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39-638: Kuei or Guǐ may refer to: People [ edit ] Kuei Chih-Hung (1937–1999), Chinese filmmaker Kuei Chin (1090–1155), chancellor of the Song dynasty Kuei Pin Yeo , Indonesian classical pianist and educator Kuei Ya Lei (born 1944), Chinese actress and singer Kuei Ling Ru , American high school chemistry teacher Other [ edit ] Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt ( Katholische Universität ), Bavaria, Germany Kuei-chou or Guizhou,

78-483: A film producer whose credits include Sophie’s Revenge , My Lucky Star and The Meg was in attendance. The film retrospective allowed the son to view his father's notorious cult classic , The Killer Snakes for the first time, 37 years after its initial release. “This is a film that’s totally psychotic, perverse and grossed out. It’s beyond rated R,” was how he described it to The Hollywood Reporter in 2011. Kwei acknowledged that his dad would be pleased

117-474: A backlot. Additionally, a given location may have inconvenient restrictions. The convenience store where Clerks was shot was open during the day, so the crew could only shoot at night; this necessitated the shutters on the windows be closed to hide the fact that it was dark outside. Location shooting often takes place close to the studio; in Hollywood films, this region is delineated in union agreements and

156-404: A box-office disappointment at the time of its release, today Killer Constable is considered one of Kuei's finest, most accomplished movies. Reuniting with his Teahouse / Big Brother Cheng star, Kuan Tai Chen, Kuei's kung fu drama is set in ancient Beijing (a rare period piece for the director). Kuan plays a loyal detective investigating a burglary at the royal palace, who slowly realizes that

195-405: A combination of location and studio shoots; often, interior scenes will be shot on a soundstage while exterior scenes will be shot on location. Second unit photography is not generally considered a location shoot. Before filming, the locations are generally surveyed in pre-production , a process known as location scouting and recce . Location shooting has several advantages over filming on

234-480: A compelling and uncompromising examination of crime, juvenile delinquency and social injustice. Though Kuei's contributions to Hong Kong cinema have often been neglected in recent decades, one film in particular ensured that he would enjoy a devoted cult audience for many years to come. Reaching new extremes in graphic sex and violence, the horror movie The Killer Snakes , is still considered one of Kuei's most notorious and controversial pictures. The plot centers on

273-453: A disastrous flop. To please the audience, you must resort to gimmicks. I make fantasy movies because audiences like them. But I'm not cavalier making them. I devoted a lot of thought on photography, lighting and so on." "Compared to smaller studios, there are advantages and disadvantages to working for Shaw Brothers. Perhaps things have improved now, but in the past, independent productions were always running out of funds and that affected both

312-454: A form of escapism, I think". Filming on set also avoided additional fees from location shooting, Adams added, while director of photography Claude Renoir said that he preferred to film indoors because of better control of lighting. Shooting on a set gives the crew a greater control over the environment: a room may be created to the exacting specifications of the story, for example, and there is no need to shut down street traffic when shooting on

351-932: A high school student in Hong Kong, where he would cobble together makeshift shorts from a shoebox projector and discarded film stock. After graduating from high school, he studied stage production and filmmaking at Taiwan's National School of the Arts, experimenting on several 8 mm films. After writing a few film scripts for the Taiwan film industry, Kuei joined the Shaw Brothers Studio in the early 1960s. Initially hired as an assistant director on two Taiwan-shot Shaw films, Lovers' Rock (1964) and Song of Orchid Island (1965), he then lead projects in Hong Kong and an apprenticeship in Japan, where Kuei continued to work. At

390-429: A number of reasons why a production may choose not to shoot on location. While The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) filmed on location for many scenes, including one at Faslane that saved millions, production designer Ken Adam said that because of "television and new camera lenses and commercials, real life has been so much exploited", while using the giant new 007 Stage helped "provide a form of magic, of artificiality ...

429-485: A shoe box. I placed a light bulb in it and saved up for film. At the time, movie studios would throw away bits and pieces of used film that did not make the cut. I bought them for my shoe box projector. The film stock back then was nitrate and highly flammable. One time the bulb got overheated and the film started burning. It almost caused a fire and my father gave me a good scolding." "I am not interested in making fanciful romantic movies at all. I have always wanted to take

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468-576: A southwestern province of the People's Republic of China Kuei River or Amu Darya, a river in Central Asia Kuih , a sweet Chinese dessert or snack made of rice Guǐ, a ghost in Chinese culture Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Kuei . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

507-755: A strong American fanbase following a 2006 DVD release and a 2012 screening at the New York Asian Film Festival . Kuei’s horror films were the focus of an extensive article by Simon Abrams in Fangoria magazine. Abrams describes The Boxer’s Omen as “a spectacularly sensory-overloading gross-out, the kind of Stendhal syndrome -inducing gem that spoils you for any further exploration of its creators’ prior work.” “You will see things in The Boxer’s Omen that you’ve never seen before,” Abrams wrote. “And you’ll probably be left wondering ‘how

