A CHINESE GHOST STORY (1987)

Crudely made, but ultimately a winning sort of hodgepodge. It draws from Chinese influences (Taoist philosophy, Qing dynasty ghost folklore, and 1960s Shaw Brothers films) but enlivens these by adding liberal doses of elements inspired by or outright ripped from US independent low-budget horror of the era (Sam Raimi, John Carpenter, and George Romero all lend more than a modicum of inspiration). Throw in some slapstick and some corny sight gags borrowed from who knows where and you are honestly most of the way toward having a pretty good stone soup. Sure, this film's reach exceeds its grasp in nearly every shot—and the frantic cutting ensures that there are a lot of shots—but it packs more energy, inventiveness, and heart into its 98 minutes than you might find in, say, an entire season of respectably made prestige TV.

A review of A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)

Crudely made, but ultimately a winning sort of hodgepodge. It draws from Chinese influences (Taoist philosophy, Qing dynasty ghost folklore, and 1960s Shaw Brothers films) but enlivens these by adding liberal doses of elements inspired or outright ripped from US independent low-budget horror of the era (Sam Raimi, John Carpenter, and George Romero all lend more than a modicum of inspiration). Throw in some slapstick and some corny sight gags borrowed from who knows where and you are honestly most of the way toward having a pretty good stone soup. Sure, this film’s reach exceeds its grasp in nearly every

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