Days of Being Wild (1990): the first collaboration between Wong Kar-wai and Christopher Doyle gathered together the cream of Hong Kong's cinema talent, and placed Cheung at its very heart. He's luminous as the playboy who leaves a trail of broken hearts in his wake and captures perfectly the Wong-Doyle aesthetic that leaves the soul of the film in the silences and pent-up emotions of a character unable to feel.

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Farewell My Concubine (1993): Chen Kaige's Palme d'Or winner is a sumptuous masterpiece with the swirling political intrigue of 1930s to '40s China as its backdrop and a love triangle at its centre. Cheung and Zhang Fengyi play friends whose relationship is strained by Gong Li as a woman fit to turn any man's head, regardless of his orientation. Again, it is the sense of inner torment Cheung projects that mesmerises and makes his role unforgettable.

Ashes of Time (1994): when Wong Kar-wai hit the festival circuit with a re-cut version of this film in 2008, it not only introduced the production to a new generation of fans, it reminded many of its majesty. Cohesive narrative be damned, the Wong-Doyle double act again allows Cheung the space to do a lot with very little. As a heart-broken agent who hires contract killers, Cheung's character bristles with self-loathing, doubt and, ultimately, defiance.

... and albums

Monica (1984): for many fans, this is the recording that introduced the rest of the world to Cheung's talents and in 1999 fans voted its title track as the "song of the century". The difference, in those early days, was Cheung's determination to add action and life to a Canto-pop scene that had been bogged down by balladry.

Summer Romance (1987): a change in labels seemed to reinvigorate Cheung both in the recording studio and on stage. As the year's bestselling release, it elevated the singer to superstar status after a few years of struggle. Sleepless Night was the track that became a fan favourite and one of Cheung's signature live tunes. It's an album that marks the maturity of a man who had become more used to life under the spotlight.

Red (1996): after a five-year break from the studio, Cheung released a collection of songs from his movies and many thought he might have lost his mojo. Red turned those theories on their ear as the artist dabbled in everything from mellow jazz to trip hop. Fans were equal parts surprised and delighted as Cheung pushed his own - and Hong Kong's - musical boundaries.