Is it any wonder that Ching Siu-tung's A Chinese Ghost Story became a massive franchise that scored fans throughout the world? Is it any wonder that it inspired a plethora of imitators? Is it any wonder that to this day it remains one of the most beloved Hong Kong films of the 80s? A hallucinogenic blend of wuxia action, tender romance, slapstick comedy, and stomach-churning horror, A Chinese Ghost Story seems like a cross between Sam Raimi and the Shaw Brothers. The film follows a hapless but good-hearted debt collector named Ning Choi-san who runs afoul of an ancient Tree Demoness who feeds on male passersby by luring them into her domain with beautiful young ghosts that she has enslaved. One of these ghosts, the tender-hearted Nip Siu-sin, falls in love with Ning. In order to free Nip from an eternity of servitude, Ning enlists the aid of local Taoist priest slash master swordsman Yin Chik-ha to slay the Tree Demoness once and for all. The film is delightful to behold in all of its madcap incredulity. However, the last twenty minutes almost collapse in on themselves due to over-kinetic editing and plot/character developments that come and go in the blink of an eye. It might be a bit clumsy, but there is more than enough in A Chinese Ghost Story to leave audiences feeling satisfied.
8/10
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