Young and Dangerous is a film that mainly focuses on how a bunch of teens or young adults get into mafias or gangs and describes how they struggle to live every day, as there is a saying when you decided to be a triad member, you are putting one foot in the death chamber and the other in the police station. But somehow this movie is able to impress the audience as they can show the bromance between the triad members and their loyalty to each other, and their dedication to reaching the top of the gang. And this film took place mostly at Wanchai and Causeway Bay, as we all know these two places are the center of Hong Kong and the buildings there can represent Hong Kong the best.
In the film, all these places are presented in a way where it is very spooky and unhygienic, and you will feel uncomfortable if you put yourselves into that particular scene. But this is what makes this film successful as it can provide an uneasy texture to the audience, to let them feel being a triad member is always unjustified and exiled. For example, in the scene, one of the triad members is getting beat by another gang member as he betrayed his own brothers, we can see the alley is full of trash and it is unhygienic, this creates a mood that is uncanny and hair-raising. Also, most of the scenes are taken at night time instead of morning or noon, and the reason for this is because the triad members usually commit crimes at night time as it will be harder for citizens or policemen to prevent or spot their actions.
Although I did not expect the place now will be a hundred percent same as the scene, but when I arrived at the place I almost fail to recognize the places that are taken for the movie as it really changed over time. All the shops are different and the buildings are renewed which it is a bit challenging to catch the actual places. And how the buildings are seen and experienced now are completely different when I arrived at the place, it did not give me any spooky or terrifying feelings as I arrived there at noontime, but still, the actual places are way more hygienic compared to the movie.
To conclude, I think the movie did a really great job of presenting Hong Kong as they gave a few shots of the popular buildings and streets, and they are able to give out a strong contrast on poor and rich at the same time, using the unhygienic streets and the rich triad member’s sportscars.
Angus Lam Yee Yin u3574304
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As the movie is set at night, why did you choose to visit the site during the day? There could have been a closer comparison since you have already pointed out the difference between scenes during the day and night. You have noted Wanchai and Causeway Bay are located at the centre of Hong Kong; in your opinion, why do you think setting a triad movie at the centre is important? why did they pick Wanchai and Causeway Bay specifically for the movie? Wanchai, especially around Lockhart Road at night is considered the downmarket bar district (having Lan Kwai Fong / SoHo as the upmarket counterpart) as well as the red-light district (like Portland Street); it would be great if you delve a little more into the culture of Wanchai and Causeway Bay in the discussion.