546-460: A studio set. First and foremost, the expense can often be far lower than that of constructing sets in a studio. The illusion of reality can also be stronger; on a set, it is hard to replicate real-world wear and tear, as well as architectural details, and the vastness of a city is difficult to recreate on a backlot. The failure of Camelot (1967) caused American filmmakers to shift exterior shots from studio backlots to authentic locations. The film

585-417: A versatile, imaginative filmmaker with a distinctive style that carried through to a number of diverse genres including comedy ( The Bod Squad , Rat Catcher ) and horror ( Ghost Eyes ). The Teahouse , about an immigrant restaurant owner trying to protect his family from juvenile gangs, takes a scathing look at the criminal justice system in Hong Kong and is considered one of Kuei's landmark works. The film

624-425: A young man's special powers with venomous snakes, which allow him to take revenge on those who have wronged him. Several over-the-top scenes of S&M sex and of course lethal snake attacks earned The Killer Snakes its following as a midnight movie classic and to some degree, cemented Kuei's reputation as a maverick filmmaker. The movie is also noteworthy for actor Kam Kwok-Leung 's crazily committed performance and

663-410: Is Kuei who is credited with the film's distinctive visual style, including the then pioneering use of on-location shoots in Hong Kong's gritty streets and public housing complexes. The film's success led to a string of early '70s hits with Kuei as the sole director, including the women-in prison exploitation flick , The Bamboo House of Dolls and the acclaimed vigilante drama, The Teahouse . He proved

702-408: Is also a strong example of Kuei's penchant for eschewing studio sets for the realistic immediacy of urban locations, vividly depicting the harsh environment of lower-class immigrant life. It was followed by a hit sequel in 1975, Big Brother Cheng , with kung fu star Kuan Tai Chen reprising the eponymous role. Kuei transcended the tired revenge tropes of many action sequels, making Big Brother Cheng

741-409: Is branded on his behind with "1997" the year mainland China would resume control over Hong Kong. Deemed too politically sensitive, the scene was re-edited and the branded posterior featured "SB" (for Shaw Brothers) instead. Still, Kuei ingeniously found a way to insert a visual gag at the studio's expense. Kuei also delved into the wuxia genre for the first time with Killer Constable (1980). Though

780-510: Is fine. I hope Big Brother Cheng can make them think again." "In a time when movie-making is considered only an industry, I feel as if I were a factory worker. My job is the director, expected to produce whatever the market demands and I have no right to question that." "The audience is hard to please. Their tastes tend to be low. The more vulgar the movie, the more likely you will make money. If you try to do something different or try to say something true to your beliefs, you might end up with

819-439: Is known as the studio zone . Many location shoots, however, are far from the home studio, sometimes on the other side of the world. In these instances, location shooting can provide significant economic development benefits to the area in which they are shot. Cast and crew heavily rely upon local facilities such as catering, transportation, and accommodations. A film that becomes a blockbuster hit can introduce movie audiences around

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858-767: Is the shooting of a film or television production in a real-world setting rather than a sound stage or backlot . The location may be interior or exterior. The filming location may be the same in which the story is set (for example, scenes in the film The Interpreter were set and shot inside the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan ), or it may stand in for a different locale (the films Amadeus and The Illusionist were primarily set in Vienna , but were filmed in Prague ). Most films feature

897-557: The Isle of Man , a crown dependency of the United Kingdom, have dedicated film offices to encourage location shooting, and to suggest appropriate locations to film-makers. In many cases a second unit is dispatched to film on location, with a second unit director and sometimes with stand-in actors. These shots can then be edited into the final film or TV program alongside studio-shot sequences, to give an authentic flavor, without

936-569: The "Hong Kong Cult Meister ." In 2011, the  Hong Kong Film Archive published a bilingual edition of  Kuei Chih-Hung, the Rebel in the System , a look at his life and films. That same year, the 35th  Hong Kong International Film Festival  paid tribute to Kuei with a seven-film retrospective , including screenings of  The Teahouse ,  Killer Constable  and the  Hex  series. Kuei's son,  Ming Beaver Kwei ,

975-476: The comedy Misfire , in 1984, before immigrating to the United States, where he opened a pizza restaurant. Kuei died of liver cancer in 1999 at the age of 61. Though often overlooked due to his penchant for exploitation genres and his early retirement from the film industry, Kuei Chih-Hung's films have received a renewed appreciation and attention in recent years. Today, he is often fondly referred to as

1014-477: The corruption and betrayal he is assigned to vanquish lies at the highest levels of power. The film was praised for its dark, violent tone, vivid on-location cinematography and genuine pathos. Kuei's directorial credits during the 1980s also included Corpse Mania , Bewitched and The Boxer's Omen . With the rise of Hong Kong's New Wave filmmakers, a fresh cinematic style was emerging, though Kuei did not get to participate in this movement. He made one last film,

