As in her life, Pauline Chan had so few happy
endings in her films. If she played a prostitute as she did so many times,
she usually came to a bad end. If she played a villain or a witch she always
got her just desserts. If she played an avenging sister, she still came
up short. Maybe she had her fate written on her face. It was a sensuous
yet slightly libidinous and scornful face that would always end up on the
wrong side of the tracks. It was the kind of face that men might lust after,
but rarely love. So it was nice for once to see Pauline Chan smiling at
the end of this film – having sex sure – naked, of course - but still smiling.
This is the third in this film series dealing
with the supernatural and sex and sometimes supernatural sex. The first
two films had some connection but this one seems to be unconnected to those
– more along the lines of Chinese Ghost Story but with a lot more writhing
and moaning. What all three films share are solid production values and
a story of good vs. evil in the supernatural world that spills over into
the real world. Chu Chung (Cheung Ging-fa) is wandering the land with his
betrothed (his family’s choice, not his) following him in men’s garb wherever
he goes. It appears that he is doing his best to escape marriage and his
family, but he has to come to her aid when a group of men realize that
she is in fact a she and attempt to rape her. The two of them find refuge
in an old forlorn and forsaken temple where they find a miniature monk
(Shing Fui-on) trying not to become a dog’s dinner. They save him and help
restore him to normal size. The woman Hsia-hui (Chik King-man) goes off
to take a bath making most male viewers wonder to themselves – why on earth
is he trying to run away from those – I mean from her.
Inside the temple Chu spots a painting of a
woman on the wall and is instantly smitten. No, this is not a remake of
Laura – not even close. The monk – Reverend Wick – tells him that the girl
in the painting is in a way station between heaven and hell and he can
help Chu get there but that he must be back before the incense burns out
or he will be stuck for eternity. Sure why not. Inside he finds a glamorous
setting – a sexual Disney Land with dwarves and nightly entertainment included.
Everyone is getting it on and eternity doesn’t seem like long enough, especially
when he meets the lady in the painting – I-Meng (Pauline) who beds him
faster than a meal at Burger King. But like Disney Land there is a dark
side beneath all the frivolity – her Ladyship (Otomo Rena) who wants to
get the power to break out of this place and conquer the world. And Chu
is just a mere pawn in her terrifying hunger for power - and the meat of
her enemies. At one point to weaken her Ladyship, Reverand Wink does a
Fantastic Voyage by getting small and going up her um um you know um. Oh,
never mind. For this sort of film, this is highbrow stuff – every one glistens
and shines – the colors are bright and cheery – and with Phillip Kwok doing
the action choreography the fighting and wirework is better than one might
expect in a film that is primarily a sexual romp.
My rating for this film: 6.0