Sien nui yau wan (A Chinese Ghost Story)

One of the biggest Hong Kong hits of all time – featuring a charmingly naive debt collector (Leslie Cheung) as the initially unheroic protagonist. While fleeing from the storm at night, he ends up in an abandoned temple and loses his heart to the beauty living there, who unfortunately – enslaved by the evil tree witch – turns out to be a ghost. With the help of a mischievous and combat-happy monk, the demon is challenged in an attempt to free the beloved. The classic source material had already been adapted in 1960 by Li Han-hsiang as an atmospheric horror piece. Under the dual direction of Ching Siu-tung and producer Tsui Hark, the remake escalates a popular stylistic mix of the era into a breathtaking, dreamlike action comedy: after wild special effects, *Evil Dead* moments, and high-speed martial arts, there's even a rap version of a historical proverb. A film that's a true celebration, rightfully famous across all 26 provinces. (Christoph Huber)

Introduction by Christoph Huber on March 8, 2025

Photo: Austrian Film Museum