Did LOCH '82's breakdown of the story into three parts make sense?

[Ken Cheng]

When TVB adapted LOCH in 1982, it divided the narrative into three parts. The first part covered the events from Yau Chui Gei's visit at the Gwok/Yeung families' home in Ox Village to the suicide deaths of Yeung Teet Sum and Pau Sik Yerk. The second part covered the events from Gwok Jing and Wong Yung's first encounter with North Beggar Hung 7 Gung through Gwok Jing's recovery from the Ha Mo Gung/dagger injuries he had sustained at the hands of West Poison Au Yeung Fung and Yeung Hong. The third part covered the events from Yeung Hong's unsuccessful attempt to take over the Chief position of the Beggar's Union through the death of Genghis Khan.

The novel, of course, used no such divisions (nor did any subsequent adaptations of LOCH). Did breaking apart the series at those particular points make any narrative sense?

[ChanceEncounter]

Narrative sense? Not really.

Cinematic sense? Certainly.

[ChronoReverse]

It gave us three cool theme songs =)

[jadebunny9]

And 10 million subsongs.

[Ken Cheng]

Narrative sense? Not really.

Cinematic sense? Certainly.

I thought the break between Parts 1 and 2 made a certain sense, but the break between Parts 2 and 3 less so.

After Yeung Teet Sum and Pau Sik Yerk died, it seemed to signify the end of the phase of LOCH that focused on Gwok Jing and Yeung Hong's parents. During that first part of LOCH, the Greats didn't figure much into it; it was mainly about the Gwok and Yeung families.

The introduction of Hung 7 Gung seemed to signify the beginning of a distinct new phase of the story wherein the Greats would become the focus of the story and the Gwok/Yeung families' story would take somewhat of a backseat.

The break between Gwok Jing's recovery from his injury and Yeung Hong's attempt to take over the Beggar's Union, however, made less sense. There didn't seem to be a natural transition to an entirely new phase of the LOCH story here. It probably would have made more sense to do the split from the deaths of the Gong Nam 5 Freaks.

[shadow8899]

Just made it seem cooler that at the end of all 3, WY and GJ rode or walked off into the "sunset"?

I have actually wondered why the story was broken down and not just filmed as one, since they did that with ROCH.

[Trien Chieu]

I think it makes perfect sense. LOCH82 is still the best LOCH adaption. No adaption ever come close to it.

[goodrick]

I concede that breaking LOCH 1982 may not have been necessary. None of the other versions of LOCH (and there are so many of them) were broken up. But LOCH 1982 is still perfect and probably the best LOCH adaptation in my opinion. All the main and all the supporting characters were very impressive.

[Ian Liew]

Maybe in those days they couldn't film it fast enough? An unfortunate side effect is that Bun Bun left for ATV before they could film Part 2, so they had to cover that up. If they had filmed the whole 60 episodes straight through they could have recast her for the first part or rushed through her scenes for the 2nd and 3rd parts.

[goodrick]

Maybe in those days they couldn't film it fast enough? An unfortunate side effect is that Bun Bun left for ATV before they could film Part 2, so they had to cover that up. If they had filmed the whole 60 episodes straight through they could have recast her for the first part or rushed through her scenes for the 2nd and 3rd parts.

Who is Bun Bun?

[Ken Cheng]

Who is Bun Bun?

Hong Kong acress BAN-BAN, the widow of the late Austin Wai.

$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://upload.stnn.cc/2014/0803/1407055139543.jpg')

[Ian Liew]

Who is Bun Bun?

She played Han Xiaoying, the 7th freak.

[Ken Cheng]

She played Han Xiaoying, the 7th freak.

I always wondered why she decamped for ATV in 1983, midway through shooting LOCH for TVB. Better contract terms from ATV?

[徐中銳]

When TVB adapted LOCH in 1982, it divided the narrative into three parts.

You might like to study the « Original airdate[s] » as listed from Wikipedia

[Ian Liew]

I always wondered why she decamped for ATV in 1983, midway through shooting LOCH for TVB. Better contract terms from ATV?

I think in those days it was generally accepted that TVB gave better fame but ATV treated their staff better. Not sure about the salary thing.

The actors were probably contracted for each 20-episode serial separately, and so when she bailed they had to adjust the second and third arcs for that. If she was still under contract and asked for an early release they could very well have got her to film a couple of token scenes here and there (the death scene alone would have been sufficient) before she left.

[charbydis]

Ban Ban's sister Sum Sum was in ATV at the time. Ban Ban also got given the role of Empress Wang in the big production "Empress Wu" as soon as went over to ATV. TVB had a reputation of rushing to finish filming the whole series before airing, but ATV had a more relaxed attitude where they only filmed up to 10 eps before airing then changed the story according to viewers' response.

[Ian Liew]

Ironically, her role as Han Xiaoying was far more memorable than her Empress Wang these decades down... Other than Fung Bobo, Poon Chi Man, Lau Wing/Savio, Kong Hon and Tucows, I don't think anyone else in Empress Wu was memorable.

[tape]

You might like to study the « Original airdate[s] » as listed from Wikipedia

Wow, the little synopsi(s?) of the episodes is really useful. Now I don't have to go around looking through dozens of episodes for that one 12 second fight scene I remember as a child .

[charbydis]

Ironically, her role as Han Xiaoying was far more memorable than her Empress Wang these decades down... Other than Fung Bobo, Poon Chi Man, Lau Wing/Savio, Kong Hon and Tucows, I don't think anyone else in Empress Wu was memorable.

Actually, Ban Ban stayed with Atv for decades but still did not get a memorable role. I guess her face just did not stand out among the rush of beauties in the 80's and gradually got pushed aside. People mainly knew her as Sum Sum's sister. Some people didn't even know that she was married an+ divorced to Auatin Wai until his passing.

[Ian Liew]

My favourite role of hers in ATV was in the serial "Female Constables", where she and fellow LOCH 82 actress Wong Chao Tze played two constables solving cases for the Emperor. The serial didn't have too much mystery or clever cases, but Bun Bun and Wong's charisma were really evident in the serial. Fong Kwok San joins them as a third member about halfway through, and later on they gain their fourth member, an ex-criminal with a good heart who came to a mutual respect with the girls. Very entertaining serial and I wish I could get the DVDs for that one.

http://tvb1374114669.blog.163.com/bl...2014271321504/