Election (2005) Hak se wui (original title)

Director:

Johnnie To

Writers:

Nai-Hoi Yau (written by) &
Tin-Shing Yip (written by)

Release Date:

20 October 2005 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Rival gang leaders are locked in a struggle to become the new chairman of Hong Kong's Triad society. |

Plot Keywords:

Triad | Power Struggle | Lawyer | Violence | Organized Crime

Awards:

10 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Simon Yam	...	Lam Lok
Tony Leung Ka Fai	...	Big D
Louis Koo	...	Jimmy Lee
Nick Cheung	...	Jet
Ka Tung Lam	...	Kun (as Lam Ka Tung)
Siu-Fai Cheung	...	Mr. So (as Cheung Siu Fai)
Suet Lam	...	Big Head (as Lam Suet)
Tian-lin Wang	...	Uncle Teng Wai (as Wong Tin Lam)
Bing-Man Tam	...	Uncle Cocky (as Tam Ping Man)
Maggie Siu	...	Mrs. Big D (as Maggie Shiu)
David Chiang	...	Chief Superintendent Hui
Yong You	...	China Police Captain (as Yao Yung)
Chung Wang	...	Whistle (as Wong Chung)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Siu-Pang Chan	...	Uncle Monk (as Chan Siu Pang)
Biu Law Che	...	Tally (as Paul Ng)
Chi Ping Cheung	...	Uncle Dead Dog
Chi-Shing Chiu	...	Long Hair (as Chiu Chi Shing)
Hoi Chau Ho	...	Uncle Double East (as Ho Hoi Chau)
Robert Hung	...	Sonny
Ching Kwan	...	Brother Tung
Fung Kwok	...	Fish Ball (as Kwok Fung)
Wing-cheong Law	...	Four Eye
Jonathan Lee	...	Denny Lam
Wen-wei Lin	...	Sparky (as Lam Man Wai)
Ting Yip Ng	...	Senior Inspector Tod (as Ng Yuk Sau)
Hsin Shen	...	Uncle Long Gun (as Yuen-Yin Yu)
Pui Chung Tong	...	Uncle Chiu Chow (as Tong Pui Chung)
Chi Wai Wong	...	Blackie (as Wong Chi Wai)
Ho-Yin Wong	...	Detective Wong (as Raymond Wong)
Sze Yan Wong	...	Chak (as Wong Sze Wan)
Wah Wo Wong	...	Triad Leader
Ronald Yan	...	Senior Inspector Yu
Bo Yuen	...	Dinosaur
Bun Yuen	...	Incense Master (as Yuen Bun)
Kam Pong Chow	...	Keung (uncredited)
Hoi-Pang Lo	...	(voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Johnnie To

Writing credits
Nai-Hoi Yau		(written by) (as Yau Nai Hoi) &
Tin-Shing Yip		(written by) (as Yip Tin Shing)

Produced by
Catherine Chan	....	production executive
Tiffany Chen	....	administrative producer
Elos Gallo	....	consulting producer
Maylie Ho	....	administrative producer
Kok Leung Kuk	....	line producer (as Kuk Kok Leung)
Dennis Law	....	producer
Johnnie To	....	producer

Original Music by
Tayu Lo		(as Lo Tayu)

Cinematography by
Siu-keung Cheng		(director of photography) (as Cheng Siu Keung)

Film Editing by
Patrick Tam

Art Direction by
Tony Yu

Costume Design by
Stanley Cheung

Makeup Department
Kit Ling Chan	....	on-set dresser
Miko Chu	....	makeup artist (as Mico Chu)
Rachel Kong	....	hair stylist (as Rachel Kwong)

Production Management
Chi-Shing Chiu	....	unit manager (as Chiu Chi Shing)
Elaine Chu	....	project manager
Yuin Shan Ding	....	production supervisor (as Ding Yuin Shan)
Jackson Ha	....	production manager
Eric Huen	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Wai Hung Chan	....	assistant director (as Chan Wai Hung)
Wing-cheong Law	....	associate director (as Law Wing Cheong)

Art Department
Wing Kei Au	....	property master (as Au Wing Kei)
Brian Lau	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Chun Wang Au	....	foley artist (as Au Chun Wang)
King Fai Choy	....	foley artist (as Choy King Fai)
Wing Hong Fung	....	foley artist (as Fung Wing Hong)
Shek Key Kwong	....	foley artist (as Kwong Shek Key)
Hon Chiu Lam	....	foley artist (as Lam Hon Chiu)
Wai Shung Lam	....	foley artist (as Lam Wai Shung)
Sin-kwok Lee	....	location sound (as Lee Sin Kwok)
Charlie Lo	....	sound designer
Charlie Lo	....	sound editor
May Mok	....	sound designer
May Mok	....	sound mixer
Man Keung Ngai	....	boom operator (as Ngai Man Keung)
Kwong Heung Yam	....	foley artist (as Yam Kwong Heung)
Chi Man Yu	....	foley artist (as Yu Chi Man)
Tomy Yu	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Peony Lam	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Pak Chung Kwan	....	CGI animator (as Kwan Pak Chung)
Siu Lun Leung	....	CGI animator (as Leung Siu Lun)
Stephen Ma	....	visual effects supervisor
Lai Kuen Wong	....	optical effects coordinator (as Wong Lai Kuen)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ting Fung Kwong	....	best boy (as Kwong Ting Fong)
Hirotake Okazaki	....	still photographer
Molly Siu	....	making-of camera
Hung Mo To	....	cinematographer: second unit (as To Hung Mo)
Leo Tsang	....	making-of camera
Kwok Chiu Wu	....	gaffer (as Wu Kwok Chiu)

