"Only You"

“Only You” is a innovative TV drama in TVB which breaks through the continuity of drama as it divides the TV series into different chapters with various topics. It uses a newly risen occupation - wedding planner as the theme and there are several stories happened helping all kinds of people through holding the wedding ceremony, for example, argumentbetween groom and bride, couples with cultural and ideological difference, and partner with disabilities. This drama involves a lot of stereotypes in order to make the characters livelier.

Nowadays, there are some special terms created to describe recent social phenomenon. In this drama, a new term “中港女” which combine the “中女” and “港女” is used to describe the female who over the age of 30 and still in single (does not get married, even does not have boyfriend) due to her highly requested conditions. It is because a lot of media reinforce the concept of “港女” is practical and focus on money. She would like to find someone who has high academic background, high income level and high position in a company.

The character Mandy (Yoyo Mung) is categorized as one of the “中港女” in which Summer (Kevin Cheng) often describes her as “中港女” in the drama. The image of “中女” is signified. Mandy is at a management position at the beginning of the story with short hair and wearing suit which represents a tough personality. It is our assumption of “中女” is always a career-minded woman, as well as iron lady. On the other hand, the “港女” characteristics is also represented. Sze-tim (Louise Lee) does not have a good impression on Mandy and thinks Mandy is very impolite and does not respect to others when meeting her at first time. It shows the general perceptions on “港女” because “中港女” always provides a negative feeling to the public. Mammonism is another feature of “港女”. Wealth is important to Mandy and she treats married the rich as the greatest achievement of female. She has stated “想要劉德華咁靚仔,李超人咁有錢”.

There is a hasty generalization on “中港女” in society. “中港女” have strong desire on marriage but they still cannot get married are their own problem, mainly due to their characteristics and high requirements. The drama classifies “中女” as a kind of “港女” who yearn for marriage but unable to do so. Since there is social norm in society, man should take a wife and a woman should take a husband. Female are always see the marriage as their goal. Mandy have already said, “書讀得多不代表有男人要” in her youth. She claims female has to be slim, beautiful pretending stupid so that they can get awareness of male. It seems what female done is all meet the expectation of male. It illustrates the gender relations between male and female. Female should be depended on male and her value seems to be constructed on marriage. Female is needed to be in relationship at certain age. Since Mandy does not have boyfriend and she would not like to be categorized as “中港女” when attending the wedding party of her old schoolmate, she try to ask for someone help to pretend as her boyfriend. Although she just want to rent someone to attend the party, she still want to find someone would look trendy and need to be have specific background and knowledge due to unwillingness of losing face. It reinforces the image of “中港女”.

Besides, from the dialogue of Summer, “這種 ‘中港女’ ,真是撿到也…得自捶三拳”, it can be seen that “中港女” is unpopular with the male, the public even. Actually, the term “中港女” is just simply mean the middle aged woman in Hong Kong. However, the media usually exemplify “中女” and “港女” as an issue and always be discussed. They are labelized by the society and seen as abnormal just because of not getting married in middle age and are claimed by having “港女” characteristics, therefore, they are unable to find the partner. Although some “中女” are not the marrying kind and “港女” is just a small proportion of female in Hong Kong, they are not often mentioned in the drama.

Yoyo Mung portrays the “中港女” in a vivid way. The characteristics of “中女” and “港女” are fully represented. It is easy for the audiences to get into the drama, meanwhile, it reinforces the image of “中港女”though. Nevertheless, this drama is really attractive and worth to watch. Audience can know more about the etiquette of wedding through the drama too.

By Cheng Shun Ning, Annie (10381089)

Grace Under Fire(女拳)

Grace Under Fire is a martial arts’ drama and has attracted many audiences (include me and my mum) to watch it recently. This drama takes place in Guangzhou during the Republic China period and show that Mok Kwai Lan (Liu Xuan) how to protect 寶芝林 and spread spirit of kung fu when her husband, Wong Fei-hung (John Chiang) died.

Although it is a martial arts’ drama, it is not same as the other martial arts’ drama before. In the past, most of the protagonist or hero is man in martial arts’ drama but this situation is changing continuously in drama. From Grace Under Fire, we can see that woman act as the protagonist and hero in the martial arts’ drama, no longer man. The female status is high and they become tough in nowadays, not same as past so female audience like to watch tough and independent actress in drama and content of dramas are more and more focusing on female to attract more female audiences.

In the past, most of actress are tender, dependent and should stay in home to look after their family in old drama but producer of Grace Under Fire through this drama to break the traditional stereotype of female and let audiences have new impression on female when they watch martial acts’ drama. We can see that the role of Mok Kwai Lan reflects modern female characteristic in this drama even though its background happen in Republic China era. For instance, she doesn’t mind the age gap between her and Wong Fei Hung and only wants to marry with him even though her relative oppose her. Actually, it is not allow and children need to accept parents’ decision in the past so Kwai-lan shows the modern female characteristic, “Seek Love Bravely” and this action same as many modern female don’t care anything to seek their love.

Moreover, the role of Kwai-lan is not same as the traditional female and she is tough and independent in Grace Under Fire. After her husband died, she is still tough and brave to solve problem when Lui Kong and Tong Yuet-hang forbid Kwai-lan teach kung fu and order to close寶芝林. Compare with the other martial arts’ drama (e.g. A Fistful of Stances 鐵馬尋橋), actress usually tender or are passive to accept parents’ decision and seldom act as hero but the role of Kwai-lan is not same as them. Kwai-lan competed with Japanese and she won the competition to become hero although she is female. In the drama, the role of Kwai-lan not only show modern female characteristic, her behavior is also similar to male. She does not scare competition with Japanese and accept his challenge actively even though she may die in this competition.

In my opinion, the main female protagonists are usually acted by Yeung Yi, Charmaine Sheh or Fala Chan in TVB’s drama and it let audiences feel boring even though their acting is good. In Grace Under Fire, the producer invite Liu Xuan to act as protagonist and it can bring fresh feeling to audience. Although she is first time to act as protagonist in drama, it is still attract many audiences to watch and praise her acting. Because many H.K. people like Liu Xuan when she was gymnast and have good impression on her, it attracts her fans or people to watch the drama and they have expectation on her first time acting. Therefore, I think the producer of Grace Under Fire is quite successful to invite Liu Xuan acting in this drama, and hope that they can invite different actress to act TVB’s drama and bring fresh feeling to our audiences.

Student: Tang Chui Yu, Kitty (10352498)

I Love HK

I would like to introduce the film “I Love HK” to all of you. It is a Lunar New Year’s film which was shown on 3^nd Feb 2011. Tsang Chi Wai and Chung Sue Kie are the directors. The genre of this film is just as in the past, Comedy which is joyous and lively. You will laugh, relax and also get some messages after watching. Same as previous year, 72 Tenants of Prosperity, the cast of this film was very strong and large. Basically, popular artists were all included. For example, Sandra Ng, Tony Leung Ka Fai, Mag Lam, FAMA and so on. Someone may argue there was no Lam Fung. But I can tell you, he was in the film skillfully! Anyway, just look at the name of this film, “I Love HK”, there is no doubt to say it must include local identity.

The whole story happened in house estate which has strong meaning to older generation of Hong Kong. Lots of late 60s or 70s grew and lived in house estates. It can recall their memories of child period. For example, there was a scene which all people light candles and suspend lanterns around their house estate. Although younger generation may not have this experience, it is quite shock to us. How beautiful it is! By including some collective memories, it can get resonance from the audiences easily.

As I mentioned before, “I Love HK” is full of the sense of “local”. The most visible evidence is the opening, the first picture we saw, Lion Rock. Local Hong Kong people should know “Below the Lion Rock” is representing the striving of us. The film also included some Hong Kong core values, Hong Kong people can take temporary setbacks; We are accommodating and have strong striving spirit. As the role “Ng Shun” who was played by Tony Leung, he was a boss of toy factory. However, his factory was suffered from the US financial tsunami, he was insolvent. But he never give up, there was a scene that he sell his toys in Mongkok where is a trendy centre in Hong Kong.

In the opening, it narrated the experiences of Ng Shun’s whole family. From their experiences, we can review several phenomena in Hong Kong. For example, it mentioned about the notorious conducts of staffs in Food and Environment Hygiene Department; Satirized Café De Coral as “Too acrimonious”. Foreigners may not understand what they are meaning of, but “Hong Kongers” have so much strong feeling about those issues. Without any explanation, people who lived in Hong Kong can get what the film wants to say. This method is also a distinguishing feature of Tsang’s Lunar New Years Film series. It is a film which mainly served people who share the same collective memories in Hong Kong. Since there are strong cast in the film, audiences can easily find corresponding role which similar to them in order to get into the film deeply. At the end of the film, it also spoke out heartfelt wishes of Hong Kong people. Western Harbour Tunnel and HK Electric which mentioned in the film are examples that Hong Kong people are discontent. Those Companies gain huge amount of profits but still apply for Mark Up! “I Love HK” is a film that truely belongs to Hong Kong. Every Hong Kongers should support it!

