After selling a DVD of Harakiri (1962-also reviewed) I wanted to find a bonus title to send the buyer. Checking the Hong Kong titles waiting to be played,I found a neat-sounding CAT III flick, that I banked on viewing.
View on the film:
Laying out the terms and conditions of the underworld loan in zany criss-crossing drawings spread across the screen,director Bosco Lam & cinematographer Kin-Fai Mau pull the gritty Horror of CAT III to the final, in exchange for a rubbery Comedy atmosphere of darting camera moves running to keep up with the family rushing to overturn the loan.
Tugging the "zany" Comedy to breaking point, Lam attempts a last minute push into Melodrama, which thanks to utterly rubbish practical effects looks like a unplanned spoof of the genre, that is awkwardly slotted in with welcomed sleazy shots on the banker's arm candy.
Initially offering the enticing set-up of a family trapped in a underworld financial scheme,whilst also bringing in the killer from DR. Lamb (1992-also reviewed) into the mix (!),the screenplay by Jobic Tsui and Bing Cheuk waste so many chances, by quickly taking the fangs of Dr. Lamb being a threat out, and also keep the zany comedy antics of the family dampening the flickers of CAT III sleaze.
Merrily spoofing his Dr. Lamb role in calling himself "Bunman" during the final, Anthony Wong is the highlight of the film Tong Chi-Ming,whose mad-cap family time is mashed by Wong with a nervousness over learning about changes to the terms and conditions from the underground banker.
View on the film:
Laying out the terms and conditions of the underworld loan in zany criss-crossing drawings spread across the screen,director Bosco Lam & cinematographer Kin-Fai Mau pull the gritty Horror of CAT III to the final, in exchange for a rubbery Comedy atmosphere of darting camera moves running to keep up with the family rushing to overturn the loan.
Tugging the "zany" Comedy to breaking point, Lam attempts a last minute push into Melodrama, which thanks to utterly rubbish practical effects looks like a unplanned spoof of the genre, that is awkwardly slotted in with welcomed sleazy shots on the banker's arm candy.
Initially offering the enticing set-up of a family trapped in a underworld financial scheme,whilst also bringing in the killer from DR. Lamb (1992-also reviewed) into the mix (!),the screenplay by Jobic Tsui and Bing Cheuk waste so many chances, by quickly taking the fangs of Dr. Lamb being a threat out, and also keep the zany comedy antics of the family dampening the flickers of CAT III sleaze.
Merrily spoofing his Dr. Lamb role in calling himself "Bunman" during the final, Anthony Wong is the highlight of the film Tong Chi-Ming,whose mad-cap family time is mashed by Wong with a nervousness over learning about changes to the terms and conditions from the underground banker.