Days of Being Wild

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Days of Being Wild
Days-of-being-wild-poster.jpg
Film poster for Days of Being Wild
Directed by Wong Kar-wai
Produced by Alan Tang
Written by Wong Kar-wai
Starring Leslie Cheung
Andy Lau
Maggie Cheung
Carina Lau
Jacky Cheung
Music by Terry Chan
Leuribna-Lombardo Oflyne
Cinematography Christopher Doyle
Edited by Kai Kit-wai
Patrick Tam
Distributed by In-Gear Films
Release dates
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  • 15 December 1990 (1990-12-15)
Running time
 94 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Shanghainese
Mandarin
Filipino
English
Box office US$146,310 (Worldwide)[1]

Days of Being Wild (Chinese: 阿飛正傳) is a 1990 Hong Kong drama film directed by Wong Kar-wai. The film stars some of the best-known actors and actresses in Hong Kong, including Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Days of Being Wild also marks the first collaboration between Wong and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, with whom he has since made six more films.[2][3]

The movie forms the first part of an informal trilogy, together with In the Mood for Love (released in 2000) and 2046 (released in 2004).[3]

Plot details

The movie is set in Hong Kong and the Philippines in 1960. Yuddy[citation needed], or 'York' in English (Leslie Cheung), is a playboy in Hong Kong and is well known for stealing girls' hearts and breaking them. His first lover in the film is Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), who suffers emotional and mental depression as a result of Yuddy's[citation needed] wayward attitude. Li-zhen eventually seeks much-needed solace from a sympathetic policeman named Tide (Andy Lau). Their near-romance is often hinted at but never materializes.

York's next romance is with a vivacious cabaret dancer whose stage name is Mimi (Carina Lau). Mimi is also loved by York's best friend, Zeb (Jacky Cheung). Unsurprisingly, York dumps her too and she begins a period of self-destruction. York initiates romantic relationships but refuses to commit to the relationship and is unwilling to make compromises. He is conflicted about his feelings about his adoptive mother, a former prostitute played by Rebecca Pan, and is obsessed about his biological mother, who he eventually discovers is a Filipino aristocrat.

Analysis

Almost entirely ignored on its original release, the film has gathered strong critical interest over time, and has a Metacritic score of 96%.[4] Critics praise the film for its beauty and eroticism, though some do not discern a narrative arc that brings the pieces together.

Cast and roles

  • Leslie Cheung as Yuddy[citation needed]
  • Andy Lau as Tide, policeman 6117, who becomes a friend and confidant of Su Li-zhen and later, after the death of his mother, he becomes a sailor and goes to the Philippines
  • Maggie Cheung as Su Li-zhen, who grew up in Macau and is the ex-girlfriend of Yuddy
  • Carina Lau as Leung Fung-ying, Mimi/Lulu, the girlfriend of Yuddy
  • Rebecca Pan as Rebecca, a former prostitute who raises Yuddy, has a love-and-hate relationship with Yuddy, because she refuses to reveal the identity of Yuddy's biological mother
  • Jacky Cheung as Zeb, Yuddy's friend since childhood; Yuddy used to live above Zeb's family's garage as a kid; Zeb fancies Mimi/Lulu
  • Danilo Antunes as Rebecca's lover, who only goes for her money
  • Hung Mei-mei as The Amah
  • Ling Ling-hung as Nurse
  • Tita Muñoz as Yuddy's Mother
  • Alicia Alonzo as Housekeeper
  • Elena Lim So as Hotel Manageress
  • Maritoni Fernandez as Hotel Maid
  • Angela Ponos as Prostitute
  • Nonong Talbo as Train Conductor
  • Tony Leung Chiu-wai as Gambler

Music

  • Los Indios Tabajaras, "Always In My Heart"
  • Xavier Cugat
  • Leslie Cheung performed the song 何去何從之阿飛正傳 loosely translated as 'Choice' or 'The True Story of Ah Fei' as the film's theme song and is also found in his album Beloved (寵愛).
  • 梅豔芳 (Anita Mui) – 是這樣的 – the Cantonese cover of the theme song and is featured at the end of the film during the credits.

Box office

Days of Being Wild grossed HK $9,751,942 in its Hong Kong run,[5] a number that would become typical for a Wong Kar Wai film. With the starry cast, this figure was considered a disappointment. Still, the film was successful enough to warrant a parody (The Days of Being Dumb, which also featured Tony Leung), and now routinely tops Hong Kong critics' lists of the best local productions.

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations
Ceremony Category Recipient Outcome
10th Hong Kong Film Awards Best Film Days of Being Wild Won
Best Director Wong Kar-wai Won
Best Screenplay Wong Kar-wai Nominated
Best Actor Leslie Cheung Won
Best Actress Carina Lau Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Rebecca Pan Nominated
Best Cinematography Christopher Doyle Won
Best Art Direction William Chang Won
Best Film Editing Patrick Tam Nominated
37th Asia Pacific Film Festival Best Actor Leslie Cheung Nominated
2nd Golden Bauhinia Awards Best Hong Kong film of the last 10 years Days of Being Wild Won
24th Hong Kong Film Awards Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures (#3) Days of Being Wild Won
Top 100 Favorite movies of Chinese Cinema (#2) Days of Being Wild Won
48th Golden Horse Awards 100 Greatest Chinese-Language Films (#4) Days of Being Wild Won

See also

References

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External links

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  4. ↑ http://www.metacritic.com/movie/days-of-being-wild-re-release
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