In Issue 541, TVB Weekly showcased series from the second decade. I begin to recognize some well-known series and had even watched a few of them later on due to re-airing. I noticed that the series highlighted from 1977-1982 had more popular (and really long) modern family dramas while 1983-1986 had more popular ancient series. Along with legendary themesongs, the TVB series from this decade can be consider the most glorious in terms of fame...
Since I am not as familiar with this decade as I wish I could’ve been, I’ll only comment on the series I have seen and the more well-known ones I've heard of. In 1977, 家變 (A House is not a Home) with Liza Wang was shown. The caption below it mentioned that HK newspapers at the time actually published a missing headline cover ad for one of the characters at the time. Talk about promotions for series…that really can’t be beat! A House is not a Home must be really popular with HK people at the time. With 110 episodes and it still kept its popularity, that’s really saying something. Reading online posts, I’ve seen tons of complaints about 2007's The Drive of Life dragging with only 60 episodes! I actually watched a bit of this one since my grandma loved this serie. She quite like watching Tang Bik Wan and Nam Hung, the first and second wife of the series. I remember Liza Wang’s Lok Lam was a kick-ass career woman in this serie, very independent and strong type. She probably set a great example for women of her time and also future actresses that take on career women roles.
In 1978, 強人(The Giants) with the young Lee Si Kei was shown. This was a serie I watched when I was a little kid so obviously I don’t remember much. I only remember a bit of Lee Si Kei character’s romance with the main guy, and that Lau Dan’s character was really mean to his wife. Lee Si Kei’s character Yurk Nam was also quite independent and career minded. Other than that serie that year, I see 小李飛刀 (The Romantic Swordsman). I, myself have never watched the serie but the themesong to this serie by Roman Tam is instantly recognizable.
Adam Cheng and Gigi Chiu’s 楚留香 (Chor Lau Heung) is probably the most notable mention of the serie highlights in 1979. Chow Yun Fat’s 網中人 (The Good, the Bad, the Ugly) may have been another popular serie. The caption under this serie mentioned that ah chon or Liu Wai Hung (the guy who presented the Most favorite female character award to Susanna Kwan at last year’s anniversary) actually ate 36 hamburgers at one time in a scene. Now that is quite impressive. It is no wonder he always mention this whenever I see him being interviewed and such. Another serie of the year was 天虹 (Over the Rainbow), which is another serie my grandma was into. I remember Liza Wang’s character falling in love with the bad guy play by Patrick Tse (Nicholas Tse’s dad), and he was involved with making counterfeit money. The caption below this serie mentions that this serie was 85 episodes long, and it used the fashion industry of its time for the theme, making this serie represent the trends of the time.
In the next three years, I only recognize one serie per year. Another well known Liza Wang serie, 京華春夢 (Yesterday’s Glitter) was shown in 1980. The caption below this serie mentions that this serie was originally meant to be 20 episodes, but because the audience’s reaction was so great that it was extended to 25. I guess the HK audience had always had a history of control on TVB series lol. Anyway, I did watch this serie, but again, I do not remember that much. The parts I remember the most were the family arguments. I also thought it was quite liberal with regards to the pregnancy before marriage plot with Liza and Damian Lau. Oh and the last scene with Damian Lau got me quite teary eyed. In 1981, I see 千王群英會 (The Shell Game), which dealt with gambling, starred Patrick Tse, Liza Wang, Simon Yam, and Chow Yun Fat. The first Jin Yong series highlighted thus far is in 1982 with 天龍八部 (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils) with Felix Wong, Leung Ka Yan, and Idy Chan.
In 1983, two acclaimed Jin Yong adaptations were shown: 射鵰英雄傳 (The Legend of the Condor Heroes) with the young Felix Wong and Barbara Yung and 神鵰俠侶 (Return of the Condor Heroes) starring the young Andy Lau and Idy Chan. I would like to mention 老洞 (The Old Miao Myth) with the young Andy Lau and Ray Lui. Even though I have not seen this serie, I saw an ad for its vcd, and I thought it was very interesting since TVB doesn’t touch scary themes very much. The clips they showed also made the series kind of freaky, and whenever I saw it, I often wonder whether it was good.
As for 1984, I see a Leslie Cheung serie, 儂本多情 (Once Upon An Ordinary Girl) and an Anita Mui serie, 香江花月夜 (Summer Kisses, Winter Tears). I have not watch both of them, but considering they were one of the very few TVB series these two legends filmed, it must be very memorable for many fans. Other than these two rare gems, there was also Chow Yun Fat’s version of Jin Yong’s 笑傲江湖 (The Proud Smiling Wanderer) shown.
