Rolex: essential watches in Hong Kong cinema...
If the Rolex brand is extremely present in Hong Kong, it is also heavily in local movies, particularly in the mystery, where cops and thugs clash in fierce fighting and merciless... But with regularly to their wrist, a Rolex Datejust or a Submariner!
Before going any further, remember first that industry film Hong Kong ranks third worldwide behind productions American (Hollywood) and the Indian productions (Bollywood). It is estimated that this small territory of seven million people, produced to him only 100 works each year!
If this film is long remained ignored Western countries - apart from the period Bruce Lee of the 70-, since fifteen years, Hong Kong has finally acquired its letters of nobility at the level international, both in Europe and the United States. Director John Woo became a real star in Hollywood; Wong Kar - Wai was awarded the award for best directing at the Cannes Film Festival of 1997 with Happy Together and the César award for best foreign film for In the mood for love in 2001.
In this context, taking into account the importance of cinema in the life of Hong Kong on the one hand, and Fake Rolex (real occupancy of success in local life) on the other hand, it is not surprising to find regularly in Hong Kong films, numerous appearances of the Genevan brand models. And it is not product placement *... No! In most of these works, the Rolex are there for 'play a role equal' or so, they are simply personal timepieces of the actors that keep them during filming...
Says Christophe of the Perpetualis team, Valencia and great lover of Asian cinema "in the excellent film of gangsters Infernal Affairs 2 *, the Godfather (actor Francis Ng) has abandoned its traditional Rolex Submariner 16610 scope on the right wrist to display with a Daydate in yellow gold on bracelet Oyster.". This is to show that he's the leader. His Rolex in gold proves; It is there to strengthen the status of patron of the underworld. On the other hand, the young mobster who has infiltrated the police and that began his career in the triads has yet to afford such a model... Too expensive! He has bought so a King Air".
Another example cited by Christophe, in the movie Body Brotherhood *, two brothers who fled from China to settle in Hong Kong find themselves seven years after... Both were successful: one in business, one in the mafia. And both are wearing a Rolex. Andy Lau, a Datejust gold and Steel Jubilee bracelet and Lam Wai, a Datejust in yellow gold on President bracelet.
"One last example, in Full Alert , one of the greatest detective Hong Kong in recent years, the hero (Lam Ching-wau) carries its own Daytona 16520 Zenith black dial movement.
"We stop there" concludes Christophe. "The list would be too long. Indeed, for many years, Hong Kong cinema uses of Rolex, particularly in gangster. But these watches are not simple shooting accessories. They are not by chance in any given scene. They play a real role, they are an integral part of the scenario, they symbolize a social status or a hierarchical positioning. Or otherwise, they are simply the own actors Rolex. After all, in the cinema French also, we often saw Alain Delon wear his Royal Oak or Jean-Paul Belmondo his Breitling with its mechanical Rolex Daytona (ref 6265). And it was no product placement.
* product placement: marketing technique used by advertisers who, in agreement with film productions, use movies to advertise their products.
* Infernal Affairs 2 (2003) a film by Alan Mak and Andrew Law.
* Body Brotherhood (1986), Johnny Wong
* Full Alert (1997) by Ringo Lam
Before going any further, remember first that industry film Hong Kong ranks third worldwide behind productions American (Hollywood) and the Indian productions (Bollywood). It is estimated that this small territory of seven million people, produced to him only 100 works each year!
If this film is long remained ignored Western countries - apart from the period Bruce Lee of the 70-, since fifteen years, Hong Kong has finally acquired its letters of nobility at the level international, both in Europe and the United States. Director John Woo became a real star in Hollywood; Wong Kar - Wai was awarded the award for best directing at the Cannes Film Festival of 1997 with Happy Together and the César award for best foreign film for In the mood for love in 2001.
In this context, taking into account the importance of cinema in the life of Hong Kong on the one hand, and Fake Rolex (real occupancy of success in local life) on the other hand, it is not surprising to find regularly in Hong Kong films, numerous appearances of the Genevan brand models. And it is not product placement *... No! In most of these works, the Rolex are there for 'play a role equal' or so, they are simply personal timepieces of the actors that keep them during filming...
Says Christophe of the Perpetualis team, Valencia and great lover of Asian cinema "in the excellent film of gangsters Infernal Affairs 2 *, the Godfather (actor Francis Ng) has abandoned its traditional Rolex Submariner 16610 scope on the right wrist to display with a Daydate in yellow gold on bracelet Oyster.". This is to show that he's the leader. His Rolex in gold proves; It is there to strengthen the status of patron of the underworld. On the other hand, the young mobster who has infiltrated the police and that began his career in the triads has yet to afford such a model... Too expensive! He has bought so a King Air".
Another example cited by Christophe, in the movie Body Brotherhood *, two brothers who fled from China to settle in Hong Kong find themselves seven years after... Both were successful: one in business, one in the mafia. And both are wearing a Rolex. Andy Lau, a Datejust gold and Steel Jubilee bracelet and Lam Wai, a Datejust in yellow gold on President bracelet.
"One last example, in Full Alert , one of the greatest detective Hong Kong in recent years, the hero (Lam Ching-wau) carries its own Daytona 16520 Zenith black dial movement.
"We stop there" concludes Christophe. "The list would be too long. Indeed, for many years, Hong Kong cinema uses of Rolex, particularly in gangster. But these watches are not simple shooting accessories. They are not by chance in any given scene. They play a real role, they are an integral part of the scenario, they symbolize a social status or a hierarchical positioning. Or otherwise, they are simply the own actors Rolex. After all, in the cinema French also, we often saw Alain Delon wear his Royal Oak or Jean-Paul Belmondo his Breitling with its mechanical Rolex Daytona (ref 6265). And it was no product placement.
* product placement: marketing technique used by advertisers who, in agreement with film productions, use movies to advertise their products.
* Infernal Affairs 2 (2003) a film by Alan Mak and Andrew Law.
* Body Brotherhood (1986), Johnny Wong
* Full Alert (1997) by Ringo Lam