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November 13 2018 (XXXVII:12) Wai-Keung Lau and : (2002, 101 min.) Online versions of The Goldenrod Handouts have color images & hot links: http://csac.buffalo.edu/goldenrodhandouts.html

DIRECTED BY Wai-Keung Lau (as ) and Alan Mak WRITING Alan Mak and PRODUCED BY Wai-Keung Lau producer (as Andrew Lau), line producers: Ellen Chang and Lorraine Ho, and Elos Gallo (consulting producer) MUSIC Kwong Wing Chan (as Chan Kwong Wing) and Ronald Ng (composer) Yiu-Fai Lai (director of photography, as Lai Yiu Fai), Wai-Keung Lau (director of photography, as Andrew Lau) EDITING Curran Pang (as Pang Ching Hei) and Danny Pang Art Direction Sung Pong Choo and Ching-Ching WAI-KEUNG LAU (b. April 4, 1960 in Kong), in a Costume Design Pik Kwan Lee 2018 interview with , said “I see every film as a challenge. But the main thing is I 't want CAST to repeat myself. Some people like to make in the ...Inspector Lau Kin Ming same mood. But because filmmakers are so Tony Chiu-Wai Leung... Wing Yan (as Tony Leung) lucky in that we can be quite prolific, we can make a Anthony Chau-Sang Wong...SP Wong Chi Shing (as diverse range of films.” Lau began his career in the Anthony Wong) and 1990s, serving as a cinematographer to filmmakers ...Hon Sam such as , and Wong Kar-wai. His ...Dr. Lee Sum Yee cinematography work on Chunking Express (1994) can be ...Mary seen as integral to realizing Kar-wai’s distinctive and ...Young Lau Kin Ming influential visual style conveying a simultaneous ...Young Chan Wing Yan excitement and isolation in technologically advanced urban ...May spaces defined by bright lights blurred by fast movement. ...Tsui Wai-keung In the 1990s, Lau decided to have more creative freedom Ka Tung Lam...Inspector B (as Lam Ka Tung) as a cinematographer by becoming a and Ting Yip Ng...Inspector Cheung (as Ng Ting Yip) producer. Apart from making films in his native Hong Dion Lam...Del Piero Kong, Lau has also made films in , Korea and the Chi Keung Wan...Officer Leung (as Wan Chi Keung) . A highly prolific filmmaker, Lau has made Hui Kam Fung...Cadet School Principal films in a variety of genres, and is most notable in the West Tony Ho...Suspect for his action and crime films which include the Young and Courtney Wu...Stereo Shop Owner Dangerous film series (1996-1998), the Infernal Affairs Hin-Wai Au...Elephant trilogy (2002-2003, co-directed with Alan Mak), and Revenge of the Green Dragons (2014, executive produced by ). He was commissioned by China's Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—2 government to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the (2008), Perfect Life (2008), Love Connected (2009), The founding of the People’s Liberation Army with the 2017 Road Less Traveled (2010), Dragon (2011), A Beautiful film . He is also president of the Life (2011), Mr. Tree (2011), The Four (2012), Tai Chi Hong Kong Film Directors' Guild, where he recently Zero (2012), All Apologies (2012), Cities in Love (2015 supervised a master class in filmmaking. These are some of segment "Italy"), and Till the End of the World (2018). the 44 films he has directed: Peng dang (1990),** The Ultimate Vampire (1991),** (1992), Naked Killer 2 (1993), To Live and Die in Tsimshatsui (1994), (1996),** Young and Dangerous 2 (1996),*** Young and Dangerous 3 (1996),** Young and Dangerous 1997 (1997),** Young and Dangerous 1998 (1998),** Young & Dangerous: The Prequel (1998),** (1998),** (1999),** The Legend of Speed (1999),** The Duel (2000),** Sausalito (2000), Born to Be King (2000),** The Avenging Fist (2001),* (2001),*** The Wesley's Mysterious File (2002),** Infernal Affairs (2002),*** Infernal Affairs II (2003),*** Infernal Affairs III (2003),*** (2006),*** Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010),*** A Beautiful Life (2011),*** and (2012).* He has produced 34 films and has done ANDY LAU (b. September 27, 1961 in , Hong cinematography for 53 films. *Indicates films he Kong) is a Hong Kong actor, , lyricist, and film produced producer. He has been one of Hong Kong's most **Indicates films he did cinematography for. commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, ss***Indicates films he produced and did performing in 170 films while maintaining a successful cinematography for singing career at the same time. In the 1990s, Lau was branded by the media as one of the Four Heavenly Kings ALAN MAK (b. January 1, 1965 in Hong Kong) made his of . Lau was initially known more for his directorial debut in 1997, with his first film being Nude handsome features, leading some people he has worked Fear (1998). After his