Porky's Meatballs / Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987); teenage romance comedy film review

DVD cover artwork for the teenage romance comedy film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987).

High School Highjinks by Linh

Porky's Meatballs may be considered to be Hong Kong cinema's equivalent to American teenage rom-coms (romantic comedy), similar to those written and directed by the late John Hughes. This film tackles themes of teenage romance, heartbreak, friendships, revenge, and an emphasis on the importance of a higher education.

However, unlike American teen movies like Porky's and its subsequent sequels, Porky's Meatballs does not depict the misogynistic, bawdy and outrageous sexcapades (sexual escapades) of teenage boys seeking to lose their virginity, perving on naked women through peep-holes in walls, and bedding prostitutes. Porky's Meatballs may have issues of sexuality, gender and social class which underpin the film's storylines but this film is quite cutesy in its sex humour and clever in its use of homonyms.

GECKO GAG: Chun (Rachel Lee Lai Chun) comforts Bak Yut Mong (Nnadia Chan Chung Ling) after a lizard revenge prank from their male classmates in the film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987). Image: D and B Films.

Set in 1987 Hong Kong, the film begins with the start of the final high school term at York Chi College, and the college superintendent's son Tse Tin (Stephen Ho Kai Nam) has flunked again and is now in the same class as his younger sister Tse Dai (Sabrina Ho Pui Yee). Twenty seven year old Ng Seng Choi (Yiu Yau Hung), who has been in the same grade for the last five years and deliberately flunks to make money by doing other students' homework for payment, gives his classmate Sung Kar Ming (Timothy Siu Chen Yung) a ride to school in his red convertible, while fellow classmate Bak Yut Mong (Nnadia Chan Chung Ling) waits for the bus. Bak Yut Mong notices a handsome young man staring at her from the balcony of a flat and she develops a crush on him. 

DAY DREAMER: Bak Yut Mong (Nnadia Chan Chung Ling) is a romantic who falls in love with a dummy in the film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987). Image: D and B Films.

Meanwhile, Chun (Rachel Lee Lai Chun), the most popular girl in school, is still on holidays in Hawaii and she meets university student Tai Wan Ho (Chan San Ho) who falls in love with her after one date together. When Chun returns to Hong Kong, he follows her and even enrols in the same class to be with her. Tse Tin grows jealous of Tai Wan Ho and plots with Ng Seng Choi to break up the pair, but he soon realises Chun is interested in her P.E. teacher (Russell Wong Seng Dat). After discovering the handsome man on the balcony is not "real", Bak Yut Mong is devastated and embarrassed, but does not realise Sung Kar Ming has a crush on her. 

AMBIGUOUS AUTHORITY: Principal Wu (Teddy Yip Wing Cho) has ethical discrepancies and questionable morals but he cares about his students and their education in the film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987). Image: D and B Films.

The various crushes and romances are tested as a gender war between the students turn the basketball match between York Chi College and rival San Dong College into a riot. As a result, the college superintendent demotes Principal Wu (Teddy Yip Wing Cho) to student co-ordinator and hires a former army general (Guk Fung) and a team of top educators to discipline the students. The students respond to the conservative regime of their new Principal and teachers by pulling pranks, cheating on exams and plotting to get rid of them to bring back Principal Wu.

DEVIOUS DISGUISE: Ng Seng Choi (Yiu Yau Hung) and Tse Tin (Stephen Ho Kai Nam) at their Star Wars themed high school ball in the film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987). Image: D and B Films.

Porky's Meatballs is a light-hearted and fun teenage comedy romance with many cultural references to Hong Kong and American films, television series and celebrities. However, it is still accessible and comprehensible for non-Asian viewers as the themes are universal. The characters' names in the film are quite funny if using the literal Chinese translations; for example, Tse Tin is "thank heaven" while his younger sister Tse Dai is "thank earth", Ng Seng Choi is "never get rich" yet he makes so much money, and Bak Yut Mong is "day dream" which is what she does most of the time. The songs featured in the film are upbeat, breezy, pop rock numbers sung by upcoming artists at the time, Nnadia Chan Chung Ling and Chan San Ho, who also star in the film.

SWEET SEDUCTION: Tse Dai (Sabrina Ho Pui Yee) attempts to seduce a male student from a rival college for a revenge prank in the film Porky's Meatballs/Zany Campus 鬼馬校園 (1987). Image: D and B Films.

Director: Clifton Ko Chi Sum

Writers: Clifton Ko Chi Sum, Joe Ma Wai Ho

Cast: Nnadia Chan Chung Ling, Teddy Yip Wing Cho, Rachel Lee Lai Chun, Stephen Ho Kai Nam, Sabrina Ho Pui Yee, Guk Fung, Chan San Ho,Timothy Siu,Yiu Yau Hung, Lam Chung, Russell Wong Seng Dat, Law Kam Fai, Wong Hung, Cheung Yuen Wah, Chiao Chiao

Producers: Linda Kuk Mei Lai, Dickson Poon Kik Sun

Cinematographers: Ardy Lam Gok Wah, Derek Wan Man Kit


Music Composer: Richard Yuen Cheuk Fan

Film Editor: Cheung Kwok Kuen

Production Designer: Jason Mok Siu Kei

Language: Cantonese with English subtitles

Running Time: 1 hour and 37 minutes

Love In The Buff / Cherie And Jimmy春嬌與志明 (2012); romance drama film review

English poster artwork for the romance drama film Love In The Buff / Cherie And Jimmy春嬌與志明.

