A Chinese Ghost Story (animated)

Starring:Linda Wong (III), Shirley Millner, Charlie Yeung, Jordan Chan, Scott McNeil, Jan Lamb, James Wong, Ta-yu Lo, Venus Terzo, Nicole Oliver, Hark Tsui, Nicky Wu, Kelly Chen, Sammo Hung Kam-Bo, Lichun Lee, Anita Yuen, Don Brown, Ronald Cheng, Michael Donovan (III), Richard Newman
Director: Andrew Chan
Studio: Viz Video
Product Type: DVD

Customer Reviews:

Best of the three.......2006-03-18

Erotic Ghost Story (the first film) is a thoroughly enjoyable romp featuring Chinese ghosts (wonderful creatures that can one moment be a whirlwind, then the next moment a voluptuous seductive vixen, then a savage wolf, then a zombie-like skeleton), with zany comedy, over-the -top "special effects", tons of nudity and simulated sex scenes.

Not that is pornographic - far from it. It is not even "soft-porn", or at least not in the usual sense. Having said that, the imaginative nature of the sex scenes somehow manage to be both titillating and comedic at the same time!

I disagree that it is a re-make of the Witches of Eastwick - the latter couldn't even touch this in terms of comedy and / or imagination.

This first film is far and away the best, the others (Erotic Ghost Story 2 and 3) are very poor imitations hoping to cash in on the success of the first.

My only complaint with this one is that I only own it on video tape.

I ordered the DVD from Amazon, and about 4 months later (after several notified extensions in the expected delivery date) I was told it was unavailable (Feb 2006) and I was not charged. But I am still looking forward to the time it becomes available again.

If you like Chinese films, Chinese comedy, nudity, or zany sex, you wont be disappointed. If you like all of these then this is the film for you.

Worst of all Four!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-08-13

Just take my words. I watched all four "Erotic Ghost Stories". I could live with the other three. But this one was terrible.

nobody missed the point.......2000-09-20

Just wanted to tell everybody to ignore the review by the guy who said this movie isn't softcore porn. That genius thought everyone was writing reviews for "Chinese Ghost Story," not "Erotic Ghost Story." There is no giant tongue monster, flying swordsman named Big Beard, etc in this movie. "Erotic Ghost Story" is basically a loose remake of The Witches of Eastwick with tons of nudity, some gore - basically a Hong Kong cat III (the equivalent of a T&A b-flick). It's enjoyable though and easy on the eyes. Just don't watch it with your kids.

witches of eastwick with flying warriors and oriental babes.......2000-06-13

In Hong Kong a CAT III rated film such as this one gives the filmakers the opportunity to show more sex and violence and this one definately falls into the sex category. Don't get me wrong though there is much more to the film than sex. The story is stolen from "The Witches of Eastwick" the three witches are now free beautiful oriental girls one of whom is oriental babe Amy Yip who fall for a man who is really an evil demon - the whole production is very charming and colourful with some great hire wire fight scenes and splendid sets and costumes that are visually pleasing. There's loads of sex too but it's largely inoffensive - sometimes it seems theres a little too much screen time given to the sexual antics of the ladies but who's complaining! All in all this a great fun little gem of a film and is highly recommeded to anyone who enjoys cult/camp cinema.

The other reviewers miss the point of this movie.......2000-03-01

This film is a fantasy/martial arts epic, not a softcore porno film. The closest American equivalent would be "Big Trouble in Little China," which pales in comparison to this gem. The fight scenes and special effects are convincing and spectacular, featuring fireballs, flying swordsmen, and a giant tongue monster.

Apparently, some people bought this DVD based solely on the box art and title.

Customer Reviews:

Masterful! Tsui Hark and director Tony Ching Sui Tung is amazing.......2006-08-25

This 3rd installment of the Chinese Ghost Story franchise is the best of them all. I remember watching this as an adolescent and loving it. Watching the first 2 Chinese Ghost stories can heighten the nostalgia factor when you view this 3rd movie. The score and songs are amazing. The late Wong Jing once again penned the words and Jacky Cheung took on the role of main vocals once again like he did in the 2nd movie (Yun Gan Doe). The title song is a magnificent piece of music that sets up the movie for its stunning visuals and storytelling.

