The 7th Annual Film Festival featured recent as well as brand new works from the Asia Pacific. Courtesy of Hkinsf.com/4star

7th Annual Asian Film Fest Revisits Small SF Theater

By Jorgio Castro

Even as the barrage of huge summer blockbusters has slowed its assault on cineplexes around the city, and the end of the biggest movie season draws near, the 4 Star Theater in San Francisco (see the July 18th issue) brought one of its biggest attractions out. The art house once again played host to its acclaimed 7th Annual Asian Film Festival. The three week long program, running from August 7th to the 28th, featured 43 new, recent, and classic films from throughout the Asia Pacific region.

A poster showing off the diversity of the film festival. Courtesy of Hkinsf.com/4star

Unfortunately, this festival required an individual admission to each film that you wanted to view, which was a steep price to pay at $8.00 a ticket. Due to these high prices, this APA writer deftly selected one film to take in, and that film in question was Allen Lan's "Flying Dragon, Leaping Tiger," a fairly recent film starring Sammo Hung, recently released in America under the weighty banner of Miramax Films.

Sammo Hung stars in martial arts fantasy fun alongside Cheng Pei Pei and others. Courtesy of Hkinsf.com/4star

In the movie Hung plays Lu Zheng Yang, a bandit at the end of the Ming dynasty (mid - 17th century for non-history buffs). As an unfortunate result of coming to the aid of his sworn brother Kiu Hung (played by Fong Ji Go), Yang misses the birth of his son. Yang's wife Liu Ru Yan (Cheng Pei Pei), understandably dismayed, takes their son and leaves Yang. To add a dash of insult to a pinch of injury, Kiu then betrays him. Years pass and, of course, the three gain martial arts prowess beyond all compare. Twenty years hence they all come together once again to settle old scores on the mean streets of the Silk Road.

Films both new and old were on exhibit at the 4 Star Theater. Courtesy of Hkinsf.com/4star

The story is a time-weathered concoction of many a Hong Kong cinematic feature, but what keeps the movie from being thoroughly enjoyable is the uninspired and mechanically contrived action sequences; nothing screams creativity or inspires awe. What should've been the most exciting parts of the film only inspired me to check my watch and/or hit the bathroom. Sammo Hung delivers a strong performance as usual, as does most of the cast, but the plot of the film itself wasn't anything to get terribly excited over.

However, that was just one of the 43 films on display this year, the largest collection since the festival's inception in 1996. Other films shown this year included revivals of "Fists of Fury," in tribute to the 30th anniversary of martial arts legend Bruce Lee's death, and "Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman." There were also a number of premieres, including "Public Toilet" by Fruit Chan, and "Yamashita: The Tiger's Treasure," a critically acclaimed Filipino action flick. The selection marked a shift in the focus of the festival, as there was a noticeable dearth of documentaries and short subject pieces, replaced by an overabundance of melodramatic/comedic action, a sign of the changing times and changing tastes.

Although lacking some of the edginess in years gone by with its selection of films, the 4 Star Theater once again provides an enjoyable selection for those looking for a cinematic experience off the beaten path. If you missed the festival, all indications are that it will be back in full splendor in August of 2004.

Visit www.hkinsf.com/4star for more information on the 4 Star Theater.

August 29, 2003