Raymond Chow, the co-founder of Hong Kong’s film production and distribution company Golden Harvest, passed away on Friday. He was 91.
Chow was a crucial figure in the golden era of Hong Kong cinema, as he paved the way to success not only domestically but internationally for the island’s films. His productions were the first to garner global attention, thanks to his ability to strike up international partnerships and negotiate distribution abroad.
Formerly an executive for the Shaw Brothers, Chow, and Leonard Ho left the studio in 1970 to start their own production house Golden Harvest. Approaching the business with a more laidback and flexible attitude, the pair were able to land contracts with rising young performers whose fresh ideas were allowed to flourish under the creatives at Golden Harvest. These future stars included Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.
Spanning from the 1980s to 1990s, Chow’s works would dominate Hong Kong screens, lending Cantonese films a superpower status in East Asia’s market and ensuring the attention of the West’s attention to Hong Kong’s productions. To this day, two of his films remain Hong Kong’s highest-grossing domestic Chinese language films.
After the death of his partner, burdened by financial losses, Chow’s partner Leonard Cho went on to sell Golden Harvest to Chinese businessman Wu Kebo, who renamed the company Orange Sky Golden Harvest.
In life and even in death, Raymond Chow has been a true legend in Hong Kong cinema, and his memory as a lover of Kung-Fu and Cantonese will live on in the memories of movie lovers across the city.
To celebrate the man and legend of Hong Kong pictures, we are listing Raymond Chow’s top 5 box-office hits.
Enter the Dragon (1973)
The film would be Bruce Lee’s last role, as he tragically passed away after a stunt on the set went wrong. The film grossed $90 million dollars worldwide and would ensure that Lee’s memory as a kung-fu master was cemented.
The Cannonball Run (1981)
Teaming up with film studio 20th Century Fox, and big Hollywood stars such as Burt Reynold and Roger Moore, the American-Hong Kong production earned $72.2 million worldwide, one of Raymond Chow’s first international successes.
Police Story (1985) Police Story 2 (1988) & Police Story 4: First Strike (1996)
The Police Story franchise features six installments, with Raymond Chow producing three films in the series: Police Story, Police Story 2 and Police Story 4: First Strike. The first feature grossed HK$26.6 million, the second HK$34 million and the last HK$57 million and an additional US$15 million. Police Story 4: First Strike remains the fifth highest-grossing domestic Chinese film ever in Hong Kong.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1993)
The American martial arts superhero comedy film grossed over US$202 million.
Rumble in the Bronx (1996)
Rumble in the Bronx catapulted Jackie Chan into the American mainstream consciousness, with the film fetching US$39 million at the box office.
Text: Bailey Atkinson