Nomad (1982) & My Heart is that Eternal Rose (1989): Breathtaking Films from the Hong Kong New Wave

New year, same me. I’m back in the trusted hands of Radiance Films, who defined my 2024 with new discoveries and new obsessions. With their latest double disc release of Nomad and My Heart is That Eternal Rose, Radiance have thrust me into the Hong Kong New Wave to discover the work of Patrick Tam. He worked with screen icons Leslie Cheung (Days of Being Wild) and Tony Leung (In The Mood for Love) on these two sensational films which have left a real impression on me. 

Nomad (1982) follows two connected couples as they hang out, fall in love and come of age in Hong Kong. Affluent Louis (Leslie Cheung) falls in love with Tomato (Cecilia Yip), while his cousin Kathy (Pat Ha) begins dating working class Pong (Kent Tong) after she causes chaos at the swimming pool where he works. Their idyllic lives are threatened by the reemergence of Kathy’s ex-lover Shinsuke, who she dated while living in Japan. His arrival, seeking refuge after deserting the Japanese Red Army, has violent and deadly consequences for the group. 

I’m just going to get this out of the way first, the 4K restoration of Tam’s Director’s Cut is absolutely stunning. David Chung’s cinematography delivers dazzling imagery that makes the whole thing feel hypnotic. I was completely under Patrick Tam’s spell in the first half, he captures the dizzying romance of coming-of-age with such ease, it just washes over you in the best way. I never take for granted the exhilarating feeling of being able to discover a new film in this kind of pristine quality. Nomad’s vibe is born from the vibrancy of its images, the dreamy Hong Kong nighttime, the pop of colour — it simply doesn’t work without being able to swim in these beautiful frames. The first two thirds of Nomad are funny, sexy and the best looking hangout film I’ve ever seen. I will always respect big swings and Patrick Tam’s dramatic tonal shift towards the end is absolutely wild. I’ve rarely seen the reality of a political landscape shatter youthful innocence depicted quite like this. I would say it needs to be seen to be believed. 

My Heart Is That Eternal Rose (1989) sees Tam fully embracing the violent and bloody tone he adopted at the end of Nomad. A botched Triad job forces a young couple to separate. Rick (Kenny Bee) flees to the Philippines to become a contract killer, while Lap (Joey Wing) is left to become the unwilling moll of a gang leader Godfather Shen (Chan Wai-man). Six years later, the two are reunited in a chance encounter, which sets in motion a fatal sequence of events which sees the couple trying to escape the clutches of Shen with the help Cheung (Tony Leung), who is also hopelessly in love with Lap. 

Eternal Rose is miraculous. It’s a pulpy, blood-soaked thrill ride imbued with Tam’s heartfelt sensibility. It ranks alongside Le Samourai as one of the coolest, most gorgeous gangster films ever made. It’s impossible to talk about Eternal Rose without instantly acknowledging the incredible work of co-cinematographers Christopher Doyle (Chunking Express) and David Chung. They create a vivid neon-drenched world, filled with cold blues and striking reds, which are instantly immersive and create a strong sense of place. They craft this hazy, shadowy aesthetic which perfectly realises the underworld setting, while also giving the romance a dreamlike quality that brings us closer to our main trio of characters. Patrick Tam’s exquisite melodramatic filmmaking makes Eternal Rose deliriously entertaining and also a film of desperate longing and soul-searching. As the credits rolled I found myself drawn back in, combing over the images, replaying my favourite shots. Radiance have done it again. They’ve introduced me to a new favourite director. 

I have always said I watch films to emotionally engage with what’s on the screen. I am not a style over substance guy. It is a testament to Patrick Tam that his striking visual style conveys such grand emotions. I got lost in both of these films, riding the wave of carefree adolescent romance and willing reunited lovers to escape grave danger. It’s an extraordinary release — one of my all time favourites from Radiance — and I’m so excited for audiences to experience this one. The set is packed full of Special Features; an interview with assistant director Stanley Kwan on Nomad, an interview with Nomad producer Dennis Yu, a visual essay on Patrick Tam by author David Desser, an audio commentary on My Heart is That Eternal Rose by Frank Djeng, and interview with John Sham and two episodes of C.I.D directed by Tam. While I loved the visual essay, and the two episodes of C.I.D are a real treat, an interview with critic Tony Rayns on Nomad might be my favourite because it contextualises the Hong Kong New Wave and introduced me to a number of new filmmakers and stars working during that period. I can only hope Radiance are able to revisit this period in future releases because I am fully locked in

Jimmy’s Archive – Nomad (1982) & My Heart is that Eternal Rose (1989)