Cute, not as good as the first, but still funny...
Added 8/6/2003
This is the second DVD in the "Mr. Vampire" saga, staring this time a modern day larcenous Professor and his two college interns. In this installment, the professor unearths a century old tomb with the remains of a woman, a man, and a child. (If you've saw the first Mr. Vampire, you might recognize the magic spells attached to each corpses forehead as spells to prevent the dead from rising). Of course the 'professor' being more intent on STEALING from the tomb, doesn't notice this. He takes the bodies back to the lab, and his assistant inadvertently remove the spells...Surprise, they revive. Although the professor manages to contain the adults, the child vampire escapes, causing many amusing hijinks. While I liked Mr. Vampire 2, some elements I could have lived without. The one assistant who killed and ate things like frogs, and the innards of snakes (while they were still alive) for 'tonics', just grossed me out and seemed to have been added for shock value. Also, the 'cutsie' scenes with the child-vampire and the Chinese single-parent family just went on WAY too long. I mean, a little is okay 20 minutes is overkill. Overall, though, quite amusing. A funny edition to the Mr. Vampire Saga
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
|
The eternal Sifu Returns for another round.
Added 11/3/2000
Again the eternal Sifu Lam Ching Ying Returns to use his taoist powers to supress a vampire infestation in our world . This time Lam (Sifu) fights the dark vampire family brought back to life by some idiotic cave explorers.The comedy element is high in this film as it is in the other Mr. Vampire saga Films.This time we have a little munchkin of a vampire boy that befriends and plays with some children that hide him in there closet.The parents also reawakend are searching the city for there child whos busy playing and spooking other kids from the neighborhood. Lam and his funny students of the arts have a hell of a time with the vampire parents that are wreaking hilarious havok on the locals and even are hopping across cartops at one point.Lam and crew work with all there taoist arts to comabet the vampire family yet are somewhat compassionate to the little vampire boy.More comedy antics in this 2nd installment in the Mr. Vampire series a must see and highly recommended.We also see more of the taoist magic and spells used to combat the vampyric chinese undead.
1 out of 2 people found this helpful.
|
This movie was a fun time!
Added 8/18/2009
This movie was a fun time!I was a fan of the Nes game "phantom fighter" for a long time. It was based on Mr. Vampire. I just ended up playing the game again recently in my nastalgic state I usaully am in and read that it was fashioned after this movie. So i decided to order it, and I was not let down. Even better than the game! Plus, I am a fan of old kung fu movies anyway. So they got me all the way. I dont think I will even see the remake as I am just as pleased with this one. Deffinetly get this movie if you like black magic/comedy/zombie style kung fu flicks.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Remember to bring sticky rice!
Added 11/7/2008
The most important film in the kyonsi (jiangshi) subgenre (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 unbeknownst 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 afterwards. 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.
The Fox/Fortune Star R1 release of Mr. Vampire is a good basic release. There are no dubtitles and the film is uncut. There is an English dub, a genuine Cantonese mono track and it is presented in a nice looking widescreen transfer. Unfortunately, like most of the Fox/Fortune Star releases you only get trailers as extras. Here is another example where the best release is the R2 Hong Kong Legends version (like so many of the Hong Kong martial art films on the Fox/Fortune releases). Though the Fox/Fortune Star R1 and Fortune Star R0 releases are the only ones I know of with the original mono (big plus for me).
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
Hopping Vampires???
Added 9/26/2007
My wife came across this video on Netflix and when I watched it at her suggestion I decided it was a "must have". I couldn't believe the slap stick Chinese "goofiness" I saw in this movie. You may have to put a few brain cells on hold but sit back and allow yourself to loosen up and laugh.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
|
At Times A Very Funny Chinese Horror-Comedy!
Added 4/23/2007
There was a time when I believed this to be a 5-star film, but I let my bias of the film influence my rating of "Mr. Vampire." This film brings back a lot of memories to me, therefore, I have deleted the original review, and given this newer review so that other amazon reviewers will have a truly honest depiction of this film. The only other time I have deleted a review was with "Boxer's Omen," which I initially gave a 3-star rating to, and changed to a 2-star rating. It is great to see parody in any genre. Moreover, it is necessary at times. Which brings us to this unique film, "Mr. Vampire." Having first seen the film many years ago, I originally owned the VHS tape which was pretty choppy and bad to say the least. The film has action, horror, and comedy. Those who are into action based films, however, will not find the martial arts as action based as you might like, but the film does serve as a parody of Martial Arts.
I don't wish to spoil the film for those of you who have not viewed the film, therefore, I will leave out the more funnier scenes. The film centers on one Master Ko (Ching-Ying Lam) and his two assistants, Chou (Siu-hou Chin) and Man Choi (Ricky Hui) Master Ko is in the business of controlling vampires. Both he and his assistants [bumbling ones at that] are in for one funny romp. They are trying to control the reawakened corpse of a man who has been dead for many years. However, things backfire, and the viewer is in for a somewhat funny romp, as the use of slapstick is employed in this eastern version of vampires. The film spoofs Kung Fu and gives a slightly comedic twist to the horror genre. Also, the Chinese bureaucracy and the police are lampooned in a funny way.
Yes, there are silly parts to the film, but it is done in a comedic way, and never tries to take itself seriously. Which is one of the reasons I initially liked this film a lot. Also, while garlic is the recipe in the West for controlling vampires: English and American films in particular, in China--it's sticky rice. Some will find this film entertaining. With Master Ko up to his elbows in trying to help his two assistant's Man Choi and Chou from falling prey to the vampire curse they now battle, he also finds himself up against one tough super powerful vampire. I recommend the film with caution. Upon recent viewing, I realized that the film was not as funny as I once though it was. It is for required tastes only, therefore, rent it first.
2 out of 3 people found this helpful.
|
Temporarily Hold Your Breath
Added 3/16/2007
Don't let the title mislead you. The film title should have been translated as Mr. Zoombie instead of Mr. Vampire as these hopping ghosts are what we called zoombie. When the film was first released in the 80's, it was titled as Temporarily Stop Your Breathing. It was an enormous hit throughout Asia. 2 or 3 sequels were made afterwards. It also created a zoombie sensation in Japan. Among the Chinese zoombie movie, this one stood out the most as it succeeded in all three genres that it tried to achieve: action, comedy and horror.
Mr. Vampire, along with Chinese Ghost Story 1, is among my favorite films from the 80's.
Hop, hop and hop.
5 out of 5 people found this helpful.
|
