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Mister Vampire

Mister Vampire

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Don't let the ugly cover fool you..
Review: Fans of vampire legends will enjoy Mr. Vampire. Mr. Vampire is exorcist/vampire hunter (played by Lam Ching Ying), whose life takes a turn for the worse when a client refuses to stay dead! Add to the mix one bumbling apprentice and a beautiful ghost and you get an hour and a half of amusing comedy.

I found the relationship between Mr. Vampire (as the long-suffering teacher) and his two apprentices to be quite funny. Also the necromancer/priest with the "hopping bell-controlled" vampires with the prayers attached to their foreheads was very funny.

This video is a must for fans of horror comedy, or vampire fans who want a change from Lestat angst. If you like this one there are two more in the series: Mr. Vampire 2 and Mr. Vampire 3.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: What's up with the DVD? Help!
Review: Has anyone but I had trouble with accessing the Langue section of the Menu on Media Asia DVDs? I returned one, thinking it was defective. However, any DVD I own from Media Asia is the same: It seems as if it's entering the menu and then just "bounces" me back to the main menu! The rest of the menus are fine; only the Language is this way. Thanks. Scangemi@ohpny.com

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: What's up with the DVD? Help!
Review: Has anyone but I had trouble with accessing the Langue section of the Menu on Media Asia DVDs? I returned one, thinking it was defective. However, any DVD I own from Media Asia is the same: It seems as if it's entering the menu and then just "bounces" me back to the main menu! The rest of the menus are fine; only the Language is this way. Thanks. Scangemi@ohpny.com

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Chinese slapstick that works!
Review: Here's a Chinese comedy that makes you laugh for the right reasons. From the opening scene to the end credits "Mr Vampire" never fails to entertain. The comic style so evident in Hong Kong films is here, but in droves; with wit, timing, hilarious situations and a menacing score throughout, this is the movie Jackie Chan was born for. Fortunately the imagination of the scriptwriters shines through in his absence to produce one of the greatest bits of Hong Kong comedy to date. From the superbly scary closet scene to the appearance of a crazed Gorilla, this is a must for any film collector.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mr. Vampire is the best Vampire movie that you will ever see
Review: Mr. Vampire is one of the best Hong Kong Films that I have seen. The movie mixes witty comedy, scarry monsters and great kung fu action. The movie is very smart as it draws upon western and eastern vampire mythology. Most people are turn off by subtitled or dubeb movies, but Mr. Vampire's is so good that reading the subtitles is not a chore. If you love Hong Kong cinema you will love this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: And Now for Some Real Laughs!
Review: Thanks to the explosion of the DVD market oodles and oodles of really great Asian films have finally been made available for American and European audiences. Just recently released in a digitally remastered format is Ricky Lau's "Mr. Vampire," which first appeared in 1983 to capitalize on the success and popularity of "Ghostbusters". Featuring an oddball ensemble of comedic actors, some zany early 80's special effects and a plot line that mixes up ghosts and vampires, this is one of the funniest and most enjoyable offerings from the entire catalog of asian cinema.

Set in British-Colonial China, the film features Lam Ching Ying as the straight man, a feung-shui master whose specialty is looking after the well-being of deceased spirits. He's the man that families call when a disturbed ghost or hopping vampire is on the loose. Unfortunately, the master has two addle-headed disciples whose prank-playing rivalry always gets them in over their heads. First a powerful vampire begins claiming corpses, and then a beautiful siren-like ghost enchants one of the disciples. Chaos ensues and the hilarity piles up like football players at center field. The film relies on a clever blend of physical comedy and Noel Coward-like situational comdey to keep the laughs coming, and the result is worthy even of Harold Lloyd or Charlie Chaplin. This is one zany movie, and there's no almost no lengths the filmmakers won't go to get your laughs.

In addition, the remastered look is excellent. The picture is super-sharp and the sound is crystal clear. I had previously only seen this film as an Asian release, and the improvements are hard to exaggerate. For what its worth, I can guarantee that this is one of those films you can purchase sight-unseen and feel confident that you are going to be pleased with it. Even the subtitles are well done, with no mis-spellings, misworded idioms or other bothersome distractors. With only a few exceptions, this is the kind of film that almost anyone will enjoy, yourself included.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Eternal Sifu starts the saga rolling.
Review: The eternal Sifu Lam Ching Ying starts the series going with this fine film.Mr. Vampire is the first in a series of Vampire buster films that Lam Ching Ying did over his career.I suggest you purchase this dvd and then you will be hooked and start searching out and purchasing the next installments in the Mr. Vampire saga there are many BUT Mr. Vampire is the first.Mr. Vampire is the prime example of amazing HK horror / comedy films.The eternal sifu battles Hopping Vampires as well as a alluring female ghost that trys to seduce one of his students of the arts.What else could you ask for having the Sifu fight hopping vampires and angry spirits , this film also has a flying head sequence that is hilarious yet may spook the younger kids.I recommend you purchase this dvd and start you Kung Fu Taoist Vampire film collection now.The best example of Horror/Comedy HK Style.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: funny, but needs more action
Review: The quintessential "hopping vampire" movie. The plot revolves around an undertaker and his assistants, who are called in to deal with a corpse that is in danger of turning into a "vampire" - it was buried with a bad feng-shui. I thought the flim was very funny. While it has great and unique fight sequences, I wish it had more. Silly but fun.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: funny, but needs more action
Review: The quintessential "hopping vampire" movie. The plot revolves around an undertaker and his assistants, who are called in to deal with a corpse that is in danger of turning into a "vampire" - it was buried with a bad feng-shui. I thought the flim was very funny. While it has great and unique fight sequences, I wish it had more. Silly but fun.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mr. Vampire is the Best!
Review: This is a great movie, with a superb blend of horror, comedy, and martial arts. The hopping ghosts are funny, and the scene where Man Choi makes the policeman take off his clothes is hilarious. Other funny moments include the tea scene, the jail scene, and the "lusty ghost." I would recommend this to anyone.


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