Silk

Description

(Horror) When a Canadian research photographer is killed, leaving behind a photo of a boy in an otherwise empty room, paranormal investigative scientist, Hashimoto, and his team investigate the scene. Armed with a newly invented material they capture the ghost: an unidentified 13-year old boy. Who is this ghost? Why does it kill people? As they seal off the room and monitor the captured spirit, they soon learn that even though it's energy can be visibly seen, humans are unable to hear it. In an effort to learn the ghost's past, Hashimoto's team enlists the help of special agent Ye, gifted with extraordinary eyesight and ability to lip-read. As Ye gets closer to solving the riddle of the boy's past, he learns the horrifying truth of the boy's death. Fearing that the ghost child is dangerous, the team decides to isolate the ghost but in doing so they unknowingly unleash a mysterious force, a much more powerful and ferocious energy to which the boy somehow seems connected.

Customer Reviews:

Very complete.......2007-08-12

I certainly agree with all the other reviews. A complete story, unique imagination, with no "missing links" and had that atmosphere of reality which a lot of other ghost type movies lack which makes a huge difference. Would have been nice if the deleted scenes were not deleted, but nevertheless, a brilliant piece of work I reckon that stands out from the others, and concentrating on detail and coherency from start to finish.

Intelligent And Creative Sci-Fi Horror Film!.......2007-08-03

The film SILK is a very different and creative horror film. I also recommend it highly, especially if you are looking for something different in the horror genre. With a mixture of sci-fi and horror thrown together, SILK is one entertaining film. The story centers around a team of paranormal investigators who are led by one stubborn and heavily driven character in search of life after death. His name is Hashimoto,(Yosuke Eguchi), and he is the leader of this special paranormal research team. I found his particular character great. Hashimoto is a man in search of immortality; but one with a catch, as he tries to unravel the secrets of life after death.

Hashimoto recruits a select research team of other investigators, and among these is a police sniper named Tung (Change Chen) who has the ability to read lips. This ability to read lips is of the utmost importance to this group of paranormal researchers, and in particular Hashimoto. Their job? To discover the mystery of a boy who happens to also be a ghost. And this is one malevolent ghost. The film introduces the viewer to what is known as a Menger Sponge. This is where sci-fi meets horror. You see, the Menger Sponge is a special anti-gravity device that can enable the researchers to ensnare ghosts. Moreover, the Menger sponge has been reverted to a liquid spray which allows the researchers to see ghosts.

Personally, I found the film fascinating. This is a very different type of horror film. And I always like something different in the horror genre. Also, the acting in this film was very good. Hashimoto's character is great to watch, but the entire film is outstanding. And there are some sad moments to watch in this film as Hashimoto attempts to learn about the afterlife. Further, the character Tung (Chang Chen) gives an extremely good performance, especially when his sick mother is introduced to the film. Chao-Pin Su did a remarkable job with this film, as the writing, cinematography and characters meshed perfectly in this very creative film. I recommend the film SILK, especially for those who like intelligent horror films. The film delivers good horror and drama, and does so in an entertaining way. Highly recommended. [Stars: 4.5]

A truly new concept!.......2007-06-21

I really enjoyed this film. I am a fan of Asian horror films but have gotten tired of the same "vengeful ghost" scenario. OK, so maybe this movie DOES have a vengeful ghost, but it's premise of capturing a ghost for scientific purposes is pretty original. It's a cool blend of sci-fi and horror and I would highly recommend it to Asian horror fans.

Suspenseful and immersive sci-fi, horror flick..........2007-05-21

SILK is a sleeper hit in Asia. I took a chance when I purchased the REGION-3 DTS Hong Kong release and man!, was I pleased with the decision. This is one of the best supernatural thrillers I've seen since SHUTTER, RINGU and THE SIXTH SENSE, and the best thing about it is it doesn't rely on the "WATERLOGGED,long-haired ghost". From what I heard the TARTAN release will use the same video transfer as the Deltamac release.

SYPNOSIS:(May have some spoilers)
The film is a mix of SCI-FI and the usual elements of ASIAN HORROR. A group of scientists led by Hashimoto, armed with a newly invented material called the MENGER SPONGE captures the energy of a ghost child. This invention financed/owned by the Japanese government, is quite malleable and can be used as a coat for walls, for camera filters and can be used as an eye-spray to allow the user to see Ghosts.
They enlist the aid of an agent named Ye Tung, a law enforcer from the JCCU, who can read lips and has a gifted eyesight, to assist them in unveiling the mystery of the ghost child. Hashimoto and his team lets the ghost child loose, so that,Ye, aided with the MENGER SPONGE spray, can see a strand of SILK that emanates from the supernatural child, this strand is the key to a mysterious power.
Ye tracks the ghostly boy and the strand to the horrifying truth of the child's death. Fearing that the ghost child is dangerous and for his own hidden agenda, Hashimoto,(and his team) decides to isolate him, but in doing so, they unknowingly unleashed the supernatural force in the other end of the SILK strand, a MUCH more POWERFUL, and MALEVOLENT energy.

