The Devil (1981) User Reviews

Above Average Early-80's HK gore film...

[EVOL666 · 6/10 · 11 February 2006]

Honestly, I'm not a big fan of this era of Hong Kong horror films. I love a lot of the CAT III sleaze/exploit/horror stuff that came later, and I love most Japanese horror/exploit/pinky stuff from the 60's through today - but I find most of the horror films that came out of the early 80's in Hong Kong to be pretty much the same story told in different ways - usually pretty ineffectively. This is no different with THE DEVIL - but this one is done better than the previous attempts that I've seen.

The story behind THE DEVIL is of a con-man who infiltrates a relatively wealthy family who owns a hotel, when the hotel bell boy, Ding-Dong (?!?), plays a little match-making with the hotel owners daughter. It's found out that the con-man has done this sort of thing before, and when he's exposed and inadvertently causes the death of the hotel owner, the matron of the family puts a curse on him. At the same time that this is happening, random people are coming into contact with some sort of witch that lives in the woods that makes her "victims" puke worms, maggot, centipedes, slime, and blood in pretty gruesome fashion when she "possesses" them...

The story behind THE DEVIL is relatively straight-forward and isn't quite as confusing as some of the other similar films from this genre that I've seen - but there were still plenty of moments when I lost track of the characters, or why certain things were happening. Luckily, there were enough worm-puking scenes (which seems to be a "staple" of these kinds of films - but THE DEVIL does them better...) to keep me relatively entertained. Unfortunately though, other than a chick getting her face smashed with a rock, and a guy having insects, worms, and snakes cleaned out of his guts in the very beginning...the worm-puking scenes are the only other type of gore scenes, and end up being kinda redundant after the first few times. Even so, this one was a little more enjoyable than some of the others I've seen, and I would recommend THE DEVIL to fans of such films as SEEDING OF A GHOST, DEVIL FETUS, or CENTIPEDE HORROR. 6/10

Devilish squirm.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 4/10 · 30 December 2020]

After seeing the interesting The Nesting (1981-also reviewed) I looked for a snappy flick to place in the middle of my Horror in 1981 triple viewing. Checking the top of the pile of flicks from '81 I had waiting to play,I saw a Hong Kong Horror,which led to me getting set for a devilish viewing.

View on the film:

Wiggling to get in on the "Black Magic" Horror craze the Shaw Brothers were getting hits from at the time, director Jen-Chieh Chang & cinematographer Hsi-Chieh Lai grab a gross-out proto- CAT III opening of a grisly witch tossing the bugs,snakes,worms and gunge out of the guts of a man being thrown across the screen under a burning neon light.

When not indulging in cursed worm puking or flying Kung-Fu witches, Chang jolts the film to a frustrating stop-start atmosphere, where welcomed odd Horror set-pieces are chewed up by aggregating broad Comedy, with the cast attempts to be kooky ending up more like grating.

This tone leaves the abrupt move in the miss-matched screenplay by Po Sheng Lu into over ripe family Melodrama for the clumsy final, to leave the devil with the last laugh.

maggots and ding dong the annoying boy

[trashgang · 6/10 · 17 October 2013]

This surely is a cult phenomena. It's being searched by horror buffs world wide and so far it doesn't had a proper release on DVD. It's out on oversized US VHS release and of course a Japanese release. If you find this flick then you will have to pay mostly around 150$! Is it worth that amount of money.

If you like Centipede Horror (1983) or films involving puking of real animals then this is a must see. It's a typically Hong Kong horror flick with horrible dubbing and cheesy acting but this one goes for extreme gross-outs in the form of a virus inflicted on people by a ghost that makes them break out in boils and abscesses, burst in green goo, and vomit pus, blood, worms, centipedes and snakes. Sadly that's it, were as the other animal puking flicks did had an interesting story this is rather boring. Still it's not for the squeamish or easily offended because a snake (living) is smashed to death and living animals do crawl out of the actors their mouth.

An excellent extreme gory opening with magic rituals and a body being opened by her to reveal maggots and goo. But from there Xie Mo becomes rather boring and goes downhill especially the scene's at the hotel with Ding Dong the young boy and there are a lot! You really have to sit through tame parts to see the maggots and puking, the final is worth seeing too. Only for the buffs.

Gore 2,5/5 Nudity 0/5 Effects 1/5 Story 1/5 Comedy 0/5

Ultra-gross Chinese horror includes worm-puking

[squeezebox · 28 February 2003]

Unrelentingly bizarre Hong Kong horror movie about an ancient curse which causes victims to vomit worms, maggots and slime. There's a rather convoluted murder mystery as well, but who cares about that? It's gore you want to see and its gore that you get--and it's some of the messiest ever to ooze across the screen. There are several scenes of ascending repulsiveness in which a victim flails on the ground as (real) worms, maggots, centipedes, eels, slime, blood and pus erupt from their mouths and skin. It's even more disgusting than it sounds. But the strangest thing about this movie is how light and cheery it is between the puking scenes. People laugh, ride through the park, go to the movies together, and there's an obnoxiously spunky little bellboy named Ding Dong (!). And, of course, there's the ridiculous dubbing job which is sure to annihilate any hint of scariness or atmosphere. There's a creepy opening in which a woman is mugged and has her face bashed in with a rock, followed by a scene in which a witch cuts open a sick man's stomach and scoops out all the maggots and worms infesting his guts. Yuck. After that, the aforementioned happy-go-lucky nonsense kicks in, and we have to wait a while for the next bout of nastiness. Be prepared to fast-forward through the incoherent plot and inane dialogue, but if you're a fan of Asian horror with a concentration on worm-puking, this is the movie for you. Worthy of note is the fact that a muzak version of Billy Joel's "The Stranger" plays during a bar scene.

