SINGAPORE – After six decades of kicking, punching and performing death-defying stunts on the silver screen, Hong Kong martial arts movie star and film-maker Sammo Hung says he is most proud of himself for staying alive.
The 72-year-old tells The Straits Times in a video call: “I’m still alive, I’m still here and I hope I can do what I’m doing for however long I can. I want to show what I can do to the best of my ability.”
Hung trained in martial arts, acting and acrobatics under his sifu, or master – gongfu artist Yu Jim Yuen – and made his film debut at the age of nine.
Since then, he has worked on more than 200 movies. He is credited with reinventing the martial arts genre in Hong Kong, particularly the horror-comedy-action blend of jiangshi (Chinese zombies) movies such as Encounters Of The Spooky Kind (1980), which he wrote, directed and starred in. In Painted Faces (1988), which depicted his childhood story, he acted as master Yu.
Hung will be sharing his experiences in a two-hour masterclass held at Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore on May 4. The masterclass is presented by the Asian Film Awards Academy and is part of the Singapore Chinese Film Festival’s (SCFF) line-up of events.
This year’s SCFF, which has curated 45 films for screening, runs from April 26 to May 5.
While tickets to the free masterclass have all been snapped up, SCFF is also showing five of Hung’s movies: Warriors Two (1978), Encounter Of The Spooky Kind, Winners And Sinners (1983), Painted Faces and The Bodyguard (2016). This is for the festival’s Filmmaker In Focus segment.
The veteran was given two lifetime achievement awards recently, at the Asian Film Awards in 2023 and the Hong Kong Film Awards earlier in April.
While Hung was touched by the industry’s recognition of his work, he admits feeling torn about the accolades.
“The term ‘lifetime achievement’ – it sounds as if there’s nothing left to achieve. It feels a bit early for that,” he says.
“My brain still feels 28, although my body is probably closer to someone who is 90. I’m touched because I never thought I’d get a lifetime achievement award, but it also feels like I’m being hastened to retire. These are conflicting feelings.”
There are still things Hung wants to accomplish in his career. Bringing home a Best Director trophy, for one thing. His output as director includes Warriors Two, Winners And Sinners, The Bodyguard and Wheels On Meals (1984). Wheels starred him, Jackie Chan and Yuen Biao, who had all trained as children under master Yu.
Hung says: “I’ve won lifetime achievement awards, acting awards and for stunt and action choreography, but not once for directing. If I do 10 more films, I’ll be happy if even one nabs a best director prize, or even a nomination for it.”
Another wish he hopes can come true? Filming a steamy, passionate sex scene.
He says in jest: “I’ve had some comedic scenes that allude to sex, but I’ve never done a proper, romantic one with kisses and all. And who’s going to pay to watch me do that now?”
While Hung found fame as an action and gongfu star and has continued to further action cinema with his directing, he is worried about the future of the genre.
Most of the best known martial arts stars in Chinese cinema are veterans like Hung’s lifelong friend Chan, 70, as well as actors such as Jet Li and Donnie Yen, who are in their 60s.
Since the 1990s, Hong Kong films have been on the decline, with funding shortages and fewer titles getting made.
He laments: “Sure, you can teach rookie actors martial arts. But all they’ll be doing is filming themselves doing kicks on their phones. There are no opportunities for them.
“The film industry is very tough now, and action movies are particularly expensive to shoot. There aren’t many movies that make money, and even those that do struggle to get a sequel made. It’s heartbreaking.”
Still, Hong Kong movies have not completely lost their sparkle. Hung’s latest movie is Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In, which will premiere in the Midnight Screening segment at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The period action piece, directed by Soi Cheang, also stars Louis Koo and Raymond Lam.
The film is slated to premiere in Singapore shortly after its Cannes screening.
Just do not expect to see Hung hanging out in the French city.
“I was like, ‘Please don’t ask me to go to Cannes.’ But they did invite me and I turned it down. At my age, it’s too far to travel for just a two-day trip and then rush back to Hong Kong for work,” he says.
He is, however, more than happy to come to Singapore. The star, who loves Hainanese chicken rice and bak kut teh, has fond memories here.
Recalling the long-gone Orchard Road street-dining venue Glutton’s Square, he says: “When I used to film in Singapore, over 40 years ago, we would frequent this place called Carpark. It was a carpark by day that turned into a night market with hawkers. I liked the softshell turtle soup there.”
Book It / Singapore Chinese Film Festival
Where: Select Golden Village movie theatres
Admission: $14.50 to $15.50. Tickets are available at all GV box offices and via www.gv.com.sg
Info: www.scff.sg
