‘A Better Tomorrow’ making waves over three decades after its release
BEIJING: A Better Tomorrow, starring Chow Yun-Fatt in his acting debut, is making waves in China over three decades after its release.
Known for its iconic scene where Chow brandishes two revolvers, it was screened to high acclaim during the Pingyao International Film Festival.
Locals were even asking reporters for tickets to the movie.
“That’s the only film I want to see at the festival,” a taxi driver, a man in his 40s, said. “I have not seen it on the big screen.”
However, all the tickets for A Better Tomorrow were sold out, even if it has been 31 years since its premiere, a milestone work by veteran Hong Kong director John Woo.
During the festival, Woo was modest about his masterpiece.
Deadpanned Woo, 71: “Don’t call me a master. I’m only a lover of films.
“What I wanted to create (when making A Better Tomorrow) was merely fresh gunshot scenes. But I got very deeply immersed in preparing for the scenes, which startled my wife.”
Woo finally created a classic scene in film history where Chow brandishes two pistols in a restaurant. The scene was later widely imitated.
Speaking about the film, Woo said: “A hero cannot take a machine gun. If so, the fighting will finish too soon.”
Woo compares his films to wuxia, or kung fu, a Chinese literature and film genre, which refers to martial chivalry.
“In my films, a pistol is like a sword for the heroes,” he quipped.
“My action scenes are just like dancing. They are influenced by musical films, which emphasise rhythm. If the rhythm is right, repetition of the same action can create an extraordinary effect.”