Abstract
Chapter 3 tracks the emergence of the modern Hong Kong crime film in the late 1960s and 1970s. The censors’ reluctance to tolerate depictions of crime and other social problems in contemporary Hong Kong arguably increased the commercial appeal of criminal realism, with filmmakers constantly pushing boundaries to show more of Hong Kong’s sordid side to viewers. This trend was further reinforced by moral panics surrounding crime and juvenile delinquency, and by the fact that crime was constantly in the news: the 1960s and 1970s saw the rise and fall of major drug lords and corrupt policemen, as well as the government’s launching of annual Fight Crime campaigns and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). After a cycle of problem youth films in the late 1960s and of kung fu crime films in the early 1970s, these circumstances mid-decade gave rise to a fad for so-called shehui qiqingpian, which often purported to offer an honest look at sensational true crimes. Contrary to its popular perception as being stuck in the past, the Shaw Brothers studio played a pioneering role in the local crime film during these years.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call