DB Title Update: ENHANCED ROMANCE (not 2004)

[Brian Thibodeau]

Both HKFA (linked through our DB entry) and our database credit this as a 2004 movie, which is most likely when the IFL DVD and VCD were released, but not the actual year of production. This movie screams 1990's, especially the outfits, hair, music and sets/props, plus Alex Fong's looking pretty young in this one:



My guess while watching this was around 1992, which would coincide with co-star Yim Chau-wa's last credited appearance (at least in this database) before popping up in 2009's NIGHT AND FOG. HOWEVER, the Wikipedia (never the most reliable source, I know) puts this film in Alex Fong's filmography in 1990, which also seems likely:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fong_Chung-Sun
This site, too:
http://www.nautiljon.com/people/alex+fo ... g+sun.html
I suggest we change ENHANCED ROMANCE to 1990, but add "estimated year" at the bottom.

Principal cast gallery here (two pictures in the bottom row are of the same actress, who plays Alex's late wife):
http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/images.mhtml ... ay_set=eng

Here's the opening credits:


















This little subtitle pops up just after the credits. Any chance someone could translate?




And here are the closing credits:




















This credit might suggest this was a TV movie, but I can't say for sure:


There, now we can officially raid the HKFA!


Finally, the guy on the right in this grab looks awfully familiar. I know I've seen him in millions of movies, but I can't think of a single one at the moment!

[dleedlee]

This link estimates a 1995 date
http://www.tudou.com/playlist/id/2066956/

This old geocities page lists it as a 1995 Cable TV program

http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Movi ... drama.html

[Brian Thibodeau]

This link estimates a 1995 date
http://www.tudou.com/playlist/id/2066956/

Hmm. Very possible, but there is that little "[?]" after the year, though, which makes me think one of your sites might have repeated it from the other, but without certainty, just as 2004 has been circulating among so many other sites for a while now. Remembering it now, the fashion sensibility could have been in effect as late as 95 (see that dashing green suit worn by angry dude in my last photo; another character wears a bright purple blazer in the film as well). I don't know, 1995 just feels a bit too . . . late to me. Hopefully once we have the rest of the cast ID'd we can see where it might fit in their filmographies, which may yield more clues. Gotta love HK companies that don't put copyright dates on their programs.

[dleedlee]

The second link is more definitive in my mind. It looks like an Alex Fong fan site documenting his TV-related appearances (and being geocities probably more current to the time). The first link just happened to be the first link I came across that led me to the second more detailed list. But then again, Luke, your Force might be more powerful.

[dleedlee]

Also cites 1995
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B9% ... D%E4%BF%A1


1990 here:
http://www.wikilib.com/wiki/%E6%96%B9%E4%B8%AD%E4%BF%A1
http://space.dianshiju.cctv.com/article ... 0995276141
http://www.santage.com/artists/2009/090 ... 18855.html

So you can pick your choice.

Seems like the mainland sources point toward 1990, Hong Kong sources 1995. Maybe it was made in China and later broadcast in Hong Kong?

[Brian Thibodeau]

Also cites 1995
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%96%B9% ... D%E4%BF%A1


1990 here:
http://www.wikilib.com/wiki/%E6%96%B9%E4%B8%AD%E4%BF%A1
http://space.dianshiju.cctv.com/article ... 0995276141
http://www.santage.com/artists/2009/090 ... 18855.html

So you can pick your choice.

Seems like the mainland sources point toward 1990, Hong Kong sources 1995. Maybe it was made in China and later broadcast in Hong Kong?

I'm pretty sure it was filmed in Hong Kong, although for the first third, I wasn't quite sure, as the beach in the opening credits doesn't seem familiar (visible in some of my credit grabs above), some housing architecture in another sequence looks decidedly UN-Hong Kong style (almost had me thinking Singapore), and much of the film is shot indoors with blinds drawn, etc. Further, they seemed to go out of their way to find vanilla locations for the outdoor work. There's one still from the movie in the DB photo gallery for the film, which has one of those Lite Brite floating restaurants in the background. Pretty sure I've seen that in a few movies. Plus the familiar red taxis show up from time to time. Perhaps parts were shot in the New Territories and parts in the main city? Frankly, the movie probably isn't worth this much research, but it's nice to be certain.

I might get a few more screen grabs tonight that show costuming and hairstyle. Perhaps those will line up with shots of various actors already on file.

[Fan]

Seems like the mainland sources point toward 1990, Hong Kong sources 1995. Maybe it was made in China and later broadcast in Hong Kong?

According to ICRIS, these 3 companies were formed after 1990

??????????
Incorporation: 05-SEP-1991
(E)Notice of appointment of provisional liquidators: 27-JAN-2004

REAL SOUND STUDIO LIMITED
Incorporation: 04-MAR-1993
Dissolution: 08-AUG-2008

REAL FACE LIMITED
Incorporation: 12-NOV-1992
Dissolution: 26-MAR-2004

[Brian Thibodeau]

Wow! Nice detective work, Fan!

I guess we can rule out 1990 for sure! 1995 is sounding better all the time (so my guess of 1992 wasn't too far off, really ), as this couldn't have been made any earlier than 1993 anyways (the incorporation of Real Sound). We can definitely eliminate 2004, at the very least.

[dleedlee]

Thanks, Fan! And a cool new resource, too.

[calros]

Changed year, added prod. co., prod., prod. man., dir., writer, assist. dir., ed., gaffer, sound, makeup, hairdresser, costumes, props., 2 actors and 3 roles.

This little subtitle pops up just after the credits. Any chance someone could translate?

??????? = Lit. "This story is a sheer fabrication" = "The events and characters depicted in this motion picture are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."

[Brian Thibodeau]

Thanks! I also linked a few more pictures in the gallery to their names in the cast list.