debut, Mak directed films such as with to reduce him to a matinee idol, but he has resisted Rave Fever (1999, Zhou mo kuang re), A War Named such limiting readings of his work, insisting he is an artist. Desire (2000), Final Romance (2001), and Stolen Love These are some of the films he has acted in: Once Upon a (2001, Bit luen), which would be his first collaboration Rainbow (1982), Boat People (1982), On the Wrong Track with writer Felix Chong. In 2002, Mak and Chong wrote (1983), Everlasting Love (1984), Sworn Brothers (1987), the script for Infernal Affairs, which Mak would co-direct Rich and Famous (1987), Lai Shi, China's Last Eunuch with Wai-Keung Lau (Andrew Lau). This would be the (1987), The Truth (1988), The Crazy Companies (1988), As first of many collaborations involving the directing duo. Tears Go By (1988), In the Blood (1988), Casino Raiders Mak has directed 19 films, written for 13 films, and acted (1989), Gangland Odyssey (1990), in 20 films. These are the other films he has directed: (1990), Godfathers of Hong Kong (1991), (1991), Infernal Affairs II (2003), Infernal Affairs III (2003), 1:99 Lee Rock II (1991), Dances with Dragon (1991), The Sting Shorts (2003 TV Movie), (2005), Ching yi ngor (1992), Perfect Exchange (1993), The Legend of Drunken sum gi (2005), Confession of Pain (2006), Lady Cop & Master (1994), Heaven and Earth (1994), Papa Crook (2008), Overheard (2009), The Lost Killer (1994), Full Throttle (1995), Bladesman (2011), (2011), The Silent War III (1996), A True Mob Story (1998), The Conmen in Vegas (2012), (2014), and Extraordinary Mission (1999), Running Out of Time (1999), Century of the (2017). Dragon (1999), The Duel (2000), Infernal Affairs (2002), Infernal Affairs III (2003), YIU-FAI LAI has done cinematography for 31 films, (2004), (2004), Battle of the including: Young and Dangerous: Blues Warriors (2006), Protégé (2007), (2007), (1998), Love Will Tear Us Apart (1999), Those Were the (2008), Shaolin (2011), What Women Days... (2000), The Avenging Fist (2001), Infernal Affairs Want (2011), (2011), Cold War (2012), (2002), All Tomorrow's Parties (2003), Initial D (2005), Angry Kid (2013), (2013), From Vegas to One Last Dance (2006), Confession of Pain (2006), II (2015), Lost and Love (2015), Saving Mr. Wu (2007), Ngor dik zeoi oi (2008), Plastic City (2015), III (2016), The Great Wall Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—3

(2016), Railroad Tigers (2016), Shock Wave (2017), The 1998 (1998), The Kingdom of Mob (1999), Fist Power Adventurers (2017), and Chasing the Dragon (2017). (2000), Those Were the Days... (2000), Jiang Hu: The Zone (2000), Ransom Express (2000), Story of Prostitutes (2000), Violent Cop (2000), Evil Fade (2000), The Legend of a Professional (2001), City of Desire (2001), United We Stand and Swim (2001), Infernal Affairs II (2003), Infernal Affairs III (2003), Slim Till Dead (2005), House of Fury (2005), 2 Young (2005), Demoniac Flash (2005), Initial D (2005), Mob Sister (2005), All About Love (2005), McDull, the Alumni (2006), Isabella (2006), On the Edge (2006), (2006), The Sun Also Rises (2007), Vengeance (2009), Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (2010), (2011), A Beautiful Life (2011), A Simple Life (2011), The Four (2012), Naked Soldier (2012), Gangster Payday (2014), Hot Blood Band (2015), 12 Golden Ducks (2015), The Mobfathers (2016), Heaven in the Dark (2016), Cook Up a Storm (2017), (2017), and The Sleep Curse (2017). TONY CHIU-WAI LEUNG (b. June 27, 1962 in Hong Kong) won as best actor at Cannes for Wong Kar-Wai’s In Infernal Affairs (from Wikipedia) The Mood For Love (2000). A recurring actor in Kar-Wai’s A 2002 Hong Kong crime directed by films, he has appeared in films such as Andrew Lau and Alan Mak and written by Mak and Felix (1994), Happy Together (1997), and The Grandmaster Chong. It tells the story of a police officer who infiltrates a (2013). He also appeared in three Venice Triad, and another officer secretly working for the same -winning films, including gang. It is the first in the Infernal Affairs series and is (1989), Cyclo (1995) and Lust, Caution (2007), directed by followed by Infernal Affairs II and Infernal Affairs III. . Leung also starred in Award- The Chinese title means "The Unceasing Path", a nominated film Hero (2002), and the box office hits Hard reference to , the lowest level of Hell in Buddhism, Boiled (1992) and Infernal Affairs (2002). He has acted in where one endures suffering incessantly. The English title 94 films, including: Forced Vengeance (1982), People's is a word play, combining the adjective 'infernal' Hero (1987), (1990), Butterfly and (concerning hell) with internal affairs – the police Sword (1993), The Magic Crane (1993), End of the Road department concerned with investigating its own officers. (1993), He Ain't Heavy... He's My Father (1994), Heaven The film had been selected as the Hong Kong entry Can't Wait (1995), Chinese Midnight Express (1997), The for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Longest Nite (1998), Timeless Romance (1998), Flowers of Awards but was not nominated. Films acquired (1998), Your Place or Mine (1998), Gorgeous the United States distribution rights and gave it a limited (1998), (2000), Infernal Affairs III (2003), US theatrical release in 2004. Martin Scorsese successfully Sound of Colors (2003), 2046 (2004), Red Cliff (2008), Red remade the film in 2006 as , which won the Cliff II (2009), The Silent War (2012), Hema Hema: Sing Academy Award for Best Picture An Indian remake of the Me a Song While I Wait (2016), See You Tomorrow (2016), film is also in the works. Europe Raiders (2018), and Theory of Ambitions (2018). Contents ANTHONY CHAU-SANG WONG (b. September 2, Chan Wing-yan, a police officer, goes undercover into a 1961 in Hong Kong) is perhaps best known in the West for triad; only his direct superior, Superintendent Wong, is his roles in the 1992 and the 2002 aware of his mission and true identity. Around the same critically acclaimed Infernal Affairs. He has acted in 206 time, Lau Kin-ming, a triad member, infiltrates the Hong films, including: Hua jie shi dai (1985), No Risk, No Gain: Kong Police Force on the orders of a powerful gang boss, Casino Raiders - The Sequel (1990), Wu niu (1990), Ng ye Hon Sam. Each mole has been planted by the rival tai yong (1990 TV Series), Jue qiao zhi duo xing (1990), organisation to gain an advantage in intelligence over the When Fortune Smiles (1990), What a Hero (1992), The other side. Over the course of ten years, Chan experiences Heroic Trio (1993), Taxi Hunter (1993), Daughter of great stress from his undercover work while Lau quickly Darkness (1993), Brother of Darkness (1994), A Gleam of rises through the ranks in the police department. Hope (1994), Young and Dangerous 2 (1996), Young and Using Morse code Chan is able to relay data back Dangerous 3 (1996), Black Mask (1996), Armageddon to the police. However, Lau alerts Hon, giving him enough (1997), Hui zhuan shou shi (1997), Young and Dangerous time to order his minions to dispose of the evidence. After Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—4 the incident, both Wong and Hon are tasked with finding Awards the moles in their respective organization. Infernal Affairs won seven out of the sixteen Wong intends to pull Chan out of undercover work awards it was nominated for at the 22nd Hong Kong Film for fear of his safety. However, he is caught by Hon's men Awards, beating 's Hero for the Best Film and is killed when he is thrown off the building, having award. It also won Best Picture awards in the Golden refused to reveal Chan despite the beating from the Horse Awards and the among gangsters. other awards too. It was ranked No 30 in Empire Through this incident, Lau retrieves Wong's cell magazine's "The 100 Best Films of " in phone and contacts Chan; both of them agree to foil a drug 2010. It is the highest ranked Hong Kong film on Internet deal by Hon. The Movie Database's Top plan succeeds and 250 movies list. many of Hon's men are arrested, while Box office Lau betrays Hon and Infernal Affairs murders him. has grossed Everything seems to HK$55,057,176 in Hong have returned to Kong and USD$169,659 normal. However, in North America back at the police globally, it has grossed headquarters, Chan $8,708,932. It is ranked discovers that Lau 181 in worldwide yearly was the mole and leaves immediately. 2004 and 9,979 in all-time domestic. Comparing to Chan and Lau meet on the same rooftop where 'Infernal Affairs', 'The Departed', which is the remake of Wong was killed earlier Chan disarms Lau and holds a Infernal affairs in the US, has grossed HK $1,039,728 in pistol to his head as a rebuke to Lau's plea for forgiveness Hong Kong and USD $132,384,315 in North America and request to remain as a cop Inspector B arrives on the Globally, ‘The Departed’ has grossed $291,465,034. It is scene shortly and orders Chan to release Lau. Chan holds ranked 14 in worldwide yearly 2006 and 422 in all-time Lau as a hostage at gunpoint and backs into the lift, but domestic. upon moving his head from behind Lau he is suddenly shot in the head by B. B then reveals to Lau that he is also a Cinematic techniques mole planted by Hon. As they take the