Stefan Hammond - More Sex, Better Zen, Faster Bullets

CONTENTS

UPDATE 2020

hen Sex and Zen & A Bullet in the Head (SAZ&ABITH) was published in August 1996, it was the first English-language Hong Kong film book in a market desperate for information on these films. Paul Nerbonne of Golden Apple Books in LA said the Melrose Avenue store was selling five copies a day. The book was discussed on newsgroups, television and radio, and even the nascent Internet.

We were pleasantly surprised with the books popularity and positive reception. Titan Books in the UK put out a separate English version with an alternate cover, and Heyne Books in Munich released a translated German version as part of the Heyne Film Bibliothek series.

There have been many moments in its 20+ years of existence that reminded the authors why they agreed to the idea in the first place. Stefan once gave a copy to Lo Mang of Five Venoms famehis reaction was priceless. Mike visited the set of a Jackie Chan film and snapped a pic of Jackie holding the book.

A list of Hex Errors (cracked subtitles) became an email-meme, inspiring a group called Shivaree who wrote a song (Daring Lousy Guy) using them as lyrics. A punk band in Hong Kong titled their indie album sex and zen and a bullet in the head and put the title on their color-Xeroxed cover.

And the fans: at conventions, book-signings, and in the lobby of the UC Theatre Berkeley, the Castro Theater in San Francisco, and Bookstar in Los Angeles. All of you were, and are, amazing.

Home video was limited to VHS tape when SAZ&ABITH was originally written in 1994/1995. VCDs, popular in 1996, are moribund. DVDs are still the most common optical disc format, although Blu-ray discs and streaming video are taking larger market shares.

Most importantly, subtitled Hong Kong films are no longer considered odd. The global success of Ang Lees 2000 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon made subtitles and even flying actors acceptable on a mainstream level. For long-time fans like us, it was sweet.

Nowadays

Hong Kong is no longer the worlds third largest film industry nor is it a British colony. Its now (take a deep breath) the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China.

Or just call it Hong Kong, or the HKSAR. The 1997 handover changed the business landscape, and an ongoing program called CEPA (the Closer Economic Partner Arrangement) ties the Hong Kong market to Chinas far larger economy.

But Hong Kong retained its ID card system and introduced an HKSAR passport after 1997. The former colony also kept its currency (still tightly pegged to the US dollar), border controls, and the rule of law backed by an independent judiciary.

Hong Kong hasnt become another province of the PRC. Nor are films exhibited in Hong Kong cinemas or sold on optical disc in Hong Kong shops subject to mainland China restrictions and censorship.

However, one of CEPAs phases dictated that if a film is shown on the mainland, the version shown in Hong Kong must be identicalclosing a loophole that allowed films like Infernal Affairs (2002) to have an alternate, China-friendly ending. This means that those Hong Kong filmmakers pursuing projects without authorization from the relevant mainland authorities are far fewer than in the past. China is the worlds second-largest film market now, and even Hollywood bows to Beijings edicts.

Please note: this reboot of SAZ&ABITH includes copy from Stefan Hammonds Hollywood East: Hong Kong Movies and the People Who Made Them (published by NTC Contemporary in 2000).

Revisiting SAZ&ABITH

When we decided to publish it as an e-book after 20+ years, additional info was needed like a vampire-busting sifu needs sticky rice. Of the hundreds of films we mentioned, many are now on DVD or Blu-ray with value-adds like audio commentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. Regrettably, a few never transcended VHS, and are hard to find even there. The best copies of many of our favorite films are on laserdisc, and there are adherents who collect the big clunky discs and keep their disc-players in order.

Weve revamped and updated the book, with plenty of material from Stefans Hollywood East published in 2000. We also added the Chinese characters right next to the English titles because we can do that nowadays.

And weve stitched in some new info and anecdotes weve learned over the years. We know the core of HKFOGs (Hong Kong Film Original Gangstas) will appreciate it. Much has changed, and knowing Hong Kong film fans, we know you want more. But the core of the book remains the Golden Age of modern Hong Kong film from the mid-80s to the mid-90s, when cinemas were packed and film-financing in Hong Kong was freer and easier.

Technology updates

SAZ&ABITH was written in the videotape era. DVDs are the first 21st century optical-disc format, while Blu-ray discs are often the best option for home viewing. Never overlook DVDsa well mastered DVD looks better than a poorly created Blu-ray.

We miss the cinema experience, especially at UC Theater in Berkeley. But except for some festivals and arthouse retrospectives (well get to those), its all about the home experience now. That doesnt mean you cant get drag over your disbelieving friends, park them in front of your big honkin flat-screen TV, then watch them go wide-eyed and slack-jawed. These films still provide conversion experiences.

On optical disc, there are different versions available for some films: often more than one DVD release, and of course, Blu-ray. And streaming video is increasingly becoming the favored delivery medium.

Theres an overflowing squid-bucket of options out there now. Were old-school film geeks, and we like the extras found on optical discs: interviews, commentaries, alternate endings, and a choice of subtitles. A popular option is subbed and dubbed which allows viewers to watch a film in Chinese with English subtitles, or dial in the English-dubbed soundtrack.

And dont forget region-coding: there are multiple DVD regions and Blu-ray regions, largely based on geography.

There are other websites selling these, search around. Blu-ray players will play DVDs from all regions as well as BRs, and are useful machines. Blu-ray is the new vinyl!

The best of all worlds is a well mastered DVD or Blu-ray in the correct aspect ratio, with lots of extras, like audio commentaries, interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage. San Francisco-based Tai Seng released many excellent DVDs. But the UKs Hong Kong Legends releases (all Region 2 and best searched on amazon.co.uk) are well made: remastered from original prints, with commentaries and extrassometimes hours of extras.