Directorial efforts : Simple…but good!
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 HKCinemagic :
The first movie you directed was for Shaw Brothers: Thunderclap. |
| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Yes. It was never shown in Hong Kong. I just finished working on a movie when Wong Ka Hey proposed me to direct. But I didn't really like the final result. The problem was that I required a lot of CGI, especially for the ending scene. But by then it was not very advanced. There was a CGI department in the studio but according to the supervisor they got no qualification to do such a lot of films. Finally, the movie was released abroad but without CGI! I got a copy from my friend Robert Mak because he did a tour in Indonesia and got the tape there. So, in the parts where there supposed to be CGI, there was nothing. It was awful. |
Poster of Thunderclap, Tony Leung Siu Hung directorial debut
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| HKCinemagic :
Still, you liked the experience enough to continue directing. And you did a second one called Vendetta.
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Oh, yes, I love this one. Simple story, but I made it good. The mood, the action… |
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| HKCinemagic : Your third effort, Guns of Dragon, was more ambitious with international locations.
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Yeah, in Puerto Rico and New York . This one was the hardest work of all my life. After this one, I totally changed. I swear to myself I would not have any trouble anymore on movies. It was a very hard shooting. |
Large scale gunfight from Gun of Dragon
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| HKCinemagic : Still, you managed to do action scenes in a Hong Kong way. Was it because of your ability to do that you were contacted by Ng See Yuen to do movies in the US in a HK style? |
| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Yes. I come from a stuntman background. I was good at every stunt and that's how I got to direct, mostly action scenes. But I can also do other things well, not just action. Like horror movie for example. |
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| HKCinemagic : Among the movies you worked on in the US (No Retreat No Surrender 3, Bloodmoon, Superfight), which one did you prefer?
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : I prefer Superfights, because the story was so simple. Simple story, simple character, small budget… But I made it good (smile). |
Tony Leung Siu Hung doubling Keith Vitali for Superfight
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| HKCinemagic :
Did you face any difficulties because of the cultural differences, the actors who may not be used to do things in a Hong Kong way?
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Not really. Only the main character, the boy [Brandon Gaines]. All the others, they already knew my background and they were really helpful. They paid attention to what I told them. The boy on the other hand was so young. He had no patience and always said “no, no, no”. Like when I asked for some real hits in some choreography. |
Superfight lead actor Brandon Gaines |
| HKCinemagic :
You didn't face similar problems with Loren Avedon on King of the Kickboxer?
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : The tall guy, right? I prefer not to mention it (laughs). No patience at all and he was asking for too much. Some of these people, they ignore we come from Hong Kong, they ignore our ways and background. It's “American people do it like that”, “American people do it like this”. So many arguments. |
The stubborn Loren Avedon in King of Kickboxer
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Evolution of the action |
| HKCinemagic : Nowadays, you seem to be less active in the industry.
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : Yes, because the situation in the industry is not very good and I did several movies abroad. Shadow Dead Riot is the latest one. |
Poster of Shadow Dead Riot
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| HKCinemagic : You are also the HK stuntmen association vice chairman. What kind of work does it represent?
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : It's hard to tell in short (smiles). The Hong Kong stuntmen association was founded by action choreographers and stuntmen. Its purpose is to facilitate communication between its members and movie companies. I always wanted to contribute because I got everything from my job. And my brother and many friends are also part of it. So I wanted to do something for them. That's why, among other things, I'm a coach during some stunt training session. |
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| HKCinemagic :
How do you see the future for the HK stuntmen?
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| Tony Leung Siu Hung : It's hard to say. As long as there are action scenes, there will be stuntmen. So, that's why, I say to my class to always keep practicing. One day, you may be the new generation of Jackie Chan. |
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