The Bund 《上海灘》

[QF]

The glimpses I've seen over the years visiting my folks tells me all I need to know about modern TVB, and it's nothing that the studio can brag about.

Glimpses?? so just a few minutes here and there? and are you sure you didnt' watch it with a preconceive notion that TVB just sucks? If you did, then even if TVB produces something extrodinary you'll still say that it sux....but then again, knowing you for so long i know your not exactly an open minded person

Did you need to sit through all of GIGLI to know it was a lousy movie?

Well yea, but its just ONE movie tho. We're talking about different kinds of TVB series that tvb produces.

I have a problem with this statement

THE BUND III wasn't even half as good as the original series, but it STILL blows away anything TVB is doing now.

I've watched the Bund III and to say that Bund III BLOWS away anything that tvb is doing now is an ignorant statement. I, and i'm sure a bunch of people here can name a dozen or more series are that are better than the Bund III.


QF

[Ken Cheng]

I've watched the Bund III and to say that Bund III BLOWS away anything that tvb is doing now is an ignorant statement. I, and i'm sure a bunch of people here can name a dozen or more series are that are better than the Bund III.


QF

Why don't you be the first, then?

Let's see this list of a dozen or more series better than THE BUND III...especially within the past ten years.

[QF]

Gladly...

You want me to name any kind of TVB dramas or dramas that are "like" the Bund??

[Ken Cheng]

Gladly...

You want me to name any kind of TVB dramas or dramas that are "like" the Bund??

Any kind, although you might exclude wuxia adaptations because, after all, wuxia writers provided the main ideas for those.

[QF]

dude, as i was listing the series out i was thinking "hold on......the bund III was made in 1980(or somewhere there) and what Ken cheng is saying that in those 30 years, not one TVB series is better than the Bund III).

I mean if you have that thought, whats the point of me listing the series out gonna proof? Are you just gonna put up a poll and ask what everybody thinks(good idea actually?) Or are you gonna go and rent the series that i listed and actually give a proper comparison?


Look, i'm sure everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but to have a statement like " but it STILL blows away anything TVB is doing now." is a little....um...not right?? especially coming from a guy that hasn't watched anything that is TVB since 1988?

Dude, i'm not quite as old as you are, but I did grew up during the TVB's 80s Golden era and I can't say that the 80s era is head and shoulders above today's series.


QF

[Ken Cheng]

dude, as i was listing the series out i was thinking "hold on......the bund III was made in 1980(or somewhere there) and what Ken cheng is saying that in those 30 years, not one TVB series is better than the Bund III).

I didn't say that. YOU did.

I said that *right now*, as in 2009 (let's be generous and let it go all the way back to the beginning of this decade), TVB hasn't been producing anything as good as THE BUND III, which aside from not being as great as THE BUND, wasn't a terrible series, by the way...just nothing special compared to its grandparent series.

I mean if you have that thought, whats the point of me listing the series out gonna proof? Are you just gonna put up a poll and ask what everybody thinks(good idea actually?) Or are you gonna go and rent the series that i listed and actually give a proper comparison?

Why?

If you're confident that there have been a dozen TVB series post-1988 that have been as good or better than THE BUND III, list them and explain what made them better.

For my part, though, my remark was about TVB's series *right now*...2009. Too small a sample time? Fine...take it back to 1999, if you like. How about a dozen series by TVB from 1999 to 2009 that by popular opinion were as good or better than THE BUND III?

Look, i'm sure everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but to have a statement like " but it STILL blows away anything TVB is doing now." is a little....um...not right?? especially coming from a guy that hasn't watched anything that is TVB since 1988?

I have not seen any TVB series produced within the last calendar year or within the last decade that matches THE BUND III in either artistic or entertainment value.

On the other hand, last year, I watched China's BUND remake (2007) and found it a very respectable product that did surpass THE BUND III.

Dude, i'm not quite as old as you are, but I did grew up during the TVB's 80s Golden era and I can't say that the 80s era is head and shoulders above today's series.

Not every time, and not with every series, but the gem-to-dud ratio was notably better during the 1976-1988 period than during the past twelve years.

[almo89]

Ken, have you watched any of the recent gangster drama's by TVB?

I only know of Split Second and E.U..

Split Second was retarded. Trying way to hard to be infernal affairs style with the cinematography. Alex Fong and Yoyo Mung's relationship was a yawner. I've heard of good things from EU. I've seen like a few episodes and will watch it in full soon. Finally some interesting characters from TVB. Laughing Gor's character is pretty awesome. This guy has experience playing gangster roles all the way back in the "Goo Wak Jai" days, so this was just a cake walk for him.

I don't remember TVB doing that many 1930s gangster flicks these days though. Gangster movies of that era and modern gangs are pretty different.

The Bund and Shell Game probably the best in the 1930s gangster genre.

[Ken Cheng]

Split Second was retarded. Trying way to hard to be infernal affairs style with the cinematography. Alex Fong and Yoyo Mung's relationship was a yawner. I've heard of good things from EU. I've seen like a few episodes and will watch it in full soon. Finally some interesting characters from TVB. Laughing Gor's character is pretty awesome. This guy has experience playing gangster roles all the way back in the "Goo Wak Jai" days, so this was just a cake walk for him.

I don't remember TVB doing that many 1930s gangster flicks these days though. Gangster movies of that era and modern gangs are pretty different.

The Bund and Shell Game probably the best in the 1930s gangster genre.