Tony Leung Chiew Wai (Sup Fong) gives one of his best performances as a bratty, naive but good-hearted young monk. His other earlier TVB roles such as Heavenly Sword Dragon Saber and Duke of Mount Deer has prepared him well for this role. Following his master on a pilgramage to deliver a golden buddha, they unfortunately get caught up in a slew of mishaps and events. Joey Wong reprises her role as a different female ghost (Siew chuek or Lotus) this time around and gives and emphatic and determined performance - one of her best ones. Her acting has improved quite a bit from the first installment. She delivers subtle undertones of the anguish in which her former human self has endured but is coy about it. Wong and Leung melded their performances well together. Perhaps their roles provide them with much more dramatic substance this time around than the first 2 movies which the characters displayed less potential in delivering interesting situations (i.e. monk and woman, monk and ghost relations).

Jacky Cheung is quite good with his comedic wit and talent. The 3 actors show great chemistry together with playful banter and some slapstick comedy. Nina Li (Mrs. Jet Li for all you trivia fans) plays a great second string to Joey Wong's character as Butterfly. Her jealousy and determination to claim Sup Fong for herself is convincing and not overdone.

The Hong Kong wirework is topnotch even for its time. Smooth flying sequences with Tony Ching's masterful martial arts direction really heightened the movie to another level. This is not the first time Ching and Leung worked together. They've worked on a few TVB series before filming this film.

The story-telling is superb. With Hark and Szeto behind the helm of the story, they worked out many kinks that plagued the 2nd movie. There were some parts that seemed rushed but it was forgivable considering the rest of the story had wonderful character development and back story.

This film is a must-see even if you're not a big fan of chinese and hong kong cinema. After watching this again after a 10 year hiatus, I still get chills on my back from the final sequence. Cinematography and art direction will make you forget you're even watching a movie as you get submerged into this mythical world of demons, ghosts and magic. I recommend watching the first 2 films to get a much more heightened satisfaction from the 3rd. The payoff is much greater. Trust me.

Karma-Crossed Lovers Reborn.......2006-05-12

This is a great movie that I never get tired of watching. Supposedly it is a sequel that take place a hundred years after the events of the first two movies, but in reality it is more like the cinematic equivalent of a remix of the first movie (same basic storyline with elaborations, same actress playing the heroine, similar character types, and so on). And like the first one, it manages the great alchemical mix of genres and moods: romantic and creepy, action-packed and humorous, haunting and light-hearted. But it succeeds in upping these a notch. The romantic relationship between the hero and the ghostly heroine is complicated and given tension by his being a monk (monastic vows and all) and by her being less overtly benign. The special effects are way, way, way better (which is partly due to the passage of time, of course), and these contribute to the choreography of the action...the part where the senior monk detects the presence of evil and abruptly shoots up from his meditation seat into the air and starts gliding about doing reconnaissance is totally cool no matter how many times I see it. And to top it all off, even the subtitles are better.

Also intensified are the religious motifs and themes, obviously, and while Buddhism and Taoism come out as more distinct in this version, the manner in which they are both portrayed in the popular imagination is again fascinating and intriguing in its own right. Anyone who studies East Asian Buddhism could find a lot of food for thought here...and have a great time doing so, to boot.

So don't deprive yourself of this wonderful, entertaining adventure. Watch and enjoy!

If you've seen CGSII, you don't need to see this movie........2004-04-07

I was prepared to really enjoy Chinese Ghost Story III, understanding that it was essentially a retread of the original two movies. Since the movie takes place 100 years after the second, there's plenty of good reasons for why the Chinese Ghost Story III would be disconnected from its roots.

Unfortunately, Chinese Ghost Story III suffers from exactly the opposite: it's far too much like Chinese Ghost Story II. Even more unforgivable, the actress who played the ghost in the first story (that was saved, to become reincarnated) and who played the physical twin of the ghost in the second story, is ANOTHER ghost in this story. Another ghost, but not the same ghost. Very annoying.

Back too is the villain, the wicked tree hag with the neverending tongue and influence over tree branches. I don't know about you, but I didn't have a burning desire to find out whatever happened to the tree hag that dove into that hole in the second movie. I mean, really.

The plot is similar - instead of a tax collector seduced by a ghost, we have a monk seduced by a ghost. There's an old mentor who has supernatural powers and there's also a professional demon hunter. The only difference is that the demon hunter in this movie was the student of the old monk in the last movie.

So what does this movie have to offer? Not much. In fact, it's so much like the second movie that the parallels only serve to show just how inferior the second movie is. It's not as scary, not as funny, and not as romantic.

The ending even has a poorly introduced bad guy - the husband to be to the ghost (JUST LIKE THE SECOND MOVIE). In this case, it's the "Mountain Devil." The Mountain Devil is apparently a big puppet, and not in the "hey it's cool cause it's wacky" kind of way. He animates buildings that look like puppet buildings.

