More Summer Appointmentry

I love Hong Kong cinema... and all summer the Smithsonian is showing free HK films:

		Throw Down Friday, July 8, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, July 10, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium A tribute to the great Akira Kurosawa, the grace and beauty of judo, and the neon-lit nighttime streets of Hong Kong, this wonderfully deadpan comedy was directed by Johnnie To, one of Hong Kong's most talented and prolific auteurs. It follows the exploits of an alcoholic former judo champion who now runs a seedy bar and the young disciple who tries to convince him to return to the sport he once loved. 2004 / 95 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles

		Kung Fu Hustle Friday, July 15, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, July 17, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Stephen Chow, the clown prince of Hong Kong cinema, has made a career out of mercilessly lampooning everything from sports to cherished Chinese legends. His latest is an anarchic, relentlessly hilarious homage to - and parody of - classic martial arts movies. Featuring a cast of legendary Hong Kong action stars, it pits the ragtag denizens of a rundown slum against the dapper and ruthless Axe Gang in action sequences fueled by some of the most outrageous special effects ever devised. 2004 / 95 min. / Cantonese and Mandarin with English subtitles

		DragonBlade Friday, July 22, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, July 24, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Don't miss the chance to see Hong Kong's first CGI-animated blockbuster. Every bit as dazzling to watch as Shrek or The Incredibles, Antony Szeto's fantastic fable follows a teenage martial arts fanatic who sets out on an adventure in search of the legendary DragonBlade, a magical weapon that can only be wielded by the pure of heart and noble of spirit. 2005 / 82 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles.

		Love Eterne Friday, July 29, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, July 31, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium One of the all-time Hong Kong classics, this film directed by Han Hsiang-li tells the story of a young woman in fourth-century China who, against her parents' wishes, disguises herself as a man so she can go away to school. While there, she secretly falls in love with another young scholar. Will she be able to reveal her secret before it is too late? Adapted from the famous Chinese opera The Butterfly Lovers, this lavish production by the famed Shaw Brothers Studio features singing, dancing, beautiful traditional music, and colorful sets. 1962 / 123 min. / Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles

		Come Drink with Me Friday, August 5, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, August 7, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium King Hu, the godfather of Hong Kong action movies, perfected the gravity-defying fight scenes that characterize Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero. In this, one of his greatest films, female action star Cheng Pei-pei plays Golden Swallow, a fierce warrior who, with the help of a mysterious kung fu master disguised as a drunken beggar, takes on a gang of thugs that kidnapped her brother. The film's gracefully choreographed action scenes are as powerful today as they were four decades ago. 1966 / 90 min. / Mandarin with English and Chinese subtitles

Security Unlimited Friday, August 12, 2005, 7:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium Sunday, August 14, 2005, 2:00 pm, Meyer Auditorium The Hui Brothers—Michael, Sam, and Ricky—were the kings of Hong Kong comedy in the 1970s and 1980s, regularly delighting audiences with their goofball antics. In this last feature together, the famous comedy brothers act as a trio of bungling security guards who, in a nonstop parade of hilarious gags, foil a gang of determined villains. 1981 / 91 min. / Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles