Sik ching nam lui

"May's initial supportive attitude predictably turns sour, not on account of that Sing is making a depraved picture, but a woman's sensitive insecurity and the frustration spawned from constant neglect. Meantime, possible snags tamely crops up during the film production, you name it, Sing's clash with his friend-cum-producer Chung (Law Kar-Ying), with the uncooperative Mango, with Boss Wong for sure, even when the film is wrapped, a conflagration nearly becomes its undoing. Like everywhere else, a true film director always has to combat between creating masses-pandering consumer goods or true-to-self artwork, and VIVA EROTICA pointedly foregrounds that self-reflexive awareness. At one point, the acclaimed director Derek Yee (played by Lau Ching-Wan) commits suicide after his latest movie goes belly up, whereas a populist director (a cameo played by Anthony Wong, and is alluded to Wong Jing, the prolific, low-brow schlockmeister who has his heyday at that time) is shown as a brazen scumbag."

read my full review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks

"Viva, Erotica" (English title) is a smart, bizarre, entertaining film which plays with genre and the boundaries between parody, drama, and pornography. Never taking itself too seriously--but never content to simply dismiss itself--this movie portrays the emotional life of a Hong Kong director with just the right mix of sentimentality and meta-theatrical humor.

The film will leave you endlessly questioning your own reactions.

An out-of-work director agrees to make an erotic film against his will so he can pay the bills. But if he is going to do it, it's going to be HIS way.

I bet that's the one-liner directors Derek Yee and Lo Chi-Leung gave executives that got them the green light.

Viva Erotica is maybe the first serious film that gets away with showing female breasts and still being a magnificent work of art - at least that I know of.

The film satirizes the film industry's (Hong Kong's and global) obsession with sex in a very original way: by making a sex film.

Directors Derek Yee and Lo Chi-Leung also wrote the script, with Ka Man being a third writer. Most of the credit goes to them for the innovative premise and great execution, but the cast doesn't fall short either, especially Leslie Cheung as Kwok-Wing, Karen Mok as Man-Wai, and Shu Qi as Mango (particularly Shu Qi as Mango!).

Simply put: one of the best films I have ever watched.

Enjoyable and likable movie about the making of a soft core sex movie in Hong Kong. Probably gets it's Cat3 rating for one particular scene in a telephone box but there are plenty of sexy, touching, inspiring and thought provoking moments. The film maker has his own personal problems as well as the 'artistic' considerations to deal with. There is also the question of the (lovely) leading lady who wants to do the sex film without nude scenes. Played by Shu Qi in only her second film, this is a very fine performance and much of the film's sparkle emanates from the way she deals with her own coming to terms with the sex scenes. She complains that if she makes her orgasmic scenes more 'real' then people watching will think they are real. Good point and just one of the contradictions in this deceptively simple little film. Returning to that scene in the telephone box, for instance, where in order to get the scene as wanted and on the street, the guy goes at it for real tearing off dress and bra. She 'acts' terrified and the passers by roar approval and disapproval as the sexy 'rape' is enacted before all our eyes. An interesting movie that is well worth a watch.

The late Leslie Cheung plays Sing, a director whose last two films were unsuccessful. In order to shoot his new film, changes would have to be made to the script, namely there would now be erotic elements to it. At first resisting, he realizes it has to be done. The lead actress is Mango, played by the very sexy Shu Qi and, herself not liking what she has to do, eventually comes on board. There are some really fun scenes in this film, and it also has the added bonus of a young Karen Mok playing Sing's increasingly neglected girlfriend. A meditation on the HK film industry, but it could have been from anywhere. You just know these kind of quid pro quos happen all the time in business, why not the film industry? The acting is good throughout. I think it should be required watching for budding film directors and anyone else who wants to be part of the film industry. I think you'll like it.