On the whack-I-meter, the old monk manages to cover his eyes with his earlobes. And that's about it. Even the sword stunts and magic tricks can't top Chinese Ghost Story II.

If you've seen the second movie, you don't need to see Chinese Ghost Story III.

great.......2002-07-27

This is the second episode of a chinese ghost story. the story has a bit of continuation from the first movie. although i feel that it is not as good as the first one, this movie is still very watchable!! highly receommend.

Beautiful film, but terrible tape quality.......2002-05-15

Just a word of caution - the VHS tape of this movie is of terrible picture quality. It looks like a bad, amateurish copy made from an already very worn master tape. I once saw a movie that had been filmed off a cinema screen with a standard video camera, and the result was similar...! :-) A real pity because the film, in its original quality, is a feast for the eyes.

Chinese Ghost Story (Collector's Remastered Edition) trilogy boxset

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Chinese Ghost Story (Collector's Remastered Edition) trilogy boxset

Manufacturer: Fortune Star
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

3 disc package (region 0 NTSC)
Collector's booklet
Digitially Remastered

ASIN: B000HPVNQI

Product Description

Ning Tsai-Shen, a humble tax collector, arrives in a small town to carry out his work. Unsurprisingly, no-one is willing to give him shelter for the night, so he ends up spending the night in the haunted Lan Ro temple. There, he meets Taoist Swordsman Yen Che-Hsia, who warns him to stay out of trouble, and the beautiful Nieh Hsiao-Tsing, with whom he falls in love. Unfortunately, Hsiao-Tsing is a ghost, bound for all eternity by a hideous tree spirit with an incredibly long tongue that wraps itself round its victims and sucks out their life essence

Average customer rating:

Simply terrible
Lite on action and screams, big on laughs

Chinese Erotic Ghost Story
Starring: Ting Sang Lam , Wai Kin Lam , Ka Ling Yeung , Chun Chung , and Faan Yeung
Director: Kin-Nam Cho
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Erotic Ghost Story: Perfect Match
Chinese Torture Chamber Story II
Girls Unbutton
The Eternal Evil of Asia
Undressed for Success

ASIN: B000A3XYA0
Release Date: 2005-09-20

Customer Reviews:

Simply terrible.......2004-07-31

This film is silly and disturbing. Worst of all it is degrading in terms of the way it portrays and treats women. For example, the director of this movie obviously thought it was amusing and erotic to have a flying penis rape virgins. I just thought it was sick and perverted.

This movie does have a lot of sex scenes with beautiful naked asian girls. However, to truly appreciate those scenes you would have to be one sick puppy because of the disturbing context for which those scenes are set. Now I am no prude. I have no objections to truly erotic scenes; however, I am turned off when those scenes are submerged in a sea of morbidity. This film is morbid with a capital "M".

Do yourself a favor--BUY SOMETHING ELSE--unless you are a women hating sicko.

Lite on action and screams, big on laughs.......2002-01-21

A kind hearted but poor clerk with a mean boss and lazy wife
meets a friendly spirit which helps him become a new man.
Unlike films like many of the films with a supernatural element
this one cuts back on the action and scares in favour of humour.
In style I would describe it as an asian version of South Park as there is running gag involving a magic penis which makes the film worth seeing. The poor production values in the set design, costumes and special effect let stop me from giving this
fun film more than 2 stars.

Average customer rating:

Karma-Crossed Lovers
Great Movie! Horrible subtitles. Nevertheless, a must see!!!
DO NOT BUY
Funny, beautiful, a great time
Hideous subtitling mars otherwise fantastic film.

Chinese Ghost Story
Starring: Leslie Cheung , Joey Wong , Ma Wu , Zhilun Xue , and Siu-Ming Lau
Director: Siu-Tung Ching
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Similar Items:

A Chinese Ghost Story II
A Chinese Ghost Story III
The Bride With White Hair
Green Snake
Royal Tramp

