Snake Sisters and Naked Killers

The East Bay stands sadly Chow-less now that the UC Theater has shut down its Thursday night "Festival Hong Kong" movie series due to dwindling attendance. Lucky for us, the intrepid staff of the Bridge Theater, still beaming with the surprising success of their "Midnight Madness" movie series (we're still a bit damp from their Sal Mineo Memorial Wet Speedo Contest awhile back), raises the flag of classic Hong Kong cinema over San Francisco with their own version of "Festival Hong Kong."

Catch a great Hong Kong movie every Saturday at midnight for eight weeks, starting on Aug. 1 with Tsui Hark's flabbergasting A Chinese Ghost Story. (Don't forget to sing along during the Taoist swordsman's musical number.) Also on the schedule: his erotic fantasy Green Snake on Aug. 15. Other illustrious selections include Naked Killer on Sept. 5 (no word yet on whether they are planning a Carrie Ng Lesbian Assassin Look-Alike Contest), and the newly Hollywood-anointed Jet Li in The New Legend of Shaolin (Aug. 29). Of course, no H.K. series is conceivable without Chow Yun-Fat: As biker Jeff he takes on Simon Yam's outrageous gay villain in Ringo Lam's Full Contact (Sept. 12). All screenings at the Bridge Theater, 3010 Geary (at Blake), S.F. Admission is $7.50; call 352-0810.

-- Tod Booth