lift down to the Within Infernal Affairs, cinemagraphers Andrew lobby, Lau kills B out of his desire to eradicate traces of his Lau and Lai Yiu-fai rely heavily on cinematic techniques past, become a "good guy" cop, and end the mole hunt. in order to convey flashbacks, scene changes, and Stepping out of the lift, Lau shows his identity card dialogues respectively. Flashbacks are found throughout to the police to identify himself as one of them. Months the film to reference the origin of relationships and the side after Chan's death, Lee discovers records revealing Chan's the characters stand on. Scene changes are often made true identity as an undercover police officer; B becomes a through the use of jump-cuts, freeze-frame shots, and fade scapegoat for Lau as the real mole in the police force and outs. Whereas dialogues within the film are often captured the case is closed. Lau salutes Chan at his funeral. A by close-ups. The importance of jump cuts provides the flashback reaffirms the point that Lau wished he had taken effect of jumping forwards in time, and manipulating the a different route in life. duration of a single-shot, therefore moving the audience forward into time and establishing the next scene. In Infernal Affairs garnered mainly positive reviews addition, the use of freeze-frame shots provides the illusion from film critics and audiences. Feedback for the film has that the action has ceased, establishing an important been overwhelmingly positive, with an approval rating of moment of the film. This provides characters the time for 94% on review website . The website's internal dialogue and leave an iconic lasting image.. Fade critical consensus remarks the film as, "Smart and outs provides the audience the understanding and indicates engrossing, this is one of Hong Kong's better cop thrillers." that a period of time has passed during the film. The use of While an overwhelming majority of viewers praised the close-ups establishes the character's face through the use of film, a few film critics complained of the generic and zooming in to heightens the actor's ability and empowers forgettable plot-line. With regard to film's overall design, emotions in a film scene. movie critics point that the moral dilemmas and emotional elements of the film were the main attributions that Change face transformed the “somewhat unoriginal plot” into a success. The inspiration for this movie is said to come from 's movie Face/Off, in which a police officer Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—5 receives plastic surgery in order to take revenge on his person.” If Hong Kong is in the situation of Lau, is would son's killer. However, for his movie, Lau wanted to have a be a story of “washing away” the old history by any means more realistic situation; instead of a physical face change, in order to adopt the new political environment. Lau wanted to have the characters swap identities. The concept of "" or "change face", a technique Adaptations traditionally used in , may have been used In 2003, 's production company Plan B here to depict the fluid and seamless morph of Chen and Entertainment acquired the rights for a Hollywood remake, Lau's character's identities between the "good" and "bad" named The Departed, which was directed by Martin sides. Scorsese, and starred Leonardo DiCaprio, , , and , set in Boston, Double identity Massachusetts, roughly based on the life of famed Boston The character's difficulty in finding one's 'authentic mobster James "Whitey" Bulger. The Departed was identity' constitute the common storyline in Hong Kong released on 6 October 2006 and won the Academy Award undercover-cop tragedies. The clash of identities between for Best Picture. Andrew Lau, the co-director of Infernal Yan and Ming force the viewer to wonder: “what will one Affairs, who was interviewed by Hong Kong newspaper do if one is tired of one's present life and is set to give , said: "Of course I think the version I made is oneself a rebirth?” Such a difficult process due to the better, but the Hollywood version is pretty good too reinvention of the self – involves a unique set of issues [Scorsese] made the Hollywood version more attuned to including the necessity of erasing one's original identity or American culture." Andy Lau, one of the main actors in to straighten out one's past through preserved documents: Infernal Affairs, when asked how the movie compares to “documents, public records, or even an individual's the original, said: "The Departed was too long and it felt as memories, for they may prevent one from securing a newly if Hollywood had combined all