ASIN: 6305020876
Release Date: 1998-05-27

Amazon.com essential video

This popular and beloved film, produced by Tsui Hark and directed by Ching Siu Tung, is a standout in the Hong Kong supernatural-action genre and spawned many sequels and copycats. A Chinese Ghost Story stars Leslie Cheung as Ning Tsei-Shen, a timid and likable tax collector. Looking for a place to stay the night, he comes upon a spooky abandoned temple occupied by a tough Taoist swordsman (Ma Wu). Despite his warnings, Tsei-Shen stays anyway. Later he encounters a beautiful maiden (Joey Wang) who he quickly falls in love with. Unfortunately, she is a ghost who is being forced to trap men for an evil spirit who feeds on their souls. A Chinese Ghost Story has been widely praised for infusing the genre with humor, action, romance, and inventive special effects. Memorable images include an attacking mile-long tongue and a cloak opening to dozens of ghastly decapitated heads. The final battle in hell is said to have inspired scenes in Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness. And the film has its share of homage: A group of crusty zombies are reminiscent of the skeletons in special-effects guru Ray Harryhausen's 7th Voyage of Sinbad--and they are eliminated by Tsei-Shen in comedic slapstick fashion, not unlike the style of Charlie Chaplin. Cheung and Wang are a likeable romantic pair, and Ma Wu creates a hilarious character who breaks out into song and a martial arts dance when drunk. The DVD transfer is topnotch, with the film's misty mood lighting and fluttering gowns appearing layered and crisp. It's a must-see for Hong Kong action film fans. --Shannon Gee

Customer Reviews:

Karma-Crossed Lovers.......2006-05-09

I have watched this movie again and again, and it never stops being a lot of fun. Romantic and creepy, action-packed and humorous, deeply haunting and cheerfully light-hearted, it somehow manages to blend these diverse genres and moods into a wonderfully convincing mix. Some of the scenes are just breathtakingly beautiful, too. And I don't want to go reading too much into what is clearly meant to be (and suceeds in being) good simple entertainment, but anyone interested in how Taoism and Buddhism (significantly, they aren't very distinct here) actually operate in the popular imagination could spend days analyzing this enjoyable film.

It must be admitted that (as others have noted here) the subtitles are about the worst I've ever seen. While the dialogue doesn't necessarily have a lot of nuance, and while the story moves along primarily through visual means (one could probably pretty much follow the story with no subtitles at all), still, some proofreading and perhaps some consultation with someone whose first language is English might have been a good idea. Oh, well. Anyway, their garbled English is still better than my complete ignorance of Cantonese, so who's to complain?

So watch the movie and see for yourself. I bet you won't be sorry.

Great Movie! Horrible subtitles. Nevertheless, a must see!!!.......2005-12-26

This movie has everything from love/romance to superstition and myth.It gives the viewers a Philosophical message as well.For example, Wu Ma the Taoist in the movie, is trying to seek immortality and chants in the movie,very interesting(dont want to tell the whole story).The special effects are also done very well.Lesile Cheung and Wu Ma are excellent and subperb; they are great actors and their peformance is impeccable throughout the film. Overall, great film with some scenes that can be disturbing, but if you can get past that then its worth the trip... Also, a must see for zealous fans of Lesile Cheung.

DO NOT BUY.......2005-12-10

Do NOT buy this version of CGS.

First of all, the subtitles are horrible. It ranges from horrible grammar to senteces that are utterly incomprehensible. The subtitles succeed in giving the movie a low-budget B rated effect (clearly undeserved).

Secondly, the picture quality is awful. I actually do believe that it is the worst transfer of video to DVD that I have ever seen. You can literally see the tracking lines. The picture is fuzzy and cloudy.

Also, if you buy the company's release of CGS part 2, not only are the subtitles terrible for that movie, but the voices are dubbed from Cantonese to Mandarin. So even their Chinese dialogue doesn't fit their lips!

*

Now I know I've been complaining much but rest assured, I have a solution. Buy the release from Hong Kong Legends. The subtitles are perfect and the picture and sound quality makes the movie look like it was made last year. Buuuuuuuuuuut...... you will need a region-free DVD player. Hong Kong Legends sell region 2 DVD's I think. But yeah, thats exactly what I did for this DVD because 1., this Amazon version I bought is atrocious, and 2., its worth buying it for this movie. I actually hold it up to my top ten movies of all time.... and I'm a picky film buff. Hope this helps.

Funny, beautiful, a great time.......2005-11-06

I originally saw this movie when it first hit the USA market. No subtitles! All the Malaysian male students that I worked with were in love with the female lead in this movie. They kept talking about how graceful her hands were, they had never seen a woman so beautiful, so graceful who held herself so beautifully. I know one student watched it over 20 times. None of them spoke or read Chinese!

I, an American female, was so intrigued by their interest, I went and rented this movie. I had such FUN! watching the movie, and trying to figure out what was going on, I rented it over 10 times! Needless to say, the female lead is incredibly graceful, I was touched by the innocence of the male lead part. The male students were all invigorated by his innocence and good soul! and yet he could attract the attention of such a beautiful ghost.