1053-580: The films were still finding an audience, decades later. “He’d bitch about his work every day, never quite satisfied how his work had turned out, or how it was being distributed. He was only ever happy when he knew for a day that a film had worked at the box office, then he’d start worrying again. He’d be so happy to know that his films were getting a second look today.” With more of his films now available on home video and streaming platforms, Kuei's bold, iconoclastic approach and distinctive auteur style continue to reach new film audiences. Kuei's maverick career

1092-408: The filthiest horror movies ever to leave a slime trail across the silver screen. Kuei applied the technical chops of Lau Kar-leung to exploitation material. He had Chang Cheh’s obsession with violence, but he was willing to offend his audience in a way that Cheh wasn’t.” Kuei's ‘80s-era horror films have gained a following in the United States in recent years. The Boxer’s Omen , in particular, has

1131-465: The hell was this film made?’.” The New York Asian Film Festival has called Kuei “ one of the Shaw Brothers’ best and most underrated directors” and screened three of his films — Killer Constable , The Delinquent and Killers on Wheels — in 2014. "I fell in love with movies in high school and had been itching to make one of my own. But I did not have the money so I made a projector out of

1170-617: The large Shaw Brothers Studio, Kuei gained a reputation as one of the most promising assistant film directors on numerous Hong Kong productions. In 1970, at the age of 34, he finally got the opportunity to direct a feature, Love Song Over the Sea . Shot in Singapore and Malaysia, the troubled production was initially suspended after the film's star Peter Chen Ho , fell ill. The original director, Shi Mashan , left due to contractual reasons, allowing Kuei to step in. Pleased with his work on this film,

1209-552: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kuei&oldid=1248845693 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Kuei Chih-Hung Kuei was born in Guangzhou (in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong ) on 20 December 1937. Kuei's passion for cinema began as

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1248-470: The quality of the movie and your own livelihood. Shaw Brothers is at least well-equipped. If you need a set for a period movie, for example, just take a look in the sculpture room of the studio and you will find Shanghainese masters who specialize in making antique furniture. It is also true that New Wave directors have raised the standard. Now I can ask my crew, 'How do we compete with them when we are complacent?'" Location shooting Location shooting

1287-503: The realism approach. But in Hong Kong, that is so hard to do. If you make a movie about the mob, you may offend the real mob. If you object to the lenient sentences for juvenile delinquents, you may be condemned as 'agitator'. And if you include provocative dialogues, you may be mistaken as being political." "A lot of people in Hong Kong tend to indulge themselves in mahjong playing and turn a blind eye to social problems. They think that as long as they do not get mugged themselves, everything

1326-413: The studio quickly gave him a number of directorial projects, including the musical comedy, A Time for Love and The Lady Professional (1971), both starring Lily Ho . In 1973, he joined forces with the popular Shaw Brothers filmmaker, Chang Cheh , co-directing The Delinquent , an edgy action drama about a young dishwasher who falls into a life of crime. Though a collaboration between the two men, it

1365-528: The use of hundreds of live poisonous snakes. Kuei continued to challenge himself by directing segments for The Criminals film series, an acclaimed anthology based on actual Hong Kong cases. His episodes (across four films from 1975 to 1977) included "The Deaf Mute Killer," "The Informer" and "Arson". During the late '70s, Kuei also expanded his filmography to include Cantonese-language comedies ( Mr. Funnybone , Crazy Imposters , The Reckless Cricket ) and kung fu ( The Iron Dragon Strikes Back ). The 1980s saw

1404-410: The versatile Kuei reinventing himself once again, this time with the popular supernatural fantasy, Hex and its two sequels, Hex vs. Witchcraft and Hex After Hex . The latter contained Kuei's signature social satire, taking on such hot-button topics as real estate development and Hong Kong's looming reunification with China . In fact, an early cut of the 1982 film featured a sequence where a character

1443-557: The world to a visually breathtaking location that they were previously unaware of, as the Lord of the Rings trilogy did for New Zealand . This can boost tourism for years or even decades. Location shooting usually requires a location manager , and locations are usually chosen by a location scout . Many popular locations, such as New York City in the United States, Toronto in Canada, and

1482-419: Was the subject of one of Film Comment writer Grady Hendrix's “Kaiju Shakedown” columns in 2015: “But while he was regarded as minor league during his time at Shaw Brothers, today he’s a giant, standing alongside Chang Cheh and Lau Kar-leung as one of the best directors the studio produced. A pissed off perfectionist with proletarian sensibilities, he directed groundbreaking, realistic crime flicks and some of

1521-566: Was widely criticized for its cheap look because it was obviously filmed on an architecturally ambiguous set against the chaparral -covered hills of Burbank. Shooting outside of the home country is sometimes used to bypass union rules, labor regulations, or work stoppages. It can also allow "frozen" currency to be used: the 1968 movie Kelly's Heroes was filmed in Yugoslavia using profits that had been made on movie exhibitions in that country but could not be exported. Conversely, there are

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