Lingering Love by Linh

Love In The Buff is the sequel to hit romantic comedy Love In A Puff and sees the return of lovers, cosmetic salesgirl Cherie Yue (Miriam Yeung Chin Wah) and advertising executive Jimmy Cheung (Shawn Yue), but this time we see them living together and problems arise as workaholic Jimmy fails to keep his appointments with Cherie. He misses out on her mother’s birthday dinner and a party with her friends. When Jimmy is given a lucrative deal to work in Beijing, Cherie finally decides to leave him and stays over at her mother’s house. On the plane to Beijing, a sexual harassment prank on flight attendant Shang You-you (Mini Yang) goes wrong, and Jimmy is called upon by You-you to be her witness in formal charges. They exchange mobile phone numbers and soon Jimmy and You-you begin dating.

While Jimmy is in Beijing, Cherie’s boss informs her all the Sephora cosmetic stores in Hong Kong are closing and they will be re-locating to Beijing. When she arrives in Beijing, Cherie is heartbroken but resilient after finding out Jimmy has already found a new love. Soon after, her friend Brenda (June Lam) arranges blind dates for her. When waiting with Brenda for her blind date to arrive, Cherie feels desperate to go to the toilet. While in the cubicle making a call, she accidentally drops her phone and it falls into the toilet. The toilet door lock becomes jammed and Cherie is stuck inside the cubicle. Sam (Zheng Xu) hears her cries for help and he releases the lock, then retrieves her phone from out of the toilet. They soon become friends and begin dating.

Although Jimmy and Cherie appear to have found the perfect partners, they could not let go of each other emotionally. They begin secretly text messaging each other and rendezvous at night for dinners or meet during the day.

TOILET TRICK: Jimmy (Shawn Yue) shows You-you (Mini Yang) his dry-ice smoke in the toilet trick in the film Love In The Buff / Cherie And Jimmy春嬌與志明. Image: Media Asia Films, Dream Movie Australia.

Love In The Buff has differences that makes it better than the first film in developing the story, fleshing out the characters and also incorporates Cantonese and Mandarin film/music celebrities into the storyline. Director Pang Ho-Cheung may have transported the characters and the drama from Hong Kong to China, but the Cantonese humour and irreverence remains in the characters and the narrative. He places more emphasis on the dialogue to drive the story in this film more than in Love In A Puff. The first film took place over seven consecutive days, but Love In The Buff spans many months to suggest that time may help heal a broken heart as the two lead characters struggle to forget each other while in new relationships. The music in this film is more emotive and reflects more on the characters' feelings, and Cherie even quotes lyrics from one of her favourite Chinese songs “Don’t Ask Me Who I Am”. The film’s main song “Drenched”, also featured in the film trailer, is representative of the enduring love between Cherie and Jimmy.

The cast in the sequel is mostly the same as the original, with some new faces and a few cameos from familiar Chinese celebrities of the 1980s and 1990s. Miriam Yeung Chin Wah is beautiful and even more engaging as the purple-tinted haired Cherie in this sequel than in the first. Shawn Yue is more laid back and gets laid often as the smart but sensitive Jimmy. Mini Yang is sensual and seductive in her portrayal of You-you and Zheng Xu is so charismatic as the divorced Sam.

ROCKY ROMANCE: Cherie (Miriam Yeung Chin Wah) calls it quits again with former love Jimmy (Shawn Yue) in the film Love In The Buff / Cherie And Jimmy春嬌與志明. Image: Media Asia Films, Dream Movie Australia.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Love In The Buff de-throned The Hunger Games in Hong Kong to be the number one film. This romantic drama comments on modern day romance with depictions of human communications using modern technology, such as texting versus talking on the mobile phone. The discreet nature of texting enables Cherie and Jimmy to meet in secret, or a video on an iPad enables Jimmy to “show” how much he really loves Cherie when he cannot find the words to tell her.

Love In The Buff is a charming and funny romantic drama that makes you care for the characters and enjoy the ride of love between Cherie and Jimmy through to the end. If audiences stay for the end credits, they will be treated to Jimmy’s special surprise for Cherie.

Director: Pang Ho-Cheung

Writers: Pang Ho-Cheung (screenplay), Luk Yee-Sum (screenplay), Jody Luk (story)

Cast: Miriam Yeung Chin Wah, Shawn Yue, Zheng Xu, Mini Yang, Sui-man Chim, June Lam, Mia Yan, Vincent Kok, Kristal Tin, Jo Kuk, Yat Nin Chan, Xiao Ming Huang, Roy Szeto, Shawn Yin Yin, Linda Wong, Ekin Cheng

Producers: Pang Ho-Cheung, Subi Liang, John Chong, Shi Dong Ming, Lorraine Ho, Kenny Chan

Cinematographer: Jason Kwan

Original MusicComposer: Alan Ngai Lun Wong, Janet Yung

Film Editor: Wenders Li

Production: Man Lim Chung (Production Designer), Ho Lok Lam (Art Director)

Costume Designer:  Phoebe Wong

Languages: Cantonese, Mandarin with English subtitles

Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes