Mr. Vampire (1985) User Reviews

A Kung-Fu-Zombie-Comedy!? Alright!

[mr1orange3 · 8/10 · 23 July 2005]

Personally, I think that everyone should see Mr. Vampire, if only so that they can claim to have seen a kung fu zombie comedy. But, in my opinion, this is almost more of a Chinese Ghostbusters with some kung fu sprinkled in than a kung fu movie, which was somewhat of a disappointment for me. The story is fun, fresh and full of more than just zombies (although I won't reveal any surprises). The action, when it occurs is fully justified, which is something I always like to see, and is choreographed quite well by Lam Ching-ying. The comedy is somewhat hit or miss, but it didn't bother me very much. I had a lot of fun but I came away wanting more action.

If you feel the same way, try Encounters of a Spooky Kind, which has all the zombies you love, but with more kung fu.

A highly influential Hong Kong comedy-horror classic.

[BA_Harrison · 7/10 · 7 September 2006]

Lam Ching Ying stars as a Taoist priest who, along with his two bumbling students (Ricky Hui, Chin Siu-Ho), is called upon to help re-bury a rich man's father. On exhuming the corpse, he discovers that the dead man has become a vampire. Before long, the priest must do battle with the fanged terror (Yuen Wah), whilst simultaneously dealing with a beautiful female ghost (Pauline Wong) who has entranced one of his assistants (and is capable of detaching her head when necessary!).

Director Ricky Lau skillfully blends slapstick humour, acrobatic martial arts and the supernatural to deliver a seminal piece of Hong Kong comedy-horror cinema that would prove be a major influence on many films to come (including the brilliant A Chinese Ghost Story). A rather slow first half hour introduces us to the characters and sets up the basic plot elements; the rest of the film sees our hapless good guys first falling foul of the otherworldly creatures and then battling to set things right.

Less of a martial arts movie than a comedy, fans of fast and furious fight action will probably be disappointed, however those who love crazy Chinese humour (an acquired taste and one which I sometimes struggle with) will find plenty to enjoy as the gags come thick and fast (Ricky Hui is particularly funny as Man Choi, the assistant who gets bitten by the vampire and almost becomes one himself).

But by far my favourite part of the film is the stunningly captured scene which introduces viewers to the female ghost: in a mist enshrouded night-time forest, the supernatural seductress is carried by four spooky assistants, before gliding gently through the air to come to rest in a tree. Lovely cinematography accompanied by a haunting song make this a totally magical moment.

My second favourite moment is the introduction of the gorgeous Moon Lee as Ting-Ting, the rich man's daughter. With her impossibly cute features, Moon Lee is truly a delight to behold.

Although I enjoyed Mr. Vampire, I don't seem to be quite as fanatical about it as some. However, I do agree that, even if you're not a huge fan of Hong Kong cinema, with so much craziness and energy packed into its 96 minutes, this highly influential classic is well worth a watch.

Mr. Vampire

[Scarecrow-88 · 6/10 · 10 November 2010]

