28-08-22
A great man is different from a mere celebrity in that he is ready to be servant of the society.
Triumphant success is achieved by those who know frustration is unavoidable but work illogically hard. They want to accomplish for themselves and other people. They want to leave some good things behind, both during their lifetime and posthumously. My old friend Louis Koo (古天樂) is such a hero in the film industry of Hong Kong. He is a very handsome man, remarkable actor, prolific producer and generous investor. He even takes up leadership responsibilities in film organisations such as Hong Kong Performing Artistes Guild(香港演藝人協會) and Federation of Hong Kong Filmmakers(香港電影工作者總會). What he does not know or does not want to know is perhaps that happiness consists of getting enough sleep.
I guess this guy probably sleeps 4 hours a day but still untired—so long as film can fill up his time. When the sun is overhead, he is occupied with shooting, meetings, running his film production and post-production companies, cursory PR activities and filming commercials for clients. When the moon lights up the sky, Louis has dinners with film investors, reads scripts or proposals and solves problems for other film professionals. Anxiety and stress? Exhaustion? Headache? This superstar surely has feelings of burnout but Louis Koo faces it bravely alone. He is ordinarily reticent because he does not wish his dread to stir anyone.
What I have is a malevolent curiosity. I once asked Louis, “Isn’t it wiser for you spend money on something else? Film is a risky business.” He, as usual, prudently replied, “I made a great living by what I got from the film industry and Hong Kong. I get more and I want to give more too. It is my sense of duty to put back into the film industry and Hong Kong the equivalent of what I took, in fact too much, out of it.”
This year, Louis made a major breakthrough in Hong Kong film genres—no more gangster movie for Hong Kong! His newly produced work is Warriors of Future (明日戰記) which is a science fiction thriller, though filled with typical characters and clunky dialogue, has been immensely entertaining because of its spectacular visuals and ample special effects. This quintessential Hong Kong blockbuster is packed with non-stop action and popping fight. The effort will only be meant as a starting point for inspiring more such Hong Kong films to come if this new genre that employs technology and digital instruments can prove to be of attractive commercial returns to the investors. When I watched the film in a local district Chai Wan, I saw families all over the cinema. Shouts and laughter were everywhere. They came to support Louis Koo, the superstar who now stands for the spirit of Hong Kong! They will not let the spirit be destroyed.
Life is like a sandwich. Success in one slice of bread and failure is the other. What Louis has put in-between the slices is his belief about the immortality of films of Hong Kong—the forgotten ‘Hollywood of the Far East’. Louis said, “As long as there is money being invested in Hong Kong films and we can keep people in the industry not to change jobs, our hopes and dreams will not be sabotaged!”
In case of any interest to support films, I am pleased to refer. We are all very thankful to great ones like Louis Koo for contributions to Hong Kong. I am always fascinated by the power of perseverance of Louis. He was a boy. He is a man. He will be a hero.
This article can also be found at the following sites:
