Bei gwai yuk

GHOST SNATCHERS (1986, original title Bi gui zhuo) is a delightful comedy horror from Hong Kong, directed by and starring Wong Jing. The obvious inspiration is GHOSTBUSTERS and indeed we begin the proceedings in a tower block topped by an ominous-looking cloud. It turns out the building is haunted by the Japanese war dead who are soon possessing the living in a bit to collect souls...

This is a zany, inventive, anything-goes comic horror and very much of its era. There's one woman who dresses up as Sigourney Weaver in the Reitman film, complete with bold eye shadow and silk dresses, and security guards who don familiar uniforms at the climax. Along the way are nods to POLTERGEIST, with a character tearing his own face off, plenty of slapstick, a gangster and his underlings being slaughtered by spirits, and a TV set randomly growing arms and legs. The journey-into-Hell climax is straight out of POLTERGEIST too. I had a ball with this one.

This is a HK ghost comedy where a dinner party at a Hong Kong high-rise goes awry when party guest Judy Hsu (Shu-Yuan Hsu) becomes a victim of poltergeists and, as a result, her spirit returns to carry out the sinister plans of the evil spirits of the Japanese war dead that haunts the building. Security guards Chu Bong (Jing Wong) and Fan Pien-Chou (Shui-Fan Fung), fearing for their lives and others, seek the help of Taoist priestess (Joyce Godenzi) to vanquish the ghosts.

While a pretty intriguing-sounding plot, much of the movie is drenched in screwball comedy and attempted jokes that overshadows the ghost elements in the story. It's basically just a lot of all-talk and limited action, with the respected cast of actors, especially that of the stunning Joey Wang, vastly underused. The plot themes go all over the place and there is virtually no suspense.

Some might enjoy the screwy comic relief and some might actually get a scare or two out of what limited ghost action there is. However, this is not one of the better ghost comedies I've seen from Hong Kong. I would give this one a pass.

Grade D-

Ghost Busting (1986) is a horror comedy starring Wong Jing (he also wrote the screenplay) and it co-stars Joey Wong (as his love interest) and Joyce Godenzi as the tao priestess. The film is a parody of Poltergeist and Ghostbusters along with the evil ghost films of the late 70's and early 80's. This is another strange hybrid from schlock master Wong Jing. The story is about a new high rise office building that's haunted by a ghost patrol of Japanese soldiers from W.W. II. The angry ghosts want revenge and they'll do anything to achieve that goal. Wong Jing plays a goofy maintenance man who's having problems with his job and also romance trouble with his girlfriend (Joey Wong). But those pale in comparison when he learns about the small ghost problem at work.

A funny film that's real hard to find. I found a copy a few years back but it didn't have any subtitles (it was in Cantonese). After a few minutes it was easy to follow. I just couldn't enjoy Wong Jing's script. Hopefully in the future I will be able to enjoy this film if it's ever released again! From what I saw it's worth watching.

Highly recommended.