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Cast:
Sammo
Hung
Lam
Ching Ying
Chung
Fat
Wu
Ma
Chan
Lung
Action:
Sammo
Hung
Yuen
Biao
Producer:
Raymond
Chow
Director:
Sammo
Hung
Score:
 
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ENCOUNTER
OF THE SPOOKY KIND
AKA:
Close Encounters Of The Spooky Kind ||
Spooky Encounters
Year:
1981 Reviewer: Tony
Ryan
This
box office smash shows Sammo's physical skill at their peak as
he takes on the role of Cheung, a simple but kind man with few
worries in the world. That is until his wife disappears and he
is suspected of murder, while simultaneously being targeted
for assassination. The films narrative follows his exploits
trying to stay alive long enough to clear his name, avoiding
everyone from the police to evil wizards and hopping vampires!
The
Hong Kong horror genre is one which has attained a mass cult
following across the globe as its unique take on familiar
characters, from zombies to ghosts, is done with remarkable
ingenuity and flair never more evident than in this stylish
production. Martial arts, magic and bizarre creatures are
blended together seamlessly, with expert direction, making the
movie accessible to those who haven't grown up with
traditional kung fu epics or Eastern horror fantasies and
would surely convert some of the sceptics!
Martial
arts may not be the only focus, but we are still treated to
some classic choreography. The best fight scene, predictably,
is at the end of the movie and sees a super agile Sammo do
battle while being possessed by different gods, before
uncovering his would be assassin. However, almost as good, is
a set piece in a teahouse which sees Sammo take on Lam Ching
Ying’s police constables halfway through the film. It is
beautifully executed as Sammo uses any available object to
avoid being slashed to death!
This
is classic Kung fu cinema and far superior to other films of
the day, especially Jackie Chan's 'Dragon
Lord' and Jet Li's 'Shaolin Temple' and still stands the
test of time. On a par, and also a must have, is the Lam Ching
Ying classic 'Mr
Vampire'. Buy them both today!
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