The Yangs’ Saga (楊家將) and Police Cadet Sequel (新紮師兄續集) were two of Tony Leung Chiu Wai’s known TVB series in 1985. The Yangs’ Saga seems like a star studded cast with the Five Tigers, Alex Man, Carol Dodo Cheng, Liza Wang, Gigi Chiu, Chow Yun Fat, Maggie Cheung Man Yuk, Carina Lau, Simon Yam, Francis Ng, etc. In the future, I’ll definitely try to catch this serie sometime. I have only watched Police Cadet Sequel from the mentions, and I remember watching Tony and Margie Tsang’s relationship blossom in this serie. Tony Leung’s character didn’t feel the same way for Margie’s character at first, so it was cute watching them date throughout the serie. Simon Yam was also a good addition as the manipulative villain, Hon Bon.
The last year of this second decade of series is 1986. There is Felix’s 薛丁山征西 (General Father, General Son), which is later adapted in Jessica Hsuan’s Lady Fan in 2004. Alex Man’s 流氓大亨 (The Feud of Two Brothers) along with Carol Dodo Cheng, Kathy Chow Hoi Mei, Lawrence Ng, and Carina Lau, was also part of this year's contribution. Alex Man is the protagonist who was led on to believe the family he lived for like 20 years was his real family even though he was adopted and was actually the son of a rich man. Lawrence Ng plays the villain in here, who was interested in Kathy Chow Hoi Mei’s character and later got her pregnant and left her. The most memorable scene was the ending with Carol being in a coma as Alex Man cries by her bedside. Could this be the serie that set the precedent for future coma-induced plots and brother feuds? And I see 倚天屠龍記 (New Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre) with Tony Leung and Kitty Lai. Kitty Lai plays Chiu Man and Sheren Teng plays Chow Chi Yurk.
And that concludes the series that I know mentioned in the article from the second decade of TVB series. I was surprised to learn that this article left out two popular series during this decade, 上海灘 The Bund which was shown in 1980 and 鹿鼎記 Duke of Mount Deer in 1985. Those two series were definitely the cream of the crop, so it’s a little surprising that it was left off, but I guess maybe it was so well known that people knew when it came out?
If you are a big fan of this decade and would like to see the scans, email me at jadedreams@gmail.com or leave your email in the comments section.
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Check out the various Youtube trailors/themevideos/songs of the TVB series mentioned from above (I did not upload any of these):
’77 家變 (A House is Not a Home) VCD Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93hZiSlAjZo
’78 強人 (The Giants) Themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JEa3AtpuEM
’78 小李飛刀 (The Romantic Swordsman) Themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apgA0kpMSVw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDpVGaG_epQ
’79 楚留香 (Chor Lau Heung) Themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PurHKJ7py-s
’79 網中人 (The Good, the Bad, the Ugly) VCD Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvzJMcTrNJs
’79 天虹 (Over the Rainbow) Themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSNUkC7eYCY
’80 京華春夢 (Yesterday’s Glitter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34-Nq7Z12BI
’81 千王群英會 (The Shell Game)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PxoEoyOwJE
’82 天龍八部 (Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ4nTPesQWk
’83 射鵰英雄傳 (The Legend of the Condor Heroes) & making of themesong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U9E3COZRBs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqBGU-X8toA
’83 神鵰俠侶 (Return of the Condor Heroes) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgUkvyUoXDk
’84 儂本多情 (Once Upon An Ordinary Girl) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJt3s42ipm4
’84 笑傲江湖 (The Proud Smiling Wanderer) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjgd71yTBvY&feature=related
’85 楊家將 (The Yangs’ Saga) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAK-aQhCzs8
’85 新紮師兄續集 (Police Cadet Sequel) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsQOLsN3WJw
’86 薛丁山征西 (General Father, General Son) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiqrdehH0RU
’86 流氓大亨 (The Feud of Two Brothers) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtB4_UtEbp8
’86 倚天屠龍記 (New Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre) themevideo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwwbjr7Ptpw
3 comments:
I like the feud of two brothers sub-theme, it was the background theme when carol n alex got married in a church. Do you knw where I can dl the song? Also I was rooting for Carina N Alex then, n she was so heartbroken when he married carol. Thanks 4 sharing.
Thanks for posting this. I love these kinds of retrospectives. I think this is the era when TVB dramas became such a phenomenon. My fave series of all-time: Legend of the Condor Heroes is a classic. There are also some series I haven't seen yet but look forward to tracking down.
It's so great that you share this with us
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