Hong Kong 1941 – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Hong Kong, 1984
Director: Po-Chih Leong
Writers: John Chan, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
Cast: Chow Yun-fat, Cecilia Yip, Alex Man, Shih Kien, Wu Ma, Paul Chun, Ku Feng, Stuart Ong, Billy Lau, Angela Yu Chien 

Release Date: June 16th, 2025 (UK), June 17th, 2025 (USA)
Approximate Running Time: 100 Minutes 59 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: 18 (UK), NR (USA)
Sound: LPCM Mono Cantonese, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A,B
Retail Price: £17.99 (UK), $39.95 (USA)

"Hong Kong 1941 follows three Hongkongers forced to negotiate life under occupation as their homeland falls to the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. Ha Yuk-nam (Yip) is a young woman locked in a love triangle with her close friends Yip Kim-fei (Chow) and Wong Hak-keung (Man). As they dream of escape, their complicated personal relationships play out against the background of oppression and brutality that was brought to Hong Kong by Japanese rule between 1941 and 1945." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Presented in 1080p HD from a brand new 4K restoration."

Hong Kong 1941 comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.6 GB

Feature: 29.4 GB

The source looks excellent; colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5 (LPCM Mono Cantonese), 3.75/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in Cantonese, and a LPCM mono mix in English. While both audio tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, the Cantonese language track is noticeably more robust in comparison. Included are removable English subtitles for the Cantonese language track, as well as removable English subtitles for Cantonese text when viewing the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a Hong Kong theatrical trailer (4 minutes 2 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an international theatrical trailer (3 minutes 48 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), three archival interviews with actress Cecilia Yip (29 minutes 8 seconds, 4 minutes 22 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview actor Paul Chun (8 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), Chow Yun-fat archival interview #1 (13 minutes 13 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Chow Yun-fat archival interview #2 (5 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Cantonese with non-removable English subtitles), Masterclass at Udine FEFF 2023 with director Po-Chih Leong who discusses Hong Kong 1941 and Cultural Identity (21 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with Po-Chih Leong titled Crossing Cultures (21 minutes 46 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay by East Asian film expert Tony Rayns, he discusses the contemporary impact of Hong Kong 1941 (30 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival), reversible cover art, an O-card slipcase (limited to 2000 copies), and a 20-page booklet (limited to 2000 copies) with cast & crew information, an essay titled the Contentious Auteur: Notes on Po-Chih Leong written by Gary Bettinson, and information about the transfer titled Notes on Viewing.

Summary:

Po-Chih Leong directed Hong Kong 1941. He’s known for He Lives by Night, Banana Cop, The Island, and Fatal Love.

Three friends try to navigate Hong Kong after the Japanese occupy the city.

In many martial arts-themed films depicting conflicts between Japan and China, the focus is often on the brutality of the Japanese. However, in Hong Kong 1941, the most horrific acts of brutality are perpetrated by other Chinese who have allied with the Japanese. Some characters exploit their new positions to loot the homes of affluent people, while others escalate their actions; one character inserts a firework into people's ears, and another character commits rape against a woman. When faced with adversity, instead of fighting for their country, many characters are opportunists who will do anything to survive.

The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong serves as the catalyst for the events that unfold, but it is the characters who ultimately propel the narrative forward. Performance-wise, the three leads—Chow Yun-fat (The Killer) in the role of Yip Kim-fei, Cecilia Yip (Nomad) in the role of Ha Yuk-nam, and Alex Man (Rouge) in the role of Wong Hak-keung—are outstanding. The most memorable performance is Wu Ma (Righting Wrongs); he portrays Chairman Liu Yan-mau, a sadistic Japanese sympathizer who gets his kicks by putting firecrackers into people's ears.

Besides the Japanese occupation, there is a love triangle between the three main characters, which creates a lot of tension. Where Han Yuk-nam and Wong Hak-keung try to live in the shadows, Yip Kim-fei gains favor with the Japanese, and he uses the access by being friendly with the enemy to move more freely. When Han Yuk-nam falls in love with Yip Kim-fei, it causes a rift between Wong Hak-keung and Yip Kim-fei.

There is no area where Hong Kong 1941 is lacking. Po-Chih Leong’s exemplary direction is never showy; it lets the characters take center stage. Pacing is not an issue, as the narrative does a superb job building momentum to its bittersweet finale. The action sequences for a non-martial arts film are impressive, notably a scene where cops raid a rice factory and characters use their surroundings to avoid arrest. Ultimately, Hong Kong 1941 is a story about friendship, loyalty, and courage that quickly draws you in, and its finale lingers in your mind.

Hong Kong 1941 gets an exceptional release from Eureka Video that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer