Special author of the Hong Kong Film Nostalgia Department [Headline Entertainment Jun], see the in-depth interpretation of entertainment hotspots, and look for Li Yujun!
In the 1980s, driven by Hong Jinbao's self-directed film "Ghost Fights Ghosts", Hong Kong zombie films sprung up and gained a place in the film market that was so fiercely competitive that year. #影视杂谈 #
Since then, "People Are Scary" and "People Scared Of Ghosts", as the series of "Ghosts Fighting Ghosts", have also achieved good box office results, until 1990, "Ghost Bites Ghosts", directed by Liu Guanwei and starring Hong Jinbao and Lin Zhengying, with a box office performance of 13 million, drew a successful end to this series.
01, Hong Jinbao and Lin Zhengying joined forces
For Hong Jinbao and Lin Zhengying, zombie movies have extremely important significance in their careers.
1980's "Ghost Fighting Ghosts", as a test of Hong Jinbao's "Baohe" company, unexpectedly opened a new film genre, and also made the first move for Hong Jinbao's brilliant 80s.
Zombie films have a special significance for Lin Zhengying, before that, Lin Zhengying has basically been an obscure small supporting role, until starring in "Mr. Zombie", Lin Zhengying finally found his own positioning, and the name "Uncle Nine" has since resounded throughout the Hong Kong film circle.
After 6 years, the reason why the two big guys restarted the "ghost fighting ghosts" series is on the one hand out of feelings, on the other hand, they want to revive the glory of this type at the juncture when zombie movies are facing an existential crisis.
"Ghost Bites Ghost" can be said to be a combination of the characteristics of "Ghost Fighting Ghost" and "Mr. Zombie", such as the dream in which Fat Bao played by Hong Jinbao encountered zombies in the temple at the beginning of the film, which reminds people of the opening scene of "Ghost Fighting Ghost" is also a nightmare for Hong Jinbao.
While focusing on creating a horror atmosphere, the film has added a lot of comedic elements, which is actually a major feature of Hong Kong zombie films in the 80s, and attaches great importance to the spirit of entertainment.
For example, after the disappearance of Fei Bao's soul, the female ghost Xiaohong attached to Fei Bao's body, a twisted and pinched woman posture, and the "red child" image in "Ghost Fighting Ghost" can be called the two classic shapes of Hong Jinbao's career.
In addition, the daily life between Uncle Dao Jiu and the two apprentices of Fei Bao and Xiao Hai is also full of humor, and the three characters full of personality are indispensable to open and secret fights and gags, but when they really encounter danger, they can unite against foreign enemies.
Hong Jinbao's role is also a continuation of the "silly boy" image in films such as "Ghost Fighting Ghost" and "Scary People", with a thick and honest heart, and his deep martial arts skills also add a lot to the action scenes of the film.
At the same time, Lin Zhengying's ninth uncle is a continuation of the image of the demon Daoist in films such as "Mr. Zombie": the ancient road is hot and old-fashioned and pedantic, and sometimes it is like a small child, and it is never soft when it is time to be a disciple.
02, director Liu Guanwei's pioneering of zombie films
Generally speaking of the founders of the golden age of zombie films, in addition to Lin Zhengying and Hong Jinbao, director Liu Guanwei also has a position that cannot be underestimated.
In 1985, with the film "Mr. Zombie", Liu Guanwei was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the first time, although he did not win in the end, but prompted the director to devote himself to the creation of zombie-themed films.
Liu Guanwei has made great contributions to the formation of the zombie film genre, such as various folk tales and strange men in the film, and the excavation of zombie characteristics, all of which are the whimsical directors.
"Mr. Spirit", "Uncle Zombie", "Zombie Family", these 80s "blockbuster" zombie films are all from Liu Guanwei's hand, and his creative ideas have greatly stimulated the vitality of this genre.
In "Ghost Bites Ghost", Liu Guanwei gives full play to the characteristics of Hong Jinbao, combining the lively action scenes with the spells of Qimen Dunjia, enriching the visual expression of the film.
In the film, the mage played by Huang Shrimp manipulates Shi Gongzi through monkeys, and the fight with Fat Bao is very exciting, and the two of you come and go, which makes people very enjoyable.
The display of various yin and yang mysteries in the film is even more eye-opening, such as the corpse manipulated by the mage, the body is decayed and the eyeballs protrude, the body is stuffed with cockroaches, the broken head can also move forward, full of hunting and cult style.
In the end, Uncle Jiu and his apprentices encountered many obstacles such as mummies, vicious dogs, and the left and right protectors of poisonous snakes, and finally fought with the mage to the death, this "breakthrough style" game setting is also a kind of "upgrade" of Liu Guanwei's zombie film type.
After the 90s, Liu Guanwei began to try to transform, directing different types of films such as "Five Lucky Stars Colliding with Ghosts" and "Thief Boy", but almost did not get much response, and his glory seemed to end with the decline of zombie films.
03, the actress of the female ghost Xiaohong quit the show business circle early
The most memorable female character in the film is not Fei Bao's girlfriend, Xiao Zhu, played by Gong Ci'en, but Xiao Hong, a white-clothed female ghost with heavy love and righteousness.
In order to take care of the blind old mother, Xiaohong did not want to be reincarnated, and after getting the help of Fei Bao and others, she knew that she was grateful, and later in order to save Fei Bao, she was almost beaten by the mage.
Xiaohong is played by Hong Kong actress Wang Wenjun, who starred in a number of classic Hong Kong films in the mid-to-late 80s and partnered with many big-name stars.
For example, in the "Prison Storm" cooperated with Chow Yun Fat and Leung Ka Fai, she played Ah Yao's girlfriend in it, and she had a deep affection for Ah Yao, even if her boyfriend was in prison.
In 1990, Wang Wenjun chose to retire after starring in "The Ghost Crowbar", ending her short acting career, and she has not been heard from since.
04, the market response is strong, but it is difficult to stop the decline of zombie films
"Ghost Bites Ghost" created the best result of this series at the box office of more than 13 million, and also entered the top 20 in the box office rankings of that year, which is supposed to be a great incentive for zombie-themed films.
But in fact, the success of this film is only a flash in the pan, it is difficult to drive the audience to rekindle enthusiasm for this genre, and it cannot stop the decline of the zombie film genre.
As netizens said, "Ghost Bites Ghost" is just a return to the light of a zombie movie.
Nowadays, many Hong Kong directors have tried to restart this theme, including Liu Guanwei, who and Qian Xiaohao have cooperated in several zombie-themed online movies, but whether in terms of plot or visual effects, it is difficult to compare with films such as "Mr. Zombie", so it is not difficult to imagine bad reviews. (Author: Pippi Shrimp)
This article is written by the author as a special author of "Headline Entertainment Jun", to today's headlines to see entertainment, a little material and depth ~ ~