An ancestor of the prestigious Yam family(Wah Yuen) rises from his earthen tomb a walking corpse(a bloodthirsty vampire) and a village is in a state of horror and panic. Uncle Yam is the first human victim, his own father the murderer and Ting-Ting(Moon Lee) is left alone. Mr. Wai(Billy Lau), inept head of police, is to lead the investigation and arrests Master Gau(Ching-Ying Lam)just because he has the longest fingernails in the village, the wound on Uncle Yam's neck torn open through the use of such sharp "weapons." Ingredients for "stifling" a vampire are sticky rice, chicken blood, black ink, and yellow paper with a specific spell written as a means to keep the undead at bay(to protect from the corpse's sting). Wai, an imbecilic buffoon, will pull the paper(placed on the head of Uncle Yam as to keep him from moving)from his Uncle's forehead and release him from his slumber. This results in a slapsticky action scene where Wai and Chou(Siu-hou Chin) must outwit vampire Uncle Yam seeking blood, as Master Gau tries to help them from his prison cell. After this is a zany scene where Grandpa Yam comes after Ting-Ting with Master Gau's servant Man Choi(Ricky Hui; blessed with a host of funny expressions which should tickle the funny bone) shaking in his shoes, serving as her cowardly protector, which includes an ingenious use of a bamboo stick. Unlike typical vampire films, if you hold your breath you can briefly bide your time as the undead ghoul stops in his tracks(Granpa Vampire is blind, it seems) wondering where human victims are..but, you can only hold your breath so long. Unlike Uncle Yam, Grandpa Vampire isn't as easy to subdue, even the usually effective use of ink string can not do the trick. Not even the village police with all their rifles can bring Grandpa Vampire down. Also interesting is how the vampires can poison their prey in this movie, through the use of their nails as in the case of Man who is nearly killed when Grandpa Vampire stabs him in his arms while holding him in a death grip. Meanwhile Chou doesn't realize that a female "walking corpse", Jade(Pauline Wong, very, very beautiful)is the one who he falls in love with(and vice versa), but Master Chau notices a bite mark on his neck, understanding that he has to come to his servant's rescue. MR. VAMPIRE is juvenile and cartoony, plays best as a horror comedy for kids. The actors are animated and theatrical. And you get plenty of martial arts, wire-fu, and exciting stunts, particularly in the grand finale when Master, Chou, Man, Wai, and Ting-Ting must band together if they are to rid themselves of the menace, Grandpa Vampire, who will stop at nothing to get its fill.

Mr. Vampire

[BandSAboutMovies · 6/10 · 12 January 2022]

There are five Ricky Lau-directed Mr. Vampire movies - Mr. Vampire. Mr. Vampire II, Mr. Vampire III, Mr. Vampire IV and Mr. Vampire 1992 (the only direct sequel) followed by several connected movies by other directors, such as Billy Chan and Leung Chung's New Mr. Vampire (these first six movies will be the ones that we'll be covering), Lam Ching-ying's Vampire vs Vampire and Magic Cop (AKA Mr. Vampire 5), Chan's Crazy Safari (also known as The Gods Must Be Crazy II), Andrew Lau's The Ultimate Vampire, Wilson Tong's The Musical Vampire, Wu Ma's Exorcist Master, Wellson Chin's The Era of Vampires and Juno Mak's tribute to this series, Rigor Mortis. There are also two TV series: Vampire Expert and My Date with a Vampire.

All of these movies have the Chinese vampire in common. Called the jiangshi, these hopping corpses of Chinese folklore are as much zombies as they are vampires. They first appeared in Hong Kong cinema in Sammo Hung's Encounters of the Spooky Kind.

Mr. Vampire (1985)

Master Kau (Lam Ching-ying) is pretty much Dr. Strange by way of Taoist priesthood, as he keeps control over the spirits and vampires of China from his large home, which is protected by many talismans and amulets, staffed by his students Man-Choi (Ricky Hui) and Chau-sang (Chin Siu-ho).

Master Yam hires Kau to move the burial site of his father to ensure prosperity for his family. However, the body looks near perfect, showing that it may be a vampire. Taking it home, Kau instructs his students to write all over the coffin with enchanted ink. They forget to do the bottom of the coffin, which means that the vampire escapes and murders his rich son, turning him into a jiangshi.

Wai (Billy Lau) is a policeman who is sure that Kau is responsible (he also has a grudge because a girl (Moon Lee) he likes has eyes for Kau), so he arrests him even as the vampire begins killing others. Kau's students are tested by a vampire's boat and also a seductive spirit, but when Master Yam becomes a fully vampiric demon, only the help of another Taoist priest named Four-Eyes (Anthony Chan) can save the day.

Based on stories producer Hung heard from his mother, this movie nearly tripled its budget at the box office. Just a warning - not just Italian movies have real animal violence. There's a moment where a real snake is sliced apart instead of a fake one due to budget. The snake was used to make soup, but there's no report on whether the chicken whose throat was cut on screen was used as stock after.

