Raw and Gritty HK Crime films

[gordo]

I few posts down I mentinoed Kirk Wong's The Club, but can anyone make some suggestions to the best crime films to come of of HK? I have some Ringo Lam (City on Fire, etc) Long Arm of the Law, and the usual, but are there some below the radar so to speak? I love the violent gangster films so any help would be greatly appreciated.

THanks!

[Knetan]

hey,

when I hear gritty I think Alfred Cheung's exceptional On The Run. Also if you want violence, but in a bizarre frame, check out Nam Nai Choi's Killer's Nocturne. Woman's Prison is almost shockingly grueling etc etc.

Not just modern crime films that.

[gordo]

I actually have on the Run...Yuen Biao's finest performance in my opinion. The last 15 minutes is hard to watch.

I will check out the other two, and as always appreciate the help!

gordo

[Knetan]

hey,

don't turn off Killer's Nocturne after the Chin Siu Ho vs. Kangaroo fight, there will be more goodies. You heard me right by the way. That is the fight scenario.

Speaking of Nam Nai Choi, Her Vengeance is a good showcase for his dramatic skills and as a conveyer of brutality. The finale with Lam Ching Ying in a wheelchair, Billy Chow and Pauline Wong is extreme stuff, especially in its uncut form (Deltamac vcd trims this sequence quite a bit).

[Mike Thomason]

I second Knetan's vote for ON THE RUN, it's a must-see! (edit: Oops! You've already seen it! Anyway... )

Also, backtracking and if you want to see "gritty" crime films...

THE BIG HEAT (1988) - brutal crime thriller with lashing of heavy gore.
FATAL LOVE (1988) - the Leslie Cheung/Cherie Chung film; essentially a romantic thriller, but with a heavy hard-edge.
THE FIRST SHOT (1993) - "theatricalised" version of the emergence of the ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption); well paired up with prequel THE POWERFUL FOUR (1992).
GUNMEN (1988) - a good period piece, but a bit flawed for my tastes.
THE LAW ENFORCER (1986) - another Lee opus populated by some appalling violence; the finale is a bloodbath.
THE LAW WITH TWO PHASES (1984) is a must; completely different from what it appears and WAY removed from Danny Lee's usual outings.
LONG ARM OF THE LAW 1 - 3 (1984 - 1989) - essential crime thrillers about the once prevalent "Big Circle" Mainland crime gangs.
MY HEART IS THAT ETERNAL ROSE (1988) - a remake of CASABLANCA and perhaps my all-time favourite HK movie ever.
NO COMPROMISE (1988) - the Danny Lee film is a nice, gory thriller.
NOBODY'S HERO (1989) - really down-n-dirty TAXI DRIVER retread enlivened by violence on splatter-movie levels.
ORGANISED CRIME & TRIAD BUREAU (1994) - more Lee, more grit.
PEOPLE'S HERO (1987) - Derek Yee & Ti Lung do DOG DAY AFTERNOON; bleak!
SENTENCED TO HANG (1989) - true story and the very first Cat III film!
THE TIGERS (1991) - spin-off from a TV series and quite a star ensemble.
TO BE NUMBER ONE (1991) - the Ray Lui - "Limpy" Ho bio-pic (a personal fave, though many despise it; it's an epic at 2 & 1/2 hours)
TO LIVE & DIE IN TSIMSHATSUI (1994) - brilliant INFERNAL AFFAIRS precursor starring Jacky Cheung as a police mole in a high-profile triad.
THE TRAGIC FANTASY: TIGER OF WANCHAI (1994) - another true story, about the late Andeley Chan, with Simon Yam; another personal fave.

That should get you started! I'll come back and post more as I think of them -- it's easy to recommend the regulars, but just that teensy bit harder to go left of mainstream and summon the unsung gems.

[pjshimmer]

MY HEART IS THAT ETERNAL ROSE (1988) - a remake of CASABLANCA and perhaps my all-time favourite HK movie ever.

Interesting observation about the Casablanca connection. Never thought of it that way before. I've seen ETERNAL ROSE twice, and had sincerely hoped to enjoy it, but the video quality was nearly unwatchable.

[Mike Thomason]

MY HEART IS THAT ETERNAL ROSE (1988) - a remake of CASABLANCA and perhaps my all-time favourite HK movie ever.

Interesting observation about the Casablanca connection. Never thought of it that way before. I've seen ETERNAL ROSE twice, and had sincerely hoped to enjoy it, but the video quality was nearly unwatchable.

I think the whole CASABLANCA thing struck me straight off the mark when I saw it for the first time all those years ago. Kenny Bee ran a bar, where triad activity was neutral, and his name was...Rick.

[pjshimmer]

[quote="White Dragon]I think the whole CASABLANCA thing struck me straight off the mark when I saw it for the first time all those years ago. Kenny Bee ran a bar, where triad activity was neutral, and his name was...Rick. [/quote]

Ah, I should pay more attention to names in movies. I am pretty bad with remembering character names even in English language movies, heh.