Rouge

Amid the opulent teahouses of 1930s Hong Kong, a humble courtesan and the wayward scion of a wealthy family fall in love and embrace death by suicide pact. Fifty years later, her ghost returns to find him, drawing a young contemporary couple into her quest to rekindle a passion that may be as illusory as time itself.

Directed by Stanley Kwan Kam-Pang, Rouge leans on a strong ensemble — Anita Mui Yim-Fong, Leslie Cheung, Alex Man Chi-Leung — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1987.