This movie NOW! has come out with ENGLISH subtitles! Half the fun of watching this movie is laughing over the subtitles. I wish the other reviewers had a SENSE of HUMOR! Get a life people! This is a FUNNY movie! it is low budget, without the billions of dollars on special effects. It is touching because the characters are! The story is funny, warm, scary and loving because of the acting! characters! and the good direction! Out of all the three movies made this first one, really showcases! the innocense and some traditional values in the Asian culture, that I at least grew up with. I find it sad that it is difficult now, to find movies with this type of fun, funny, supernatural good story telling style.

I won't bore you with the entire plot, plenty of others have ruined more of the surprises! - then they ever should have. I plan on buying this DVD! I've searched for it since 1988! and finally found it! Yippee! Don't watch it if you are a dullard! It's for people who enjoy a wonderfully goofy story with a fantastically graceful woman, with hilarious "special effects", (low budget!), and truly goofy but well-meaning subtitles. If you have difficulty in translating some of the subtitles, you don't have much of an education! for example, instead of "one" they might have "on", (big deal, once in a while) they forget to type in the "e", big deal you can figure it out through the context. And to enjoy the story, there is enough action, and the plot is so obvious, you can enjoy it! plenty ! without any subtitles, whatsoever! Rent it for a good time! All three are a great time, you can rent them through their on-line program!

Hideous subtitling mars otherwise fantastic film........2004-09-24

A Chinese Ghost Story (Siu-Tung Ching, 1987)

A Chinese Ghost Story is the kind of movie that makes you wonder what it is the Hong Kong film guys are doing right that we're not. There's so much in here that Americans have repeatedly tried to do, and failed far more often than not. Here, it all works.

Ning Tsai-Shen (the late Leslie Cheung, fresh off his success in A Better Tomorrow) is a neophyte tax collector who's had a run of very bad luck. He asks where he can spend the night for no money, and is told about a haunted temple outside of town. After settling down, he's drawn to the sound of a lute, which is played by Nieh Hsiao-Tsing (Joey Wong, who also acted opposite Cheung in the recent Ashes Time). Of course, he falls in love with the girl, despite the warnings of Yen (Ma Wu of Iron Monkey II), a local hermit who's familiar with the haunted temple and the evils that reside there.

It sounds like a horror film, but it's not. In fact, it's a rather sweet, good-natured romantic comedy. (With zombies. See, Shaun of the Dead isn't the only one.) Tsai-Shen is a great bumbling hero, and the opening scene of him suffering misfortunes along the road into town is wonderfully done. Hundreds of American filmmakers could take a lesson from the combination of understatement and slapstick used in the opening sequence. (His oblivious search for his inkpad later in the film is another scene that stands way, way out from the crowd.) The everpresent martial arts sequences have a Three Stooges feel to them, but work better than Three Stooges routines ever did. With all this going on, most filmmakers on this side of the Pacific, assuming they could pull all that off, would let the effects become the movie and ignore the story. Not here, though to be fair the movie is a tad thin on plot. But then, it's a romantic comedy. How much plot do you need? Boy meets ghost, boy gets ghost, boy loses ghost, boy has to save ghost from eternal damnation. A tale as old as time.

One can't blame Siu-Tung Ching for this, but whoever does the subtitles at DirectMedia, Chinese Ghost Story's American distributor, really needs to go back to school. The subtitles in this movie are worse than anything I've ever seen from Tai Seng-- and that's saying something. Even though it's not the film's fault, I took off half a star simply because at times I had no earthly idea what was going on. (At other times, I didn't care, because the Engrish was so hysterical.)

Anyway, though, recommended. I strongly suggest seeing it with someone who speaks Cantonese so you can get an accurate translation of some scenes, though. *** ½

Average customer rating:

rollicking fun
Watch the first one before this one (second one)
For all its wackiness, Chinese Ghost Story is serious stuff.
get it
The worst of the trilogy

A Chinese Ghost Story II
Starring: Leslie Cheung , Joey Wong , Michelle Reis , Jacky Cheung , and Ma Wu
Director: Siu-Tung Ching
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 6305020884
Release Date: 1998-05-27

Customer Reviews:

rollicking fun.......2006-04-19

this is the first film i saw of the trilogy and it remains my my favorite of the three - but not by much

the script is a laugh a minute - the action plentiful - with great atmosphere - effective dramatic moments - enjoyable mugging actors - and the alluring joey wong

no wonder ive seen all three films more than once

the flaws of the film include the primitiveness of the monsters - and - worst of all - the use of 'abrcadabra' etc for the mystical spells - but - for most viewers - the films virtues should overwhelm those flaws

Watch the first one before this one (second one).......2005-11-06

This movie is fun! I did see it originally without any subtitles, so i did hear the differences in the spells that are shouted. I do not read nor write nor speak Chinese, however, I found that this triology is understandable and quite enjoyable without subtitles whatsoever.

