VIVA EROTICA (1996)

Starring: Leslie Cheung, Shu Qi, Karen Mok, Tsui Kam Kong, Law Kar Ying, Paul Chun, Margaret Leung.
Special appearances by: Lau Ching Wan, Anthony Wong, and Vincent Kuk.

Most of you would only watch this for Shu Qi’s tits, and yes, she does get them out, quite often, in fact. But that should not be your main focal point because Viva Erotica is a very interesting film about the current state of the Hong Kong film industry.

Sing (Leslie Cheung) is a director, and has been in the film business for a whole decade, but his last two films had flopped, and he now finds himself unemployed for the last year. Out of the blue, his producer friend, Chung (Law Kar Ying), calls him and tells him that he has found a businessman (Paul Chun) willing to invest in a film. But the businessman wants Sing to direct a Category 3 film, which Sing steadfastly refuses because he regards Cat 3 as the lowest of the low.

In the end, he does direct; after all, he needs to pay the bills, but problems soon arises. The lead actress, Mango (Shu Qi) refuses to take her clothes off, and the lead actor, Wah (Tsui Kam Kong) is too shy to commit himself fully to the sex scenes. That’s not all, Sing soon develops an unhealthy desire for Mango, much to the dislike of his girlfriend May (Karen Mok). And when things begin to look sunny, their set is burnt down by fire, and the investor bails out.

It is the unfortunate truth about Hong Kong cinema, that artistic films are always overshadowed by commercial ones. Directors who often try to realise their dreams of making cinematic art fail by the wayside as Hong Kong audiences simply avoid art-house films like the plague. Just look at Wong Kar Wai, the most critically acclaimed Hong Kong director in the world, yet all of his films had bombed at the Hong Kong box-office. The sad fact is that Hong Kong cinemagoers like to be entertained and coddled, they hate to ponder and think through films loaded with meanings, morals, and subtexts. That is why Wong Jing is the most successful box-office director in Hong Kong; he simply knows how to cater for his audience.

I think there is a moral message waiting to be unearthed in Viva Erotica, and maybe it is aimed at the film industry itself. Maybe it is telling itself not to be ashamed of making Cat 3 films, and that directors can also make artistic Cat 3 films. In a way, Viva Erotica is in itself, a purely artistic Cat 3 film, bereft of the usual cheesy, ostentatious, exploitative sex scenes that fill many Cat 3 plotlines.

The imaginative plot is a marvel to watch, especially as we witness Sing's turnabout from hating Cat 3 films to loving it. A particular memorable scene is at the end when everyone is naked - including the film crew! Equally funny is watching these filmmakers try to make a Cat 3 film, but they are all secretly embarrassed by it - they all hide their faces and wear shades when shooting an outside scene, afraid people would recognise them!

Besides from exposing her mammaries, Shu Qi doesn’t get a lot to do in Viva Erotica, but she does put in a good performance (she later won the Best Newcomer award at the HK film awards) as Mango, a struggling actress forced to undress for exploitation’s sake. Some of her sex scenes are simply hilarious.

Overall, the film is well worth looking into, simply for a comical insight into the making of a Cat 3 film, and most of all, for Shu Qi’s twin jewels.

RATING

8 / 10