Golden Harvest tried to make an American version - Demon Hunters - with Yuen Wah playing Master Kau and American actors Jack Scalia and Michele Phillips (taking over from Tonya Roberts) were in Hong Kong to film scenes, but the movie was stopped after just a few weeks.

More of a comedy than Kung Fu

[klauscull · 9/10 · 19 August 2005]

I'll say this right now. I'm not a fan, or a follower of kung fu movies, Chinese or otherwise.

That being said, this movie is incredible. It is a perfect blend of slapstick physical comedy, one liners, martial arts, and Chinese superstition. Mr. Vampire is genuinely funny, but not at all in a campy "So bad it's good" way at all. Fight scenes are good and often amusing, but are not the focus of the film.

Some people despise dubbing in foreign films. Having watched both subtitled and dubbed, I'd say the dubbing is funnier. For a complete laugh riot with the DVD, watch both. the jokes made in both versions are quite different, and seeing the way the two interpretations differ is funny in and of itself. The mood of some scenes are distinctly different.

All in all, the film is spectacular. Anyone who likes physical or witty humor which is snappy (but not cheap) should watch Mr. Vampire. Fans of Most Extreme Elimination Challenge will love the dubbing especially.

Unsung classic of the vampire genre

[Vartiainen · 7/10 · 6 December 2020]

Geung see sin sang ("Hold Your Breath for a Moment") or Mr. Vampire, as it is titled in the West, is vampire comedy horror. More emphasis on the comedy than the horror. It's not very gory at all, although all the makeup effects are rather impressive, and it leans more towards slightly slapsticky martial arts comedy style than true scariness.

Not helping the matters is the fact that apparently in Chinese culture vampires hop. I'm not even kidding. They're called jiangshi and their main method of getting around is to hop around while keeping as stiff as possible. It looks hilarious. But, as this is a comedy, that's one hundred percent alright.

The gist of the story is that there's this priest in charge of a town's funeral arrangements and all things spiritual. He gets a commission to dig up and rebury the late head of a wealthy family, only to find out that the body has not decomposed at all. Smelling something fishy, he has the body transferred to his workshop. If only his two apprentices were not complete morons. Hijinks ensue.

Most of the film's comedy rises from these two knuckleheads, and luckily they're played by two extremely talented physical actors, Ricky Hui and Chin Siu-ho, who can sell all the martial art and wire scenes while making it as funny as possible.

Furthermore, the film has a cool style and while the characters are rather over the top, that's all part of the fun. And it can be legitimately scary when it wants to be, although as stated before, it's a comedy first and foremost.

Definitely a vampire film you won't see every day and as thus most certainly worth a watch for all fans of the genre.

Hong Kong awesomeness

[AwesomeWolf · 9/10 · 17 January 2005]

Version: Cantonese, with English subtitles (by SBS)

I borrowed this, and several other movies, from a friend a couple of months ago. Most of these movies I'd already seen, except for this. I can't think of why I hadn't seen it: It had been taped from SBS, it was an action / horror / comedy from Hong Kong, and it was awesome.

The movie follows Master Gau (Ching-Ying Lam), a vampire hunter who discovers at a reburial that the corpse has turned into a vampire. Along with his two assistants, Chou (Siu-hou Chin) and Man Choi (Ricky Hui), Master Gau has to stop this vampire and any other demons, but Chou is being distracted by a succubus and Man Choi is turning into a vampire.

OK, I'll admit that the plot was rather confusing. The above is how I understood it, but who needs a plot when you have vampires, and kung-fu, and evil lady-demons who detach their own head for no apparent reason? I know I don't. Awesome. The martial-arts scenes are the best parts of the movie, but the horror / comedy sequences are still entertaining. Anyone interested in kung-fu movies should check this out for Siu-hou Chin's performance alone. The guy is incredible, and puts on some great fights.

9/10 - Anyone who is fan of Hong Kong action movies should check it out.