This film really kept my attention for the whole 105 minutes. It doesn't have cheap scares, but instead relies on the plot to slowly unveal, the suspense builds up the closer you approach the climax. Each lead character is developed carefully. It is a story about love, hate and learning to let go, unlike most Asian horror flicks focuses on a VENGEFUL, Blood-thirsty ghost.
Note: The "MENGER SPONGE" does actually exist. Although, the actual Menger Sponge won't allow anyone to perform paranoramal feats or catch ghosts. I still think it is very interesting. Look it up in Wikipedia.

PICTURE: ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN(aspect ratio 1:78). The picture is nicely shot, sharp and smooth. The color pallette leans towards a "Green Bleach" hue, similar to most Japanese horror films. There are some video artifacts on some scenes, but not that noticeable. another very good video transfer from DELTAMAC.
AUDIO/SUBTITLES: Japanese/Mandarin- 5.1 DOLBY DIGITAL and 5.1 DTS. The DTS audio is the way to go. You can hear all the creaks and whispers in a much fuller sound. The English subtitles are well executed, not perfect with some typos here and there, but not distracting and annoying.
SPECIAL FEATURES: Deleted scenes, making-of, Outtakes, photo gallery, extra bonus.

This film is well-worth a look if you like SCI-FI Horror films. I saw this film 4-5 months ago(thanks to the magic of multi-region players), I'm pleased that it received a REGION-1 release this soon so people can see the quality films that come from Asia.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! (for Horror fans)

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: Perfect Match
Starring: Ngai Kai Lam , Yi Hung Lam , Chia Ling Ha , So Man , and Manfred Wong
Director: Diana Pang
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000JZJB
Release Date: 2006-04-24

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.

Long live Big Beard!

Average customer rating:
Chinese Ghost Story (Collector's Remastered Edition) trilogy boxset

Manufacturer: Joy Sales/Fortune Star
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mr. Vampire

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Product Features:

3 disc package (Region 0 NTSC)

Chinese Ghost Story 1-3 DVD(s)

Collector's Booklet

Digitially Remastered Series

English and Chinese (removable) subtitles

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:

"Can I trust a ghost?"
Karma-Crossed Lovers
Great Movie! Horrible subtitles. Nevertheless, a must see!!!
DO NOT BUY
Funny, beautiful, a great time

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
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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:

"Can I trust a ghost?".......2007-09-08

Joey Wong plays a ghost who kills men for her master Old Evil. Her newest victim is Leslie Cheung who plays a scholar and he comes to town to collect money for his job, but him and Joey Wong end up falling in love. But Joey Wong is supposed to be marrying Lord Black. Luckily Leslie Cheung made friends with a Taoist swordsman played by Wu Ma and he tries his best to help the couple stay together.

I went into this expecting nothing so maybe that is why I was so blown away. The relationship between Leslie Cheung and Joey Wong is actually believable. Leslie Cheung comes across as such a caring person and Joey Wong can't kill him even though she has to or else she will be killed. Even when Leslie Cheung finds out he is in love with a ghost he can't change his mind about someone he has already fallen in love with.

Wu Ma also gives a great performance. This is the best role I have ever seen from him, and he has been around forever.

The action is good but that is not what this movie is about. This is a love story, not a fighting movie, so don't go into this expecting any hardcore action.

4/5

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!

Average customer rating:

I get this feeling that we have met before..... karmic love
Great Ghost Movie
Inconsistent, yet sometimes moving love story
A Romantic Ghost Story
Sad but beautiful

The Gingko Bed
Starring: Suk-kyu Han , Hyeon-jun Shin , Beom-su Lee , Hee-kyung Jin , and Hye-jin Shim
Director: Je-gyu Kang
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
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Addicted (Special Edition)

ASIN: B00005MKM5
Release Date: 2001-09-11

Customer Reviews:

I get this feeling that we have met before..... karmic love.......2006-04-27

The Gingko plant is known for memory and The Gingko bed is an Asian film about past-loves and their many karmic journeys together. Two modern Chinese yuppies buy a bed that awakens their karmic history, and the ensuing relationship takes a dramatic turn.

Great Ghost Movie.......2002-12-18

This is the tale of two Chinese yuppies, one (Su-Hyun) is an artist, who sidelines as a college professor. His girlfriend (Sun-Young)is a doctor, who works at the hectic City hospital.