three Infernal Affairs acquired position and identity.” Implied is also the question movies together." Lau pointed out that the remake featured about ownership of both some of the "golden quotes" of memories and records, for the original but did have much they decisively bear upon more swearing He ultimately one's entitlement to a new rated The Departed 8/10 and life. said that the Hollywood remake is worth a view, Political implication though according to Lau's Apart from “How spokeswoman Alice Tam, he To Regain The Identity Of felt that the combination of the Police”, Infernal Affairs two female characters into one focuses on the issue of: in The Departed was not as “How to be a new person.” good as the original storyline. To become a good person, Lau, Tsang, and Cheung it is important to review the parodied the cinema scene to past. However the past can promote the Hong Kong Film never be presented in a complete form, but it is gathered Awards Lau and Tsang, in their respective characters, go through memories and records. The transitional period of through the scene where they meet to gather info on the Hong Kong in 1997 also brings out the question of “How undercover cop amongst Hon Sam's gang Lau Kin-ming to be a new person”: from a British colonial ruling to an asks Hon "Why do we always meet in a cinema?", to which administrative region under Chinese government. Hon answers "It's quiet No one comes to movies." Cheung This same implication is seen from the comes out from the shadows behind them and says "I don't perspectives of Chan and Lau. Through Chan, “to be a new know quite a few people watch movies" and we see a slew person” is to gain back the identity of police, escape from of Hong Kong celebrities watching various clips of Hong the confusion of identity after all the years in the triad. For Kong films on the screen. Originally Tony Leung was Lau, “to be a new person” is actually to “wash away” (洗 going to appear but scheduling conflicts led to the 底）his history as a gangster. And to do that he killed his recasting. boss and another undercover [agent]. It brings the question The 2003 TVB spoof celebrating the Chinese New to audience that whether Hong Kong is in the situation of Year called Mo Ba To (吐氣羊眉賀新春之無霸道), the Chan or Lau under the new political context. If Hong Kong 2004 film Love Is a Many Stupid Thing by Wong is in the situation of Chan, it means it is finally walking out Jing, and the 2004 TVB television drama Shades of Truth from the confusion of identity and become a true “Chinese were re-writings based on the plot of the film. Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—6

In SHODA (劉裕銘) and a secondary greater degree of political and economic freedom than school student Blanka (布蘭卡) cut and rearranged the and Taiwan, and developed into a original film and inserted new sound tracks to produce filmmaking hub for the Chinese-speaking world (including their videos Infernal Affairs CD pro2 and Infernal Affairs its worldwide diaspora). iPod on the web. The videos had many views and both For decades, Hong Kong was the third largest producers removed their videos after receiving cease and motion picture industry in the world (after Indian cinema desist letters from the Group Power Workshop Limited (群 and Hollywood) and the second largest exporter. Despite an industry crisis starting in the mid-1990s and Hong 體工作室), the Taiwan distributor of the film. Kong's return to Chinese sovereignty in July 1997, Hong Media released a limited edition of eight- Kong film has retained much of its distinctive identity and DVD set of the Infernal Affairs trilogy in an Ultimate continues to play a prominent part on the world cinema 無間道終極珍藏 系列 套 Collectible Boxset ( DVD (8DVD stage. In the West, Hong Kong's vigorous pop cinema 裝)) on 20 December 2004. Features included an online (especially ) has long had a game and two Chinese fictional novels of the film series by strong cult following, which is now arguably a part of the Lee Muk-Tung… cultural mainstream, widely available and imitated. The hi-fi shop scene was later recreated with Economically, the together with the additions of excerpts of the film to encourage businesses to value added of cultural and creative industries represents 5 . join the Quality Tourism Services Scheme in Hong Kong. per cent of Hong Kong's economy. In 2009, a Korean remake City of Damnation, which was directed by Kim Dong-won was released on 22 January 2009, In 2009, a Telugu remake Homam, which directed and acted by JD Chakravarthy along with Jagapathi Babu was released and became a notable movie. In 2012, Double Face (ダブルフェイス), a Japanese television remake starring Hidetoshi Nishijima was released by TBS and WOWOW. The production aired in two parts: "Police Impersonation" on WOWOW and "Undercover" on TBS. A TV-Series remake has been scheduled to debut in 2018 produced by Media Asia and former TVB producer Tommy Leung. The series, which is titled "Infernal Affairs" like the film, stars , , Lo Hoi-pang, Eric Tsang, Derek Kok, Dominic Lam, and Toby Leung. The TV show uses the same concept as the : “Infernal Affairs” film, but with an entirely new story and characters, and the "Infernal Affairs" is about a cop who is actually a setting will expand beyond Hong Kong to include gangster, and a gangster who is actually a cop. Early scenes and Shezhen It will stretch through three seasons with each show them being put into deep cover: A young gangster is season consisting of 12 episodes. assigned by a crime boss to enter the police academy, and a A Hindi remake is in progress and is produced by young academy graduate is spun off from the force and Mumbai-based production Azure Entertainment and assigned to undercover work as a criminal. In each case, Warner Bros India. the strategy is to leave them in place for years, doing their The success of the film inspired many genres, jobs as well as possible, so they can rise in the ranks and including an open-world video game titled Sleeping Dogs become invaluable as moles. (or True Crime: Hong Kong before canceled by Activision This idea, made into the most successful Hong Blizzard in 2011), with the protagonist of the story Kong production of recent years, is such a good idea that a infiltrating the criminal underworld as an undercover Hollywood remake is planned, perhaps by Martin Scorsese. police. Sleeping Dogs was developed by What makes it so intriguing is that as the story grows more Games and published by Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest tangled, the lives of the two characters take on a hidden series owner Square Enix. desperation. Both of them have spent so long pretending to be someone else that their performances have become the Hong Kong cinema (Wikipedia) reality. The (Chinese: 香港電影) is one of Andy Lau plays Lau, the young mobster who is the three major threads in the history of assigned by his triad boss (Eric Tsang) to infiltrate the cinema, alongside the , and the cinema of police force. He becomes a good cop, skilled at his job, Taiwan. As a former British colony, Hong Kong had a smooth at departmental politics, cool as a cucumber Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—7

Tony Leung, who won as best actor at Cannes for You might as well just forge ahead undercover for "," plays Chan, the young police the rest of your life, a mole forever unawakened, and let recruit who is assigned to infiltrate the mob. At first only the false life become the one you have lived. two members of the force know his true identity, and eventually there is only one: Police Superintendent Wong (Anthony Wong), to whom he turns with increasing desperation. He is tired of being a criminal, the work is depressing, he is the only person besides Wong who knows he's not a bad guy, and he wants to come in out of the cold. These two characters come into full play 10 years after the opening scenes, when both of them are brought into play by their original employers, and both sides realize they have a traitor in their ranks. In a kind of symmetry which is unlikely and yet poetically appropriate, each one is assigned to find the mole—to find himself, that is. There's another level of irony since Lau and Chan actually graduated in the same academy class, and knew each other if only by sight; Chan has no way of knowing Lau is a sleeper for the mob, but Lau knew at the time that Chan was a cop, and possibly knew he disappeared to go undercover. The two meet by chance years later in a stereo store, but don't recognize each other—a possibility easier Triads (from Wikipedia) for us to accept because they were played by other actors A triad is one of many branches of as younger men. Chinese transnational organized crime syndicates based It's a long, tense build-up, with Lau prospering in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and in countries professionally while Chan begs with Wong to leave with significant Chinese populations, such as the United undercover work. Wong refuses; the department has States, Canada, Vietnam, Korea, , , the invested years in putting him into place. Eventually, in a , , , Thailand, the United sustained virtuoso sequence, the two moles are in play at Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain, South