(HKFGP) Film Review #81: TO BE CONTINUED

Haider Kikabhoy and Dora Choi’s To Be Continued begins ostensibly as a documentary about an abandoned building; Hong Kong’s State Theater, located in North Point. Kikabhoy is our main presenter as he goes into detail about how he slowly developed his fascination for the building, and his understanding that Hong Kong had almost let a historical landmark pass it by. The tone is actually quite upbeat in that regard, less mulling on why the building had been left behind and more on the almost child-like curiosity in unearthing its history. There is certainly much to be fascinated by here, with ample amounts of old footage and urban explorer-esque discoveries as Kikabhoy dives into the long-unused theatre, coated in old dust and older memories. 

  Were that the sole focus of the documentary, I personally would still have viewed it quite favourably; I admittedly am a fan of abandoned buildings. To clarify, I am a fan of going through the history of famed abandoned buildings, to uncover and research the sheer wealth of history of what once allowed everyday people in and out its doors. However dilapidated they become, however an eyesore some might deem them to be, the life that the people gave them lingers on, long after they have since closed down.

Film still from To Be Continued

While the subject is of a building from Hong Kong, I believe such a sentiment would resonate to a Singaporean audience as well. It is no surprise that Hong Kong has demolished and bulldozed many historic buildings in its 60 years of progress; the Raffles Place of the 1960’s is a far cry from how it is today, but to focus on the buildings that still remain, I cannot help but think of The Majestic, the old Cantonese opera house that is situated on Eu Tong Sen Street. Whilst not completely abandoned, this near-century old building that survived through World War 2, Singapore’s independence and rapid industrialization, has long since been past its prime, and you would scarcely find any photos of its interior, but it still prevails in Chinatown as a living, breathing symbol of Singaporean history.

But To Be Continued is not just about a building’s legacy. Kikabhoy states as much in the documentary itself, where in his research of the State Theater he comes across the man who found it; Hong Kong’s first impresario, Harry Odell. It is here where the documentary begins to show its hand in full, as we transition in focus from the State Theater to Odell. We learn of Odell’s life before and during his time in Hong Kong through a wealth of archival material, punctuating by interviews with his living relatives and the people that had been influenced by him; those who know their Hong Kong cinema will probably perk up in recognition at interviews with Rebecca Pan and Kenneth Tsang (in a posthumous appearance).

Film still from To Be Continued

The documentary frames him around the context as a leading entertainment taste-maker during Hong Kong’s “coming of age” years, highlighting his achievements even outside of the State Theater, from introducing international musicians and acts into Hong Kong, such as Benny Goodman to The Beatles. A contentious discussion can certainly be made in regards to just how much Hong Kong’s cultural progress is influenced by this one man, but To Be Continued’s sincerity in its subject matters were able to push past my most cynical inclinations. Kikabhoy invites Odell’s living family back to Hong Kong and to tour their old home, and there is a palpable sense of nostalgia and history being relieved, which I believe is the documentary’s intention.

To Be Continued is a love letter to a building and to a man, but more importantly than that, it is a ruminating but ultimately optimistic call to remember the people and places of a nation’s history, for it can be so easily forgotten. As I wrote above, I am sure that that will be a message that resonates quite heavily to the Singaporean people.

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About the Author:  Wei Li Heng is an avid lover of uncovering and writing about obscure and underseen Asian cinema. He hopes to discover local cinematic gems and share them to a wider audience.

This review was written for Hong Kong Film Gala Presentation happening on 29 September - 1 October 2023.

Tickets are available here: https://shaw.onl/HKFG23