Celebrating the classics of Asian cinema and beyond, Restored is a regular series showcasing Asian films that have been meticulously preserved and restored by different institutions from across the world. The platform revisits these classics in a new light and allows them to be appreciated by new generations of audiences.
This September, be the first in Asia to catch AFA’s restoration of They Call Him Chop Suey, a Filipino cult classic inspired by Bruce Lee’s martial arts films from the 1970s.
4K Restoration
Directed by: Jun Gallardo
Runtime: 94 minutes
Country: Philippines
Language: English with subtitles
Rating: M18 (Sexual Violence and Sexual Scene)
Full Synopsis
Chop-suey, a kitchen assistant who is a fan of Bruce Lee, finds himself embroiled in a battle against an extortion gang when his aunt is unable to pay the protection fees in time. When tragedy strikes and with the lack of evidence for the police to make any arrest, Chop-suey takes matters into his own hands and fights the gang. With his rescued companions and armed with the documents that would expose the crimes of the gang, they make a run to escape the pursuit by Jackson, the gang leader.
Restoration Notes
The restoration of They Call Him Chop-Suey was made possible using an original colour picture negative and an original English soundtrack negative. The film was produced by Bobby A. Suarez, who directed They Call Her…Cleopatra Wong three years later.
About the Director
Jun Gallardo (also known as John Gale) was born in the Philippines and began his career making martial art films in the 1970s. By the 1980s, he had directed over fifty B-movie actioners. The prolific director casted Ramon Zamora, popularly dubbed as the “Bruce Lee of the Philippines” in films like Shadow of the Dragon (1973), The Games of Death (1974) and They Call Him Chop-suey (1975).
Showtimes
Saturday, 11 September 2021, 4pm
Wednesday, 22 September 2021, 8pm
Sunday, 3 October, 2021, 2pm
Oldham Theatre’s opening hours
Tickets will go on sale Friday, 27 August 2021.
Friends of AFA members may select the “Friends of AFA” option and enter your membership number if you wish to redeem your remaining complimentary tickets.
For further assistance, please contact us at ticketing@asianfilmarchive.org
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