Thursday, August 14, 2014

Wasted Opportunity - Chin Ka-Lok

Leading up to the Chinese handover of Hong Kong in 1997 there was a huge drain of star power from the Hong Kong film industry.  Asian stars were becoming popular in the west, and seeking bigger opportunities (and fleeing an uncertain political future) most of the big names moved to America or Canada.

During this time I looked forward to several lower tiered actors getting their opportunity to shine.  It didn't happen.  The middle dropped out of the film industry, and we were left with Andy Lau blockbusters and Z level gambling or triad dramas.

Chin Ka-Lok could have, and should have, been the Bruce Li to Jackie Chan's Bruce Lee.  He didn't have the same level of charisma, but he could move and had a face for comedy.  Instead, he languished in Young and Dangerous knock-offs and ghost comedies.  Even when he was in Kung Fu movies, he rarely had a fighting role.

He got one starring role in a big budget Kung Fu action film, 1991's Bury Me High.  Here's a look at what we should have seen more of, presented in copyright filter baffling Vietnamese





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