Diagonaldi Very well executed

Holstra Boring, long, and too preachy.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Curapedi I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

david-sarkies I simply love this movie. As it turns out it is the first in a series of a Mr Vampire franchise, and yes, it is a movie made during the golden years of Hong Kong cinema. The film is about an undertaker and his two apprentices. It needs to be clear that the undertaker is a sorcerer because in the film his task is to make sure that the dead stay dead. He is asked to rebury a corpse of a leading figure's father as it had been in the ground for 20 years, and it was in danger of becoming a vampire. As such it is dug up and the apprentices are instructed to ward the coffin. However, as far as young apprentices go, they are more interested in fooling around than they are in doing their job (and this is seen at the beginning of the film when they accidentally set loose a group of vampires).There is no deep theme in this film, but it is very amusing and unlike western films, also has a ghost roaming around. The ghost is of a young lady who died before finding love, so when one of the apprentices puts some incense on her grave and mourns for her, she is released and possesses him. When possessed he believes that she in real and will fight to defend her, even though she is a ghost (and this will lead to his death).I have seen a few Hong Kong horror films, and they are simply not like what one would expect to come out of the US or Europe. We need to remember that Hong Kong is a city where East meets West, and this is demonstrated clearly in its classic cinema (such as this film). It is comical, and it is full of martial arts, for those who enjoy such spectacles. One needs to remember that there are horror themes, and the themes are Chinese as opposed to western. While I would not jump up and say that it is definitely Chinese culture, I do believe that it does give as a window into a different world, and a world that I consider to be more entertaining that what we are used to in the west.

OllieSuave-007 I first saw this movie, Mr. Vampire, when I was about five or six years old. At that time, it was one of those ghost movies I tried to stay away from. I remembered that the first scene of the Vampire seen in his coffin after it was exhumed and another scene where his long, thin, sharp-nailed fingers stick out of the coffin frightened me a lot. Now, this movie is pretty tamed. However, seeing this movie when I am older reminds me that this film is a piece of cinema classic and brilliance.A solid plot about a Taoist Priest and his two disciples, trying to save the village from an old chief or officer who was resurrected into a hopping vampire. Adding to the suspense, one of the disciples gets injured and turns into a vampire himself while the other is seduced by a female ghost. All these plot elements flow smoothly and compliment each other well, making this an entertaining and intriguing feature. Ricky Gau did a great job directing and did not drag on the plot with pointless fillers, which are evident in many films made in Hong Kong.Actor Lam Ching Ying, formerly a member of actor Sammo Hung's stunt team, plays Master Gau, the powerful Taoist Priest ("Vampire Buster"), which would become Lam's signature role. He would reprise this "Vampire Buster" role in many vampire, ghost and fantasy movies that follow.Lam is joined by movie veterans Ricky Hui and Chin Siu-Ho, who play his hilarious disciples. The ghost is portrayed by Pauline Wang, who would go on to typecast this role in many other fantasy films featuring a restless ghost. Set in ancient China, the village and countryside sceneries are colorful and magnificent, alongside the cast members' beautiful costumes. Rounding up the great elements of this film is a wonderfully eerie and orchestral music score by Anders Nelsson.I believe Mr. Vampire is the ultimate and original film of the vampire/ghost film genre, preceding movies that represent what I think are some of the best work of Hong Kong Cinema.Grade A

