Hitchcock in Hong Kong: Reception and Remakes in the 1950s and 1960s

Abstract

<p>Alfred Hitchcock’s films have been thoroughly studied from multiple angles, including their aesthetic values, suspense techniques, and the connections between Hitchcock’s life and the motifs of his films. Scholars have also employed a variety of theoretical approaches, such as Freudian and Lacanian psychoanalysis and influence studies. While the majority of reception studies of Hitchcock focus on the interactions between Hitchcock and American or European cinema, this article extends the field to include the reception of his films in Hong Kong during the 1950s and 1960s. The first part of this article surveys the distribution and reception of Hitchcock’s films released in Hong Kong in that period, including their screenings, their popularity, the impact of Hitchcock’s visits to Hong Kong, and the specific appeal of Hitchcock’s films to Hong Kong audiences, drawing on media coverage, interviews, and film reviews. The second part of this article focuses on remakes of Hitchcock’s films by local filmmakers during the 1950s and 1960s. Four local remakes will be analyzed: <em>Backyard Adventures</em> [Houchuang 後窗] (1955, adaptation of <em>Rear Window</em>), <em>The</em> <em>Night of the Returning Spirit</em> [Hui hun ye 回魂夜] (1962, adaptation of <em>Vertigo</em>), <em>Conjuring Spirit at Midnight</em> [Wuye zhaohun午夜招魂] (1964, adaptation of <em>Rebecca</em>), and <em>To Catch a Murderer</em> [Zhui xiong ji 追兇記] (1965, adaptation of <em>Strangers on a Train</em>). These remakes will be placed in the socio-cultural context of Cantonese cinema from the 1950s to 1960s to demonstrate how the anti-superstition messaging in leftist films and changes in audience tastes influence the characterization and plot resolutions in these local remakes.</p>