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Writer's picturePeter K F Cheung SBS

Reel Memories


  1. FADE IN


  2. Act 1


  3. INT. BEDROOM - 07:00


  4. PETER wakes up.


  5. PETER (V.O): I must have slept enough.


  6. Peter reaches for his mobile on the bedside table.


  7. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): See if I'd discover anything interesting...


  8. Strolling through his news feed, Peter stumbles upon an article.


  9. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The film actor Yu Ming is celebrating his 100th birthday anniversary. I remember him very well.


  10. MONTAGE OF PETER'S ENCOUNTER WITH YU MING


  11. A. Cafe, Castle Peak Hotel, 1969. While watching the CREW preparing for a location set, Peter (15), in a waiter outfit, chats with YU Ming (45).


  12. END MONTAGE


  13. Act 2


  14. INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS


  15. Researching with his mobile, Peter reads a Wikipedia page about Yu Ming.


  16. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Yes, the film shot at Castle Peak Hotel in 1969 was titled "相思甜如蜜" (My Sweet Heart).


  17. Recalling.


  18. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I didn't watch the film. I wasn't fond of Hong Kong movies then.

  19. Recalling.


  20. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The Castle Peak Hotel closed business in 1974. Then, it was demolished for estate development.


  21. Pausing.


  22. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I wonder if I can find that movie online.


  23. After a few clicks, Peter finds the full movie 1:33:02 available for streaming via YouTube.


  24. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I've never watched a movie early in the morning. But I can't wait this time.


  25. INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS


  26. As Peter plays the movie on screen, we see a pre-title sequence.


  27. PETER (V.O): What a surprise for a romantic comedy! Yu Ming appears with other leading actors and actresses.


  28. In a restaurant scene, we see Ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Maggi sauce on the table.


  29. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Those were standard table items to enhance flavour.


  30. Scenes set in the Castle Peak Hotel starts to play from 56:03. We see a photo session.


  31. PETER (V.O): It was shot at the Hotel's jetty. I led and held a farewell dancing party there in 1974.


  32. Then, we see on screen an actress swimming in the sea.


  33. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I swam there too.


  34. From 57:00, we see an open-air cafe.


  35. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Yes! The very place I began working as a Sunday waiter from summer, 1969.


  36. Peter stays focus from 57:14...


  37. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): The background building was the Chinese restaurant.


  38. Peter pauses the film at 57:50. We see a Bar in the background.


  39. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Before the Cafe opens business, I'd read my books behind the Bar.


  40. Recalling.


  41. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): One windy and rainy morning, Manager Yip caught me retreating there, studying.


  42. Peter pauses the film at 58:27. We see actors and actresses drinking tea.


  43. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I thought those tea sets were elegant then.


  44. Peter pauses the film at 1:00:15. We see the actress stopping a passing WAITER to get a drink.


  45. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Oh, he's Ting, the then Assistant Captain of the Hotel.


  46. Peter pauses the film at 1:04:23. We see two actors peeping out from a red door.


  47. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): That's the bathroom where I went bathing if I stayed in the Hotel overnight.


  48. After 1:05:35, we see a change of scene. Peter counts with his fingers.


  49. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Not bad, over seven minutes of coloured moving images of Castle Peak Hotel.


  50. Pausing.


  51. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): I've got a lot more in my memories...


  52. Act 3


  53. INT. BEDROOM - 22:00


  54. Peter inserts an AI drawing entitled "Reel Memories" to a text.


  55. PETER (V.O): Film reels can document authentically. Memories being explored and rediscovered can be connected to filmmaking.


  56. Reading comments on a Facebook post enquiring about the names of location sets of the film.


  57. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): They got the right answers to others. But no one could tell the location set at Castle Peak Hotel. It was hard to access without a private car.


  58. Peter types his comment: Castle Peak Hotel.


  59. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): My brief encounter with Yu Ming there leaves a lasting impression on me. Personal connection can be powerful.


  60. FADE OUT


  61. THE END



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