Shudder Saturday: A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

Another week, another landmark title that I am finally getting to see decades after so many others. A Chinese Ghost Story is a mix of horror, comedy, romance, and martial arts. There's a feeling that it shouldn't really work, considering how quickly it jumps from one genre to another, but the leads and the visual style help a lot.

Leslie Cheung plays a timid debt collector who finds his life irrevocably changed when he takes shelter one night in a deserted temple. It's there that he meets a beautiful ghost (Joey Wong), although he doesn't initially realise her non-living status. The ghost is in trouble though, and needs help, which leads to our hero finding previously-untapped reserves of bravery, as well as him finding assistance in the form of a powerful priest (Wu Ma).

I kept getting the feeling that I'd already seen this, but that's only because it's a film that I have seen celebrated and mentioned in a few different documentaries. Not only has it appeared in conversations about a wide variety of horror movies, but I'm pretty sure I saw clips from this in some martial arts compilation hosted by Chuck Norris. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it just falls in line with some other movies showcased there, but I certainly had a bit of déjà vu while this was on.

Leslie Cheung has a filmography littered with great performances (stopped abruptly by his untimely death after a lengthy battle with depression), and he's a delight in the lead role here, all nerves and good intentions. Wong is a delightful ghost, allowed to show a vulnerability and sweetness lacking in the other undead characters who populate this tale. Then you have Ma, entertainingly unflappable and powerful, and able to drag the story into even wilder territory. Lau Siu-ming is also very good, playing the big baddie of the film, a tree demoness with numerous spirits under her command.

It's a shame to think that the director of this, Ching Siu-tung, would one day have to helm a weak Steven Seagal film, but such is life. It's also a shame that I saw that over a decade before I saw this. At least I am not spending the near future making time for any more Seagal movies. I am, however, hoping to watch the next two films that were made after this one.

I encourage others to do the same, especially if you don't mind your horror leaning into the fantastical. Yuen Kai Chi does well to blend everything in a screenplay that maintains impressively high energy levels, yet also gives the love story time to bloom in between the fights and thrills. Recommended, but I wouldn't be surprised if everyone reading this had watched it long before me anyway. 

8/10

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Mubi Monday: King Boxer (1972)

How do you properly review any Shaw Brothers movie? It can be difficult, it takes more work to just get the names right and explain some of the plotting, but you approach them like all other movies. It’s all about discussing the good, the bad, and everything in between, and avoiding any particular movies because they might be a bit tricky to write about just does a disservice to some potentially great movies. And discussing movies is often about more than just what ends up on the screen anyway.

When it comes to the Shaw Brothers movies, and a lot of non-American action films from the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s, we are in a bit of a golden time for fans. Much like the slasher movies from decades ago, it seems as if there isn’t a month that goes by without some previously-rare gem receiving excellent treatment on shiny disc from some boutique blu-ray label. Whether that treatment is deserved or not, well, that is a matter of personal preference. But if you haven’t yet picked up both of the Shawscope collections from Arrow Video then you should really rectify that oversight.

King Boxer is a typical tale of a young man (Chih-Hao, played by Lo Lieh) who is sent by his master to another school, a place where he will learn the deadly Iron Palm technique. That is all well and good, but there is a nearby rival school, of course, with an evil master at the helm. People get caught up amidst the feuding and fighting, and Chih-Hao becomes a target. He may even be rendered powerless if his hands are beaten to a pulp. Which would make it easier for the baddies to win the upcoming martial arts tournament.

This is really enjoyable stuff, and some may consider it a bit of a genre classic (an opinion I wouldn’t waste too much energy debating). Director Chung Chang-Wha, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Chiang Yang, paces everything perfectly, shoots the action well, and takes viewers on a fun journey that observes numerous expected treats and tropes.

Lo Lieh is a decent lead, believably strong, stoic, and capable, and his performance is boosted by a musical sting leading in to his special super-powered Iron Palm technique (one that will be familiar to fans of the Kill Bill movies, even if they have yet to see this). Tien Feng and Tung Lam are two of the villains, and both are a lot of fun, but they head up an enjoyably busy supporting cast of disposable scoundrels. The fact that there’s also a decent bit of screentime for Wang Ping is also a big plus, despite the fact that she doesn’t ever get to be in the heart of any action sequences.

There are other films in this style that I prefer, either due to the showcasing of the “Venoms” or some extra fantastical elements that allow them to be even more fun, but this is definitely up there with the cream of the crop. Part of me already wants to rewatch it, but I know there are so many other Shaw Brothers movies I have yet to get to.