When Su-Hyun purchases a massive Gingko bed for his art studio, he begins to hallucinate about seeing the Ghost of an ancient princess (Mi-Dan). Mi-Dan and her would-be suitor General Hwang, haunt the bed, due to an ancient curse. Mi-Dan has returned because Su-Hyun is the reincarnation of her ancient lover. Hwang has returned to protect Mi-Dan, and try and kill Su-Hyun.

I really liked Gingko bed. While the plot held nothing particularly new (Su-Hyun- and Mi-dan were stereotypically 'good' with no particular negative characteristics, and General Hwang was the evil obsessed anti-hero type), I liked it anyway. There were a couple scenes which remained unclear and seemed superfluous, for instance: the opening scene with Hwang attacking and killing the rapist, (this is supposed to be a bad guy? Seems pretty GOOD to me), The scene where Sun-Yuong leaves Su-Hyun's birthday cake on top of the car, and then this isn't even MENTIONED at his birthday party.... This makes me wonder whether some significant scenes might've been left on the cutting room floor.

Overall, though, despite these peccadillos, this was a great movie, well worth the time and money investment!

Inconsistent, yet sometimes moving love story.......2002-06-07

The Gingko Bed represents a directoral debut film for Jacky Kang, who later went onto direct Shiri to a major commerical success in Korea and Asia. This movie is about a love triangle involving two ghosts (General Hwang and Princess Mi-dan) and one present-day art teacher (Sun-young), who happens to have been Mi-dan's lover hundreds of years ago. Sun-young also has a physician girlfriend who loses her job because her patient is involved in a body-snatching incident where Mi-dan takes his body to save Sun-young from General Hwang, who is portrayed as a spurned, jealous lover. The patient loses his eyes (donated)while dead and then miraculously comes back to life in the middle of his funeral (no embalming in Korea?). After saving Sun-young, Mi-dan can no longer come in contact with Sun-young because the body-snatching incident angers the god of love... Anyway, you get the gist that the plot is rather convoluted.

Then Sun-young somehow runs into an old man, who seems to know everything about what happened between Sun-young and Mi-dan as if he had been there personally. To make a long story short, Mi-dan begs General Hwang to see Sun-young one last time before she becomes his forever. General Hwang conveniently uses the doctor's body to fulfill Mi-dan's wish while threatening Sun-young that the doctor will be in a coma forever if he doesn't let Mi-dan leave before the end of a lunar eclipse. Of course, their reunion lasts a bit longer, leading to the final scene that is both moving and beyond logic.

The whole plot appears contrived as if the director was trying to squeeze in too many scenes that are supposed to be loosely connected. There are many elements in this movie that just defy logic, but after all, this is a ghost story.

In summary, this is a nice film with heart-warming romance, but the story appears convoluted and forced.

A Romantic Ghost Story.......2001-03-17

I first saw this film while teaching English in Korea. It was of course in Korean without any English subtitles. Even though I do not speak much Korean, I could follow the story and enjoyed this movie.

When I returned to the states I rented it with English subtitles and it was still a good movie.

Su-hyun is an art teacher with a doctor girl friend. He has been drawing a woman who seems to obssess him. When his girl friend demands that he buy a bed instead of them sleeping on his couch, he buys a bed he has seen in his dreams.

What he does not know is that the bed holds the spirit of Princess Mi-dan. She saves him from the spirit of General Hwang after taking some of the engergy of a young man. Su-hyun slowly starts to remember his past life as a court musican.

His girl friend gets into trouble at work because the man who the princess stole energy from was pronounced dead and when he comes back to life with his eyes having been donated, his family wants to sue the hospital. The man himself is surprisinly calm about it and tells the doctor that he was actually dead.

The only thing I really disliked about this movie was one of the beggining scenes. It shows a young woman being raped in a dark alley. A man dressed all in black attacks the rapist and pulls his heart out of his chest. It is the general, but it seems he is already solid and has no need to take someone's energy.

This is violence without purpose. It becomes obvious that this man is the villian, is this opening scene just supposed to show how violent he is? In my opinion, it could have been left out of the movie.

Sad but beautiful.......2000-04-29

This is a very sad but very beautiful movie.

A successful artist finds an old gingko bed and discovers that the ghost of Princess Mi-Dan, his lover from past life is trapped within it. Enters General Hwang who killed the artist (who was a court musician at the time) a thousand years ago because he wanted Mi-Dan for himself.

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.

Erotic Ghost Story Trilogy (Legendary Collection Edition) 3 Disc Package DVD

Average customer rating:

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

Collectibles | Categories |
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:

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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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:

Ghost of love
Beautiful! Awesome!
Grand melodrama on an epic scale - a masterpiece!
No more eyestrain!

