Yes, I finally made it, Tdigs.
Now, I would be lying if I told you that I was a big fan of Category 3 movies. I would also be lying if I told you that I had seen all of the movies that would have been deemed as Category 3 in the Cinema system of Hong Kong. However, this thread is not in place to examine what movies were your favourites, or which movies you didnt like, Rather, I thought I would make this thread on why Category films have seemed to disappear as we move further into the future.
Of course, similarities can be drawn between Category movies and R-Rated movies in Hollywood, which I would argue have also fallen out of favour with the mass populace. For those of you who do not know what Category 3 movies are, they are movies that would typically include softcore sex scenes and general themes that would seem to push the boundaries in Chinese markets. There was a great boom in the early 90s and the one thing that really struck me was, what happened?
After Government introduction of film classifications, Category 3 movies became very popular with the people and at one point, I would argue that most of the movies produced in the cinema of Hong Kong were category 3 movies. A lot of these movies were low budget but achieved a cult status that was unmatched by some of the more mainstream titles.
Category 3 movies would continually push the envelope and change what was acceptable and what wasnt. Many of the stories would focus on brutal murders and often times, rape. However, it wasnt a malicious type of movie. I wouldnt think that they were setting out just to be edgy. Rather, these movies have shaped the cinema world and play a huge part in the history of the Hong Kong cinema system. Sure, it could be argues that they were vulgar but without pushing the envelope, film would be nothing.
So my question is, after a great period in the late 80s and earl 90s, why did Category 3 films fail and fall out of the public eye for the most part?
Personally, I think a case could be argued that the movies just outgrew what they were there to do. Apparently, we could all use VHS to get our rocks off but I dont think it is that. Rather, I think that people appreciated the Category 3 market for what is was and that job had been done. Sure, some movies took it to an extreme but all movie types have a place in cinema and to deny Category 3 the time of day, simply because of its subject matter, would have been ludicrous. Especially when it accounted for around half of the overall movies made at the time. As time went on though, I think people just grew to a resistance of the subject matter and it has started to fade away.
But what do you think?
Now, I would be lying if I told you that I was a big fan of Category 3 movies. I would also be lying if I told you that I had seen all of the movies that would have been deemed as Category 3 in the Cinema system of Hong Kong. However, this thread is not in place to examine what movies were your favourites, or which movies you didnt like, Rather, I thought I would make this thread on why Category films have seemed to disappear as we move further into the future.
Of course, similarities can be drawn between Category movies and R-Rated movies in Hollywood, which I would argue have also fallen out of favour with the mass populace. For those of you who do not know what Category 3 movies are, they are movies that would typically include softcore sex scenes and general themes that would seem to push the boundaries in Chinese markets. There was a great boom in the early 90s and the one thing that really struck me was, what happened?
After Government introduction of film classifications, Category 3 movies became very popular with the people and at one point, I would argue that most of the movies produced in the cinema of Hong Kong were category 3 movies. A lot of these movies were low budget but achieved a cult status that was unmatched by some of the more mainstream titles.
Category 3 movies would continually push the envelope and change what was acceptable and what wasnt. Many of the stories would focus on brutal murders and often times, rape. However, it wasnt a malicious type of movie. I wouldnt think that they were setting out just to be edgy. Rather, these movies have shaped the cinema world and play a huge part in the history of the Hong Kong cinema system. Sure, it could be argues that they were vulgar but without pushing the envelope, film would be nothing.
So my question is, after a great period in the late 80s and earl 90s, why did Category 3 films fail and fall out of the public eye for the most part?
Personally, I think a case could be argued that the movies just outgrew what they were there to do. Apparently, we could all use VHS to get our rocks off but I dont think it is that. Rather, I think that people appreciated the Category 3 market for what is was and that job had been done. Sure, some movies took it to an extreme but all movie types have a place in cinema and to deny Category 3 the time of day, simply because of its subject matter, would have been ludicrous. Especially when it accounted for around half of the overall movies made at the time. As time went on though, I think people just grew to a resistance of the subject matter and it has started to fade away.
But what do you think?
