The movies hongkong is one of the four current of the Chinese movies, with the one of the continental China, Singapore and Taiwan.

Being a former British colony, Hong Kong benefitted from an economic and political liberty that the continental China and Taiwan didn't have. it became a film production center for the world sinophone, including the diaspora, as well as for Asia of the East in general. During decades, Hongkong was the third producer of movie after Hollywood and Bollywood.

In spite of the crisis of the middle of the years 1990, and the return to the Chinese sovereignty in 1997, the movies hongkongais kept their identity and continued to play an important role on the scene of the world movies.

In west, the movies popular hongkongais was always very appreciated and can considered today like an element of the dominant culture. Its influence was notably considerable on the Hollywood recent movies of action.

HISTORY

Of 1909 to World War II During the first half of the XXe century, the movies of Hong Kong play a secondary role in relation to the one of the Continent and notably of the city of Shanghai, then fundamental of the Chinese movies. He/it remains only very little of. uvre of this period: an account of historian film-lover Paul Fonoroff counted 4 movies on the total of the 500 products.

The pioneers of the opera As in the rest of China, the first movies are bound closely to the Chinese opera that had dominated the dramatic art during the centuries. Thus, the two comedies of 1909 Stealing have Roasted Duck and Right has Wrong with Earthenware Dish adapt some operas. They have been achieved by the actor of opera Liang Shaobo and have been produced by the American Benjamin Brodsky (named also Polaski), one of the western that helped the starting of the Chinese movies in the hope to open the vast Chinese market.

The first movie hongkongais is another adaptation of opera, Zhuangzi Tests His Wife of 1913, achieved by the producer Lai Man-Wai that plays the feminine role in the tradition of the opera. He will become known as the "father of the movies of Hong Kong." The woman of Lay Man-Wai also plays a role and is therefore the first woman has play in a Chinese movie, whereas to be an actress was a long time taboo. The movie, produces by Lay and Brodsky is the first coproduction sino américaine.Il will be played never on the territory hongkongais.

The following year, the beginning of World War I slows down considerably the production of movie, because Germany was the source of dandruff.

It is only in 1923 that Lay, the members of his family and Liang Shaobos form the first completely Chinese production company, the Company Minxin (or Dyed Sun). In 1924, they go to continental China after the government stopped them from constructing a studio.

The advent of the sound The popularity of the talking movies in the beginning of the years 1930 opposes the different dialects of China. Hong Kong is then a center important of Cantonese whereas the government of the Kuomintang wishes to encourage Mandarin and is hostile to the production of movies in Cantonese. The government also opposes the movies of wuxia, kind mixing martial art and fights of swords, accused of promoting the superstition and the anarchy.

The movies in Cantonese and wuxia stays nevertheless popular and the British colony of Hong Kong becomes then the place where these kinds can develop themselves freely. The most popular movies of the years 1930 remain the shot Cantonese operas.

The main studios of the time are Grandviews, Universal, Nanyue and Tianyi. The last is the first project of the family Shaw that will become very influential in the Chinese movies.

The Japanese sino war Another aspect important of the years 1930 is the Japanese sino war. Of the "national defense" movies, that is to say patriotic movies on Chinese resistant to the Japanese invasion become one of the major kinds. One can mention Lifeline (1935) of Kwan Man Ching, Hand to Hand Combat (1937) of Chiu Shu Sun and March of the Partisans (1938) of Situ Huimin. The industry is invigorated with the arrival of artists and companies after the hold of Shanghai in 1937.

Hong kong is taken by the Japanese in December 1941. Contrary to the continent, the occupants don't succeed in developing a film industry collaborationniste. They don't succeed in turning that the movie of propaganda the Attack one Hong Kong (1942) before the return of Hong Kong to the British in 1945. But especially, the Japanese melted many movies hongkongais of before war in order to extract of it of the money nitrate for their military needs.