The Phantom Lover
Starring: Philip Kwok , Roy Szeto , Fong Pao , Lei Huang , and Chien-lien Wu
Director: Ronny Yu
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00004WL3M
Release Date: 2001-01-16

Customer Reviews:

Ghost of love.......2007-06-03

What if Romeo and Juliet hadn't died? What if, instead, Juliet lost her mind and became a beggar, and Romeo became a scarred recluse, hiding in a decrepit opera house?

That's the whole idea behind "The Phantom Lover," a heartrendingly tragic story that is equal parts "Romeo and Juliet" and "Phantom of the Opera." It's crammed with lush sets, sweeping direction, and some truly brilliant acting and operatic vocals -- particularly from Leslie Cheung and Jacqueline Wu.

A troupe of actors arrive at a derelict opera house, and Wei Qing (Lei Huang) starts diddling around with singing scores there -- and suddenly a cloaked figure appears to give him lessons, even helping him when his voice falters onstage. Wei soon learns the story of the operahouse: it was built by a young opera singer, Song Danping (Leslie Cheung) who swept audiences away with his operatic adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet" -- which rankled the local officials.

Even more rankling to them was the love affair that bloomed between Danping, and the upper-class Wan-Yin (Jacqueline Wu). But her father forced her to marry a young man from a wealthy family, despise his cruelty to women. The resulting scandal destroyed their lives -- Danping was supposedly killed when the opera house was burned, and Wan-Yin went mad and was disowned by her family.

Of course, the Phantom Lover is Danping himself. Wei and his troupe determinedly revive Danping's old operas, to the delight of the townspeople. But Wei also becomes wrapped up in the miserable life of Wan-Yin, and forces the reclusive Phantom to emerge from the shadows, to deal with the demons of his ruined life...

It's never entirely clear why Danping allows his one true love to languish in poverty-stricken loneliness, but that's really the only plot hole in this movie. It occasionally slips over the line into melodrama, but most of the time it's saved from that great acting, and an obvious love of the beauty of music and tragic stories -- though this one has a happier ending for some.

The scenes are filled with starlit windows, dark shootings, sweeping operas with lush scenery, brightly coloured clothing, moonlit reunions, and gothic ruins filled with tattered luxury. It's a very sensual movie, and the fact that much of it is filmed in sepia tones doesn't really diminish that -- instead, it makes the powerful, passionate love of the past seem even more intense.

Ronny Yu's direction is full of sweeping shots and sensual lushness, and he emphasizes the beauty of the opera house and Wan-Yi, even when they're both in ruins. But Yu also peppers it with shocking moments, such as when Wan-Yin is savagely beaten and slandered in the streets by her old fiancee, and everyone except Wei is too terrified to move.

The main lovers are the most vibrant characters: Leung is magnificent as the Phantom Lover -- intense, compelling, and sometimes kinda frightening, although the character himself is rather self-absorbed. And Wu is even better as the pitiful, childlike Wan-Yi, who is perpetually locked in the last happy days on her life. Huang is also quite good as a young man who gains strength and confidence, but he's rather overshadowed by Leung and Wu.

"The Phantom Lover" is an intense, tragically romantic movie, with some great acting and magnificent direction. An excellent spin on the typical "Phantom of the Opera" storyline.

Beautiful! Awesome!.......2003-01-03

When a small, struggling acting troupe purchases a fire-damaged opera house, little do they realize that the opera house is haunted by two ghosts, one Sung Danping, a famous singer, and his lover Du Yuyan, daughter of a rich local merchant.

When the bank threatens to foreclose upon the troupe after an unsuccessful performance, the young actor Wei, encounters the ghost of Sung Danping. Sung Danping (in the tradition of Phantom of the Opera), teaches him to sing. Can Wei save the opera house before the bank forecloses? And what about the mysterious Sun Danping?

Phantom Lover was partially inspired by Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'phantom of the opera' but I liked this one a lot better, because it was set in China, and Sung's love for Yuyan was eternal. The musical score was simply beautiful, and Wei was convincing as a young naive actor, down on his luck.

I recommend this movie for fans of Chinese romantic movies. You won't be disappointed!

Grand melodrama on an epic scale - a masterpiece!.......2001-09-28

Teen idol Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing toplines Ronny Yu Yan-tai's superb Gothic melodrama "The Phantom Lover" (Ye Boon Goh Sing, 1995) as a famed actor in 1920's China whose affair with the daughter (Wu Chien-lien) of a scheming industrialist is opposed by their respective families, culminating in a terrible disaster which consumes the magnificent theater in which Cheung made his fortune. Ten years later, an impoverished theatrical troupe restores the now-derelict building, and the principal actor (Huang Lei, from Chen Kaige's "Life on a String" [Bian Zhou Bian Chang, 1991]) stumbles on the phantom-like Cheung, hiding amongst the ruins as a disfigured recluse. But the villainous factions which drove the ill-fated lovers apart are still active, and history begins to repeat itself, with potentially tragic consequences...

