Golden Swallow (1987, 35mm, 93 min.)
Directed by Ko Sing–pui
Starring: Cherie Chung, Anthony Wong Yiu Ming, Eric Tsang, Norman Chu, Ivy Ling
Showtime: 11/20 (Sat), 12:30pm
GOLDEN SWALLOW, which is not to be confused with the 1968 kung fu classic from Chang Cheh was the first and possibly best film directly inspired by Tsui Hark's classic A CHINESE GHOST STORY. The production is first rate, and honestly reflects the famous supernatural legend. A beautiful Spirit Hsiao-Hsueh (Cherie Chung) falls in love with a mortal scholar Lao Chih Chiu (Anthony Wong Yiu Ming). When the Witch Queen (Ivy Ling) threatens to take the scholar's life, the doomed couple must seek help from the swordsman Feng Ching Tien (Norman Chu from DUEL TO THE DEATH) with the help from Taoist priests to defeat the demon.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Chinese Ghost Story III (1991, 35mm, 104 min.)
Directed by Siu-Tung Ching, Hark Tsui
Starring: Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Joey Wong, Jacky Cheung
Showtime: 11/20 (Sat), 2:15pm
Part III of the most famous classic series - CHINESE GHOST STORY, which is set 100 years after the original. Tony Leung plays Fong, a traveling monk who takes shelter in the haunted temple, attempting to hide from thieves for his golden Buddha statue, meets beautiful ghost Lotus (Joey Wong) and is trapped in the fight between Tree Demon and the Swordsman Yin (Jacky Cheung). Director Siu-tung and producer Hark garnish this successful entry with even more spectacular special effects including a Mountain Devil-possessed pagoda and Fong's transformation into a flying golden Buddha. A ghost story at its best!!
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Spooky Encounters (a.k.a Encounter of a Spooky Kind)(1980, 35mm, 103 min.)
Directed by Sammo Hung
Fight Choreography: Donnie Yen
Starring: Sammo Hung, Ying Huang
Showtime: 11/21 (Sun), 12:30pm
Screened at the Cannes film festival, SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS is the Hong Kong 80's classic that sprung forth the genre of kung fu horror. Cheung's wife is having an affair with the richest man in town. In order to get rid of Cheung (Sammo Hung), the merchant hires a Taoist priest to use his vampire-controlling magic to kill off Cheung. The final duel in SPOOKY ENCOUNTERS is rated by Hong Kong Action Cinema as the great Sammo Hung' second best fight scene ever, only next to his historically famous encounter with Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Mr. Vampire I (1985, 35mm, 99 min.)
Directed by Ricky Lau
Starring: Ricky Hui, Lam Ching-Ying, Billy Lau, Chin Siu-Ho, Moon Lee.
The film that is regarded as spawning the vampire craze in Hong Kong cinema, MR. VAMPIRE is an interesting mesh of comedy, horror, and kung fu. A Taoist priest and his two students, Chou and Man Choi, are in charge of a mortuary. The wealthy Yam family has been having bad luck, and hires the Taoist priest to rebury their grandfather. Things go awry quickly, and the grandfather comes back to life as a vampire. Cosmic chaos complicated by supernatural love affairs, terrestrial jealousies and ghostly struggles for hearts, minds -- and bodies! Considered "one of the most important films in the New Have Hong Kong cinema" by Hong Kong Film Connection, MR. VAMPIRE is a funny, exciting thriller that has set the Hong Kong standard of what a vampire is.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Mr. Vampire IV (1987, 35mm, 97 min)
Directed by Ricky Lau
Starring Wu Ma, Anthony Chan, Loretta Lee, Yuen Wah.
Showtime: 11/21 (Sun), 4:00pm
This great series continues with a fourth installment. More slapstick comedy than horror, Mr. Vampire IV starts out with a new Taoist priest feuding with his neighbor, a Buddhist monk . Neither of them can stand living next to each other, so they try to irritate each other as much as possible. The antics of the priest and monk are added on to the bumbling acts of their mischievous disciples. As soon as nearby villages are threatened by vampires, the priest and monk put aside their differences to team up and stop the undead.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
24 Hours Ghost Story (1997, 35mm, 100 min.)
Directed by Wellson Chin
Starring: Francis Ng, Gigi Lai, Dayo Wong Chi Wah, Simon Loui, Michael Chow
Man-Kin
Showtime: 11/21 (Sun), 5:45 pm
24 HOURS GHOST STORY is a good example of the 1990s supernatural black comedy, taking the ghosts out of the period setting and adding a unique modern touch. Since beginning work at a 24-hour convenience store, Daai Mo (Francis Ng) has been hearing mysterious echoes and finding Taoist ghost-repelling charms posted in the bathroom. When more strange things happened, they try traditional methods of exorcism, but all fail and spirits toss a Taoist monk around in the sky, Daai Mo and his friends realize they have only 24 hours until the evil spirits disrupting the store will possess them all. A uniformly fine cast provides laughs and scares in equal measure.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
My Left Eye Sees Ghosts (2002, 35mm, 100
min.)
