The most important film in the kyonsi (jiangshi) sub-genre (hopping vampires who can suck blood through their long fingernails) of Hong Kong movies is Mr. Vampire produced by Sammo Hung's Bo Ho Films Company which would help bring out another important Hong Kong horror/comedy in "Spooky Encounters". This comedic/horror is a mixture of Cantonese comedy, Taoist priests, sticky rice, chicken blood and a dash of kung fu that has become a perennial viewing of mine during the Halloween season. Its success did not go unnoticed and spawned many sequels and imitators many directed by the same director as this movie Ricky Lau Koon-Wai and starring mono eye-browed Taoist priest (fat-si) Lam Ching Ying. It also had local critical success and would be nominated for several Hong Kong awards including Best Picture (which Police Story would win), Best Director, two best supporting actors (Lam Ching Ying and Ricky Hui). It would win for Best Original Film Score.It is said that when someone dies in anger a breath is caught in the throat. Nothing can exasperate this more than burying the body in an area with bad Feng Shui. Mr. Yam (Huang Ha: Spooky Encounters) has been having inauspicious luck since the burial of his father and has hired Master Ko (Lam Ching Ying: Prodigal Son) to help move the body to sacred ground. Every great master must have bumbling protégés and Ko has two in Man Chor (Ricky Hui: Plain Jane to the Rescue) and Chow Chun (Chin Siu-Ho: The Tai-Chi Mater). Hui (brother to Sam and Michael Hui who are also famous HK comedians) plays his role quite well and is adroit with his comedic timing (watch him in the background in many scenes; always busy) while Chin is more of a face in this movie (though he has an extensive martial arts background). Guess who gets the romantic role in this movie? Part of the problem of having blundering help mixed with caring for the undead is the possibility (probability) of letting a ravenous choleric blood-sucking corpse loose on the populous. Because of an improperly sealed casket, Grandpa Yam (Yuen Wah: Eastern Condors) escaped from his coffin and killed his son unbeknown-st to inept police officer Wai (Billy Lau Nam-Kwong) who believes Master Ko is responsible and arrests him. However, younger Yam's corpse is slowly turning into a wandering cadaver (like father, like son) whose body is set in viewing distance of the jailed Ko. Later, Man Chor gets injured by the springy corpse's vampire-like nails while protecting Yam's daughter Ting Ting (Moon Lee Choi-Fung) and similar to the effects of European vampires bite wounds he will slowly turn into one unless prevented somehow. Meanwhile, Chow Chun is having problems of his own with a beautiful ghost named Jade (Pauline Wong) who has tricked him into falling in love with her. Some of this story does remind me of Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (the house of the spirit and the way Ko helps repel Jade by the characters drawn on Chow Chun), but there are many Chinese stories that have used these elements before Ugetsu.If I was to nitpick about the deficiencies of this movie I would state the abrupt ending as the biggest one -- a bane of many Hong Kong films. Also, the chicken violence, which is real, might offend some (Harry Angel would like it) as well as the removal of a gallbladder from a snake – which is also real (though after watching Shaw Brothers release Killer Snakes I have become numb to small amounts of slithering serpent violence). I know some might not like the broad humor associated with Cantonese comedy, but I have come to appreciate much of it.However, there is much to appreciate from the dancing and comedic aspects of Ricky Hui to the effective use of Kung Fu and stunts. The secondary plot of the ghost love story also worked well for me. The introduction of the female ghost brought into the story was one of the most beautiful shots in the film marred only by an annoying sound effect. And like a good comedy should it finished off with a laugh. During this scene and the end credits there is a wonderful song used named Gwai San Neung "Ghost Bride" performed by the Kit Yi Chorus. The main strength of this film is that it sticks well to its premise of a comedy and does unnecessarily mix dramatic elements.There should not be a discussion about this film without mentioning the austere pillar performance of Lam Ching Ying. This performance is analogous to Vincent Price in which a career defining House of Wax (1953) set forth a years of horror for Vincent Price. Both actors had years of experience in various genres before their "breakout" horror roles, both had excellent roles before (Prodigal Son for Lam and Baron of Arizona for Price) and would later have lucrative but strongly typecast roles offered to them afterwords. Lam's rendition of this Taoist priest is so perfect in its entirety (his athletic skills certainly help) that he has become a cult icon in certain circles. Like all good Taoists, he knows the value of sticky rice and its many ubiquitous powers of healing.Along with Spooky Encounters this is a must watch movie from the Hong Kong comedy/horror oeuvre and perfect for introducing kyonsi to your friends -- as long as they do not like chickens (or snakes) and you have friends of course.

