The Hong Kong Film Archive is currently hosting an exhibition titled “Legends of HK Film Comedies, 1980s and 1990s,” running through October 19th at 50 Lei King road, sai Wan Ho. The exhibition, which coincides with the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival 2025 and its “More Than Joy” theme, also follows up on the HKFA‘s “Laughter Double Bill” film series from April.
Upon entering, visitors are met with a vibrant display of film posters and the sounds of merriment. The air-conditioned space offers a welcome respite, with one area featuring elderly visitors enjoying video interviews with prominent comedic talents from the city. Elsewhere, a family engages in an impromptu karaoke session.
The exhibition is structured into four themed sections: Classic Combos, The Art of Exaggeration, Laughing with the Times, and The Nonsensical Art of Mo Lei Tau, covering the two decades of Hong Kong film comedy. Video screens showcase approximately 100 classic film scenes in a continuous loop, including highlights from Wheels on Meals (1984) and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World (1987). Attendees are invited to revisit the comedic performances of stars like the two Chows, Lydia Shum, and the Hui brothers, Michael and Sam.
A dedicated room presents two videos, The Birth of Comedy and Behind the Jokes: The Making of a Comedian. These films feature filmmakers such as Wong Jing and Mak Kai-kwon, alongside actors Teresa Mo and Sandra ng, as they discuss thier creative processes. Kenxi Lau Ching-wai, assistant curator (programming) at HKFA, explained that these videos delve into how filmmakers brainstorm comedy concepts, cast actors, and develop their scripts, noting the diverse approaches to scriptwriting, from solo efforts to collaborative brainstorming. Lau also highlighted insights into how actors embody their characters, often incorporating personal traits into their roles.
A notably engaging feature is the “Happy Karaoke Sing-A-Long” lounge, where visitors can enjoy and sing along to popular songs from films like “Ex-love is Like a dream” from 92 Legendary la Rose Noire and “We Meet Again Stranger” from All’s Well End’s Well, both released in 1992.
Further information can be found at www.filmarchive.gov.hk.