Celestial Classic Movies (CCM)

Very recently discovered the pay-TV movie channel Celestial Classic Movies and I have almost binge-watching the channel.

CCM is one of the Celestial channels and screens classic Shaw Brothers movies.  The movies have been digitally restored, and it has been one fascinating journey discovering Hong Kong movies from the 1960s and 1970s.

For me, Hong Kong movies in the 1980s and 1990s are classics, but the CCM movies are a world unto themselves.  For the first time, I am beginning to understand why reporters continue to adopt a gushing tone whenever they mentioned the likes of 王羽 and 郑佩佩.  The almost breathless tone adopted by some reporters when describing them used to irritate me, who has only seen these actors and actresses who are now in their 70s.  But they were young once, and some certainly didn't used to look like this.  The likes of bubble-gum and teeny-bopper idols and even buff bods of korean oppas most certainly couldn't match the smoldering looks of these idols of yesteryears.  And yes, I am beginning to understand why my teachers could use 'smouldering' to describe their then-idols.

In addition to 王羽 and 郑佩佩 who are still in the public glare, I also discovered actors and actresses who had left the screen or even exited life: 凌雲, 扬帆，陈鸿烈 and even the very young 尔东升 and 余安安.

Movies I've watched thus far:

• 独臂刀王: finally understood how 王羽 became such a huge star
• 龙虎门: was 罗烈 Hong Kong's equivalent of James Dean?
• 鬼太监: why was 焦娇 in almost every movie I watched?
• 青春鼓王: the very young 凌雲, 扬帆 and 陈鸿烈 as drummers and conductor
• 我愛羅蘭度: what a young 夏文汐!!
• 毒龙潭: 郑佩佩年轻时是个美女！
• 纯爱: what a young 尔东升 and 余安安!