Chow lok yuen (2003)

Director:

Wai-keung Lau

Writers:

Yiu Fai Lo (writer)
Wah-Shum Lung (writer)

Release Date:

23 October 2003 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Horror | Drama

Tagline:

The price of admission is Your Life.

Plot:

An amusement park reopens after a deadly accident fourteen years prior. But although the park is back in business, that doesn't mean it's safe, and when a young boy goes missing, a group of his friends set out to find him.

Plot Keywords:

Amusement Park | Missing | Ferris Wheel | Watchman | Ghost

Cast

Bobo Chan	...	Yen Yu
Edwin Siu	...	Alan Yu
Tiffany Lee	...	YY (as Tung-Yi Lee)
Kara Hui	...	Mrs. Yu
Kwok Cheung Tsang	...	Dan (as Derek Tsang)
Wing-Hong Cheung	...	Ka-ho (as Johnathan Cheung)
Laila Boonyasak	...	Pinky (as Cherman Boonyasak)
Matthew Paul Dean	...	Shan
Pubate Maganit	...	Ken
Eddie Pheenarak	...	Caretaker (as Chalerm Taweebot)

Directed by
Wai-keung Lau		(as Andrew Lau Lo)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Yiu Fai Lo		writer
Wah-Shum Lung		writer

Produced by
John Chong	....	executive producer
Wai-keung Lau	....	executive producer
Robert Li	....	executive producer
Angela Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
Ken Chan
Kwong Wing Chan

Cinematography by
Wai-keung Lau

Film Editing by
Curran Pang
Danny Pang

Art Direction by
Wong Ching Ching
Sung Pong Choo

Costume Design by
Yin-Man Choi
Pik Kwan Lee

Production Management
Tang Wai But	....	production manager

Art Department
Shu-Wing Ho	....	props

Visual Effects by
Harry Ching Wei Hung	....	lighting and texture artist: Menfond Electronic Art
Eddy Wong	....	visual effects supervisor
Victor Wong	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Tat Chiu Lee	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jason Poh	....	grip

Production Companies

• Base Production Ltd.
• Hype Films Co. Ltd.
• Mega Star Production Ltd.

Distributors

• Elephant Films (2008) (France) (all media)
• Mediafilm (2004) (Italy) (all media)

Special Effects

• Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company

Other Companies

• Click Music  opening song
• Dreamworks Digital  avid editing
• Star East Music Publishing  theme song

Also Known As:

"The Park" - Hong Kong (English title), Singapore (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and some disturbing images

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Hong Kong | Thailand

Language:

Cantonese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:18PL | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:PG (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Base Production Ltd.

Trivia:

This film was partially shot in 3D.

Quotes:

Dan:Look! Mr. Chinese Vampire!

Movie Connections:

References A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Ghostly shenanigans.

Whoops I forgot my 3D glasses to experience those mind-popping images (where we are informed when to put them on or take them off), but I doubt that gimmick would have saved this already below-average, if bizarre supernatural/slasher tale from Hong Kong. It looks like it had a bit money behind it, but it feels second-rate when compared to others of its field and that ending is a complete wimp out.

At least it has going for it some stylish visual brushes by Wai-keung Lau's frenetic direction and an imposingly eerie setting (an abandoned theme park, which has some freaky looking clown dolls on a hanging tree) with some sensational art direction (like the opening entrance of the clown face). Too bad that it's senselessly penned with an messy same-old, same old structure (even though the concept showed more promise than your copy-and-paste 'Ringu' clone) of cheap jolts, typical thrills (that steals its thunder from other films) and lazily constructed characters. Even throughout it demonstrates some unwelcoming camp qualities, where the witless script and self-knowing humour just don't come off. It irritated, but not as much as the performances do. Bobo Chan in the lead role never convinces and her screaming/crying gave me a splitting headache.

Yen along with her friends are looking for her missing brother, despite the warning from her medium mother that he's dead. It leads them to an amusement park, which closed down over a decade ago after a horrible accident involving the death of a young girl. Instead of finding her brother they come across restless spirits who pick them off one by one.

The computer effects are well-done and never distracting, as there's one memorable decapitation sequence that's brilliantly executed and there's a little bit of blood 'n'gore in the traditional style. Sound effects hold an atmospheric grip, but those constant whooshing noises and whispering voices could've been toned down. The music score wasn't all that effective, even with some jaded cues.

Pretty much like a foreseeable, underwhelming haunted house theme park ride.