Yes, it is a low budget film especially when you compare it to the horrendous budgets of Star Wars, etc. but for all that, that is why it is SOOOO MUCH FUN!!! it is hilarious! The innocence of the male lead the beauty of the two female leads! The clever intricate twists of the movie plots and characters. The symbolic wishes to do "good", the wonderful play on how degenerate power religion and mindless following can be. The wonderful type of "godzilla" like (from the 1960's) rubber monster! running around! come on folks! it's a COMEDY!!! It's a load of fun, a bit more disjointed than the other two movies, but, still fun.

The English subtitles! are wonderfully funny! I recommend trying to watch it without any subtitles at all! then you can see how it was originally meant to be seen, and you would be surprised at how FUN you will find the movie! Then watch it with the subtitles! and see how "off" you might be on guessing the story, I bet you that won't be far off! make up the spells in your mind! The translator didn't know other English type of spells so stuck with Hocus-pocus etc. but, you can make up your own. (or read Harry Potter-if you lack the imagination!)

Rent the movie first, and then if you are like me, you'll want to own it in your collection and to share with your friends and family. [...]. I won't tell you the plot, it is better NOT to KNOW anything, I really wish people would not put so many plot details in their reviews, this movie is refreshing! and it's better to come upon the twists and turns without knowing what's around the bend! SOOO....when you are discussing the movie(s) with your friends, do NOT tell them all the stuff, no details! much more fun!

For all its wackiness, Chinese Ghost Story is serious stuff........2004-03-22

I don't remember why I decided to rent Chinese Ghost Story 2. It's probably because it's one of the best examples of a martial arts historical fantasy, and I use the word "historical" loosely.

It's hard to sum up the plot because it's a blending mishmash of several other plots. There's the reincarnated former long lost love, the bumbling tax collector, the clueless demon fighter, the grouchy monk, and a whole slew of bandits who dress up as ghosts.

But it wouldn't be called Chinese Ghost Story 2 if it was only about fake ghosts. There are real ghosts too - one is a hilarious big floppy monster with big fangs, big eyes, and big claws. The other is the main bad guy, who doesn't actually appear until the second half of the movie. And what a bad guy he is - a demon in the form of a false Buddha in the form of a giant centipede.

Get the picture yet? How about a freeze spell gone wrong, a guardian warrior who wields five katanas at once, and people flying around on swords like they were surfboards. The most hysterical part of the film is the tax collector's misuse of aforementioned freeze spell, managing to paralyze himself, the demon slayer who taught him the spell, and the ghost they're both trying to kill - so all three stand frozen for hours in a very awkward pose waiting for the spell to wear off. It's funnier than it sounds, trust me.

For all its wackiness, Chinese Ghost Story is serious stuff. Characters sacrifice themselves to save others, two sisters battle for the love of the tax collector, and the false Buddha chortles as he extols the virtues of fooling the peasantry with false deities.

In this movie, no one is who they seem and virtue ultimately rules above all. The tax collector is mistaken for a great sage. The bandit leader is mistaken for a reincarnated ghost. The demon is mistaken for Buddha. Ultimately, it is the measure of a man or woman that ultimately defines who they are, as demonstrated by the warrior who fights to the death to defend the honor of those he wronged.

Unfortunately, the subtitles of Chinese Ghost Story suffers from a lazy and inept translation. The spell chants are never translated beyond "Abracadabra, hocus pocus!" and some of the spellings are simply incorrect. Still, it wasn't so awful that it impaired my enjoyment of the film.

If Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon piqued your interest, this movie is the next step into Wuxia cinema.

get it.......2002-07-27

this is the weakest out of the a chinese ghost story trilogy but it is still a good show. the story has little connection the previous 2 movies. This time the costumes get more colorful and the people and monsters get more powerful. go get it.

The worst of the trilogy.......2002-01-19

With much lower production values and a storyline that is recycled at best, and boring at its worst, I would definately stay clear of this one.

Part one is gorgeous, with bright colors and fun action with a plot that entertains and intrigues. This one is like watching a saturday morning cartoon from the 80s, filled with floppy jokes and bad acting.

