Mr. Vampire (1985): Cult classic hopping vampires
1985 • Ricky Lau • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓
The cult horror comedy Mr. Vampire, directed by Ricky Lau, follows a Taoist priest and his two assistants as they attempt to manage and control supernatural entities, including reanimated corpses. When their rituals fail, and a powerful hopping vampire escapes, they must contain the threat while dealing with the increasingly chaotic consequences.
Drawing from Chinese folklore rather than Western vampire traditions, the film popularised the jiangshi, also known as the hopping vampire, and helped define a subgenre of comedic supernatural action films. These vampires have rigid, upright postures and move by synchronised hopping, creating a distinctive visual rhythm that combines horror imagery with almost mechanical movements.
The film blends horror with slapstick comedy and martial arts choreography, all wrapped up in folklore. Alongside seals, swords, mirrors and rice, there are also a ghost, a burgeoning romance, and a healthy dose of silliness. This formula spawned a franchise led by the great unibrow Taoist priest, played by Lam Ching-ying.
Technical Specs:
- The Story: When a Taoist priest and his bumbling disciples attempt to re-bury a corpse, they accidentally unleash a jiangshi—an undead vampire—setting off a chaotic blend of horror, martial arts, and slapstick comedy.
- Actors: Lam Ching-ying, Ricky Hui, Chin Siu-ho, Moon Lee, Huang Ha, Anthony Chan, Billy Lau.
- Director: Ricky Lau
- Year: 1985
- Cinematographer: Peter Ngor Chi-Kwan
- Origin: Hong Kong Cinema
- Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
- Genre: Horror Comedy
