Vampire Busters

                                         
Director: Norman Law Man, Stanley Wing-sin
Year: 1989
Rating: 7.0
So much fun. This Hong Kong film seamlessly mixes goofy comedy, hyper action and the supernatural. After the success of Mr. Vampire, Hong Kong produced a slew of supernatural action comedies in which hopping vampires, demons and ghosts were interchangeable. It is a uniquely Hong Kong genre. This is incredibly fast paced once it gets going with wirework that is wonderfully inventive and entertaining.  These films have to get the balance right - too much slapstick comedy or poorly done effects can drag them down. This film gets most of it right. Sure, I could have done with less Natalis Chan, but even he is only part of an ensemble of well-known actors. There is some surprising violence in which people are killed, but they are mainly folded into a lengthy set piece that takes up most of the final third of the film. It is terrific and exhausting.



A thousand years ago an evil demon is defeated and put into a jar secured by spells. The Cheung family has kept it under guard all these years, but during the Cultural Revolution the Red Guard breaks into the Cheung home - led by the son (Manfred Wong) - and the Taoist priest played by Kent Cheng is forced to throw the vase with the demon inside into the sea. On its way to Hong Kong. Other than Lam Ching-ying, Kent Cheng probably played a Taoist priest more than anyone. Almost always called Fatty in his films.



The vase is found and in an auction, it is purchased by the wealthy Kei family. Those are Stanley Fung as the father, Jacky Cheung as his son, Elsie Chan as Jacky's girlfriend, Anglie Leung as Stanley's mistress and Che Man-kei as the young daughter Miki. Natalis shows up as a phony wizard to appraise the vase and accidentally frees the demon. It is good fun as the demon first possesses Fung. Cheng shows up from China but no one will believe that Fung is now a demon. It really takes off once Miki is possessed and goes on a killing rampage. The hospital set piece was delightful. This has two directors credited - Norman Law Man and Stanley Wing Siu - both with some solid films on their resume. The action choreography is credited to Kong Tao-hoi (Black Cat, Fox Hunter, Pom Pom and Hot Hot). Oh, there is no vampire in the film!