Editorial Department
Simon Fung	....	assistant editor
Cathy Lau	....	post-production assistant
Calmen Lui	....	post-production executive

Music Department
Andrew Chu	....	music cabinet: Tang Lou
Barry Chung	....	music cabinet: Tang Lou
K.Y. Yuen	....	music cabinet: Tang Lou

Other crew
Charles Heung	....	presenter
Ching Ting Law	....	set runner (as Lu Ching Ting)
Dennis Law	....	presenter
Wing-cheong Law	....	associate director (as Law Wing Cheong)
Andy Ma	....	continuity
Po Sang Sie	....	story consultant (as Sie Po Sang)

Production Companies

• China Star Entertainment
• Milky Way Image Company
• One Hundred Years of Film Company

Distributors

• China Star Entertainment (2005) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• China Film Group (2005) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• 791 Cine (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• ARP Sélection (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Avalon Productions (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Eng Wah Cinema (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Productions (2006) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Tartan (2007) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2006) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Califórnia Home Vídeo (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Celluloid Dreams (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• China Star Worldwide Distribution (2005) (Hong Kong) (all media)
• Future Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Optimum Releasing (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Palisades Tartan (2005) (USA) (all media)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• China Star Production Services Limited  post-production facilities
• Brilliant Genesis Limited  cgi animation
• Milky Way Image Company  post-production sound studio
• Showreel Film Facilities  post-production sound studio
• i Zone Sound Design  foley design
• Milky Way Image Company  camera and lighting equipment
• Cinerent  camera equipment provided by
• Kodak (Hong Kong) Ltd.  film stock
• Shaw Brothers  laboratory
• Mandarin Laboratory (International) Ltd.  subtitles
• Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department  special thanks to
• Arms Licenshing Section, Hong Kong Police, The  special thanks to
• Club Regency  special thanks to
• Dumpling House  special thanks to
• Empire Hotel, Kowloon  special thanks to
• Film Service Office  special thanks to
• Hong Kong Polytechnic University  special thanks to
• Ichiban Global  special thanks to
• New Generation Police Props  special thanks to
• Tang Lou Music Cabinet  film music
• Very Good Tailor  special thanks to
• Water Authority  special thanks to
• Wu Kwai Sha Youth Village  special thanks to
• Youguqi Group  special thanks to
• Yu Tai Hing  special thanks to

Also Known As:

"Hak se wui" - Hong Kong (original title)
"Black Society" - Hong Kong (English title) (literal English title)

Runtime:

France:101 min (Cannes Film Festival) | USA:100 min | China:85 min (cut version) | Argentina:100 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | Mandarin | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:III | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Brazil:18 | Australia:MA | UK:18 | Malaysia:18PL | France:-12 | Finland:K-18 | USA:Unrated | Germany:18 | Norway:11 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Argentina:13 | Japan:R-15

Filming Locations:

Central, Hong Kong, China

Company:

China Star Entertainment

Trivia:

Quentin Tarantino loved this film so much; his quote "The Best Film of the Year" is on this film's United States DVD cover.

Quotes:

Big D:[to Lok] Don't talk to me until you have the baton!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Johnnie Got His Gun! (2010)

Soundtrack:

FOREVER SMILE

Brotherhood of Power

Election marks the 2nd trial society theme movie directed by Johnnie To.

To marvellously casted Simon Yan and Tony Leung Kar Fai as Lok and Big D, as the two trial members who were chosen as candidates for the position of chairman for Ho Sing society, a 100 year old trial society.

While Lok is a man who keeps his cool at all times, Big D is not only impatient, but also thinks that he is on top of everything. Lok was chosen as the next chairman for 2 years. To have the total control of the gang, the newly elected chairman must be passed down with a Dragon Baton, which represents power and authority. Big D was extremely unhappy with the results that he was not chosen to be the next chairman after paying a handsome figure of bribes to the council members. He ordered his man to get the Baton before it falls onto the hands of Lok.

While Big D is getting the Baton, Lok has other plans for him.

This is one of the trial society theme movies where not much bloodshed is needed. Johnnie To puts the greed of the human beings in the movie, where bloodshed is commonly used in other trial society theme movies to show how the greed of human beings can caused the death or the downfall of one. However, no single bullet is used, hardly any gangfights are involved in Election. It's the battle of the wits that makes Election stands out of the rest.

Apart from Maggie Shiu, the only actress in Election with less than 5 lines to talk in the whole movie, masculinity rules the whole movie. Louis Koo and Nick Cheung, who was seen in To's previous film, are casted as an undercover cop and a gangster who sold his life to the gang respectively. Together with some of the veteran actors making their appearance in the film and the excellent script, it makes the only HK movie to represent Cannes Fil Festival 2005.

Election has hardly failed any critics who wants an different trial society theme movie.