8/10

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The Iceman Cometh (1989)

AKA Time Warriors.

While it may seem tricky to discuss and review films like this one, a Hong Kong martial arts movie from the late 1980s that has the mix of impressive action and cringe-inducing humour you might expect, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be attempted. So brace yourself as I attempt it. And then head off to find more informed writing on the film by those who are much more well-versed in Hong Kong cinema than I am.

Yuen Biao stars as a royal guard in the Ming Dynasty who is tasked with hunting down a murderous rapist (Yuen Wah) he used to be close to. The two soon meet, and a fight ensues, ending with both of them falling off a cliff and landing on snowy ground that will leave them frozen for centuries. Skip forward a few hundred years, both fighters are discovered by scientists, and it's not long until they are thawed out and wandering around in the modern world. The environment may be hugely different, but the fighting will go one . . . whenever the two meet again. Meanwhile, Biao meets Maggie Cheung (playing a character named Polla) and ends up helping her out of a sticky situation. He begins helping her in her work life, unaware that she's a prostitute using him to scare men who have paid her for her services. It all leads to some inevitably insane stuntwork, and you just know that Cheung will be in grave danger, at least once.

Director Clarence Fok may not have a filmography crammed full of modern classics, although he's been involved, in one way or another, with some absolutely superb action movies, but that doesn't really matter when you're helming a film that can showcase the talents of people like Biao and Wah (Cheung, sadly, is there to be set up as a potential damsel in distress). The same goes for writers Johnny Mak and Stephen Shiu, who try to balance a few impressive set-pieces with the standard "fish out of water" aspect of the premise. 

Biao and Wah though, wow, this is a film that allows both of them to spend some time showing their skills (in impressive stunt sequences that they also helped to choreograph). If you are a fan of either - and anyone who loves action movies should love Biao - then there is enough here to keep you happy and entertained. I would like to see everything that Biao has ever done, one day, but I appear to have already seen quite a few movies that Wah appeared in, despite not necessarily being able to recall any of his other performances. That won’t be the case with this film, thanks largely to an amazing moment at the halfway point that has his character fleeing a robbery by jumping across a couple of moving car roofs. It is a shame that Cheung is mistreated by the script, but she at least gets plenty of screentime, and the way her character grows closer to our hero isn’t as bad as it could have been.

Helped by good pacing for most of the runtime (you’re never too far away from either a fight or a decent comedy beat, but there are one or two extra endings), The Iceman Cometh is an enjoyable martial arts movie that provides some fantastical spectacle alongside entertaining silliness. It isn’t quite there with the best of Hong Kong action cinema from this time, but it’s unlikely to disappoint anyone who deliberately seeks it out.

7/10

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Dreadnaught (1981)

For people who don't yet know about the martial arts prowess of Yuen Biao, a man who was occasionally a very worth "third musketeer" alongside Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, I highly recommend diving into his filmography. And, for all I know, there may be better places to start, but Dreadnaught is a hell of a good time.

Biao plays Mousy, a cowardly young man who is rarely able to collect the laundry money that he is sent out to collect on behalf of his sister (played by Lily Li). That makes his fate seem inevitable when he becomes the target of a crazed killer known as White Tiger (Yuen Shun-yee). Or maybe not, considering that Mousy has the chance to learn from both Leung Foon (Bryan Leung) and the legendary Wong Fei-hung (Kwan Tak-hing).

Directed by Yuen Woo-ping (arguably best-known to modern movie viewers for his work on THAT big sci-fi action movie from 1999), Dreadnaught is a hugely entertaining mix of thrills, slight chills, and the expected underdog-to-top dog character arc. Writer Wong Jing has time for supporting characters, and some humour that doesn't work, but never takes too long to move the focus back to our hero, who still shows his athleticism even when trying to avoid a fight.

The cast work well, overall, with Biao easily proving himself as a likeable leading man. He has presence, he can play up his inability to fight for comedic effect, and he's definitely got the moves when the time comes for him to show what he can actually do. Shun-yee, on the other hand, is made to look memorable most of the time, thanks to the facial make up used, but his performance is just a constant stream of bared teeth and gurning expressions. The other good guys, however, more than make up for the overworking villain, with Leung doing good work and Tak-hing almost stealing the entire movie with his portrayal of Fei-hung (especially great in a couple of fight sequences that have people pretending that they’re not fighting).

