Life is Cheap… But Toilet Paper is Expensive
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£26.00
Exploding a seemingly simple premise – a nameless “cowboy” courier
(Spencer Nakasako) arrives in pre-Handover Hong Kong to deliver a
mysterious briefcase to a mercurial Mob boss whilst becoming entangled
with his femme fatale mistress (Cora Miao) – independent filmmaking
legend Wayne Wang’s LIFE IS CHEAP… BUT TOILET PAPER IS EXPENSIVE barrels
through inspired genre deconstruction, guerrilla docu-fiction and
fierce political jeremiad, all with a keen sense of humor and deeply
rich visual palette.
Tracking the Man-with-no-name’s increasingly byzantine mission across every level of the city’s social strata, we’re introduced to fortune families, cabdrivers, hustlers, butchers and more, each punctuating the high-octane Neo-noir narrative with instantly memorable monologues that capture a now-distant era in Hong Kong history.
Multifaceted but never incoherent LIFE IS CHEAP… BUT TOILET PAPER IS EXPENSIVE is among Wang’s most unique and bracing contributions to the independent film cannon. Much-loved on the international film festival circuit but unjustly overlooked in North America, this is a maverick tour de force ripe for rediscovery.
Tracking the Man-with-no-name’s increasingly byzantine mission across every level of the city’s social strata, we’re introduced to fortune families, cabdrivers, hustlers, butchers and more, each punctuating the high-octane Neo-noir narrative with instantly memorable monologues that capture a now-distant era in Hong Kong history.
Multifaceted but never incoherent LIFE IS CHEAP… BUT TOILET PAPER IS EXPENSIVE is among Wang’s most unique and bracing contributions to the independent film cannon. Much-loved on the international film festival circuit but unjustly overlooked in North America, this is a maverick tour de force ripe for rediscovery.
| Format | |
| Format | Blu-Ray |
| Film | |
| Year | 1989 |
| Rating | 18 |
| Director | Wayne Wang |
| Starring | Spencer Nakasako Cora Miao Victor Wong Wei Lo Allen Fong Cinda Hui |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Label | Arbelos Films |
| Region / TV Standard | Code A |
| Language | English, Cantonese and Mandarin |
| Subtitles | English |
| Running time | 85 mins |
| Aspect ratio | 1.66:1 |
| Case type | Standard |
| Extra features | New video interview with Wayne Wang. New video interview with Wayne Wang and co-writer/co-director Spencer Nakasako. Original chase sequence. U.S. Theatrical Trailer. New essay by Aliza Ma. |