"The Phantom Lover" arguably ranks alongside John Woo's "Bullet in the Head" (Dip Huet Gaai Tau, 1990) as one of the crowning achievements of Hong Kong cinema. With spectacular Gothic sets designed by the late Eddie Ma Poon-chiu and swooping camerawork by world-class cinematographer Peter Pau Tak-hei (whose expansive images demonstrate the full potential of the Panavision frame), this sublime masterpiece represents a sensational marriage of old-fashioned storytelling with cinematic technique. The fast-moving narrative is heightened constantly by director Yu's operatic filmmaking style, a style which he perfected two years earlier in his acclaimed fantasy "The Bride With White Hair" (Baak Faat Moh Nui Juen, 1993), providing a near-perfect combination of plot, characterization and technical virtuosity. The script (by Roy Szeto Cheuk-hon, Raymond Wong Pak-ming and director Yu) is essentially a reworking of "Midnight Song" (Ye Bang Ge Sheng, 1937), an early effort by pioneering Chinese horrormeister Maxu Weibang, though Yu's film emphasizes atmosphere and melodrama over outright horror, and the film's central section - the heartbreaking disintegration of Cheung's relationship with Wu - is played to perfection by an attractive cast, and nicely underscored by Chris Babida's melancholy score. The only false note is sounded by Cheung's contribution to the soundtrack, a handful of feeble songs which struggle unsuccessfully to convey an appropriate sense of heartache and tragedy. Such blatant insincerity may help to explain his less-than-flattering appraisal of the film since its initial release.

Overall, there are few Hong Kong films as deserving of a two-disc special edition as "The Phantom Lover", but Tai Seng's region-free DVD (which runs 101m 47s) is a mixed bag. Whereas the 'modern' sequences (set in 1936) should have been sepia-toned with splashes of color - a deliberate artistic choice by the filmmakers - this DVD drains them to the verge of near-total black-and-white, and the full-color flashbacks pale in comparison with earlier laserdisc/DVD editions from the Far East (compare the clips in the accompanying featurette with the corresponding scenes in the film itself). The results are often drab and unappealing. Similarly, Tai Seng were unable to afford a new anamorphic transfer, so the image is merely letterboxed at 2.35:1, with optional subtitles in the lower masking. Though released in Hong Kong with a dubbed Cantonese soundtrack (included here, in 5.1 surround), viewers are urged to select the original sync-sound Mandarin track (also in 5.1), an effective remix of the theatrical DTS version. There's also an English track in 1.0 mono which is fairly sensitive to this particular film's demands.

Two separate commentaries are provided by the chief architects of the film's artistic success (Yu and Pau, respectively), and it's here that one learns the film's final cut was assembled in TWO WEEKS (!!), an astonishing revelation which is a testament to the remarkable skills of editor David Wu Tai-wai. By contrast, an equivalent Hollywood movie would have taken several MONTHS to work its way through the editing process! The second disc is a major disappointment: Three featurettes are promised, but they all turn out to be the same documentary repeated in English, Cantonese and Mandarin! In itself, it provides a fascinating glimpse into the filmmaking process, but the packaging seems to indicate three distinctly separate items, which is misleading. Trailers, photo galleries and biographies round out a pretty meager package. Tai Seng are to be commended for treating the film with due respect, but this two-disc set fails to meet expectations. Perhaps a single-disc arrangement (minus two of the three featurettes) might have been a wiser move?

Despite its flaws, this ambitious 'collector's edition' ultimately represents the best version of "The Phantom Lover" on home video to date, and is therefore highly recommended to anyone who loves the thrill of Pure Cinema. After all, it's the presentation which falls short of the mark, not the film itself.

No more eyestrain!.......2001-03-22

For years the various home video incarnations of Ronny Yu's sumptious follow-up to his popular 'Bride with White Hair' have been notorious for their miniscule subtitles, so Tai Seng has done fans of Hong Kong cinema a major service with this remastered release. Indeed, they've put together one of the most impressive and respectful packages any Hong Kong film has received in this country, including commentary tracks by Yu and cinematographer Peter Pau ('Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'), a "making of" featurette, trailers for Yu's previous films, and an isolated music score.

