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Possessed (1983) Directed by: David Lai

The ghosts are angry at past sins so as per usual, the next generation has to deal with what once was done. This is inflicted upon two cops (Siu Yuk-Lung and Lau Siu-Ming)...

From a busy year in the horror genre in Hong Kong (entries included The Boxer's Omen, The Rape After and Devil Fetus), David Lai's content can't compete as it's neither intense enough or as persistent in the horror stakes, which is all it has going for it really. The running time is easy to conquer however because whenever nastiness rears its head, Lai makes sure it stays in ours as well, in particular a skinning sequence that may or may not be an illusion. Throw in some unwarranted sex scenes, ghostly rape and a requisite battling back against the spirits and you got yourself a fairly good time despite. David shouldn't be faulted for taking the material seriously as even The Rape After did that but he can't punch as hard, that's for sure. Irene Wan and Wong Yat-Fei also appear.

Buy the DVD at:
Yesasia.com

Possessed (1994) Directed by: Yeung Jing

Micro-budget flirt with exploitation that is one of the "better" examples of how you string together non-existing and very different plots. Joining ends are the plots about triad Tang San (Ken Tong) fleeing from Mainland police and being taken in by Chang Lu, the mistress of Taiwanese businessman Wu Yimin (Peter Yang). Tang tends to his wounds and leaves a victimized Chang Lu. Because being mistress of Wu means being in his grip. Therefore physical and psychological abuse is the order of the day thanks to rapes and Wu forcing her to lie in bed while he has sex with another. What a guy. At some point, enough is enough however...

The meeting of Tang San and Chang Lu feels coincidental on a suitable level but mixing scenes of gunplay and the tragic drama behind Chang Lu's fate in the world is patchwork. It could've been two movies as it's very crudely connected, ending in a cheap courtroom type of end reel. What's slightly fun is how Yeung Jing pushes the limits of the Category II rating but it's not akin to being clever. He knows a bit about intensity but otherwise it's all about NOT featuring nudity and cutting away from other graphic sights. Also with William Ho.

Possessed II (1984) Directed by: David Lai

KENNETH'S REVIEW: Lead Siu Yuk-Lung returns in this unrelated sequel to what really was somewhat of Hong Kong's answer to Poltergeist. In the end not pouring on as much intensity and creativity, the results in the sequel with nods to The Exorcist and An American Werewolf In London exceeds Lai's "original" work by many miles. Despite our lead being the biggest asshole you can find as he cheats on his wife and treats her bad in general, we're not after character-investment. We're after the sights and Possessed II gives us plenty low-budget horror to chew on. Acid attacks, werewolf transformations are among the concepts that can be looked upon as cheesy but the crew decides to not go about it the silly way. They just do it and manage to amp the horrific end effect to spooky and scary ways very often. It's a healthy exercise in genre moviemaking, especially the exemplary finale that throws the unexpected and creative at the viewer in maximum overdrive. The Hare Krishna monks supplying the high technology to fight the possession is an unusual touch as well. Pauline Wong also appears.

Unfortunately as presented on dvd by Joy Sales, the film is quite heavily cut compared to other Hong Kong video versions.

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Yesasia.com

The Postman Fights Back (1982) Directed by: Ronny Yu

Set during the early days of the Republic, Hu (Eddy Ko) hires noble postman Ma (Leung Kar-Yan), pickpocket Yao Jie (Yuen Yat-Chor), kung fu fighting conman Fu (Chow Yun-Fat) and explosive expert Bu (Fan Mei-Sheng) to transport several cases with secret content across the harsh, cold Chinese landscapes (although reportedly, the film was shot in Korea). There are forces out there that are hellbent on intercepting the party though...

Most notably an early effort by Ronny Yu and rare martial arts role for Chow Yun-Fat, this Golden Harvest production has several things going for it. The group of characters is a compelling mix of actors and the Korean landscape is captured in a competent way, leading to the desired epic grandeur that director Yu is striving for. The Postman Fights Back does suffer due to the colorless surroundings unfortunately enveiling the film in a too much sedated atmosphere for the most part. Several nods to Westerns, expected themes of brotherhood and patriotism is baked in there, as well as some unexpected narrative beats yet the film registers overall merely as a recommended viewing to experience established cinema legends early on.

Action directed by Yuen Cheung Yan and Yuen Shun-Yee (with Yuen Woo-Ping producing), there's mostly an emphasis on placing the action in Chow Yun-Fat's hands. A charming presence no doubt and while he performs most of his choreography, it's only sporadically that Chow is able to shine. A set piece involving ice skating villains is an inspired idea in itself as well as a weapon of choice being a scarf for Chow's character. Definitely the most fun the otherwise somber film offers. Cherie Chung co-stars but is sadly rather unnoticeable.

Postmen In The Mountains (1999) Directed by: Huo Jianqi

The webmaster's favourite Mainland Chinese film and the one that truly defines the expression "criminally simplistic", when discussing this particular style of Chinese cinema. Hou Jianqi's masterpiece of low-key, extremely clearly told subtleties only seems to get better over the years.

Basically a giant walk and talk dealing with a transition of a humble profession from father to son, the joys of Postmen In The Mountains is to discover every new facet within every frame that Huo presents. It's a crowded piece but concrete in every sense of the word, meaning our director may have staged his film simplistically but focused on the many tiny details that manages to add up to a masterpiece. With spellbinding cinematography and a soundtrack evoking atmosphere of the Chinese landscape, Postmen In The Mountains will continue to produce universal, heartwarming magic wherever it's screened. Starring feature debuting Liu Ye (The Floating Landscape) and Ten Rujun (Red Sorghum)

The film received Golden Rooster Awards for Best Film and Best Actor (Ten Rujun).

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com
Yesasia.com

Power Connection (1995) Directed by: Phillip Ko

Even when only concerning himself with action, there's often very little to come out of a Phillip Ko directed flick. Oh Killer's Romance and Angel's Mission offer up their share of quality but with Power Connection, proceedings in that department are super stale so no wonder the rest is unbearable. With a Filipino actor and a fairly engaged Yukari Oshima teaming up, matters are muddled, broadly comic and it's quite embarrassing to see Ko attempting drama, triangles and painting it all in blood in an effort to be felt. Not even with Godfrey Ho on board there's hilarity to be found aside from some over anxious gangsters pulling guns whenever they're NOT threatened, mullets and a piece of religious imagery that will have you go "Wow" due to the way it's suddenly injected. Lo Lieh appears in a small role.

Power Of Love (1993) Directed by: Simon Leung

Gam Biu plays a wealthy man who signs off his entire fortune to his newly appointed maid (Lui Lee), something that doesn't sit well with the son and his wife. The natural thing to do is to contact assassins, including a sexy one (Suen Tong) with a nymphomaniac touch. Yep, you know we're in adult territory here and thanks to the turn of events from rather cheap, dull material to wild, sexy one, Power Of Love suffices as yet another Hong Kong skin flick. Especially so since the characters involved change loyalties, violence escalates to the point where character gets her breasts shot. Good times and although someone wants the English title to bear meaning within this spiral of violence, there's no points to be had there. Sex, guns, girls, no budget and a Hong kong exercise in adding spice in sufficient ways, that's the power present here. Wong Yue choreographs action and appears briefly.

Pretty Ghost (1991) Directed by: Teddy Chen

Aka Alien Wife, this is a modern portrayal of the often impossible ghost/man romance that A Chinese Ghost Story made very popular. Through wild, wacky and complex circumstances, Tony Leung Ka-Fai ends up having a female ghost (Rosamund Kwan) walking beside him, sharing the same exact emotions he does. She also assists him in obtaining the love of office bomb shell Ellen Chan but soon it's a love triangle...

Told in a flimsy way by debuting director Teddy Chen (In The Heat Of Summer, Purple Storm), that's a choice any number of directors of the time went with, focusing on delivering skit after skit of typical Hong Kong shenanigans. Leung and Kwan are featured in scenarios that work relatively well though and the ultimate fate of their romance holds interest in a light, fluffy way. Watch out for a gag "stolen" straight from Beetlejuice. Wu Fung, Michael Chow and Peter Lai co-stars. Alfred Cheung and Lawrence Cheng appears briefly, both playing priests.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com

The Pretty Ghostress Story (1992) Directed by: ?

Tapping into the sex- and A Chinese Ghost Story formula using a small budget, a few rooms and one outdoor location, this 90s ghost-sex quickie is as transparent as they get and pretty tedious before the second half comes around. Wu Fung gambles a lot with his brother, argue, Charlie Cho is trying to ward off ghosts but ends up having sex with them unwillingly anyway and Wu Fung's dead daughter is trying to escape the King Of Hell (Chung Faat). Said latter half increases the sex (after the first desperately tries to fill with hints at erotica. Case in point, a 5 minute look through a keyhole at a girl showering behind a curtain), the animated special effects and even kung-fu action between ghost, priests and Chung Faat's character. Lively to a decent degree overall but with no true ambition other than to fit in commercially for a week or two in the cinema.

Pretty Woman (1992) Directed by: Yeung Chi-Yin

We open with a grisly rape/murder, subsequently are lead into dumb, politically incorrect "comedic" hijinks, Alex Fong doing action, multiple softcore sex scenes and Veronica Yip taking a looooong bath. I'll hand it to these Category III filmmakers of the era. They could fit everything in there and padding the correct commercial elements certainly was one thing they knew veeeery well.

Veronica Yip was one success out of all this though and her relatively short stint in Category III movies lead her to some fairly respectable actual acting performances in movies such as 3 Days Of A Blind Girl and the underrated Scarred Memory. Pretty Woman is strictly one for the guys though and those willing to accept the lowest standards of filmmaking. Disposable but that bath scene will make you happy.

Buy the DVD at:
HK Flix.com

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