90 minutes of my life I'll never get to have back...

Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy (Legendary Collection Edition) 3 Disc Package DVD
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Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy (Legendary Collection Edition) 3 Disc Package DVD
Director: Lam Ngai Kai , Peter Ngor , and Lai Kai Ming
Manufacturer: Joy Sales
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Product Features:

3 disc package (region 0 NTSC)

Newly Remastered Edition

Removable Subtitles

Package Deal (Not a Box Set) Erotic Ghost Story I - III DVD

Not Suitable for Children under 18

ASIN: B000RVA8MC

Product Description

Erotic Ghost Story and Sex & Zen were both famous adult books in the past. Based on a famous ancient Chinese adult book, this film has gone onto worldwide cult status. Excellent story and vivid cinematography.

Average customer rating:

Good old family fun...
Interesting plot
My cherished animation of Xiao Cian
A little odd, but definitely worth peeking at!
An Entertaining Movie

A Chinese Ghost Story (animated)
Starring: Nicole Oliver , Linda Wong (III) , Shirley Millner , Charlie Yeung , and Jordan Chan
Director: Andrew Chan
Manufacturer: Viz Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Lupin the III: The Castle of Cagliostro (Special Edition)
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Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Two-Disc Platinum Series)

ASIN: B000021Y81
Release Date: 2000-02-08

Description

Based on the well-known, live-action films of the same name, A Chinese Ghost Story: The Tsui Hark Animation is the fantastic tale of strange demons, hungry ghosts, and timeless love. Tsui Hark is internationally well-known for his iconoclastic style, solid storytelling, and tightly maintained pace. Among his many famous Hong Kong films are A Better Tomorrow, A Chinese Ghost Story, as well as Once Upon a Time in China.

Customer Reviews:

Good old family fun..........2006-09-22

Despite the fact that A Chinese Ghost Story is actually a Chinese production (made in Hong Kong in fact), it's always being classified as an anime everywhere online. If you're still in doubt, you can check the DVD release and see that the only language tracks available are Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. Anyhow, I'll be joining the internet bandwagon by placing this review on the anime index.

The first thing I noticed about A Chinese Ghost Story is the youthful look of the characters. Our hero Ning looks like a 10-year old boy (although he's actually older than that) -- being the vertically-challenged and roundish-ly drawn character that he is. It's kind of hard to believe that he has a girlfriend and that they are of marrying age already (but then people did marry young in ancient China). The female characters look slightly older, maybe around their mid-teens. Ning is immediately attracted to the ghost Siu Seen, and Siu Seen in turn gradually falls for Ning... but theirs is a love that's not supposed to be -- and that becomes the main dilemma of this unique story.

Things happen in a frenzied pace, and get a little too chaotic for my taste. In many scenes, the characters run, scream, fight, and jump around all at once. The art and animation are good. Although the character designs are on the cutesy side, vibrantly rendered visuals abound. The Chinese countryside comes alive with backgrounds that are computer generated, reminiscent of video game FMV sequences. The theme songs and music also add a nice touch. They are unmistakably Chinese in style (performed by popular Chinese artists) and tempo, which suits the film perfectly. The English dubbing is pretty decent, albeit in this case the Mandarin track (if watching the DVD) would give you a more authentic experience. A Chinese Ghost Story gives you a brief glimpse of the intricate and interesting world of Chinese mythology. It's a fairly solid title which the whole family can enjoy.

Interesting plot.......2006-01-30

It starts out extremely lame. that is compared to the rest of the story. This movie is for kids not adults for laughter and not too scary. the animation is good for a 1997 movie. This movie was not made in China but in Japan. I love seeing the ghostbusters having powers.

My cherished animation of Xiao Cian.......2005-10-16

It is such a valueless gem produced by Pioneer and Tsui Hark and all the other excellent staff.
The tune companies every single step of the story and reveal the true feeling between the two lovers.
Ning is rare for his trueness and loyality and hard to find in reality, who is almost a perfect male for love. And Xiao Cian is just characterised as a super ghost, if more plots and stories added to enrich Xiao Cien that she sacraficed something for Ning, e.g. the scene she grabbing Ning out of "Black Mountian". This story will be perfect. However, this is just an animation for teenagers but not for adults, such a balance between male and female characters is necessary for girls.
the ending song "Evening Fly" is such a diamond to summarize the "silver-shining" story.
In all, it just tells you: True love can never be too far away.