Both the original synch-sound Mandarin soundtrack and the Cantonese dub sound great (lead Leslie Cheung's real voice is heard on both). The visual transfer, howeer, is not quite as impressive as I was expecting, as the image sometimes seems a bit fuzzy and drab, lacking the clarity one associates with DVD. Still, it looks better than most U.S. homevideo releases of Hong Kong movies (I'm particularly thinking of Columbia's recent 'Once Upon A Time in China' disk), and some of the "drabness" may be due to deliberate choices on the parts of Yu and Pau, with them favoring a softer image that doesn't work as well on disk as on the big screen.

But what about the movie itself? Although engrossing, it didn't bowl me over like 'The Bride with White Hair' did. The story is partially inspired by Gaston Leroux's 'Phantom of the Opera' (it's a remake of 'Song at Midnight,' a classic 1930's Chinese that was in itself a semi-remake of the silent 'Phantom' with Lon Chaney). Leslie Cheung's character is clearly meant to be the most sympathetic (and least murderous) Phantom in any version of this story, but he also comes across as cold and narcissistic, needlessly cruel to the woman (the luminous Chien-lien Wu of "Eat Drink Man Woman') who was supposedly his One Great Love. Cheung is a great actor and an accomplished singer, but I find his vocals a bit treacly, and the music isn't nearly as stirring as the score for 'Bride with White Hair.'

Customer Reviews:

SUPPRESSED MEMORIES.......2006-12-26

Inner Senses is not a common ghost story and not a horror film in a popular, general meaning. Although all the elements seem to be intact and there are plenty of scenes and moments you'll jump on your seat watching. Line "I see dead people" don't frighten or surprise us anymore. Every second character in every other movie nowdays sees dead people, so what? Hence the more sophisticated Inner Senses get because it's actually not about ghosts and not about scaring a viewer. It's more of a drama camouflaged as a horror hilm.

In the beginning, when psychiatrist Jim starts seeing his patient Yan, he tells her he never understood why other shrinks try to make their patients remember the past, extract their darkest recollections from the remote corners of their memory. Why - if a person tried to forget it so much there had to be reasons. This speech of his will rise to the surface again in the end of the film, and a viewer will be reminded of them by what's going on on screen. When it's getting obvious Jim has issues with the past himself - issues he can't get over although he forgot everything a long time ago - we see a person can't totally forget and what's more important - shouldn't. Some things from the past can rule your life even if you don't know about it, they can ruin your whole existence and eat you alive because once you couldn't get rid of them or solve them. That's what happens to Jim, and we see the film's message as a vivid reminder to everyone that it's a bad thing to suppress your memories, ghosts will always come back to haunt you.

Inner Senses is quite a moody film, it's melancholic and sad. It has a brilliant score perfectly underlining its subject let alone atmosphere. Hadn't I knew I'd say it's a Korean film - so obviously it reminds of some best examples of Korean pictures - but it's a movie made in Hong Kong which has this common hidden topic for all the Hong Kong movies (as it seems to me) of a giant megapolis acting as a place where people are bound to be lonely and suffer from incomprehension. This is just some feeling I get watching HK films, and this theme of the City adds pretty much to the story here and for the spirit (no pun intended) of Inner Senses. To my opinion it's one of the most outstanding examples of contemporary Asian cinema of the genre, if you set your eyes on Face and Koma for example, Inner Senses is your kind of a movie.

HEALING THE TRAUMA OF THE PAST: GHOSTS OR NO GHOSTS.......2006-08-25

I highly recommend this wonderful movie. The movie starts off with the late actor [Leslie Cheung] in the role of a psychiatrist named Jim. As a lecturer at the local college Jim asserts to the students that there are no ghosts; but due to the upbringing and conditioning in asian society, many believe that ghosts do indeed exist.

Yan, a young suicidal woman, is sent to Jim to help her with her mental problems. Her problem is that she claims to see ghosts. Jim is doing a favor for a friend of his who works at the hospital, therefore, he takes her case on. As the film progresses we see Yan experience contact with all types of ghosts, and you're really are not sure if there are any ghosts, or if this is all in her mind.

Eventually, the young woman Yan starts to get better, however, Jim begins to see the ghost of a young girl from his past. Is he seeing ghosts? Or is this caused by the stress of overwork? The film lets the viewer decide what. The fact remains however, that Jim is now haunted by a ghost. And his colleagues notice that something is amiss with him when he tries to do Electro-Shock-Therapy on himself.

You could say that the ghosts are inner ghosts that haunt us all, or maybe Jim really is seeing ghosts? The question is put to the viewer--is this real, or is it in the heads of the two aforementioned individuals: Jim and Yan. That is what I liked aboout this film. It is a little slow paced, which is fine with me. I liked the film, and highly recommend it.