"Boy Meets Ghost...."

[fred-287 · 6 December 2005]

There's a (sub)plot in "Mr. Vampire" that held me in greater thrall than that concerning the title character, namely the "Lady Ghost" (Pauline Wong, unknown to me like the rest of the cast) who takes a shin(ing) to one of the young pupils of the usually exasperated spirit-battling Master. Wong's not as "conventionally pretty" as the other female character ("Ting Ting," which sounds like a better name for a Panda bear than a person) but I think her face has more character to it. She first appears at night in a carriage shlepped by four rather fey ghostly underlings who obligingly disappear (along with the carriage) when she picks out the target of her amorous urgings. Hitching a ride on the back of his transportation, she seems all set to make her move when an inconvenient tree branch knocks her onto her ethereal derriere. Of course it would spoil one's enjoyment of the story to ponder why ghosts are sometimes prone to the same physical mishaps as are we warm folk; it'd be like asking why Chinese eat with chopsticks: well, why not? Later when the Master and the ghost are engaged in combat, the latter detaches her head and flings it at him, thus going Oddjob from "Goldfinger" one better.

As for the vampire, who is usually referred to as "the corpse" by other characters, he may prove something of a head-scratcher for devotees of British and American bloodsuckers. He and the other vampires (who physically resemble Fu Manchu and a bunch of clones of same) hop around like bunnies in slow motion and each is rendered ineffective by a piece of yellow paper attached to his head. A mortal can hide in plain sight from them by holding his/her breath, which I thought was the movie's best touch, reminiscent of Schwarzenegger disguising himself with mud in "Predator." Eventually Mr. Vampire morphs into a more conventional (thus less interesting) monster, stops hopping and starts blowing down doors like the Big Bad Wolf. Lots of mayhem ensues laced with the kind of broad slapstick antics that one comes to expect from Chinese action/horror/fantasy flicks, at least until they got "arty" in the last few years. Any viewer who grew up on Hollywood fare got used to having his/her emotional reactions dictated to him/her----"OKAY, HERE'S THE FUNNY PART, NOW HERE'S THE SCARY PART, NOW HERE'S THE SEXY PART, NOW IT'S SCARY AGAIN" ----but in Asia they seem less concerned with such strict demarcations---"We just present it, you do the reacting." This gets really intriguing when they take the same approach to topics we would consider "sensitive," like torture or homosexuality. One wonders how director Ricky Lau or his compatriots would have tackled a topic like, say, Abu Ghraib---maybe it would've become a musical comedy. I'd probably rather watch that than a version by Steven Spielberg or Mel ("Holy snuff film, Batman!") Gibson… Anyway if you rent the video from Facets, the subtitles are in both Chinese and English and not always easy to read, but the gist of it is pretty get-able. There's some nice satire of social niceties e.g. the "English tea" scene. The clearly limited special-effects budget is put to good use. A good time should be had by all who view it receptively, preferably having consumed some alcohol. Only one disappointment as I saw it---remember there was a spoiler warning! ---the Lady Ghost is sent packing without her object of desire. She seemed like a lot more fun than that dour Master….

As for why "sticky rice" should have vampire-battling properties lacked by regular rice: again, why not? How'd that whole garlic thing get going, anyway? Making it up as we went along, were we, Mr. Stoker?

Fun kung fu comedy.

[Boba_Fett1138 · 7/10 · 7 September 2009]

Hong Kong movies from these days were always all somewhat clumsy and cheap looking, even the very best ones. It prevents me from ever calling an Hong Kong movie a true classic but they surely knew how to bring some entertaining movies to the silver screen.

This is a quite ridicules movie really, that combines horror, with comedy and kung fu action. The blend of it all works out rather successfully, making "Geung si sin sang" simply a fun movie to watch. Simplistic but fun.

In a way you can describe this movie as being rather lame, with its over-the-top performances, comical moments and action sequences. But with this the movie knows to create a great style that helps to make this movie such an entertaining one to watch.

