Days of Being Wild | |
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Film poster for Days of Being Wild
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Traditional | 阿飛正傳 |
Simplified | 阿飞正传 |
Mandarin | Āfēi Zhèngzhuàn |
Cantonese | Aa3 Fei1 zing3zyun6 |
Literally | True story of a hooligan |
Directed by | Wong Kar-wai |
Produced by | Alan Tang |
Written by | Wong Kar-wai |
Starring |
Leslie Cheung Andy Lau Maggie Cheung Carina Lau Jacky Cheung |
Music by | Terry Chan Leuribna-Lombardo Oflyne |
Cinematography | Christopher Doyle |
Edited by | Kai Kit-wai Patrick Tam |
Distributed by | In-Gear Films |
Release date
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Running time
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94 minutes |
Country | Hong Kong |
Language |
Cantonese Shanghainese Mandarin Filipino English |
Box office | US$146,310 (Worldwide) |
Days of Being Wild is a 1990 Hong Kong drama film directed by Wong Kar-wai. The film stars some of the best-known actors and actresses in Hong Kong, including Leslie Cheung, Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Carina Lau, Jacky Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai. Days of Being Wild also marks the first collaboration between Wong and cinematographer Christopher Doyle, with whom he has since made six more films.
The movie forms the first part of an informal trilogy, together with In the Mood for Love (released in 2000) and 2046 (released in 2004).
The movie is set in Hong Kong and the Philippines in 1960–61. Yuddy or 'York' in English (Leslie Cheung), is a playboy in Hong Kong and is well known for stealing girls' hearts and breaking them. His first lover in the film is Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung), who suffers emotional and mental depression as a result of Yuddy's wayward attitude. Li-zhen eventually seeks much-needed solace from a sympathetic policeman named Tide (Andy Lau). Their near-romance is often hinted at but never materializes.
York's next romance is with a vivacious cabaret dancer whose stage name is Mimi (Carina Lau). Mimi is also loved by York's best friend, Zeb (Jacky Cheung). Unsurprisingly, York dumps her too and she begins a period of self-destruction. York initiates romantic relationships but refuses to commit to the relationship and is unwilling to make compromises. He is conflicted about his feelings about his adoptive mother, a former prostitute played by Rebecca Pan, and is obsessed about his biological mother, who he eventually discovers is a Filipino aristocrat.