Asian Horror with intelligence and sensitivity.......2006-06-05

While there are some cliches apparent in this film, it's also amazing that some of the scenes in it have been used for newer releases like "The Shadow of The Wraith," for one. I am constantly finding that good films are always a minefield for our current horror directors. Of course, "Inner Senses" is also reknown for its real-life tragedy, the fact that Mr. Cheung committed suicide (almost re-enacting his own attempt to suicide in this film) is a constant reminder for his fans.

This is, in my opinion, one of the finest in Asian horror cinema that can be found. It is explores the inner workings of the mind and reveals a sensitivity that is rare in horror. Multi-layered and full of depth, this film has unfortunately been compared to "The Sixth Sense." While it does share some similarities, it's also quite easy to remember that most horror films share similarities, and the borrowing of ideas, in the past and now, has always been a hallmark of the creative person's life, whether one is a writer/poet, visual artist, or musician.

A slightly different ghost story.......2005-07-25

This film is about a lot of things but if I had to pick one it would be two sides of the ghost debate: do they or do they not exist?

When we come into the story we meet Yan, a twenty-something, unmarried girl who has been tortured, almost daily, by the spirits of the afterlife that she sees everywhere she goes. She cannot escape them and has even gone so far as to cover every single glass surface of her apartment (windows, mirrors, TVs) so that she cannot see their reflection.

She is estranged from her family save for a female cousin that has promised to take care of her and makes her go to therapy to sort it all out. The cousin's husband, a psychiatrist who also believes in ghost, feels that his wife's cousin is too high-maintenance and so he won't treat her. Instead, he suggests she go to a friend of his, Jim, who is better equipped to handle her.

Then we meet Jim, the non-believing psychiatrist, who conducts lectures at the local college and explains away the ghost factor by stating it's all in one's mind. And that the only reason why people believe there are ghosts is that they have been conditioned to believe in them since childhood, in the form of twisted stories designed to scare little children into submission. What everyone doesn't know about Jim, though, is that he's not as perfect as he seems. He's got Insomnia and it plays a major role in his life.

The two meet and begin seeing each other three times a week for Yan's sessions. Jim tries to get Yan to open up and tell him what's really going on but Yan insists she's not sick and that ghosts are real.

As the story progresses, Yan and Jim's relationship deepens and they become romantically involved. While Jim continues to be an insomniac and sleepwalk, Yan is seemingly cured from her ability to see ghosts. For a time both are happy.

Toward the end, however, the roles are reversed where the patient becomes the caretaker and the doctor becomes the patient.

We finally come to the closure where we find out why Jim can't sleep, why he sleepwalks and why Yan had a very good reason to be afraid.

I liked the story because of the way one ghost was portrayed. Usually we see movies where the ghost is just out to cause irrevocable harm and the individuals who come across it are just at the wrong place at the wrong time (Poltergeist), or the ghost causes trouble in order to get someone's attention because they need help (The Changeling).

This story was different because it involves a persistent ghost that hasn't forgotten a promise made to them and is hellbent on making sure it's remembered. No matter what the cost is.

If you read up on ghost lore you'll often see references to ghosts showing up because they have unfinished business to attend to. That they can't rest until this unfinished business is satisfied. This movie is about that and a bit more, it's a love story gone horribly wrong, it's about blocking out unpleasant things and why it's probably better to just face your fear and it's about two people that have more in common than meets the eye.

There was one part in this movie that gave me the chills. That alone is cause for celebration, at least for me, because I've seen a lot of horror movies.

Most fail to do this so I like when one is able to because it makes me feel as if I didn't waste two hours of my life. This story isn't a waste but if you're looking for constant tension that doesn't let up, I'd recommend The Grudge or Ju-On.

A Poignant Psychodrama for Healing the Scars of Trauma.......2005-05-12

Not enough has been forthcoming, unfortunately, in deference to our beloved Leslie Cheung, whose final film before his shocking and heart-numbing suicide resonates with the kind of haunting emotional static that confounds the mind, terrifies the soul, and renders helpless the heart's desire to rescue this good and beautiful, yet tormented person, too tortured by his OWN "inner senses," to give US prognosticative Leslie-loving ghosts (the actual HEALERS in the movie) sufficient insight by which to have read the warning signs of, and thereby take protective actions on behalf of, a twisted, roiling spirit in extremis.

Whether or not SOME PEOPLE understood what Leslie's real-life fate would be, having witnessed his "reel" fate in "Inner Senses," is a moot argument. The man who threw himself from atop a penthouse-style bar in a ritzy downtown Hong Kong Hotel that fateful day in April 2003, cannot REWIND the REAL. There is no PAUSE button. Everybody thought it was an "April Fool's Stunt," another bout of virtual unreality, over-the-top Leslie-style (no sick pun intended). Yet ... no joke: Leslie's gone. There is no REWIND. No STOP! The millions of Leslie worshippers worldwide CANNOT edit or redact "cinema verite" in the post-production dailies room, when the verity trump-cards "the reel world." Leslie's death was real. Why didn't we see it coming? And why could we not rescue him, from himself, or to the "inner senses" ostensibly beyond his control, or the control of his doctors and well-intentioned "caregivers," to harness constructively and organically transmogrify Leslie's "overwhelming demons" into "outer-others-centered, constructively happifying senses." Why couldn't we help Leslie recover from his not unsurprising depression? Why could we not turn the compost of his seeming dreadful future into eternal living roses?

