The Secret (1979 film)
| The Secret | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Ann Hui |
| Written by | Joyce Chan |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | David Chung (鍾志文) |
| Edited by | Yu Chan-fung (余燦峰) |
| Music by | Lam Manyee |
Release date |
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Running time |
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| Country | Hong Kong |
| Language | Cantonese |
The Secret (Chinese: 瘋劫) is a 1979 Hong Kong thriller film directed by Ann Hui. It is Hui's debut feature film.[1]
Plot
The plot is based on the "Double Corpse Murder Case" that happened on Mount Lung Fu in 1970.[2]
Production
The film was loosely based on a real-life double murder in Pok Fu Lam in May 1970.[3] As reported by the South China Morning Post on 18 May 1970, a young man and woman were found dead on a hill on Pok Fu Lam Road the night before. The couple had been strangled, and had their hands bound behind them.[4]
Release and reception
The Secret was released in Hong Kong on 1 November 1979.[5] According to a positive review by Asian Movie Pulse, The Secret is a "bright debut for a directress that managed to analyse Hong Kong identity within the frame of a commercial success".[2]
Accolades
The film received two awards at the 17th Golden Horse Awards: Best Cinematography (David Chung), and Best Film Editing (Yu Chan-fung). It also earned three nominations for Best Narrative Feature, Best Director (Hui), and Best Original Screenplay (Chan).[6]
Post-release
In 2017, the Hong Kong Film Archive restored The Secret using newly-discovered footage. Missing scenes and the film's dialogue track were sourced from Betacam and VHS copies of the film.[3] The runtime of the restored version is 90 minutes, five minutes longer than the edited version.[7][8] The Hong Kong Film Archive later issued the restored version on Blu-ray in 2019, re-releasing a second edition in 2022.[9]
Legacy
The Hong Kong Film Awards listed The Secret at number 31 in its ranking of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures in 2005. This list was voted on by a panel of industry professionals.[10] In 2011, the Hong Kong Film Archive included The Secret in its 100 Must-See Hong Kong Films exhibition in 2011. This programme consisted of films considered by the curators to be the most representative of Hong Kong cinema.[11][12]
References
- ^ Gilman, Sean (27 April 2021). "Ann Hui Capsule Reviews". The Chinese Cinema. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b Rosati, Adriana (17 May 2021). "Film Review: The Secret (1979) by Ann Hui". Asian Movie Pulse. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
- ^ a b Havis, Richard James (25 February 2024). "How Ann Hui's film directing debut The Secret, based on a real-life double murder case, helped usher in the Hong Kong New Wave cinema movement". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Hutton, Mercedes (18 May 2020). "A young Hong Kong couple were murdered in 1970, their suspected killer was never convicted". Post. South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "The Secret". LCSD Museums Collection Search Portal. Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival Nominees and Winners". Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival (in Chinese). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "HK Film Archive to present 'Revisiting the New Wave' (with photos)" (Press release). The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. 24 February 2017. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "The Secret (Restored Version)". Hong Kong Film Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "The Secret (Blu-ray Disc) (Reprint)". Hong Kong Film Archive. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ "The Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures". Hong Kong Film Awards (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
- ^ Marsh, James (19 September 2011). "Hong Kong Film Archive Presents 100 Must-See Movies". ScreenAnarchy. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "100 Must-See Hong Kong Movies" (PDF). Hong Kong Film Archive. 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 January 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
External links
- The Secret at IMDb