Reading Response 1
Seng(2020) analysed a movie called Black Rose (Hak Mui Gwai) in 1965, which is an early local noir thrilled movie. The main character was a pair of sisters called Chan, who are from high society. However, under the table, they are vigilantes who steal from wealthy and benefits the poor. By Seng(2020), the film reflected the current ideologies in Hong Kong: The film appeared because of the inspiration of James Bond series and the rising of women’s status. Apart from the noir thrilled movie which reflects the fancy life of high society, another common movie genre at the time was melodrama, which mainly focuses on the struggling of working class. This shows the polarized society of Hong Kong, implying the issue of disparity between different classes. Hong Kong citizens complained about the inequality and low upward mobility of the society, meanwhile, they insisted an undeniable desire to be as a high society.
Despite of the conflicts between different classes, there is still something worthy for a respect. That would be the rising of women status. If you see through the traditional Chinese lens, females are mostly a backdrop of males. Although there were some legends like Mulan, which spread the trend of female main character, the main components of Chinese stories are still male characters. By the rise of movies like Black Rose(1965) and Elevator Girl(1965), it could be seen that the female characters are getting more and more attention at the time.
Reference:
Seng, E. (2020). Noirs: The City, the Woman and Other Spaces. In Resistant City: Histories, Maps and the Architecture of Development (pp. 60-77). World Scientific Press.