Sei dai tinwong (2006)

Director:

Daniel Wu

Writer:

Daniel Wu (writer)

Release Date:

April 2006 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Plot:

A mockumentary that trails the popular Hong Kong band Alive. |

Plot Keywords:

Band | Mockumentary | Hong Kong | Groupie | Actor Director

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Andrew Lin	...	Andrew Lin
Conroy Chan Chi-Chung	...	Conroy Chan (as Conroy Chan)
Terence Yin	...	Terence Yin
Daniel Wu	...	Daniel Wu
Jo Kuk	...	Kei Kei (as Jo Koo)
Tony Ho	...	Dance Choreographer
Wai-sheung Lee	...	Celebrity Stylist (as David Lee)
Jason Tobin	...	Sandy - Stylist Assistant
Scott Kam	...	Record Company Exec.
Teresa Lock	...	Alive Manager #1
Winnie Chan	...	Alive Manager #2
Antonio Chan	...	Alive Assistant
Tramy Wat	...	Taiwan Groupie
Davy Chan	...	Himself
Jacky Cheung	...	Himself

Also Known As:

The Heavenly Kings (International: English title)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:83 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Malaysia:U | Hong Kong:III (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company:

Man 5 Production

Trivia:

Although Daniel Wu, Andrew Lin, Terence Yin and Conroy Chan Chi-Chung play themselves in the film, the film's characters are not a true representation themselves. As Conroy Chan Chi-Chung said in an interview : "Daniel molded the characters out of each of us. There's 10-15 percent that's really us."

What happens when you have a bunch of actors attempt to crash the hot Hong Kong music industry as a boy band?

This mockumentary is a very funny look at the music industry today and how anyone, even with little or no talent can become a star. The idea is that four friends and successful actors, only one of which can sing, will form a boy band and climb up the pop charts. "Actual footage" of the band's journey from creation to performance is inter-cut with interviews of real people from the industry. The result is a scathing attack on the music industry everywhere in the world. Clearly success has little to do with talent and much to do with promotion (they get noticed because they stage a downloading scandal). I haven't laughed like this in a long time. Its revelations make this movie required viewing for anyone who wants to go on American Idol or thinks people like Britney Spears and other packaged pop stars are "talented". It should make anyone with half a brain think twice about when they are offered the deal of their dreams.

One of the real treats of this movie is the craft of this film, its not clear whats real and whats not, except in only one or two instances. Real or not the film feels very real, so real that even after viewing it I'm not sure whats made up and what isn't. Frankly I'm going to have to watch this a few more times to see if I can figure out whats what.

Recommended, especially if you think that the Hong Kong film industry is simply turning out the same things over and over again.