I'm going to keep it short and sweet about one of my favourite flicks. It can't get any more popular than this highly regarded Hong Kong presentation (produced by Sammo Hung) that got everyone interested in the fantasy / supernatural/ comedy sub-genre. Ricky Lau's 'Mr Vampire' is a creative Kung-Fu supernatural romp with a wicked touch of black humour and an endearing splash of slapstick. The spontaneous story-telling and a busy script are streamlined by the interesting aspects of Eastern superstitious customs and folklore. From the hopping vampires with long fingernails to a restless spirit in love. It's boundless on imagination, humour and high-energy stunt work. The horror is worked in with the sprucely choreographed martial arts and bumbling slapstick mishaps, but that's not forgetting atmosphere aplenty. Some moodily innovative images (mainly the first sign of the ghost in the forest) and brooding passages (the vampire on the rampage) are strikingly matted by extraordinary photography and a breezily whimsical score. The thrills are jarringly fast and the precise acrobatic action packs a lot of oomph with it ending on a spectacular climax. Still the opening half is a little slow and not as abundant with the horror/material activity, but the broad gags and characters come to the forefront. The contributions by the cast are all fitting. Ching-Ying Lam adeptly works well off the bungling likable Ricky Hui, Siu-hou Chin and Billy Lau. Moon Lee is elegantly good and Pauline Wong is rather fun as the persistent, love-sick ghost. Wah Yuen is hypnotic as the rotting, but destructive vampire. The zany special effects are lively produced, costumes stylishly decorated and the make-up FX ably etched out with character. Classic horror/comedy from the east, but it's bizarre light-hearted comic style won't be for everyone's tastes. It would make a great double-feature with the equally zany 'Close Encounters of the Spooky Kind' (1980).

I'll say this right now. I'm not a fan, or a follower of kung fu movies, Chinese or otherwise.That being said, this movie is incredible. It is a perfect blend of slapstick physical comedy, one liners, martial arts, and Chinese superstition. Mr. Vampire is genuinely funny, but not at all in a campy "So bad it's good" way at all. Fight scenes are good and often amusing, but are not the focus of the film.Some people despise dubbing in foreign films. Having watched both subtitled and dubbed, I'd say the dubbing is funnier. For a complete laugh riot with the DVD, watch both. the jokes made in both versions are quite different, and seeing the way the two interpretations differ is funny in and of itself. The mood of some scenes are distinctly different.All in all, the film is spectacular. Anyone who likes physical or witty humor which is snappy (but not cheap) should watch Mr. Vampire. Fans of Most Extreme Elimination Challenge will love the dubbing especially.

this is another great movie from the east. there is kung-fu there is horror there is great performances by a group of actors who are sometimes underrated. the movie is full of the typical humour expected from the jackie chan movies like the main character thinking the daughter of a millionaire is a hooker and when he questions her comes to believe she is sex mad and prostituting herself since her childhood and gets a slap! for his bother or even the policeman getting cutie branded on his chest during a fight with his uncle who became a vampire and tried to bite him. or a vampire who cant hop up the stairs or the even funnier resteraunt scene were never having had an western breakfast two men pouring milk and sugar onto their custard tarts. but watch it for yourself a i guarantee you'll love it.just do yourself a favour watch the Cantonese language version watching oriental movies dubbed just lacks something trust me you'll get used to subtitles and the language.