once, aware of each other's existence but not identity, and Africa, , Brazil and New Zealand. the plot ingeniously plays them against each other. The Hong Kong triad is distinct from mainland A lot of the action in "Infernal Affairs" has to do Chinese criminal organizations. In ancient China, the triad with cell phone strategy, brought to a level of complexity was one of three major secret societies. It established that would impress a logician. Each character is on the branches in Macau, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Chinese edge of discovering who the other is, and of being communities overseas. After the establishment of the discovered himself, as a long-prepared police sting comes People's Republic of China, all secret societies were down on as a long-planned criminal operation. destroyed in mainland China in a series of campaigns But this plot, clever and complex, is not the reason organized by . Although organized-crime to see the movie. What makes it special is the inner turmoil groups have returned to China after Mao, they are not triad caused by living a lie. If everyone you know and societies Known as " criminal everything you do for 10 years indicates you are one kind organizations", they are of two major types: dark forces of person, and you know you are another, how do you live (loosely-organized groups) and black societies (more- with that? mature criminal organizations). Two features which The movie pays off in a kind of emotional distinguish a black society from a dark force are the ability complexity rarely seen in crime movies. I cannot reveal to achieve illegal control over local markets, and receiving what happens, but will urge you to consider the thoughts of police protection. The Hong Kong triad refers to traditional two men who finally confront their own real identities—in criminal organizations operating in (or originating from) the person of the other character. The crook has been the Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and south-east Asian good cop The cop has been the good crook. It's as if they countries and regions, while organized-crime groups in have impersonated each other. mainland China are known as "mainland Chinese criminal All very lonely, ironic and sad, and without groups." satisfaction—especially if your superiors, the people you Y. K. Chu's The Triads as did it for, do not or cannot appreciate it. Business (2002) examines the rise of the Hong Kong triad and the role of triad societies in legal, illegal and international markets. Peng Wang's The Chinese Lau and Mak: INFERNAL AFFAIRS—8

Mafia (2017) studies the origin of Chinese secret societies book also explores how local gangs form mutually- in ancient China, explores the rise of organized crime in beneficial networks with police officers and how the post-Mao China, and investigates the ways in which local formation of a political-criminal nexus enables local gangs gangs offer quasi-law enforcement and private protection to control illegal markets and sell protection to citizens and to local governments, corporations and individuals. Wang's businesses.

COMING UP IN THE FALL 2018 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS SERIES 37:

NOV 20 MARTIN SCORSESE, THE DEPARTED, 2006….S NOV 27 TOM MCCARTHY, SPOTLIGHT, 2015…. DEC 4 JOHN HUSTON, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, 1975

SPRING 2019 BUFFALO FILM SEMINARS, SERIES 38 (PRELIMINARY LIST)

JAN 29 Paul Fejös, Lonesome 1928 FEB 5 Frank Borsage, A Farewell to Arms 1932 Feb 12 Gregory La Cava, My Man Godfrey, 1936 Feb 19 John Huston, The African Queen 1951 Feb 26 Jean-Luc Godard, Breathless 1960 Mar 5 Luis Bunuel, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie 1962 Mar 12 , Dr. Zhivago 1965 Mar 26 Arturo Ripstein, Time to Die 1966 Apr 2 Michelangelo Antonioni, Blow-Up 1966 Apr 9 Michael Cimino, 1978 Apr 16 Monty Python, The Meaning of Life 1983 Apr 23 Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Apr 30 Terrence Malick, Tree of Life, 2011 May 7 Alfonso Cuarón, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2004

CONTACTS:...email Diane Christian: [email protected]…email Bruce Jackson [email protected] the series schedule, annotations, links and updates: http://buffalofilmseminars.com...to subscribe to the weekly email informational notes, send an email to addto [email protected] cast and crew info on any film: http://imdb.com/

The Buffalo Film Seminars are presented by the State University of New York at Buffalo and the Dipson Amherst Theatre, with support from the Robert and Patricia Colby Foundation and the Buffalo News.