A little odd, but definitely worth peeking at!.......2005-03-27

I found this quirky little gem at a local video store that specializes in foreign, independent, and classic films. Having exhausted much of the anime and Far East categories, I decided to give this one a chance, even though I had looked over it dozens of times before.

I'm a huge fan of animation in all its forms, so when this piece began, I was bombarded by awkward, bulky CGI images playing as a background to the traditional 2-D approach to animation. Normally, I'd find that sort of thing appalling (hey, if the styles clash, they clash) but at the same time, the odd mixture seemed to work in a very surreal sense and heightened my dedication to the story, which, as it turns out, was about China, ghosts, and a bunch of mystical weirdness that really seemed to draw strength from its bizarre visual scizophrenia.

And then there was the story. Firstly, you've got your underdog who is dense as a rock, but ultimately a good guy, his love interest, who is kind of a retread of that old "bar girl with a heart of gold" character you'd see in old Western movies, three bumbling enemies who start out trying to destroy the underdog's ghost girlfriend but end up mainly fighting each other, and, of course, the vain villainess whose only goal in life (death?) is to hang on to her youth. What kid's flick would have been complete without her, after all? Apparently, kid vehicles in China work much as they do here, in that there was also a cute, anthropomorphic dog sidekick that would drop over or growl or bat his eyelashes comically whenever the situation demanded it. Despite the formula, I found his antics charming, and only ended up liking his character more after I learned that director Tsui Hark provided all his grunts, snarls, and whimpers!

There's definitely something about the idea of a living man and a dead woman being in love--it's that darned Romeo & Juliet star-crossed lovers thing, again!--that stirs the romantic in me, so I found myself really rooting for Ning and SiuSeen's cause when they decided that the best way for them to be together was for them to be reincarnated and try to find one another on earth after their births.

So basically what it comes down to is that it looks weird, feels weird, sounds weird, and that the weirdness is wonderful to experience. I could safely liken it to some of Tim Burton's films, if you really need an American equivalent to get a better idea of what you're in for. But it's still kind of a loose comparison; just check it out for yourself, and I'm sure you'll have more fun with it than you're expecting.

An Entertaining Movie.......2003-02-04

This movie is for kids, and in that sense, it does a fine job. Not too scary, a little silly/funny, but a moving storyline. There are some oddities that probably resulted from translation, and it may be more compelling in its native language (some of the songs seemed particularly odd), but it was, all in all, an engaging and entertaining movie.

Average customer rating:

Best of the three
Worst of all Four!!!!!!!!!!
nobody missed the point
witches of eastwick with flying warriors and oriental babes
The other reviewers miss the point of this movie

Erotic Ghost Story
Starring: Amy Yip , Chia Ling Ha , So Man , Hitomi Kudô , and Lap-Man Sin
Director: Ngai Kai Lam
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Foreign & International | Stores | DVD | Video

( E ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Chinese Erotic Ghost Story
Chinese Torture Chamber Story II
Undressed for Success
The Eternal Evil of Asia
The Golden Lotus: Love and Desire

ASIN: B0000507OO
Release Date: 2001-05-01

Customer Reviews:

Best of the three.......2006-03-18

Worst of all Four!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-08-13

Just take my words. I watched all four "Erotic Ghost Stories". I could live with the other three. But this one was terrible.

nobody missed the point.......2000-09-20

witches of eastwick with flying warriors and oriental babes.......2000-06-13

The other reviewers miss the point of this movie.......2000-03-01

Apparently, some people bought this DVD based solely on the box art and title.

Long live Big Beard!

Erotic Ghost Story (Legendary Collection Edition) DVD
Average customer rating:
Erotic Ghost Story (Legendary Collection Edition) DVD
Director: Choi Nam Nai
Manufacturer: Joy Sales
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Asian Cinema | Art House & International | Genres | DVD | Video | China | Hong Kong | India | Japan | Korea | Taiwan | Vietnam
Product Features:

1 disc package (region 0 NTSC)

Newly Remastered Edition

Removable subtitles

Not Suitable for Children under 18

ASIN: B000RV2RLC

Product Description

Erotic Ghost Story and Sex & Zen were both famous adult books in the past. There are three vixens who have been doing everything good according to the book and assumed the shapes of beautiful girls. If they keep on, they will become deities, thus immortal. Unfortunately, they fall in love with a handsome, young scholar who is indeed the notorious devil of lust Wutung. They make frenetic love with the scholar ... Based on a famous ancient Chinese adult book, this film has gone onto worldwide cult status. Excellent story and vivid cinematography.

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