Gong gui zai

Some really crazy films came out of Hong Kong in the late '70s/early '80s, none more so than the horror movies that revolved around black magic and sorcery-- titles such as Black Magic 1 & 2, Centipede Horror, Seeding of a Ghost, The Boxer's Omen, Bewitched, Hex, and this totally bonkers effort from director Titus Ho, in which a documentary crew pays the price for opening up the coffin of the evil Red Dwarf Ghost sorcerer (despite signs clearly warning that anyone who does so will be cursed).

Like the other films I have mentioned, Red Spell Spells Red involves all manner of hocus pocus resulting in some truly insane scenes of Asian excess, including plenty of creepy crawlies (so many scorpions!), attacks by inanimate objects (a net, some wooden poles, a reel of film, and a leaf!), a fair amount of gore, and some nudity courtesy of the cute lead actress.

And it would be remiss of me not to mention the fact that there is also a hefty dose of animal cruelty in the film: a couple of pigs are slaughtered in the name of art, a frog and a scorpion get crushed, and in the film's most nauseating scene, a crazy old man chews on a live chicken, pulling out and eating the bird's intestines while it is still flapping. Gag!

In keeping with the general bizarre nature of the whole thing, Ho ends his film abruptly, leaving the viewer to pick up their jaw from the floor.

Even for a horror film, and recognizing that this made of, by, and for another culture, there are some facets that won't sit well with all viewers. There's no mistaking that this is a title made without modern, western conceptions of humane treatment of animals, and there are no few scenes that involve deliberate animal injury and death. In a broader sense, one should be aware of an element of exploitation; American and European filmmakers have more heavily explored notions similar to some that are touched upon here and have been lambasted for stereotypical and negative portrayals of other cultures that are deemed "primitive." And even setting all this aside, while 'Red spell spells red' fits in neatly with other contemporary horror flicks out of Hong Kong, it may not necessarily meet the preferences of all genre fans as the flavors here are, strictly speaking, less outright visceral and thrilling. On the other hand, as the picture leans considerably on notions of mysticism and black magic, and general supernatural flourishes, it's flush with ominous airs and gnarly imagery to satisfy our cravings. In some capacities it may even exceed some like-minded fare from more famous production companies like The Shaw Brothers or Golden Harvest, and for whatever distinctions one may make about the presentation, the overall experience here is delightfully sinister and fun. In fact, while it isn't wholly perfect, as far as I'm concerned this 1983 flick is a blast, and I think most anyone who appreciates its brethren will find a lot to love here, too!

There are points where the narrative feels a tad loose, or even divided, with thin connections between multiple ideas that add a needless measure of convolution. But by and large Suet Ming Chan penned a tale that's at once wonderfully dark, yet cheekily and grimly entertaining - the best of both worlds. The story is complete and compelling in depicting a film crew afflicted by the evil they unwittingly unleashed, and the scene writing is surely more robust still in providing the framework for a cavalcade of violence and bloodshed, and a wide variety at that. Just as much to the point, the narrative quite serves as a vehicle more than anything else, for 'Red spell spells red' is nothing if not a showcase of the terrific imagination of filmmaker Titus Ho and all those operating behind the scenes. With each passing moment we're treated to superb, inventive stunts and a panoply of practical effects, including blood, gore, and special makeup, that are earnestly creepy and gruesome. At the same time that Ho shows a keen sense for orchestrating scenes to maximize the impact of each beat and inclusion, he also illustrates a fine eye for shot composition, and some moments are weirdly beautiful in how they present. That is certainly made easier with beautiful filming locations, gorgeous and detailed art direction, and equal artful care applied to costume design and props. Sharp editing, and Wing-seung Chan and Yung-Lung Wang's smart and dynamic cinematography, are likewise outstanding in helping to shape the spectacle, and I could hardly be more pleased with just how well made this is in all regards.

