Hong Kong Film Archive, Part 2

Oops, I ended up watching North by Northwest on Saturday rather than Vertigo, which I watched yesterday afternoon instead. Couldn't get tickets to Psycho. I really enjoyed both movies. North by Northwest was extremely charming, and Vertigo is so much better on the big screen. Hitchcock's pacing is so good, I was really tense all throughout Vertigo even though I knew what was coming.

Anyway, on Saturday night, after the screening, I found that there were all these lovely youths hanging out at the plaza next to the Film Archive and dancing. (I should mention that Sai Wan Ho has a youth centre over at Holy Cross Path, which I shall write about some time. They often have music shows there, where I once saw the MOST BEAUTIFUL teenager. It was hard not to stare at him. However, I had to keep my eyes elsewhere because I didn't want to end up on To Catch a Predator saying "I'm sorry" and eating a cookie.)

I asked one of the girls if they were practising for some kind of school competition, and she said that they just liked to meet up there and dance. Isn't that great?

These were breakdancers. I couldn't get a decent shot, unfortunately.

Ugh, flash went off by accident. Awful picture, sorry.

I wore that fringed leather shawl collar thing that I got at DNA Galleria. It was just under HKD250, again, I think a very reasonable price considering how versatile it is!

One of the things I forgot to mention previously is that sales people can get pushy in Hong Kong as most of them work on commission. Just simply thank them or smile and say that you can handle things on your own, and most will back off. I have to say, though, that sometimes, I take a look at the suggestions that sales people give. I tend to gravitate towards the clothing and shoes that I have always liked, but I try to keep an open mind because you never know which item you would never have considered before might end up being a much-loved and much-worn possession, right?

Some of my most beloved accessories or pieces of clothing were suggestions made to me by sales people, items that I would never have looked at in the first place. This fringed collar is one of them. I would never have looked at it if the sales chick didn't thrust it in my hands. And now I really love it. It's simply amazing over sheer blouses and dresses. Since I have no boobs, I don't have to wear a bra and I can still preserve my modesty. And the collar's look can go from hard-edged to almost cowboy-ish.

Here, it's a bit on the cowboy side with a denim skirt and a vintage sheer blouse I stole from my mother (she has the sexiest clothing, I'm not sure if I could walk around with some of her things without getting stopped by the police).

I know this picture is weird because I just took it in some random doorway. Yes, that's my bottles of sake that I was drinking on the way home. Here's another tip: you can drink alcohol in public in Hong Kong. It's particularly refreshing to walk around with cold sake in the summer.

And here's a picture I took of Chabi on the living room daybed when I got home. She was irritated because I woke her up from her beauty sleep, that spoiled salbahe cat.

Hong Kong Film Archive

I went to the Hong Kong Film Archive to watch Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca, one of the films they're showing for the Hitchcock Retrospective. Rebecca was one of the banned books when I was studying in convent school in Manila. After I managed to get my hands on it, I was kind of puzzled as to why. There wasn't anything remotely sexy in it, especially compared to those bodice rippers that we were allowed to read, for some reason, that contained phrases like "pulsating rod" that really make you confused about human anatomy.

Still, I enjoyed the book, even though I didn't quite like the narrator, who seemed like a wet rag next to the evil Rebecca (who I imagined looked like Joan Collins -- one of my aunties loved Dynasty so I got to watch it, as well).

Anyway, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed with Hitchcock's version. I don't know if the copy that the Film Archive has is just messed up, but there were a lot of dodgy cuts and weird editing. Also, I didn't like the music that was chosen -- yeah, I'm acting like I know better than Hitchcock -- and I felt like Joan Fontaine's acting was really lacking next to Laurence Olivier and, especially, Judith Anderson.

My experience was also slightly marred by these two loud middle-aged bitches sitting next to me who wouldn't stop talking. I kept shushing them, and they would actually turn their heads to stare at me in shock for having the nerve to shush them. Finally, I issued a really loud "TSK!" which seemed to work for a little bit. So annoying!

I have a couple more films that I got tickets to: Psycho and Vertigo, which I will be watching next weekend. Psycho has special significance for me because it was the first film I ever watched. When I was around one, I think, my father took me to a special screening, and apparently, I was so scared that I was ill for a week or something.

I highly recommend checking out the regular offerings of the Film Archive over here, especially for the rare Chinese and Hong Kong films that they show. When else would you get a chance to see some classics on a big screen? Plus, I really like the staff there. They are really friendly and don't laugh at you when you trip as you look for your seat.

Vintage Hong Kong actors and actresses.

I have no idea what this is, but it's on display in the lobby. I know it's some kind of film equipment, but it also looks like it belongs in the military.

The exterior of the Film Archive. To get to this place, exit the MTR at Sai Wan Ho Station Exit A. Get your ass to the McDonald's and you'll see two flyovers. You'll have to cross the street below the flyovers and keep walking left. DON'T TRUST THE SIGNS POINTING YOU TO THE FILM ARCHIVE. Those signs are liars! Maybe I should write a letter of complaint because those signs will lead you to a residential block where old people will be frightened of you as you walk around in the rain cursing and looking for the Film Archive.

If you see this plaza, you'll know you're heading in the right direction. The Film Archive is around the corner from the building at the end.

Since Rebecca is somewhat Gothic in tone -- or at least, the book is -- I thought I'd recall my university years and dress Goth-y, too. Also, I'd just finished making a crown of thorns, and I wanted to test it out to see if it was comfortable.

You know, one of the things I love about cities like Hong Kong and Tokyo, no one gives a shit about how you look. No local will say anything to you (maybe an occasional glance, but that's it) and people will let you live your life unmolested. I don't get why people say New York is like this when there is always some stranger who's going to make a comment, whether positive or negative. In Hong Kong, people genuinely leave you alone and are really tolerant.

I think I've gotten really complacent because I just go out wearing whatever I feel like, but sometimes, shitty things happen that remind me of how much I take Hong Kong people's open-mindedness for granted.

I went to a birthday barbecue after the film (which I might write an entry about). The party was in Happy Valley, so I decided to take a streetcar up. I sat down across two Filipino tourists(?) who looked at me and then started laughing derisively and mocking me in Filipino, which they obviously didn't know I spoke.

I glared at them, and I had a few nasty remarks I so wanted to say, but I held my tongue. I'm trying really hard to be a good Buddhist and part of that is removing your anger and not extending misery onto others. I'm still not completely satisfied, but I guess, in the end, what does it matter what two people I don't know or care about think of me?

I'm just going to take this as a reminder to appreciate how lucky I am to live here.