Bishonen (1998)

The show evolves around 2 young and good-looking men Jet and especially Sam.  Jet is a male prostitute who seeks his true love.  Sam is a policeman who has fallen out of love with KS (a singer) and Ah Ching (his ex-colleague).  Coincidentally, Ah Ching and Jet are room-mates plying the same trade at SM Bay (a male brothel).  5 years ago, Ah Ching seduced an innocent Fai (before he was known as Sam) when he was 18 and soon after Fai met the worldly and sophiscated 18-year old singer KS.  Fai left KS when KS became famous after Leslie Cheung's agent managed him.  But not before Fai prostitute himself to a photographer for modelling and other services to raise money to pay KS' debts for extravagent living.

For a complicated story, it was explained over a lazy pace.  You can piece the plot together.  Hsu Chi is a good friend of Sam who occasionally pops into the show but whose main moment was to give a letter to Jet at the end of the movie.

Obviously the show caters to a more liberal audience who are appreciative of seeing nice young male bods.  Sam and the rest of his generation spoke in Cantonese whilst Sam's parents and Brigitte's narration are always spoken in Mandarin.  Brigitte's narration was done on behalf of Hsu Chi.  Hsu Chi's voice might be OK for conversation but is a bit high-pitched.

The movie was sensitively directed.  Unexpectedly, I found myself sympathetic to Sam and Jet.  Its a much better movie than Dream Lovers.

The soundtrack includes a VCD music video of Coco Lee singing the theme song.

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Cast : Daniel Wu, Stephen Fung, Hsu Chi, Terence Yin, Jason Tsang, Kenneth Tsang, Chiao Chiao, Cheung Tat Ming
Narrator : Brigitte Lin Ching-Hsia

Click for the Bishonen VCD Cover page.  pict

Cinematography : Henry Chung
Music : Chris Babida
Editor : Karm Ma
Art Director : Sherry Kwok
Executive Producer : Sylvia Chang
Director : Yonfan
Writer : Yonfan

Spoken : Combination of Cantonese and Mandarin
Subtitles : English

Other reviews:

  1. Another Hong Kong Movie Page - Bishonen (1998)
  2. Chinese Movie Database - Bishonen
  3. CinemAsie.com - Bishonen (in French)
  4. Die Welt Kultur - Bishonen (in German)
  5. Hong Kong Cinemagic - Bishonen
  6. Hong Kong Movie Database - Bishonen (1998)
  7. HK Movie Database View From the Brooklyn Bridge - Bishonen
  8. The Internet Movie Database - Meishaonian zhi lian (1998)
  9. LOVE HK FILM.com - Bishonen
  10. Rhein Zeitung online - Bishonen (in German)
  11. SF Gate - 'Beauty' - Double Life of Cop, Romances grow out from lurid scandal
  12. Shu Qi Database - Bishonen
  13. Starry'd Stephen Review - Bishonen
  14. Two Degrees - Bishonen
  15. Bishonen
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