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Days of Being Wild
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the song by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, see Source Tags & Codes
| Days of Being Wild | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Wong Kar-wai |
| Produced by | Rover Tang |
| Written by | Wong Kar-wai |
| Starring | Leslie Cheung Maggie Cheung Andy Lau Carina Lau |
| Cinematography | Christopher Doyle |
| Editing by | Kit-Wai Kai Patrick Tam |
| Distributed by | Rim |
| Release date(s) | 1991 |
| Running time | 94 min (UK) |
| Language | Cantonese Tagalog Tamil English Mandarin Filipino |
| Followed by | In the Mood for Love (2000) |
| IMDb profile | |
Days of Being Wild aka The True Story of Ah Fei (Traditional Chinese: 阿飛正傳; Simplified Chinese: 阿飞正传; pinyin: ā fēi zhèng zhuàn) is a 1991 Hong Kong movie by director Wong Kar-wai.
This highly elliptical film is often touted as the breakthrough film of Wong Kar-Wai, featuring some of the most well-known actors and actresses of the then-colony, including Leslie Cheung, Carina Lau, Maggie Cheung, and Andy Lau. Tony Leung Chiu Wai made a silent cameo role lasting several minutes in the last take of the movie which he credits as a turning point in his acting career. It also marks the first collaboration between Wong and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, with whom he has since made eight films.
The movie forms the first part of an informal trilogy, together with In the Mood for Love (released in 2000) and 2046 (released in 2004).
Contents |
The movie is set in Hong Kong and in the Philippines in 1960. Yuddy, or 'York' in English (Leslie Cheung), was a playboy in Hong Kong and was well-known for stealing girls' hearts and breaking them as is the usual theme for movies with a dashing and charismatic male lead. His first victim is Li Zhen (Maggie Cheung) who suffered emotional and mental depression as a result of Yuddy's wayward attitude. Li Zhen eventually seeks much-needed solace from a sympathetic cop named Tide (Andy Lau). Their near-romance was often hinted at although it never materialised.
York has forgotten his fling with the unassuming and shy Li Zhen and has set his attentions to a vivacious cabaret dancer played by Carina Lau who was also secretly loved by Zeb (Jacky Cheung). Unsurprisingly, York dumps her too and begins a period of self-destruction. It later becomes evident that York's inability to commit and his instinct for romantic cruelty derives from conflicting feelings about his adoptive mother who is a former prostitute, played by Rebecca Pan; and his biological mother, a Filipino aristocrat.
Most sections of the film attempt to narrate how people react to rejection, although it was very vaguely depicted. This film was seen to be among the first of its genre popularised by Wong Kar-wai, it does not rely on a plot but more on the individual strengths of its many actors and actresses to narrate the story through their seemingly mundane day-to-day activities.
Days of Being Wild broke away from the light fare that typified Hong Kong cinema at the time by introducing thematic ambiguity and an arthouse aesthetic. Many other Hong Kong films such as Ashes of Time, Temptress Moon, and the best example of all In the Mood for Love belong to the same school of Hong Kong cinema.
- Leslie Cheung - Yuddy
- Maggie Cheung - Su Li Zhen. She grew up in Macau. She is a lover of Yuddy
- Andy Lau - Tide, policeman 6117. He becomes a friend and confident of Su Li Zhen. Later, after the death of his mother, he becomes a sailor
- Carina Lau - Leung Fung-ying, Mimi/Lulu. She is a lover of Yuddy
- Rebecca Pan - Rebecca, a former prostitute who raised Yuddy. Having revealed Yuddy that she is not his mother, she is reluctant to disclose the identity of his real mother
- Jacky Cheung - Zeb
- Danilo Antunes - Rebecca's Lover
- Hung Mei-Mei - The Amah
- Ling Ling-Hung - Nurse
- Tita Muñoz - Yuddy's Mother
- Alicia Alonzo - Housekeeper
- Elena Lim So - Hotel Manageress
- Maritoni Fernandez - Hotel Maid
- Angela Ponos - Prostitute
- Nonong Talbo - Train Conductor
- Tony Leung Chiu Wai - unrelated cameo appearance in the last scene of the movie
- Alan Tang Kwong-Wing - Producer
- Xavier Cugat
- Leslie Cheung performed the song 何去何從之阿飛正傳 loosely translated as 'Choice' or 'The True Story of Ah Fei' as the film's theme song and is also found in his album Beloved (寵愛).
- 梅豔芳 (Anita Mui) - 是這樣的 - the Cantonese cover of the theme song and is featured at the end of the film during the credits.
Days of Being Wild grossed HK $9,751,942 in its Hong Kong run, a number that would become typical for a Wong Kar Wai film. With the starry cast, this figure was considered a disappointment. Still, the film was successful enough to warrant a parody (Days of Being Dumb, which also featured Tony Leung), and now routinely tops Hong Kong critics' lists of the best local productions.
- 1991 Hong Kong Film Awards
- Won: Best Picture
- Won: Best Director (Wong Kar-wai)
- Won: Best Actor (Leslie Cheung)
- Won: Best Art Direction (William Chang)
- Won: Best Cinematography (Christopher Doyle)
- Nominated: Best Actress (Carina Lau)
- Nominated: Best Film Editing (Patrick Tam)
- Nominated: Best Screenplay (Wong Kar-wai)
- Nominated: Best Supporting Actress (Rebecca Pan)
- 1997 Golden Bauhinia Awards
- Won: Special Award (Best Hong Kong film of the last 10 years)
- Cinema of Hong Kong
- Christopher Doyle
- List of movies set in Hong Kong
- List of Hong Kong films
- Tang Kwong Wing
Feature films: As Tears Go By (1988) • Days of Being Wild (1991) • Chungking Express (1994) • Ashes of Time (1994) • Fallen Angels (1995) • Happy Together (1997) • In the Mood for Love (2000) • 2046 (2004) • Eros (The Hand) (2004) • My Blueberry Nights (2007) • The Lady from Shanghai (2008)
Short Films: wkw/tk/1996@7′55″hk.net (1996) • Hua Yang De Nian Hua (2000) • The Hire: The Follow (2001) • Six Days (2002)