What stood out to me was the movie its action. It has some greatly choreographed moments in it, that are spectacular looking but above all also adds to the movie its comedy. It's kind of like a Jackie Chan movie in that regard.

It's also a rather well looking movie, with some nice make up, costumes and settings. It isn't really a cheap looking movie, which means that the film-makers did a good job with their budget, which no doubt, wasn't very large.

It's a fun and at times spectacular movie to watch but also not really more than that really. It's simply good for what it is though.

7/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

A true classic for all lovers of film

[Knuckle · 10/10 · 31 March 2006]

"Mr. Vampire" is bar none one of the most imaginative, entertaining, and creative stories ever committed to film. In this movie, Master Gau (Ching-Ying Lam), and his two bumbling students, Chou (Siu-hou Chin) and Man (Ricky Hui), deal with the awakened corpse of a man whose body has been buried inauspiciously. The hopping ghost goes on rampage through the town, killing several innocent bystanders. Add to this mix a bumbling cop who, under pressure to apprehend this heinous murderer, decides that one suspect is as good as another and arrests Master Gau. Throw in a ghostly romance and a zombie-on-zombie mêlée and you have one of the East's cinematic masterpieces.

Aside from the truly awe inspiring wire work, gymnastics, acrobatics, and martial arts displays, Mr. Vampire also gives us characters whose company we truly enjoy. In another refreshing turn, verbal wit plays as much a role in the humor of this movie as the Buster Keatonesque slapstick.

Buy it, rent it, do whatever you have to in order to see this. One viewing will hardly be enough.

One hundred out of ten - quite possibly one of the best of its genre and no doubt one of the best ever.

Asian comedy-horror classic

[dave13-1 · 7/10 · 9 February 2008]

This first and best film in a famous series is a great introduction to the off-center world of Asian horror films. Forget everything you learned from Hammer House of Horror, because HK horror is a different game. Wacky slapstick combines with genuinely tense moments amongst hopping vampires (that's right HOPPING vampires) and seductive ghost girls as the One-Eyebrow Priest and his incompetent assistants try to rid a town in period China of a large number of unusually pesky undead. The assistants struggle to execute complex traditional rituals to banish the lesser ghouls, while the priest makes preparations for a flying chop socky showdown with the dangerous vampiric leader. This is fun and action packed entertainment, although a bit violent for younger viewers.

The DVD I watched allows the film to be watched in an English dubbed version or the more authentic original version in Cantonese with English subtitles. I recommend the latter.

A well balanced film offering comedy, action and horror.

[vonvegas · 10/10 · 9 January 2000]

This is a perfect example of how DVD removes barriers prohibiting wonderful movies, such as Mr. Vampire, from entering my living room. My viewing was enhanced because a friend from Singapore provided added commentary. Believe me, if you enjoy a good laugh, a little slap stick, a completely different view of the undead (vampires) and ghosts, well choreographed kung fu fight scenes and an overall fun movie, you won't need a friend from Singapore.

I hope the mention of slap stick doesn't misled, as the balance is perfect between comedy and seriousness throughout the 94 minutes of this movie. There are movies I've enjoyed watching once....this will be a repeater, many times over.

Classic Hong Kong horror-comedy

[briancham1994 · 7/10 · 19 June 2020]

This film is different in tone from Western horror movies. It has a more irreverently cheesy style that lightens the mood. Yet at times it can still be tense when the "vampires" creep closer in the dark.

Cheesy mid-1980s Hong Kong action comedy...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 9 March 2024]

When I was given the chance to sit down and watch the 1985 Hong Kong movie "Geung See Sin Sang" (aka "Mr. Vampire") here in 2024, as part of watching three of them, of course I did so. I needed no persuasion to do so, as I enjoy the Hong Kong cinema quite a lot. And since I had never seen the movie before, of course I did so.

