Credits
Director
Ching Siu-Tung
Writer
Yuen Kai-Chi
Cast
Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong, Wu Ma
Hong Kong
1987 95 mins
OV Cantonese
Subtitles : English/Chinese
“A genuine lightning-in-a-bottle film, the kind you could swear was an accident if the crew weren't so skilled”– Adam Wescott, SLASHFILM
“A must-see for fans of Asian cinema”– Glen Stanway, KUNG-FU KINGDOM
Beware of the super-long ghostly tongue!! Out of money and without shelter, mild mannered Ning (Leslie Cheung) seeks refuge in a deserted temple one dark night. It’s very spacious and devoid of annoying people until he meets Siu-Sin (Joey Wong), a lovely young woman who charms him to point that they fall hopelessly in love. Unbeknownst to him, this is a haunted place where innocent people are seduced and drained of their life force by her master, the Tree Demoness. Siu-Sin is disastrously short of her quota of sacrifices, so the impatient demoness decides to betroth her to a dark lord from hell. To make it clear that she means business, she has also threatened to destroy Siu-Sin’s ashes and crush her chances of reincarnation. Now trapped in this forest, the lovebirds and their new buddy, a jaded Taoist swordsman (Wu Ma), must journey to hell to defeat this dark legion and recover her ashes in time.
The ultimate cult classic from producer Tsui Hark and award-winning action director Ching Siu-Tung (SWORDSMAN II, SHAOLIN SOCCER), A CHINESE GHOST STORY rejuvenated the swordplay fantasy genre with fresh excitement and an over-the-top style, spawning two sequels and countless imitations, some of which played at Fantasia. Think EVIL DEAD meets wuxia with humour, a tragic love story, a rap song, incredible visuals, eye-popping effects, kinky undertones and exhilarating action. Inspired by the classic Shaw Brothers film THE ENCHANTING SHADOW, a non-martial-arts drama from the 1960s golden age, Tsui and Ching amped up it with wild kung-fu set pieces for a truly unforgettable experience. Don’t miss Fantasia’s presentation of the original version, presented in hauntingly beautiful 35mm. – King-Wei Chu
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