Ghost Punting
Director: Sammo Hung/ Corey Yuen/ Eric Tsang/ Rickey Lau
Year: 1992
Rating: 6.0
Though the Lucky Stars series (seven films from
1983 to 1996) has never at any time overwhelmed me, I continue to search
them out over time and always find myself reasonably glad I did. The series
created by Sammo Hung was the Golden Harvest response to the huge popularity
of Cinema City’s Aces Go Places and like those it mixed comedy and action
in much the same way. Instead of two guys and a girl as the Aces films had,
the Lucky Star series went them better by having five male characters and
a different beauty in every film.
In each adventure the boys do their best to seduce the fair damsel often
with the subtlety of a sledgehammer – and though these scenarios have created
a few classical comic moments – most of the comedy is incredibly juvenile
and borders on tedious at times. Yet the comradery of the friends makes the
films somehow easy to watch and palatable. It’s kind of visual comfort food.
You know exactly what to expect and it’s not a lot. Having terrific talent
like Sammo, Eric Tsang, Stanley Fung and Richard Ng (and in the earlier films
John Sham and roles for Jackie and Yuen) portray these characters adds a huge
amount to the films. The films (in particular the first three – Winners and
Sinners, My Lucky Stars and Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars) also had some top
notch action set pieces – though as the series went on the balance shifted
away from the action to the comedy.
Ghost Punting came out in 1992 – four years since the previous Lucky Star
film – and there is no doubt that their age is beginning to show. In fact
jokes are made of it – in particular with the handsome one - Charley Chin
(who returned to the series for a large cameo) – who has always fancied himself
a ladies man – but is now constantly rejected by them. The film follows the
formula for the most part – but throws in the added genre of ghosts to add
spice to the film. The film is far from inspired – sags in a few places like
a middle aged stomach – but generally delivers what a Lucky Star film is suppose
to – girl chasing, a few solid action scenes, friendships and lots of lame
humor.
The boys are going to Lantau Island for a holiday – and are suppose to bring
dates. Even with Eric doing the sympathetic blind man crossing the street
routine and Ng using his psychic powers doesn’t help – and they all come empty
handed to Lantau. There turns out to be a haunted house next door and upon
exploring it they discover a female nymphomaniac ghost and her love slave
Natalis Chan.
They turn to their old friend Sibelle Hu (in a cameo) for help and she sends
not one female cop – but four lovelies to help the boys. This is manna from
heaven for them and they spend much of the middle of the film trying to seduce
them or at the least cop a feel. Leading the female bevy of beauties is the
wonderful Elaine Lui. If female cops really looked this good in HK, they would
be the number one tourist attraction there. They all end up in the haunted
house – where poor Natalis is trying to escape the house and to do so he
must possess someone’s body. The catch is that he must first take off their
panties! – odd how this little fact is forgotten later in the film when he
possesses men at will. It turns out that Elaine forgot hers – so she is possessed
by Natalis.
The boys bring Elaine/Natalis back to HK where they are able to separate
him from Elaine. He asks them for their help in gaining revenge on the people
who killed him - and they agree – but first he has to help them win
at gambling. Gambling, gals and ghosts – what more can you ask for from a
film! The boys deal with his killers – leading to some good action from Sammo
and Elaine. There is a great little moment that passes in a flash here. Sammo’s
character is always an easy going fellow who never gets mad – but as Sammo
faces the head bad guy – one can see the easy going expression vanish from
his face to be replaced by one of a lean mean tough bastard ready to defend
his friends. It sent a little chill up my spine.
