A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 14, 2023

In a visual essay included on this disc as a supplement, David Desser attempts to deconstruct A Moment of Romance by contextualizing it within various genres and/or motifs that have been prevalent in Hong Kong cinema, but the very fact that Desser has to deal with genres and/or motifs (i.e., plurals) rather than one single example in either category may indicate something relevant about this film. Somewhat hilariously, Desser starts with a general mention of crime and romance films, but almost immediately further describes the romance aspect in terms of being a melodrama. Moving on, he offers what amounts to a flowchart which further subcategorizes things, including such aspects as heists, drivers, illegal street racing, triads, heroic bloodshed, doomed romance, class differences, interfering parents, an orphaned hero and extensive use of music and songs in a perceived "youth film". That's an awful lot of stuff for a mere "moment", so to speak, and it may be why Desser and commentator Frank Djeng don't shirk from mentioning a somewhat overstuffed and arguably too loosely presented narrative, albeit one that has an undeniably visceral intensity a lot of the time.

Wah Dee (Andy Lau) is an evident ne'er-do-well on a motorcycle attempting to evade police as the story begins in a maelstrom of activity which includes one of the more provocative "meet cute" moments in the annals of the "romance film", when Wah Dee in an act of desperation more or less takes Jo Jo (Jacklyn Wu) hostage. That then sets up simultaneously unfolding conflicts that all point to that aforementioned doomed romance aspect, as Wah Dee has to navigate his triad who want Jo Jo killed, and Jo Jo and Wah Dee, who of course have fallen in love however unlikely that may be, having to contend with Jo Jo's uppity parents.

Desser is probably right to mention melodrama, for things turn hyperbolic and inevitably tragic as the story unfolds. I have a feeling I'm not the only one who will be remembering West Side Story, not just in terms of an update on Romeo and Juliet in general, but also specifically with regard to a late conceit in this film which sees the doomed lovers donning bride and groom outfits. Suffice it to say they do not break into "One Hand, One Heart".

A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A Moment of Romance is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following information on the transfer:

A Moment of Romance was scanned and restored in 4K from the original camera negative at L'Immagine Ritrovata Asia. Additional colour correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2023. The original mono soundtrack was restored by Radiance Films in 2023.

This is a really beautiful looking transfer for the most part, though in terms of "additional colour correction" this can sometimes have a somewhat brownish, dowdy appearance in passing. That said, tonal values look largely accurate with an understanding that the film evidently intentionally was designed without a reliance on a lot of visual "pop". As such, deep hues are often most evident in scenes like some outdoor material or a club sequence. There can be just slight hints of fuzziness in wider framings, and there are noticeable upticks in grain during any number of optical dissolves. The overall look here is nicely organic and well detailed.

A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

A Moment of Romance features LPCM 2.0 Mono, in a track that, as Desser mentions, features some appealing music, all of which sounds nicely full bodied and distortion free. There are some relatively noisy scenes, as in the calamitous opening, where things like out of control crowds and roaring motorcycles can almost overwhelm the track, but dialogue is wisely mixed forward and delivered cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.

A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Benny Chan (HD; 21:22) is presented in an archival audio interview done by Arnaud Ianuque in 2016. This plays to a photo of Chan.


• In Love and Danger: HK Cinema Through A Moment of Romance (HD; 25:59) is the visual essay mentioned above.


• Audio Commentary by Frank Djeng is another whirlwind tour through facts, figures and production information.


• Trailer (HD; 4:10)

Additionally, Radiance provides another nicely appointed insert booklet with two good essays by Sean Gilman and Tony Williams, along with stills, credits and technical data. Packaging features an inner print and Radiance's quasi-Obi strip.

A Moment of Romance Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

A Moment of Romance was successful enough to spawn two sequels, and despite some narrative wandering it's not hard to see why. Lau and Wu are both compelling and if the story goes a little gonzo on more than one occasion, the unavoidably tragic trajectory of the story delivers considerable impact. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.