Triads: The Inside Story

Triads: The Inside Story
Triads: The Inside Story
	Film poster
Traditional	我在黑社會的日子
Simplified	我在黑社会的日子
Mandarin	Wǒ Zài Hēi Shè Huì De Rì Zi
Cantonese	Ngo5 Zoi6 Hak1 Se2 Weoi5 Dik1 Jat6 Zi2
Directed by	Taylor Wong
Screenplay by	Nam Yin
Story by	Ko Chun-wai
Produced by	Richard Cheung
Starring	Chow Yun-fat; Roy Cheung; Michael Chan; Shing Fui-On
Cinematography	Herman Yau
Edited by	A Chik; Ma Chung-yiu
Music by	Lo Tayu; Richard Lo
Production; company	Cinema City
Distributed by	Cinema City
Release date	4 August 1989
Running time	106 minutes
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese
Box office	HK$14,038,799

Triads: The Inside Story is a 1989 Hong Kong crime drama film directed by Taylor Wong and starring Chow Yun-fat and Roy Cheung.

Plot[]

Lee Man-ho (Chow Yun-fat) is the son of Uncle Kwan (Tien Feng), the leader of the Hung Hing Gang. Ho was sent to the United States during his childhood to live a stable life where he established a family. In China, Uncle Kwan is ambushed and killed during a gang fight. Ho returns to Hong Kong for his father's funeral. Upon his arrival he is elected to be his father's successor as the leader of the Hung Hing Gang. Ho knew little to the culture of the underworld and Yeung Kong (Roy Cheung), often criticizes Ho due to this fact. Also, Kong did not get along with Tse Shing (Michael Chan), and they get into a fight during a banquet. Because of Ho, they chose to maintain the harmony of the gang. And then, all members of Hung Hing Gang became loyal to Ho because Ho was always kind to them.

Later in the film, during a fight, the members of the Hung Hing gang capture Coffin Rope (Lung Ming-yan), the head of rival triad. Ho originally wanted to kill him but due to his lenient personality, he only shaved off his eyebrows. This gave the chance for Coffin to counterattack. First, he colludes with Boss Chow (Pau Hon-lam) and then using Kong and Shing's rivalry, he first kills Shing's family and then frames Kong, worsening the relationship within the Hung Hing gang. Finally, he put cocaine in Kong's car and informs the police. Ho decided to save Kong and finally solved the rival triad. However, the police came, and arrested Kong. Kong commented to Ho, "You are a kind leader, but not a good triad member."

By the end of the film, the Hung Hing Gang was accidentally destroyed by Ho.^{[citation needed]}

Cast[]

Chow Yun-fat as Lee Man-ho
Roy Cheung as Yeung Kong
Michael Chan as Tse Shing
Connie Mak as Kuen
Tien Feng as Uncle Kwan
Kenneth Tsang as Superintendent Chan Tin-lok
Sit Chi-lun as Jenny
Shing Fui-On as Crazy Keung / Mad Keung
Lam Kau as Uncle Ping
Lung Ming-yan as Coffin Rope
Jeffrey Lam as Uncle Bill
Kelvin Wong as Shrimp
Karel Wong as Shrimp's lieutenant
Joey Leung as Tak
Pau Hon-lam as Chow Sai Lun
Lam Hung
Sunny Yam
Robert Zajac as Senior Police Officer
Robin Shou as Coffin's lieutenant
Steve Mak as Bad Breath Chuen
Chow Kong as Tsuen
Leung Siu-chung as Uncle Kwan's lieutenant
Cheung Chi-hung
Wong Wai
Fan Cheun-hing
Cheung Chi-ying
Tou Tam-sam
Koo Jing-kwong
Chung Chi-kwong
Chung Ching-ming
Mau Chai
Chow Siu-tam
Wong Kwok-wai
Fei Chau
Robby
Cheung Kwok-leung
Chan Ming as Maddy
Alex Ng as Ho's driver at pier
Wan Seung-lam as Coffin's gangsters at pier
Chang Sing-kwong as Coffin's gangsters at pier
Johnny Cheung as Shrimp's gangster
James Ha as Kong's man
Tam Wai-man
Lam Chi-tai

Theme song[]

Shifting Sand Revolving in the Air (飛砂風中轉)
- Composer: Lo Tayu
- Lyricist: Richard Lam
- Singer: Chow Yun-fat

Reception[]

Mike Fury of Hong Kong Cinemagic gave the film a positive review praising the story being "far more dramatic and character driven rather than being reliant on overuse of action" and containing "a large number of references and cultural and historical traditions of the society, which was in fact quite rare for a film at this time" which stands out among other films in the same genre. Fury also praised the performances of Chow Yun-fat, Shing Fui-On, Michael Chan and Roy Cheung and praises director Taylor Wong for using "a very simplistic and disconnected method of direction, which, at times, gives the film an almost documentary feel in which the camera simply rolls while men are talking in a room and the audience is virtually eavesdropping."^[1]

Box office[]

The film grossed HK$14,038,799 at the Hong Kong box office during its theatrical run from 4 to 18 August 1989 in Hong Kong.^{[citation needed]}

Accolades[]

Accolades
Ceremony	Category	Recipient	Outcome
9th Hong Kong Film Awards	Best Original Film Song	Song: Shifting Sand Revolving in the Air (飛砂風中轉) Composer: Lo Tayu Lyricist: Richard Lam Singer: Chow Yun-fat	Nominated

References[]

^ "Hong Kong Cinemagic - Triads - The Inside Story Review".

External links[]

[1] "Hong Kong Cinemagic - Triads - The Inside Story Review".

[1]