Writers Ricky Lau, Cheuk-Hon Szeto, Barry Wong and Ying Wong put together a script and storyline that was enjoyable enough. It was an archetypical mid-1980s Hong Kong cheesy action comedy script, for sure. If you enjoy the 1980s Hong Kong cinema of action comedies, then you will enjoy "Geung See Sin Sang", of that I am sure.

The acting performances in the movie were good, though there weren't a lot of familiar faces on the cast list. It didn't really matter though, because the actors and actresses put on good performances in bringing this action comedy to life on the screen. I think I was only familiar with Wah Yuen (playing the vampire) and Kai-Man Tin (playing the stupid son) here in this movie.

"Geung See Sin Sang" had adequate effects, when you take into consideration that the movie was made in 1985. Nothing outstanding or lavish, mind you, but suitable effects for a movie such as it turned out to be.

The movie is a mixture of traditional Hong Kong martial arts movie and comedy, and it actually plays out well enough, provided you know a thing or two about how the Chinese hopping vampire myth works.

My rating of director Ricky Lau's 1985 movie "Geung See Sin Sang" lands on a five out of ten stars.

A very amusing and entertaining film

[As_Cold_As_Ice · 7/10 · 24 March 2008]

I guess the best way to describe Mr Vampire is any traditional HK martial arts film mixed with Evil Dead II. I mean, amongst the excellent kung fu that you would expect from HK, there is quite a lot of slapstick and other supernatural shenanigans.

The plot is based around a mortuary owner and his two young employees (one who looks like he's 40 odd), and their fight against the strange hopping vampires that appear after a body is dug up. They also throw in a sub-plot involving one of the young lads being haunted sexually by a lady ghost. True, it doesn't make sense, but who the hell cares, it's entertaining! While a lot of what happens is based around mythology in regards to how to beat vampires, some things still are very strange. The already mentioned hopping vampires is one, but eccentric spells like chicken blood (extracted ungraphically on screen) mixed with sticky rice and a snake's gall bladder (extracted graphically on screen) are just flat out oddball.

The kung fu is of a high standard, while not of Yuen Clan insanity, it is still exciting, with bodies flying everywhere and stuff being smashed. One problem I did have was the somewhat slow start, but it isn't excruciatingly slow paced, so it's no big deal.

I really enjoyed Mr Vampire, and so should other martial art fans. Apparently, there is another 3 or 4 Mr Vampires around that I'll have to chase up.

7/10

A satisfying movie of comedy-horror genre ..

[GreyHawkXY · 9/10 · 6 June 2006]

This movie has found its way into my collection, purely by accident, and stayed there for quite a long while till I finally found the chance to watch it .. The plot should be evident by now: the movie is basically about a 'master' specialized in dealing everything super natural and his two 'apprentices', tying to get rid of a powerful vampire .. There is also a nice sub-plot as a bonus, featuring a female ghost seducing its victims .. The movie is satisfying from the first moment till the last, never dragging too much in a certain scene, letting you watch the whole experience in awe .. The master is powerful and knowledgeable, the apprentices seem dumb nevertheless efficient in their work (with minor 'clumsiness/laziness' factor causing most of the accidents filling the whole movie) .. The support characters do their job well adding to the richness - they are mostly stereotypes but good ones at that .. The jokes were amusing and imaginative although most of them are slap-stick .. I can't comment on the fight scenes in particular (never been a fan but never been a hater) but I found them mostly intense with clever choreography .. The visual effects were not great but never failed to satisfy the viewer .. As a summary, I found this movie in the same league with A Chinese Ghost Story series, and to be honest enjoyed it more than that trilogy .. Also enjoyed it more than any of the Jackie Chan movies :) ..

fun Chinese horror comedy

[re-animatresse · 7/10 · 17 October 2017]

i like Juno Mak's Rigor Mortis, so i thought i'd watch the first in the Mr. Vampires series of films, to which the aforementioned is an homage featuring some of the same actors

