Tsui Hark

Tsui Hark ({{zh-cpw|c=徐克|p=Xú Kè|w=Hsü K'o}}) (born Tsui Man-kong on January 2, 1951) is a New Wave film director in Hong Kong who is also a highly influential producer, often likened to Steven Spielberg for a similar galvanizing effect on his country's cinematic scene.

Recent work

Tsui returned to directing at home in 2000 after an atypically long break, but his golden touch is less certain in the troubled climate of today. Time and Tide (2000) and The Legend of Zu (2001) were action extravaganzas with lavish computer-generated imagery that gained cult admirers but no mass success.

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Tsui's projects as producer haven't borne the same fruit, either, despite his continuing to push technical boundaries and revise old favorites. Master Q 2001 adapted a classic comic book and was Hong Kong's first combination of live action and 3D computer animation. Era of Vampires (2002; U.S. title, Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters) reworked a subgenre popular in the '80s, hybrid martial arts/supernatural horror films featuring the "hopping corpses" of Chinese folk legend. Both films made barely a ripple with critics, fans or general audiences.

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Nevertheless, Tsui is currently at work on an ambitious, multimedia project based on the work of wuxia novelist Liang Yusheng. It will include the feature Seven Swords, directed by Tsui for 2005 release, as well as a related TV series and comic book series.

Related Topics:
Wuxia - Liang Yusheng - Seven Swords

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