(1981)
Dir - Kinji Fukasaku
Overall: GOOD
A bit meandering in the middle, Kinji Fukasaku's Samurai Reincarnation, (Makai Tenshō), is still rather wild and enjoyable. Utilizing the 17th century Shimabara Rebellion where Christian peasants rose up against the Tokugawa military government as a historical backdrop and then throwing a whole bunch of supernatural hoopla on top of it, the film's primary focus on bloody revenge gives way to many a memorable set piece. At first it seems like a small be it formidable army of resurrected nobles and warriors turned devils are going to take down the non-Christian regime which ushers in an interesting paradox where the Christians are the devils and ergo, the bad guys. Yet once they all start going about their own business in challenging and manipulated whoever they see fit, the film gets a bit unfocused as the larger arc takes a backseat to a somewhat confused series of side plots. Along the way though, it still manages to be darkly engrossing in a deliberately excessive manner while also being downright spooky in enough instances. The opening and ending scenes with a massive display of slaughtered Christians and then an entire capital engrossed in flames are visually striking, successfully bookending all of the sword fights, blasphemy, and mayhem in between.
(1985)
Dir - Ricky Lau
Overall: GOOD
The first in the Mr. Vampire series and one that furthered the popularity for the jiangshi genre, (resulting in several sequels, copy cat films, a similarly themed television show also staring Lam Ching-ying, a stage play, toys, and even a Nintendo game), holds up as one of the better horror comedies probably of the entire decade. First time director Ricky Lau and a list of screenwriting collaborators both official and otherwise make excellent and funny use of the jumping vampire zombie ghost tropes and it is easy to see the appeal for both horror fans or otherwise. The pacing is brisk, the comedy is quite goofy yet intelligently done in a slapsticky way, the supernatural mythology is continually inventive, it does not shy completely away from a few gross-out, low brow moments, and the fight scenes are few enough in number to not bog the movie down as other such martial arts films routinely did. Casting wise, Ching-ying was already a star in his native Hong Kong and would go on to have a career in such films both in and outside of this franchise, collaborating further with producer Sammo Hung in more punching, jumping, kicking projects. His very deadpan performance compliments all of the ridiculous that is going on around him and he is hard not to root for as a wonderful action hero with a cornucopia of occult knowledge at his beck and call.
(1986)
Dir - Lam Ngai Kai
Overall: GOOD
It is not too clear from watching just how knowingly silly The Seventh Curse is supposed to be. Probably a significant amount silly. Based on the Dr. Yuen series of pulp novels by Ni Kuang and also featuring Chow Yun-fat as the main protagonists from Yuen's other Wisely Series of novels, this is essentially a Hong Kong Indiana Jones movie except revolving around black, tribal magic. The characters travel to foreign, mysterious lands, there is a race against time, an annoying female reporter who moronically keeps getting into danger, an evil, cackling sorcerer, mystical artifacts and rituals, a brilliant and suave occult expert, and hilarious toy skeletons and unconvincing puppet monsters. Coming from the director of Riki Oh: The Story of Ricky, it is also understandably heavy on the gore and gruesomeness, with children getting pulverized into a pool of blood, maggots exploding from the inside of bodies, and creatures ripping each others limbs and organs out. With all of these details in tow, it would be nearly impossible for the movie not to be entertaining and it is indeed wacky enough to please any admirer of over the top action movies or fans of pre-CGI practical effects that leaned heavy on the goofy side. Both of which the 1980s where rather prominent in producing.
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