Mr. Vampire is an action horror comedy, with a largely slapstick style of humour and martial arts and a story heavily inspired by Chinese legends and folklore, particularly concerning jiangshi (aka. Chinese 'hopping vampires'). the film was shot in Taiwan and Hong Kong, featuring a beautiful landscape just outside the New Territories of the latter. the monster make-up and special effects are very 80s, simple but effective

as a viewer from the US, a lot seems to get lost in translation between cultures, but there does appear to be some transmisogynistic humor in a scene where, after having been attacked by a jiangshi, a character puts on some make-up to hide the paleness of his skin, then dances around and talks in a falsetto voice. be forewarned as well that two animals, a chicken and a snake, are killed on screen, but were later used for food

on the whole, it's a fairly engaging and entertaining film that i'll probably watch again; i'd like to check out the sequels too, eventually

Most entertaining film ever

[akthar_c · 10/10 · 23 February 2002]

This film has to be one of the most entertaining of all time. There are great fight sequences and a great story and acting. The best part would have to be comedy. I've never laughed so much watching any film. Watch for the scene with the dead uncle and the perverted police officer. It is for me, the funniest scene ever filmed.

Funny & silly

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 15 July 2007]

You have to bare that in mind before you watch this movie. Because it's not your average Hong Kong action movie! This one goes for fun and being silly. Suffice it to say that, this movie doesn't take itself seriously then!

And you shouldn't either ... because if you do, you won't enjoy it a bit! A few friends I watched this movie with, weren't in the right frame of mind, and couldn't enjoy the silly moments of the movie. I think they didn't even enjoy the great choreographed action scenes. It's a shame, so again don't expect anything serious here, whether it's plot wise or acting wise! A fun ride indeed this is! Enjoy the ride! Or should I say the "hop"? ;o)

The Best Film Ever Made

[EchoLeader · 10/10 · 2 October 2001]

I do not lie.

This movie is perfect on every count. Its funny, clever, action packed, great musical score, thrilling, scary. You name it, its got it.

Everyone should see this movie. Lam Ching Ying is perfect (as usual) so go watch it now!

Ultra silly and absolutely wonderful.

[stellan-sjolin · 7/10 · 29 February 2020]

You like jumping vampires, slapstick, horny ghosts and kung fu? This is the movie for you. Don't expect any mental challenge whatsoever, I mean seriously, this movie is VERY stupid. But also VERY good fun.

The stuck ears is a classic scene. Both times.

Funny if you're sober, absolutely hilarious if drunk.

Recommended.

Another good reason to change diet to "Chinese" (Sticky rice).

[winner55 · 8/10 · 5 July 2005]

The extremely polished production here may obscure one of the film's major virtues. This is pure ensemble movie-making, there are no "auteurs" or "artistes" here. The most recognizable actors in the film - Lam Chi Ying, Chin Siu-hou, Moon Lee, Wu Ma - turn in what were for them(at the time) very uncharacteristic performances, and do so splendidly.

In fact, there is no "star" here, these actors are all taking turns with extraordinary grace as characters who at best "bumble through", and at worst fumble like, well, pretty much like any average person faced with exceptional challenges (how often does one get saved from a rotting zombie by an amorous ghost?).

Despite the stunts, and regardless of its genre origins, this is not a"kung-fu" film, but a top-notch horror-comedy on a par with Polanski'sunderrated "Fearless Vampire killers" and superior to "Abbot & Costello meet Frankenstein" (which admittedly set the standard, after all). Two plus-values in favor of this film: It provides a lot of information about Chinese vampires, ghosts, and zombies (and their traditional remedies), but does so visually or casually, without the heavy-handed verbal explanation frequent in western horror films. And there is an incredibly haunting children's song (!) about a love-lorn female ghost that is wisely used over the closing credits and which is unforgettable. Indeed, the only weakness in the construction of the film is that we really want to know more about the broken-hearted ghost of the sub-plot than the vampire-centered plot allows. Fortunately, Ching Siu Tung apparently also noticed this, and devoted an entire three-film series to investigating the problem, the remarkable "Chinese Ghost Story" trilogy; but Ching Siu Tung is exactly the kind of "auteur" that would weigh a film like "Mr. Vampire" with intellectual burdens its "pure entertainment"-directed plotting simply couldn't bear. "Mr. Vampire" is not a "work-of-art-for-the-ages", but it is a lot of fun, and spooky to boot, and on that level works as really great movie making, regardless of genre or "ethnic origin".