Highlights include a frankly amazing dragon dance/ritual sequence, a tailor attacking his customer while the customer deftly defends himself, and a finale that features some surprisingly eerie imagery in just before the expected face off between the lead and the rage-filled villain.

It may not be the absolute best film with Biao in a starring role (almost everyone who knows the man tells me that The Prodigal Son is THE one to watch), but this is a great introduction to his work, and an easy one to recommend to fans of martial arts cinema . . . or anyone who enjoyed the laundry scene in Batman Forever (which was lifted from this).

8/10

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Prime Time: Honor And Glory (1993)

It had been a while since I enjoyed some simple Cynthia Rothrock entertainment, which is why I skimmed through the titles available on Amazon Prime and eventually settled on this, a film I had previously not seen (I've not actually seen many of her movies, despite being a fan of her martial arts skills).

Let's not beat about the bush here, this is a bad movie. It's actually quite terrible during many moments. It's also hugely entertaining, as are most of the movies that have Rothrock kicking ass in a leading role.

The plot is simple stuff. Rothrock plays Tracy Pride, an FBI agent after the dastardly Jason Slade (John Miller). Her sister, a news reporter named Joyce (Donna Jason), also has the same aim. This puts both woman, and the people close to them, in danger. But that won't be enough to stop them from trying to get their man.

Written by Herb Borkland, this is a cheesy, breezy, slice of '80s madness that just happens to have been released in 1993. If I didn't check details for these reviews then I would have sworn that this was 1988, at the very latest, but it's just one of those '90s movies that feels like a holdover from the previous decade. A lot of the dialogue is amusingly inane, especially when it's supposed to show chemistry between our female leads and men who admire them, but the best stuff is saved for the baddie, who even gets a moment in which to rant about how he can beat any man in a fight and make any woman he beds want to stay with him forever.

Director Godfrey Ho does what he usually does. Things are okay, and it all steps up a gear when you get the martial artists performing their martial arts. That doesn't always mean an actual fight though. The sisters playfully fight one another while arguing over who is going to drive a car. Joyce ends up sparring with someone, with chopsticks, as they enjoy a meal together. And then you get the proper fights. It's a shame that they're not as good as many other fight scenes I have seen in these types of movies, but there are just about enough of them, and both Rothrock and Chuck Jeffreys (as Jake Armstrong, a man who once protected the villain) help to liven things up when they can.

Is there any need to comment on the level of acting on display? Not really. If you've seen any other Rothrock film then you'll already know what to expect. She isn't the best, but she's also far from the worst, when it comes to onscreen fighters anyway. Nobody unbalances things by being much better. Jason is okay, if a bit bland, Jeffreys is quite charismatic, and Miller veers between wooden and completely bonkers, depending on what message his character is delivering in between his moments of oiled-up muscle displays.

There were so many other, better, movies that I could have given some of my time to this week, yet I am not unhappy with my choice. This was just under 90 minutes, it was very simple entertainment, and Rothrock kicked people in the head. Sometimes that's all I am looking for in my film choices. If you're ever in that frame of mind, check this one out.

6/10

You can get a DVD here.
Americans can get a Region 2 disc here.

Nico AKA Above The Law (1988)

A Steven Seagal movie in which the wooden one bumps up against rough bad guys and does his slap-happy chopsocky schtick. No different from any other Steven Seagal movie then. Don’t let that put you off though, this is Seagal’s first movie and, alongside the next four, remains one of his best. It’s actually worth revisiting the man’s early works to remember just how good he once was.

Directed by Andrew Davis, from a script that was developed from a story by Davis and Seagal, the movie is all about tough cop Nico Toscani (Seagal). Nico was a special covert agent in Vietnam but left in disgust as he saw the war being used as a cover for profiteering from drug money. He doesn’t tolerate hypocrisy and doesn’t care who he upsets, until the day when he runs up against a major baddie who targets his family and those around him.

While it’s not the best of Seagal’s first five movies, Nico holds up as a solid action flick with a decent plotline and enough action beats spaced throughout to keep things moving briskly along. The direct, powerful fighting style that Seagal uses helps things feel fresh and a step apart from a hundred and one other, more stylised martial arts movies.

It also helps that the supporting cast includes an on-form Pam Grier, Sharon Stone, Henry Silva, Chelcie Ross and numerous other folk recognisable to viewers of this type of unpretentious entertainment.

 

Davis handles directorial duties well but both director and star would go on to peak elsewhere (Davis with The Fugitive and Seagal with Under Siege). Nico certainly remains an enjoyable option for the action movie fan though.

6/10

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