen Chow also hopes to shoot alternative themes other than comedy: "I think he wants to, but no one will watch it!" The reason is that the audience doesn't like him seriously! He also works hard, and he also wants to transform, unless he gives up all of them, and if he doesn't become an actor or director, he may be a very good director! ”
Stephen Chow deserves to be the king of Hong Kong films, but unfortunately since "Kung Fu", he has faded out of the production of Hong Kong films, and star fans are looking forward to seeing Stephen Chow again and making another nonsensical movie with a pure Hong Kong flavor, but it must be difficult for Stephen Chow, who is now an excellent director.