This is definitely not to count out the cast, as from one to the next the roles are all rather demanding in terms of physicality and sheer intensity. No one necessarily stands out above another, but all the actors are firmly committed and give excellent performances befitting the overall tone and the needs of each scene in turn. Really, I'm hard-pressed to identify any specific flaws here, save for that the plot could have been tighter. It seems to me that the writing splits its attention a little too much in terms of giving an explanation for the course of events, and in the process it loses some cohesiveness. One might also imagine how, if the writing were tighter, the saga could have plausibly been taken on a more expansive path - but then, even if imperfect, it ultimately works just as well exactly as it presents, which again speaks well to the screenplay here. Otherwise I had a fantastic time watching, reveling in all the creative stunts, effects, scene ideas, and complex sequences. Him and haw all one wants about the particulars, at the end of the day this serves up horror that is both ghastly, and enjoyable in a somewhat playful way. As a matter of personal preference it won't appeal to all, yet when all is said and done I think 'Red spell spells red' is a marvelous slice of Hong Kong genre cinema, and I'd be happy to recommend it to just about anyone. As far as I'm concerned this deserves much more recognition!

I have seen a lot of Asian horrors but this one surely is weird. I came across this flick by reading old Fangoria magazines and one article (nr 107) was about weird Asian flicks. Secondly having the Centipede Horror VHS this was made one year earlier by the same writer and producer. The Centipede Horror was famous for the use of real Centipede and back then actors did their own stunts in those countries.

Gong Gui Zai is surely one to pick up if you can find it on a legal way for so many reasons. The use of real animals and real scorpions gave it a weird look especially when people are full of the real scorpions all over their body or even faces. But what made Red Spell Spells Red notorious is the amount of animal cruelty. If you have seen Cannibal Holocaust (1980) and thought that was cruel then watch this flick. Pigs are being slaughtered in a painful way. One scorpion is being smashed alive with a stone and there's more going on with animals but the most cruelty is done with a chicken being eaten alive, intestines first then the head. If you can't take that then please stay away from this flick.

It also did remind me a few times of The Evil Dead (1981) when the forest comes alive and one girl legs is spread to catch the spell.

Story wise it's rather simple as a TV producer and a journalist are out to Malaysia to shoot a feature surrounding a wicked dwarf. The story itself is told before the opening credits and is full of magick and spells and a must see on it's own. The dwarf was trapped in a stone grave by 4 sorcerers and killed but before the killing he casts a red spell that everyone should die who enters his grave. Stella, the journalist, and her crew stays in Malaysia but strange things begin to happen once entering a Borneo Long House.

I was also surprised that this flick had nudity or even shots of wet clothes revealing everything. The final again offers magick and Tibetan priests cursing out the spell, but just have a look at the sorcerer with the long white beard as he sits on the ground full of scorpions surrounded by real fire, you can spot easily that no effects were used. An ideal flick for horror buffs or exploitation geeks and of course the criticism. It can't be made nowadays with all the animals involved and the sorcerers but Red Spell Spells Red surely but on a spell on me.

Gore 1/5 Nudity 1/5 Effects 1/5 Story 2,5/5 Comedy 0/5

"Red Spell Spells Red" is one of the rarest HK horror films in my collection.I managed to get this extremely obscure piece of gory horror on VCD whilst being in Kuala Lumpur.In a big cave an evil dwarf sorcerer is performing a bizarre ritual.Suddenly four righteous sorcerers enter the cave and attack him.In the subsequent struggle they wound the dwarf sorcerer fatally and throw him into a stone coffin.They carefully seal the coffin.The present time:a group of photographers investigate the legend of the evil sorcerer.They enter the cave and break the seal.Red smoke gushes from the coffin and ghastly things start to happen.A young man is killed by an unseen force,another is killed by the woods that came alive.When dozens of scorpions attack the people in the village,it seems clear that village is cursed.An old sorcerer tries to remove the powerful spell."Red Spell Spells Red" is a dark and suspenseful horror film that left me stunned.The tone of the film is serious,albeit there is a little bit of humor to be found here.The scenes of scorpions attacking people are creepy and horrifying.The film has some grisly scenes of animal cruelty thrown in for a good measure.Some pigs are killed with a knife and in truly disgusting moment a possessed man kills a hen by eating it alive in front of the camera.The gore effects are surprisingly effective for example a hand is cut off after the sting of the scorpion or a woman is attacked by a fishing net and wooden beams.The film is almost impossible to find,so don't hesitate to get a copy.9 out of 10.