Although the cinematic wave of East Asian horror in the west seems to have passed since the 2000s, that does not mean films from that region still don’t hold up or lack the same merit. In truth, a number of them are even better now that any resentment towards the trend of importing and remaking Asian horror has dissipated.
Like their neighboring regions and countries, China and other territories look to folklore and native culture when penning horror. Even with apparitions and other ghoulish fiends present, the variety in general Chinese horror is more surprising than expected. And these ten specific Chinese-language horror movies are absolutely terrifying.
Dr. Lamb (1992)
An unhinged taxi cab driver gives in to his bloodlust and murders various women whenever it rains. His perversion does not end there as he enjoys photographing his grisly accomplishments. Now, an inspector is hot on his tail.
Truth be told, Dr. Lamb is more kooky than creepy. The imagery and execution are both so excessive that you won’t be that scared. But this underseen 1992 thriller deserves to be seen by a wider and hopefully more appreciative audience today.
Corpse Mania (1981)
Although Kuei Chih-Hung’s other horror movies like Hex are supernatural, this little-seen 1981 flick is less fantastical. In Corpse Mania, the employees at a high-end brothel are the target of a homicidal killer who gets a bit too close to his victims’ post mortem.
Corpse Mania is quite depraved because of the direction it takes and how far it’s willing to sink morally. However, the story is elevated by giallo inspired aesthetics and intrigue. It’s a beautifully, chilly serial killer thriller that is far better than it ever should be.
Love Massacre (1981)
The chances of finding a good copy of Patrick Tam’s elusive Love Massacre are slim to none. There is virtually no known effort at bringing international fans a remastered much less watchable version of this heralded arthouse slasher. This Hong Kong slasher is a drastic and beautiful departure from the industry’s approach to horror at the time.
In Love Massacre, a college student named Ivy is becoming more and more paranoid as the days pass. She’s emphatic that someone is after her. Stalking her. But no one — not even her concerned boyfriend — believes her. Unfortunately, Ivy is right. And it might be too late to save her now.
Bless this House (1988)
It might appear strange to include a horror-comedy, but there’s more to Ronny Yu’s 1988 ghoster Bless This House than meets the eye. In the film, we see a family vacation at the patriarch’s boss’ home. As they stay there, something sinister within the walls manifests and scares the family.
To the hardened horror fans who do not want their frights mixed with humor, Bless This House will be a challenge. It suffers a lot from localized Hong Kong slapstick that was popular throughout the 1980s and a good part of the 1990s. Once that comedic buildup is out of the way, though, Yu’s film has some menacing moments.
Seeding of a Ghost (1983)
The Shaw Brothers’ 1983 movie Seeding of a Ghost is not for the fainthearted. It’s considered one of their best horror efforts, but fans do admit it isn’t the more fast-paced of their works.
In the film, a Hong Kong taxi cab driver is cursed after he runs over the wife of a sorcerer. The curse leads to the driver’s wife being attacked by lowlife criminals. With no other choice, the husband goes on hands and knees to the sorcerer, begging for the hex to be lifted. Instead, the vengeful warlock has other plans in store for the man.
Dumplings (2004)
Fruit Chan shocked and intrigued viewers with this psychologically gruesome horror parable about those aiming to look ageless. Dumplings originated as part of the 2004 East Asian anthology Three… Extremes, which is a sequel to the 2002 film Three. However, the Hong Kong-based segment Dumplings was expanded into a feature-length film and then re-released on its own. The endings do differ, by the way.
In Dumplings, an affluent woman feels as if her life is falling apart. Not only is her husband cheating on her with a young masseuse, she feels unattractive. So, she eats a highly sought out dumpling that contains an ingredient that’s said to rejuvenate consumers. That ingredient, however, is taboo.
Silk (2006)
As a scientist tries to harness the energy of spirits, he and his colleagues find a child’s ghost whose power may be the key to an anti-gravity device he has been experimenting with. To harvest the young specter’s energy, though, they dive into why he was murdered in the first place.
The Taiwanese ghoster Silk has a fairly out-there concept, but it definitely helps the movie stand out from others. The premise alone will engross viewers. And, in addition, the mystery of the young spirit will keep them glued to the screen.
Rigor Mortis (2013)
An actor on the verge of ending his own life learns that his entire apartment block is home to a vampire hunter and other supernatural creatures.
This 2013 Hong Kong movie produced by Takashi Shimizu (The Grudge) pays tribute to the classic horror movie series Mr. Vampire, which is credited for the “hopping vampire” trend from yesteryears. It even stars some of the same cast, including Anthony Chan, Siu-ho Chin, Billy Lau and Richard Ng. The Hollywood Reporter said that Juno Mak’s debut movie is “a lavish, heavy-handed retreading and reinvention of Hong Kong and Japanese horror-film tropes, saved from clinical inhumanity by its veteran cast.”
The Eye (2002)
The Pang Brothers gained international acclaim after releasing this supernatural tale. In The Eye, a blind musician is offered the gift of sight again after a transplant procedure. There’s a consequence of her regained vision, though. The woman has the uncanny and frightening ability to see ghosts. If she wants to get rid of this affliction, she must research the source of her donor.
While The Eye does not shirk tropes, it does present them in a way that feels more fresh than not. Its lead, Angelica Lee, is captivating as she pulls off an emotional role that seals the deal on why The Eye is toted as a modern classic in Chinese-language horror.
There was also an English-language remake starring Jessica Alba that received mixed reviews.
Dream Home (2010)
Lai-Sheung is an unhappy woman burdened with caring for her ill grandfather and her brother. All she wants is to own an apartment by the water, but, unfortunately, the state of Hong Kong’s housing market is interfering with Lai-Sheung’s chances. To escape her depressing life, she comes up with a cutthroat way to achieve her lofty goal.
Dream Home is a slasher movie on the surface, but once you look past that, you see a sad story about a woman whose life has all but been destroyed by a cruel hand of fate. Her desperation is palpable to anyone whose aspirations have become smaller over time.
