The Story of Woo Viet
Encyclopedia
The Story of Woo Viet is a Hong Kong
political drama
film made by director Ann Hui
in 1981
. Actor Chow Yun-fat
played the title character, Woo Viet. The assistant director was Stanley Kwan
and the action choreographer
was Ching Siu-tung
.
The movie was one of the first few political dramas made in Hong Kong. It used the story of Vietnamese refugees (boat people
) to reflect on Hong Kong's handling of the refugee issue, and also on Hong Kong's sentiment regarding their uncertain future of sovereignty
at the time. It is also the second part of Ann Hui's Vietnamese trilogy.
The movie features a famous Cantonese song, "This is Love", sung by Teddy Robin Kwan
, the producer of this movie.
In the United States, the film is marketed under the title God of Killers, capitalizing on Chow's popularity in heroic bloodshed
films.
Woo Viet, as he is Vietnamese, should actually have the surname of Hồ
(as in the "Ho" in Ho Chi Minh
) rather than the Cantonese translation of the Hu / Woo / Ho surname.
, behind and start over in the United States. But he first must make his way to Hong Kong
. In a refugee detention camp there, he discovers many of his countrymen are disappearing under mysterious circumstances. As Woo tries to find out what is happening, he realizes his life is in danger, and has to leave for the United States immediately using a false passport instead of seeking asylum
. In the process, he meets a beautiful woman, Cham Thanh, who then travels with him. When Woo and his new love stop over in the Philippines
, they discover that the females are conned to stay there to become prostitutes. Instead of taking the plane to the United States, Woo Viet decides to stay in the Philippines to save his love. However, as he is stranded in Manila
's Chinatown
, Woo Viet is forced to work as a hired killer.
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
political drama
Political drama
A political drama can describe a play, film or TV program that has a political component, whether reflecting the author's political opinion, or describing a politician or series of political events. Dramatists who have written political dramas include Aaron Sorkin, Robert Penn Warren, Sergei...
film made by director Ann Hui
Ann Hui
Ann Hui On-Wah is a Hong Kong film director, film producer and occasional screenwriter, one of the most critically acclaimed amongst the Hong Kong New Wave.-Early life:...
in 1981
Hong Kong films of 1981
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1981:.-1981:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1981 at...
. Actor Chow Yun-fat
Chow Yun-Fat
Chow Yun-fat, SBS is an actor from Hong Kong. He is best known in Asia for his collaboration with filmmaker John Woo in heroic bloodshed genre films A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, and Hard Boiled; and to the West for his role as Li Mu-bai in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon...
played the title character, Woo Viet. The assistant director was Stanley Kwan
Stanley Kwan
Stanley Kwan is a Hong Kong Second Wave film director and producer.Kwan landed a job at the TVB after receiving a mass communications degree at Hong Kong Baptist College...
and the action choreographer
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
was Ching Siu-tung
Ching Siu-tung
Ching Siu-tung , also known as Tony Ching, is a Hong Kong action choreographer, actor, film director and producer, who has directed over 20 films, including the critically acclaimed supernatural fantasy A Chinese Ghost Story .-Career:...
.
The movie was one of the first few political dramas made in Hong Kong. It used the story of Vietnamese refugees (boat people
Boat people
Boat people is a term that usually refers to refugees, illegal immigrants or asylum seekers who emigrate in numbers in boats that are sometimes old and crudely made...
) to reflect on Hong Kong's handling of the refugee issue, and also on Hong Kong's sentiment regarding their uncertain future of sovereignty
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
at the time. It is also the second part of Ann Hui's Vietnamese trilogy.
The movie features a famous Cantonese song, "This is Love", sung by Teddy Robin Kwan
Teddy Robin Kwan
Kwan Wai-pang , better known as Teddy Robin , is a Hong Kong English pop singer-songwriter, actor, and director. He began his music career in 1960s when Hong Kong English pop were in its peak in terms of popularity in Hong Kong. He led a band named Teddy Robin and the Playboys. He later became an...
, the producer of this movie.
In the United States, the film is marketed under the title God of Killers, capitalizing on Chow's popularity in heroic bloodshed
Heroic bloodshed
Heroic Bloodshed is a genre of Hong Kong action cinema revolving around stylized action sequences and dramatic themes such as brotherhood, duty, honour, redemption and violence. The term heroic bloodshed was coined by editor Rick Baker in the magazine Eastern Heroes in the late 1980s, specifically...
films.
Woo Viet, as he is Vietnamese, should actually have the surname of Hồ
Ho
Ho, HO, or variations, may refer to:* Ho, Denmark, a town* Ho, Ghana, a town* Ho , Japanese kana* Ho language, spoken primarily in India* Ho people, primarily in the Indian state of Jharkhand...
(as in the "Ho" in Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
) rather than the Cantonese translation of the Hu / Woo / Ho surname.
Plot
The story features Woo Viet, who wants to leave his country, VietnamVietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, behind and start over in the United States. But he first must make his way to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. In a refugee detention camp there, he discovers many of his countrymen are disappearing under mysterious circumstances. As Woo tries to find out what is happening, he realizes his life is in danger, and has to leave for the United States immediately using a false passport instead of seeking asylum
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
. In the process, he meets a beautiful woman, Cham Thanh, who then travels with him. When Woo and his new love stop over in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, they discover that the females are conned to stay there to become prostitutes. Instead of taking the plane to the United States, Woo Viet decides to stay in the Philippines to save his love. However, as he is stranded in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
's Chinatown
Chinatown
A Chinatown is an ethnic enclave of overseas Chinese people, although it is often generalized to include various Southeast Asian people. Chinatowns exist throughout the world, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Americas, Australasia, and Europe. Binondo's Chinatown located in Manila,...
, Woo Viet is forced to work as a hired killer.