A Better Tomorrow I, II and III (1986-1989)
Released in 1986, A Better Tomorrow is largely credited as the blueprint for Hong Kong’s heroic bloodshed film genre. Despite starring alongside local stars Ti Lung and Leslie Cheung, Chow Yun-fat captured the hearts of Hong Kong people with his breakout performance as the film’s Mark Lee. A best-friend and business partner to a powerful triad member, Mark’s despondent character is remembered for his undying loyalty and determination to avenge his friend. The emotional role awarded Chow Yun-fat with Best Actor at the 1987 Hong Kong Film Awards, and he went on to star in two more sequels for A Better Tomorrow.
Prison On Fire (1987)
The second film in director Ringo Lam’s On Fire trilogy, Prison on Fire kickstarted a trend of Hong Kong-made prison films that lasted well into the early 1990s. Familiar with the ins and outs of the penitentiary, prisoner Chow Yun-fat’s character Chung Tin-ching, befriends newcomer Lo Ka-yiu, a young advertising executive jailed for manslaughter. The film subverts conventional ideas of good versus bad people, while bringing a touch of warmth to the otherwise hellish perception of prison life.
An Autumn’s Tale (1987)
An Autumn’s Tale is arguably Chow Yun-fat’s most iconic romance movie. Here, he plays the role of Samuel, a young man working in New York’s Chinatown who falls in love with a girl he helps introduce to the city. The story of two ordinary people makes for an onscreen fairytale romance, where love is proven once again to bring magic to otherwise unremarkable lives.
God of Gamblers I and II (1989-1994)
The God of Gamblers movie series was a key player in the boom of Hong Kong cinema. In the films, Chow Yun-fat stars as the infamous and invincible Ko Chun, known to most as the ‘God of Gamblers’ for his unmatched skill in games of chance. At the mention of the God of Gamblers movies, images of a sharp-suited Chow with slicked back hair immediately come to mind.
Peace Hotel (1995)
Wai Ka-fai’s directorial debut Peace Hotel, features Chow Yun-fat as the undisputed ‘King of Killers’. Having retired after he single-handedly slaughtered an entire troop of bandits and his wife was killed, the Killer opens the Peace Hotel, a shelter for fleeing fugitives. Anyone can stay at the Peace Hotel, where the Killer’s notorious reputation protects them from all external harm, but cannot promise them safety as soon as they step foot outside. In this gruesome film, Chow successfully delivers a performance imbued with dignified rage and a touch of mania.
Once A Thief (1991)
Set in Paris and Hong Kong, Once A Thief revolves around three orphaned friends — Joe aka. Red Bean Pudding (Chow Yun-fat), James (Leslie Cheung) and Cheri aka. Red Bean (Cherie Chung) — who are taken in by a crime boss and raised to be international high-art thieves. Those who have seen the heist comedy film will remember Chow Yun-fat’s iconic wheelchair ballroom scene with Cherie Chung, a dazzling theft distraction.
The Killer (1989)
Renowned Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo and Chow Yun-fat are perhaps Hong Kong’s greatest cinematic duo of all time. Having featured in Woo’s aforementioned works, A Better Tomorrow and Once A Thief, Chow Yun-fat also leads in Woo’s 1989 film The Killer, one of the most revered action movies of all time. In this feature, Chow takes on the role of a professional hitman whose unusual show of compassion towards a nightclub singer and a child he mistakenly injures, sparks the intrigue of a policeman.
All About Ah-Long (1989)
Chow Yun-fat won Best Actor at the 9th Hong Kong Film Awards for his leading part in All About Ah-Long. A single father previously imprisoned for illegal racing, Ah-Long enters a motorcycle racing competition once more, hoping to give his son a better future. In a role that witnesses a reckless young man survive the vicissitudes of life to become a devoted father, Chow Yun-fat realises a moving transformation with his heart-wrenching performance.
The Bund (1980)
1980s television series The Bund is described as the classic among all classics, having marked the rise of Hong Kong cinema in the Mainland and throughout Asia. Taking place in 1920s Shanghai, a young Chow Yun-fat stars as the graceful yet daring Hui Man-keung, a previous partaker in the May Fourth movement looking for a fresh start in the city. The series follows Hui as he navigates the chaos of the mafia world, and falls in love with the daughter of a powerful crime lord.
Translated by Alyanna Raissa J. Payos
Editor
Cathy HuangCredit
Lead image: Steve Granitz via Getty Images