Notwithstanding Leslie, as cinema qua cinema, "Inner Senses" is just okay. It's not as brilliant in its plotline as "The Sixth Sense," to which its been compared voluminously, yet by no means would I assign any sense of plagiaristic causation, either intentional or otherwise, to this initially small but now prodigiously huge gift from Hong Kong to the wide world of horror fans (and the rest of us) who feast or engender our curiosity upon the macabre and the gothic, no matter how faded, jaded or jejune.

Which is, in the end, probably the reason that we did NOT observe, let alone understand, the red alarm bells ringing everywhere throughout Cheung's "cinematic suicide letter" to us - exit, stage loft. And thus, Leslie Cheung became the "Richard Cory" at the dawn of the 21st century. "He fluttered pulses when he said, 'Good morning,' and [she] glittered when [she] walked." We were far too enamored with Leslie Cheung "The Demigod" and "Goddess," to perceive the androgyne so-fastidiously concealed, so sufferingly sheltered, within the velvet mask.

"Inner Senses" earns its 5 stars alone because Leslie Cheung is in it, and what's even more germane, its his swan song to us, his adoring "fandemic." That fandemic has only burgeoned with the loss of our favorite Cantonese son, secret idol, phantasy lover, and immortal beloved.

So what could we have done to save a precious life, not an icon, but a real life. It is rare but unbearably compelling, that we incorporate film into art therapy, the groundbreaking therapeutic neoscience, not so necessarily groundbreaking or "neo," given the fact its been in our arsenal of healing medicinal oeuvre for over 5,000 years. Only recently, however, has ANY SIGNIFICANT scientific credence at all been vouchsafed to Oriental intra-inter-integrative therapies. You could say, especially in the high-profile case of Cheung, "it's all been a terrible Occident."

Many would point out that my thoughts and ideas here are fuzzy-speculative at best, refried dog turd at worst. But what CAN we learn from film? Are we mere passive intakers of 24 frames per second confabulatory unreality? Or do we SEE the men and women behind the facades of fable, the story behind the story tellers? Do we even care?

Well, I think it is fair to say we cared a LOT when Leslie left us, just as we did when John Belushi, Chris Farley, and so many other shining lights burnt out before our startled eyes, like the klieg lights in a shutting-down theater. Even the divorce of Nicole Kidman to Tom Cruise following the grueling creation of "Eyes Wide Shut" (which effectively killed director Stanley Kubrick's "marriage" (his life, fueled by filmic art) as well), serves as a clue to the reality that we as star-gazers have at least some responsibility, in preserving our "guiding-stars in Wide-screen Technicolor Heaven" from burning out irreplaceably.

But stars are stars. How do we reach them; even traveling at the speed of cinematic light, which most of us are quite inept at doing? We expect our movie stars, like our baseball idols, basketball heroes, wrestling juggernauts and even, yes - many living religious compassion gardeners (the tender-hearted little monk Thich Nhat Hanh comes to mind), to be beyond our ken, the reach which exceeds our grasp. Yet what's a Heaven for?

All of us are human. The good, the bad, we CANNOT dualize reality and confound the indomitable paradox of the unity of the web of all life.

Had Cheung been able to read the new book just out, "Yi Shu: The Art of Living With Change - Integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine, Psychodrama, and The Creative Arts," authored by internationally-acclaimed Professor, Psychologist, Social Worker, Artist and Art Therapist Gong Shu of Saint Louis, Missouri (published by F.E. Robbins & Sons Press), and had he been able to be under the care of Dr. Gong, whose compassion I find boundless and who saved my own, unfamous, unglamorous but nonetheless REAL life in 1995 from certain self-slaughter, for any length of time - then perhaps we would be enjoying Leslie's latest celluloid dessert tomorrow, or perhaps Leslie would decide to abandon theatre altogether, in favor of a more relaxed, less phantasy-imbrued, less hyper-virtual "sur-REELity" lifeline. We just don't know, or can ever know. Leslie left us, not with a swan song after all, but with a tragic and forever-inexplicable, swan dive. We failed him, not as cineastes, but as compassionate contemplators and activists ourselves, in the all-too-real and inarguably cruel, world each one of us knows as "the living stage."

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