THE MAGNIFICENT COUNDRELS,

DIR.LEE LIK CHI (1991)

University Hall, Central and Western District, Hong Kong

University Hall is used as a wedding place, scenes from Cinema City Company Limited’s The Magnificent Scoundrels 1991, directed by Lee Lik Chi.

Cinema City Company Limited released The Magnificent Scoundrels in 1991.In the movie, there is an impressive building, that is, the University Hall of Hong Kong University. In the movie, the University Hall is used as a wedding place for the ex-girlfriend of the leading actor. There is a wedding car to pick up the new couple in front of the University Hall, and there are relatives and friends who come to congratulate in the University Hall. In addition, some red ribbons are tied to the ladder handrail of the University Hall. However, in real life, Hong Kong University purchased the University Hall in 1954, and officially used it as a dormitory for boys and named it a University Hall in 1956.

The reason why the University Hall is used as a wedding place is closely related to its appearance. First of all, there is a revolving ladder in front of the University Hall, which symbolizes that the new couples are heading for the marriage hall when they step on the ladder. Secondly, the building is mainly silver, which coincides with the wedding dress of the new couple. Furthermore, the University Hall is a blend of Tudor and neo-Gothic architecture. Neo-Gothic architecture is often found in churches or castles, while church is just an important place for Western-style weddings, while castle is the most suitable place for many girls to hold weddings.

University Hall is used as cultural context. The red ribbon tied to the handrail of the ladder has something to do with the history of Hong Kong. Hong Kong used to be a British colony. Western culture had a profound influence on Hong Kong, so Hong Kong people preferred to hold Western-style weddings. However, Hong Kong people were also influenced by Chinese mainland culture. For them, marriage is a happy event. In China, red symbolizes happiness, for this reason a red ribbon is tied on the ladder handrail of the University Hall. These are the reasons why the University Hall of Hong Kong University serves as a wedding venue and is so decorated. The University Hall is also used as narrative device. All the stories started because the ex-girlfriend of the male lead called him in the University Hall and told him that she had married someone else because her family didn’t agree with the idle male lead. Here, we can get a general understanding of the male lead’s characters. The male lead is an idle and unworthy person. Later, the sad male lead met the poor lead actress. The male lead and lead actress planned to pay their debts by stealing other people’s finances, and then met another group of thieves in the mansion. The development of the story begins with the ex-girlfriend of the male lead getting married in a university hall.

Generally speaking, the University Hall is used as cultural context and narrative device in The Magnificent Scoundrels. It is not used as a dormitory for male student, instead, as a wedding place for new couples.

University Hall is used as a dormitory for student now, scenes from Cinema City Company Limited’s The Magnificent Scoundrels 1991, directed by Lee Lik Chi.

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