I saw this on a bus back to Beijing... amd enjoyed it a lot !

[fantasy-drizzt · 9/10 · 8 March 2003]

Although that time in the bus might not have been the first time I saw this excellent piece, it was certainly as entertaining as the first time. This movie has truly great action and also some good humour (not too silly as Chinese movies sometimes have...). And it is very interesting to know how Chinese vampires are like, hopping mad ;o) I especially like the actor who plays the taiost priest. What more can I say, I can recommend this movie to all friends of good martial arts action and fantasy.

Hold your breath...

[Guardia · 8/10 · 22 March 2006]

This is a very original film concerning a Daoist/Taoist priest, or "One-Eyebrow Priest", (Lam Ching-Ying) and his involvement with what begins as a murder mystery. We follow this character and his comedic assistants as they go up against supernatural forces, including ghosts and vampires. The mix of action and plot is excellent, and a lot of devices used in this film have been borrowed in Hollywood I believe. The acrobatic stunts and Lam Ching-Ying's Kung-Fu are great - watching the vampire (Yuen Wah) receive this punishment is really entertaining stuff.

The vampire of the title is mischievous and brutal. He is represented as an unstoppable force and superhuman in power. So, do not expect a Western-style vampire. The Chinese vampire is quite different and much more interesting to watch; they are actually inhuman. No sensitive-new-age-god-i'm-so-tortured-Gothic Tom Cruise types here. Rather, he is a tortured soul, intent on causing death with either his long, sharp fingernails or overflowing mouthful of teeth. He doesn't fly, he is not a bat, and his limbs are inflexible and stiff. (The literal translation of the title is "Mr. Stiff Corpse"!) There are loads of highlights, (the scene involving the vampires lair and the rodents around him is genuinely gruesome), and the supporting cast is great, especially Ricky Hui, Pauline Wong and Moon Lee. Siu-hou Chin is a great assistant to the priest, and is the more cocky and acrobatic character. His stunts are fluid and performed with the signature HK matter-of-fact style. But, modern audiences may find the humour too broad, (slapstick is out of style right?), and some of the clever wordplay is surely lost.

Riotous comedy horror

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 27 June 2013]

A riotous comedy horror that provides satisfaction on many levels, Ricky Lau's MR VAMPIRE is one of the highlights of the sub-genre that flourished in Hong Kong during the 1980s. While it doesn't quite have the level of finesse of Sammo Hung's CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND, this proves to be a genre classic that offers virtually non-stop entertainment for the length of its running time.

The narrative adopts the knockabout comedy format familiar to any fan of that era's cinema with various characters coming into contact with some creepy vampires, most of whom are of the classic 'hopping vampire' mould that I always like seeing in Chinese cinema. Chief of these is a tough cookie, played by a just-about recognisable Yuen Wah who proves a fitting villain for the film's erstwhile hero, Lam Ching-Ying, playing the vampire-fighting 'One Eyebrow Priest'. Lam Ching-Ying is so successful in this film that he made a career out of the role, and who can blame him?

The rest of the picture is packed with damsels in distress, snivelling villainous folk, young upstanding heroes, and a plentiful stream of mostly successful gags. The ghoulish humour works a treat, particularly in a mid-point set-piece in a prison where the characters have to face up to a newly-created vampire foe; this sequence is exceptionally funny and expertly choreographed, a natural highlight for the rest of the production surrounding it.

The special effects are fun, the action is ably staged, the characters and situations are funny and the film offers a cultural look at Chinese superstitions in a playful, spirited way. Many sequels followed, unsurprisingly; after all, what's not to like about a film this inventive?