NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Masters of Cinema Blu-ray (June 2025): Masters of Cinema has transferred Po-Chih Leong's Hong Kong 1941 to Blu-ray. It is cited as a "1080p HD presentation on Blu-ray from a 4K restoration". Cinematographer Brian Lai’s 35mm photography (which won Best Cinematography at the 1985 Hong Kong Film Awards) is showcased with exceptional clarity and fidelity, bringing out the gritty texture of wartime Hong Kong’s urban and rural landscapes. The restoration (credited in part to Fortune Star’s meticulous work) eliminates scratches, blemishes, and dirt, delivering a razor-sharp image that surpasses all prior home video releases, including earlier DVD iterations. The muted color palette retains its intended somber tone (pale greens) in 1080P with subtle warmth in pre-war flashback scenes rendered vividly to evoke nostalgia. The HD presentation delivers a highly commendable visual experience, showcasing the film’s period with film-like authenticity.

NOTE: We have added 56 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Masters of Cinema uses linear PCM mono tracks (24-bit) in the original Cantonese and an optional English language DUB. The track captures the dialogue-driven intimacy of the character interactions with clarity, ensuring that performances by Chow Yun-fat, Cecilia Yip, and Alex Man shine through. Ambient sounds (e.g.,the bustle of pre-war markets, the distant explosions of the Japanese invasion, or the subtle creaks of occupied Hong Kong’s hideouts) are rendered with surprising depth for a mono mix, though the limitations of the original recording prevent a more dynamic soundstage. The score (Violet Lam?), blending traditional Chinese instruments, like the erhu with somber orchestral tones, is well-balanced, never overpowering the dialogue or effects. The optional English DUB of Hong Kong 1941 (while included for completeness) is less compelling with voice acting that feels dated and occasionally mismatched, detracting from the emotional nuance of the original performances. It’s best avoided unless for curiosity or accessibility needs. The uncompressed Cantonese-language transfer does its job effectively. Masters of Cinema offers optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Frank Djeng, an East Asian cinema expert from the NY Asian Film Festival, who provides a scene-by-scene breakdown of the film’s themes, historical context, and production details, including anecdotes about the cast and crew, cultural norms, and the decision to film in Macau due to budget constraints. A 1/2-hour appreciation by Tony Rayns (King of the Children: And the New Chinese Cinema,) titled “Hong Kong 1984,” explores the film’s contemporary impact, comparing it to Ann Hui’s Love in a Fallen City (also starring Chow Yun-fat) and discussing its role as D&B Films’ debut production, alongside Po-Chih Leong’s British-Chinese perspective and the careers of the lead actors. Two interviews with Leong - “Crossing Cultures” (20 minutes) by Frédéric Ambroisine and a 2023 Udine Far East Film Festival masterclass (20 minutes) - delve into his directorial approach and the film’s exploration of cultural identity, offering personal and professional reflections. Archival interviews with Chow Yun-fat (totaling almost 20 minutes), Cecilia Yip (3/4 of an hour), and Paul Chun (less than 10 minutes) provide nostalgic insights into their experiences with Yip’s Best Actress win and Chow’s breakout role highlighted. The Hong Kong theatrical trailer and international re-release trailer showcase the film’s marketing, while a limited-edition collector’s booklet with new writing by Gary Bettinson (editor of Asian Cinema journal) adds scholarly depth with essays on Leong’s career and the film’s historical significance.

Po-Chih Leong's Hong Kong 1941 is set during the Battle of Hong Kong (December 8–25, 1941) when Japanese forces invaded the British colony, leading to its occupation until 1945. It is framed as a flashback narrated by Han Yuk-Nam (Cecilia Yip - Center Stage,) a woman reflecting on her youth years after the war. The narrative centers on three young friends: Nam, the daughter of a wealthy rice merchant who suffers from seizures; Yip Kim-Fei (Chow Yun-fat - Wild Search, The Postman Strikes Back, Curse of the Golden Flower,) her childhood friend from a once-prosperous family now reduced to working as a coolie; and Wong Hak-Keung (Alex Man - An Amorous Woman of Tang Dynasty, Rouge,) a charismatic but opportunistic actor from northern China. As the Japanese forces close in, the trio plans to escape Hong Kong for safer territories. The film explores how love (romantic, familial, and platonic) manifests under extreme pressure. The love triangle is not just a romantic subplot but a lens through which the characters’ selflessness and flaws are revealed. By focusing on local characters rather than British or Japanese perspectives, the film reclaims a Hong Kong-centric narrative, emphasizing the resilience of its people. The Masters of Cinema Blu-ray release of Hong Kong 1941 offers an excellent presentation of Po-Chih Leong’s 1984 war drama. The extras (from Frank Djeng’s insightful commentary to Tony Rayns’ contextual video essay, archival interviews, and Gary Bettinson’s scholarly booklet) provide a comprehensive package that is appealing especially to dedicated fans of 80's Hong Kong cinema. Warmly recommended.

Gary Tooze