Student: Wong Lok Ting, Lottie 10451467

Forever After in Far Far Away?

In 2001, there is a green monster live in a land where no one knows until DreamWorks put him on screen. After that he saved a princess, marry her and turn her into another green-looking housewife. Yes, he is Shrek. And in 2010 the new movie of Shrek, he find himself living in a different Far Far Away kingdom, his friends do not recognize him. His wife Fiona become a rebel and his race is following her as a rebel leader against the new kingdom which is ruled by a goblin, Rumpelstiltskin, but not the father and mother of Fiona, the original King and Queen. The new movie called Shrek Forever After or The Final Chapter.

DreamWorks has released many wonderful and meaningful animations, such as Kung Fu Panda, Shrek and Megamind. All of its work tells story and teach lessons in all these films. Shrek is the most successful series film in history of DreamWorks.

Forever After inherited the style of re-telling fairy tales in its previous movies. Shrek movies do not re-tell fairly tale in a scary or humor way, instead it re-tell them from changing the stereotype of those famous characters. For example, Shrek was not like usual orges. He is tired of being a lovely monster, when his home has became a tourism spot in Far Far Away. He wishes to become horrifying again. That leaves the main villain Rumpelstiltskin has a chance to trick Shrek into a trap. This movie does not only turn its back on other famous fairy tales like its previous three movies but most important is to turn against to its own story. It had almost turned everything upside down of itself. Shrek is not a “hero” anymore (After all he was the one who saved Princess Fiona). Princess Fiona is no longer a princess but a rebel and a leader. She is not rescued by Shrek but break out the tower (which kept her just as many fairy tales do) by herself. She also leads her race to resist the enslavement from the new King. In this world, Princess Fiona is a hero according to the race of ogres. Puss in Boots also becomes a fat cat without any training.

There is no doubt that Forever After is an animation film, but what kind of animation is it? Can it be concluded in the category of fairy tales? But Shrek’s characters are little bit different from their original characters. However, all of the Shrek movies indeed have characteristics of fairy tales. In different fairy tales, there are fairies, magical living creatures such as goblins or giants. Everything they need is in Forever After, almost all the characters are come from other fairy tales, such as Gingerbread Man, Puss in Boots, Three Little Pigs and some Princesses. These are all good and kind characters. There are also villains such as Captain Hook, Evil Queen and some witches. However, these characters could be in the other side of the camp. Some good characters could become a bad character, such as Pied Piper. Originally he was the one who helped the King to get rid of mouse in his kingdom. He became one of the helper of Rumpelstiltskin to control Ogres. And some have been the otherwise, for example, Wolf in Three Little Pigs, he is no longer eating pigs but also be friend with the Three Little Pigs.

Besides the characters in the film, the plot of the film also signifies audience that it indeed is a fairy tale. In many

fairy tales, the story is always educational, that the protagonist usually learns a lesson in the story. Audience and the reader also learn a lesson from the story. In Forever After, it teaches audience a lesson too. It is all about greed. When you want more you will become Rumpelstiltskin who use his magic power, a contract, to get whatever he is dreamt of. And Shrek is greed too. He dreams of not being a lovely monster but a monster that everyone is afraid of. He is not satisfied with his current living, he want more excitements. And that only brought him into a world he no longer familiar, he has to find his way back. The ending of the film tell us that greed will lead us to bad result. Rumpelstiltskin is being captured by Shrek and become an exhibit for tourists who come and see Shrek.

Shrek Forever After maybe considered as fairy tale animation film, but for many children audience it does not matter, they only concern if it is going to be funny and entertaining. I enjoy the series of Shrek. Every Shrek movies introduce some “old” characters from other fairy tale in the story, but present them in a way that we, who had a chance to read or watch the original fairy tale, had not seen it before. My favourite character is indeed Rumpelstiltskin, he is not as annoying as other villains, he is funny and showing off in a musical way.

Student name: Lee Tsz Shan (Apple)

Student ID: 10348690

testing

testing