I'm starting on THE SHELL GAME series on Monday. I've seen THE SHELL GAME I periodically over the years, but I haven't seen THE SHELL GAME II in about twenty-three years. It'll be interesting to revisit that second series after all this time.

[almo89]

I'm starting on THE SHELL GAME series on Monday. I've seen THE SHELL GAME I periodically over the years, but I haven't seen THE SHELL GAME II in about twenty-three years. It'll be interesting to revisit that second series after all this time.

Shell Game 2 was a bit of a downer considering how good the first one was. The first one was also more original with a female playing the main villain role.

[QF]

I didn't say that. YOU did.

That was my mistake and i apologise. I realized what i typed after i fell asleep.

Why?

If you're confident that there have been a dozen TVB series post-1988 that have been as good or better than THE BUND III, list them and explain what made them better.

For my part, though, my remark was about TVB's series *right now*...2009. Too small a sample time? Fine...take it back to 1999, if you like. How about a dozen series by TVB from 1999 to 2009 that by popular opinion were as good or better than THE BUND III?

I'm not gonna list any(not that i can't by the way) its just that its no use. You haven't seen any of the series that i will mention, for ex. 巾帼枭雄, 学警狙击 etc...etc.. and you are way to stubborn to admit that you're wrong and be open minded.

My beef is, if you haven't watched TVB series off and on, than you have no business in saying that "TVB haven't made anything better in the last decade that is better than the BUND III".

Now if you were somebody like myself or ALMO that watches TVB off and ON, than i would have no beef with you.

Simple as that.


QF

[Ken Cheng]

My beef is, if you haven't watched TVB series off and on, than you have no business in saying that "TVB haven't made anything better in the last decade that is better than the BUND III".

Well, I know I'm going to sleep much better at night knowing that you're out there policing what I "have no business in saying."

You're protesting *way* too much.

[QF]

You're protesting *way* too much.

Well, school is out, work is slow and i got nothing to do!


QF

[NetDragon]

No. Does TVB still make gangster dramas?

As a rule, I don't watch anything made by TVB after October 31, 1988, 11:25 a.m. Pacific Time.

Dude man, you mean you haven't seen the great TVB classics from 90's, like "The Breaking Point" and "Big Family"? :P That is a real pity though..
I do agree that nothing beats The Bund, but still there are other TVB series out there from the different eras, that are "classical" in their own ways. I really think you should take a look at "Big Family" at least hehe, it is no gangster drama but a family drama with a so intense storyline that you just gotta love it. I always loved dramas where "fate" kind of leads a person to be evil, not because he wants it, but it just happens..based on bad luck and other circumstances. And I mean no one has done this better than the script writers of TVB during the 90s

[almo89]

Dude man, you mean you haven't seen the great TVB classics from 90's, like "The Breaking Point" and "Big Family"? :P That is a real pity though..
I do agree that nothing beats The Bund, but still there are other TVB series out there from the different eras, that are "classical" in their own ways. I really think you should take a look at "Big Family" at least hehe, it is no gangster drama but a family drama with a so intense storyline that you just gotta love it. I always loved dramas where "fate" kind of leads a person to be evil, not because he wants it, but it just happens..based on bad luck and other circumstances. And I mean no one has done this better than the script writers of TVB during the 90s

Breaking Point was okay. It was better when I watched it as a kid. Watching it again, it was hard to get through Leon's painful acting. Deric Wan played his villain role pretty easily. Piece of cake for him.

I really want to see Big Family. I'm a Alex Man fan. I don't remember too much of it, but I know it's a classic. I can't believe they only released this on VCD and not DVD when DVD's of other series were already released. I will wait for DVD release and watch it in its entirety.

[Ken Cheng]

Another historical oddity that shows that TVB didn't totally do their homework on background research when making THE BUND:

Hui Mun Keung died in 1932 according to his tombstone (seen in THE BUND II).

Chinese novelist Ba Jin's FAMILY was published a year later, in 1933.

Problem: Fung Ching Ching was reading the novel FAMILY on the day that she and Hui Mun Keung first met, several years earlier.

Ching Ching was somehow reading a book that wasn't even published yet.

[Ghaleon]

Well Ken ever lose his enthusiasm for The Bund?

Has everyone watch the new Shanghai Bund? How does it compare to the original you guys think?

[BlueWhiteRed]

Almost 30 years.. This is still the best TVB series ever produced.

[Ghaleon]

What kind of cigarettes does Hui Mun Keung smoke?

[Ken Cheng]

What kind of cigarettes does Hui Mun Keung smoke?

Long, cylindrical ones with tobacco.

ARTS

Seriously, though, I imagine whatever brands were being sold in Shanghai at the time. I think there were probably at least a dozen different local manufacturers at the time. American and European cigarette brands might or might not have been available, but would have been more expensive.

Then again, Hui Mun Keung was rich, so he could have afforded American or European cigarettes if they were available.

[Ghaleon]

Long, cylindrical ones with tobacco.

ARTS

Seriously, though, I imagine whatever brands were being sold in Shanghai at the time. I think there were probably at least a dozen different local manufacturers at the time. American and European cigarette brands might or might not have been available, but would have been more expensive.

Then again, Hui Mun Keung was rich, so he could have afforded American or European cigarettes if they were available.

Maybe Marlboro's?

$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/0c/Marlboro.png')



Yeah HMK was rich. He was a chain smoker rite?