CJ7

Hong Kong, 2008, 88 minutes, Colour.

Stephen chow, Jiao Xu, Yuqi Huang.

Directed by Stephen Chow.

Here is a fantasy entertainment for young boys, 10 plus or minus, their fathers, and, by extension, girls and mothers in the family.

The film was written and directed by Stephen Chow who had established quite a reputation in Hong Kong during the 1980s and 1990s, films with a light touch. He achieved some international popularity in 2004 with Shaolin Soccer and, especially, Kung Fu Hustle. This film followed immediately – and there was a later animated version of the story.

This is a story of Dickie Chow, son of a building site labourer who wants more for his son than he ever had, sending him to an expensive school, but Dickie labouring under disadvantage with soiled sneakers, put down by the supercilious teacher, and bullying boys.

However, the key to the film is the appearance of flying saucer, landing in the rubbish tip, Dickie’s father finding a remnant and bring it home is a toy. However, it is more than that, shape-changing, with all kinds of powers, finally appearing as a small dog toy. And there is a sequence where it transforms Dickie’s life, special glasses for passing exams, special powers for high jump, superstrength confronting the bullies… And then he wakes up and the contrast in real life is very different.

Audiences were surprised at the time, as were many who did not realise it as they watch the film, that Dickie Chow is played by a young actress, Jiao Xu, who has had a successful career. Chow himself plays the father.

There is a blend of realism with the sequences fantasy. There is a particular perspective on the widower father and trying to bring up his son, to better his son, while working on a building site and being the butt of comments from his boss. However, there is also the friendly and charming teacher at school.

So, entertaining sequences but a message about honesty and integrity no matter what our situation underlying the whole film.

1. Entertaining and instructive for the young audience, boys 10 plus or minus, father’s?
2. The town, the neighbourhoods, the expensive school, its grounds, classrooms, corridors, playing fields? The hovel homes? Supermarkets? The building sites? Hospital? The musical score?
3. The story of Dickie Chow? Audience surprise that he is played by a young actress? Her being convincing as Dickie? Age, the death of his mother, his father uneducated, working on the building site, the hard work, pushing the wheelbarrow and falling back, the attitude of the boss, ticking him off, yet paying for his wife’s funeral rites, criticising the school, the taunting that Dickie cheated at maths? A context for Dickie going to school?
4. Dickie, bright personality, the bullying students and the clashes, his dirty sneakers, not allowed to play, defending the big girl, her standing by him at the sports, the big bully and the fighting? The wealthy young boys and their taunts? The effect on Dickie, his father urging him not to fight, being proud of being poor, his declaring this in the classroom as his ambition?
5. Miss Yuen, at school, kindly, interest in Dickie, discussions with him, about his father, the encounter with his father, helping Dickie, the father and his gratitude, the accident, Miss Yuen her helping Dickie?
6. Dickie, the boys and their toys at school, comparisons, at the supermarket, his wanting the toy, creating the tantrum, the aftermath with Miss Yuen, surly with his father, wanting the fan for sleeping? His father hard on him, the beatings?
7. The father, going to the dump, collecting things, the lamp, its not working, examining the television, the flying saucer and its departure, his bringing home the toy? Dickie and his playing with a toy, the bouncing ball?
8. Father and son watching the television, witness to the flying saucer?
9. The toy, at school, C1 as the prize toy, Dickie calling the ball CJ 7, playing with it, its contortions, power, the electric fan, emerging as the doglike toy, its powers?
10. Dickie and the toy, going to school, hundred percent in the test, defying the teacher, the arrogant teacher and his putting down of Dickie and not wanting to touch him, the enormous high jumper leap into the stratosphere… And defeating all the boys and their bullying? The big bully and his confrontation with the big girl? His pride?
11. The contrast with the reality, the poop, in the classroom with the boys, the teacher, the sports, continued pooping, Dicky being hosed down, changing his report, 100%?
12. The truth, his father’s disappointment, the effect on Dickie? The toy, losing its power, becoming a toy, around his neck?
13. His father, on the building site, the collapse, the fall, hospital, his death?
14. The final fantasy, CJ 7 and its power, and reviving his father? The boys excepting him, Miss Yuen and her help, a happy future?