Shawn McKenna The most important film in the kyonsi (jiangshi) sub-genre (hopping vampires who can suck blood through their long fingernails) of Hong Kong movies is Mr. Vampire produced by Sammo Hung's Bo Ho Films Company which would help bring out another important Hong Kong horror/comedy in "Spooky Encounters". This comedic/horror is a mixture of Cantonese comedy, Taoist priests, sticky rice, chicken blood and a dash of kung fu that has become a perennial viewing of mine during the Halloween season. Its success did not go unnoticed and spawned many sequels and imitators many directed by the same director as this movie Ricky Lau Koon-Wai and starring mono eye-browed Taoist priest (fat-si) Lam Ching Ying. It also had local critical success and would be nominated for several Hong Kong awards including Best Picture (which Police Story would win), Best Director, two best supporting actors (Lam Ching Ying and Ricky Hui). It would win for Best Original Film Score.It is said that when someone dies in anger a breath is caught in the throat. Nothing can exasperate this more than burying the body in an area with bad Feng Shui. Mr. Yam (Huang Ha: Spooky Encounters) has been having inauspicious luck since the burial of his father and has hired Master Ko (Lam Ching Ying: Prodigal Son) to help move the body to sacred ground. Every great master must have bumbling protégés and Ko has two in Man Chor (Ricky Hui: Plain Jane to the Rescue) and Chow Chun (Chin Siu-Ho: The Tai-Chi Mater). Hui (brother to Sam and Michael Hui who are also famous HK comedians) plays his role quite well and is adroit with his comedic timing (watch him in the background in many scenes; always busy) while Chin is more of a face in this movie (though he has an extensive martial arts background). Guess who gets the romantic role in this movie? Part of the problem of having blundering help mixed with caring for the undead is the possibility (probability) of letting a ravenous choleric blood-sucking corpse loose on the populous. Because of an improperly sealed casket, Grandpa Yam (Yuen Wah: Eastern Condors) escaped from his coffin and killed his son unbeknown-st to inept police officer Wai (Billy Lau Nam-Kwong) who believes Master Ko is responsible and arrests him. However, younger Yam's corpse is slowly turning into a wandering cadaver (like father, like son) whose body is set in viewing distance of the jailed Ko. Later, Man Chor gets injured by the springy corpse's vampire-like nails while protecting Yam's daughter Ting Ting (Moon Lee Choi-Fung) and similar to the effects of European vampires bite wounds he will slowly turn into one unless prevented somehow. Meanwhile, Chow Chun is having problems of his own with a beautiful ghost named Jade (Pauline Wong) who has tricked him into falling in love with her. Some of this story does remind me of Kenji Mizoguchi's Ugetsu (the house of the spirit and the way Ko helps repel Jade by the characters drawn on Chow Chun), but there are many Chinese stories that have used these elements before Ugetsu.If I was to nitpick about the deficiencies of this movie I would state the abrupt ending as the biggest one -- a bane of many Hong Kong films. Also, the chicken violence, which is real, might offend some (Harry Angel would like it) as well as the removal of a gallbladder from a snake – which is also real (though after watching Shaw Brothers release Killer Snakes I have become numb to small amounts of slithering serpent violence). I know some might not like the broad humor associated with Cantonese comedy, but I have come to appreciate much of it.However, there is much to appreciate from the dancing and comedic aspects of Ricky Hui to the effective use of Kung Fu and stunts. The secondary plot of the ghost love story also worked well for me. The introduction of the female ghost brought into the story was one of the most beautiful shots in the film marred only by an annoying sound effect. And like a good comedy should it finished off with a laugh. During this scene and the end credits there is a wonderful song used named Gwai San Neung "Ghost Bride" performed by the Kit Yi Chorus. The main strength of this film is that it sticks well to its premise of a comedy and does unnecessarily mix dramatic elements.There should not be a discussion about this film without mentioning the austere pillar performance of Lam Ching Ying. This performance is analogous to Vincent Price in which a career defining House of Wax (1953) set forth a years of horror for Vincent Price. Both actors had years of experience in various genres before their "breakout" horror roles, both had excellent roles before (Prodigal Son for Lam and Baron of Arizona for Price) and would later have lucrative but strongly typecast roles offered to them afterwords. Lam's rendition of this Taoist priest is so perfect in its entirety (his athletic skills certainly help) that he has become a cult icon in certain circles. Like all good Taoists, he knows the value of sticky rice and its many ubiquitous powers of healing.Along with Spooky Encounters this is a must watch movie from the Hong Kong comedy/horror oeuvre and perfect for introducing kyonsi to your friends -- as long as they do not like chickens (or snakes) and you have friends of course.

Guardia 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.