Directed by Johnnie To, Wai Ka Fai
Starring: Sammi Cheng, Lau Ching Wan
Showtime: 11/20 (Sat), 4:00pm; 11/21 (Sun),7:30pm
In the hype of the horror/superstitious films that starting the 21st century, MY LEFT EYE SEES GHOSTS is a fresh attempt by the acclaimed duo of Johnnie To and Wai Ka Fai and here they combined a mix-genre of a black comedy with a little touch of romance. Different from other ghost movies, this comedy - ghosts are inevitably funny looking (like the fat hungry ghost) and non-ghoulish.
After surviving an attempted suicide, rich widow May (Sammi Cheng, NEEDING YOU) realizes that her left eye can see ghosts. As words of her ability spreads throughout the afterworld, ghosts of all kind come to May for help in fulfilling their last wishes. Naughty ghost Wong King-Wai (Lau Ching Wan, RUNNG OUT OF TIME 1 & 2), promises May to look for her late husband's spirit if she can full fill his final wish.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Double Vision (2002, 35mm, 112 min.)
Directed by Kuo-fu Chen
Starring: Tony Leung Ka-Fai, Rene Liu Re Ying, Wong Xing Hong, David Morse
Showtime: 11/19 (Fri), 5:00pm; 11/20 (Sat), 7:30 pm
Filmed by the great cinematographer Arthur Wong, written by the two top writers from Taiwan, Su Chao-Ping (THE CABBIE, voted for the audience favor in 2002 CFS), Chen Kuo-Fu (THE PERSONALS), DOUBLE VISION has the highest production values and full of surprises, and twists.
When a Taipei CEO froze to death on one of the hottest days of the year, and a politician's mistress is burnt to death in a room with no trace of fire, Tony Leung Ka-Fai (THE LOVER) as an intense, troubled Taiwanese cop is called to investigate the killings. And David Morse as an FBI agent who is sent to assist the Taiwanese cops to hunt down what may be a serial killer, a ghost, or something else...
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Inner Senses (2002, 35mm, 100 min.)
Directed by Lo Chi Leung
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Karena Lam
Showtime: 11/19 (Fri), 7:00pm, 11/20 (Sat)), 9:30 pm
INNER SENSES is the last film of suicide Hong Kong idol - Leslie Cheung (CHINESE GHOST STORY). Many suspicious spread that because of acting in this film, Leslie has transformed himself into the character too deep, and resulted in the same tragic ending in the film - committing suicide.
After the success of M. Night Shyamalan's Hollywood blockbuster THE SIXTH SENSE, Hong Kong film industry started to produce modern ghost films that are mixed with psychological thriller and actual horror. INNER SENSES stars the late Leslie Cheung as Jim, a psychiatrist who gets referred to a troubled young woman (Karena Lam) who claims persistent ghosts are haunting her. But her psychologist Jim thinks Karena is troubled not by ghosts, but by her own past, and once she's able to defeat her own demons, she no longer needs to "see" ghosts to make up for it. When Jim himself begins to see dead people, however, they must both find a way to end the nightmare. Their search for a solution eventually leads to a confrontation with the forgotten past.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Running on Karma (2003, 35mm, 100 min.)
Directed by Johnnie To, Wai Ka-Fai
Starring: Andy Lau Tak-Wah, Cecilia Cheung Pak-Chi, Cheung Siu Fai , Karen
Tong Bo Yue, Chun Wong
Showtime: 11/19 (Fri), 9:00pm, 11/20 (Sat), 5:45 pm
Another great film done by the acclaimed director-writer team Johnnie To and Wai Ka-Fai (MY LEFT EYE SEES GHOSTS), RUNNING ON KARMA takes the Buddhism principle - Karma to examine the relationship between reincarnation and "cause and consequence". Andy Lau (FULLTIME KILLER) plays the muscle man Dai Jet Lo who has the special power to see through "past lives" in all life forms, including human and animal. He meets the Detective Li (Cecilia Cheung, THE LION ROARS) and senses her inevitable "karma" that destines her death. He decides to save her to against the fate and to change what cannot be changed...
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Haunted Office (2002, 35mm, 100 min.)
Directed by Mak Chi Sin, Bowie Lau
Starring: Jordan Chan, Stephen Fung, Shu Kei, Karen Mok
Showtime: 11/19 (Fri), 3:00pm, 11/21 (Sun), 9:15 pm
HAUNTED OFFICE is taken on the popular 3 sections of ghost stories with each story directed by a different director and featuring a starry cast. Three intertwining horror tales revolving around a single office high rise. In the first tale, a new office worker (Karen Mok) finds out the hard way why no one uses the last stall in the ladies restroom. In the second tale, May (Helena Lo), is fired the day before her retirement by her boss (Jordan Chan). Nonetheless, she is determined to come back to the office, lived or dead. In the last tale, Ken (Stephen Fung, GEN-X) a new kid in the office, who falls for Shu Qi (MILLENNIUM MAMBO), only to find out that he is only a stepping stone. HAUNTED OFFICE is among one of the best horror anthology films.
In Chinese with English subtitles.
Double Vision
Haunted Office
Running on Karma