Awful early 80s HK horror.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 21 April 2006]

In the opening scene of The Devil, a woman performs a magic ritual on a man covered from head to foot in erupting boils and lacerations; she opens up his stomach with a knife, fishes around in his maggot-infested guts and removes all manner of muck before patching him up. After this promising start, the film goes rapidly downhill.

The rest of this dreadfully inept movie deals with the tale of an avenging ghost whose victims cough up bucket loads of snakes and multi-coloured goop before finally kicking the bucket. Although this sounds like a gorehound's dream-come-true, the effects are lame and the excruciatingly awful scenes between the 'mucky' bits would test the patience of even the most obsessive horror fan.

In fact, the only reason I can possibly think of for recommending this dreadful film to anyone is that you will get to witness one of the most bizarre cinematic characters ever in the form of 'Ding Dong', the annoying camp bellboy; his outfits are so gay they will have you sniggering uncontrollably.

So. if you wish to see a small boy sporting tight white shorts, braces and a cap, or a fetching Sgt. Pepper style uniform, go ahead and enjoy; otherwise, I would stay well away.

Worm-puking nightmare.

[HumanoidOfFlesh · 7/10 · 20 February 2005]

"The Devil" is a typical example of early 80's gross Hong Kong horror.A loving family's world is turned upside down when a stranger named Chao arrives and ends up marrying into the family.He has conned them all because he is not the kind and caring person he at first appears to be,in fact he is a ruthless devil intent on stealing everything the family has.The cruelty gets out of control and results in the death of one of the family elders.Finally the forces of dark sorcery are called upon to attempt to exact a violent revenge.This absolutely revolting horror film is definitely not for the easily offended.Bodies are ripped open to show the insect covered entrails within,blood squirts,kung-fu ghosts attack,tons of maggots are regurgitated amidst waves of green bile,faces are bashed in and many more.The death scene of the man who threatened Chao at his wedding has to be seen to be believed.He throws up live worms,centipedes and snakes,amidst slime and blood and is burned alive by some town people.The special effects by Cheng Yu Feng are surprisingly effective and the cast is pretty good.Overall,if you like bizarre Asian horror films you can't go wrong with "The Devil".7 out of 10.

Better than The Godfather

[EitoMan · 10/10 · 15 March 2006]

First off, let me say that "The Devil" is the feel good movie of the year! It's a roller-coaster ride of thrills and chills! It's a triumph of Chinese Cinema!

After watching this film, I can honestly say it is probably the finest example of Hong Kong gore. I suspect there's actually no plot to this thing--not that it matters. If you like to see one gratuitous scene after another of people vomiting snakes, worms and maggots, then this film is for you! Oh, there's plenty of erupting boils as well. And a rather fey Chinese boy dressed like the long-lost miniature Asian member of the Village People. His name is (and I'm not making this up) "Ding Dong." Mere words just cannot do this masterpiece justice.

Sell all your worldly possessions and go see this film NOW!!!!!

Worth a look for lovers of Asian cult cinema.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 19 October 2020]

A handsome conman named Gu Bausheng charms his way into the family that owns the "Lucky Hotel". Once he's all settled in, he lets his true sleazy personality rise to the surface, and treats everybody like garbage, including his lovely new wife, Shueh Li. After the death of a family member, others implore "Auntie" to loose a "tame head curse" upon the evil Gu Bausheng.

"Xie Mo" (known as "The Devil" in North America) gets off to a great start, as it unleashes unholy atmosphere and gross-out moments upon the viewer with a vengeance. Its best moments are filmed using garish red and green colour schemes, and characters develop abscesses all over their body, and are made to vomit up all manner of slithering creatures: snakes, worms, centipedes, etc.

There's so much fun horror of the nasty kind here that it makes it worth sitting through the whole film, although to be honest there's also a lot of set-up and melodrama. Writer Po Sheng Lu and director Jen-Chieh Chang take their time telling the story, showing us the effects of this newcomers' presence on the hotel grounds. There are signs that all is not right, as one angry man claims that Gu is not who he says he is. There is also one incredibly annoying child character, the aptly named "Ding Dong", who's a nuisance almost every time he shows up. Other performances range from acceptable to pretty cheesy; the dialogue (or, at least, the English subtitles) can be quite amusing as well.

If the viewer can patiently wait through the more story and character-oriented material, they'll be rewarded with some of the most wonderfully gruesome splatter that they can see in a film of this type. In fact, it's interesting how the filmmakers try to reconcile all the lighter and sillier moments with the horror that they create. The show-stopping special effects by Cheng Yu Feng are the highlight.

In the end, we're provided with a little bit of exposition, although it's not as if we can't figure out most of this stuff on our own.

"The Devil" is a slimy, worm-ridden delight if one has the stomach for it.

Seven out of 10.

An enjoyably gross Hong Kong horror yuckfest

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 24 July 2008]

An evil, ugly, rot-faced witch casts spells on her victims that turn their insides into bugs and snakes. Meanwhile, a smooth con man named Chao marries into a well-to-do family so he can steal their money. Director Jen Chieh Chang, working from a muddled script by Luk Pak Sang, relates the ridiculously convoluted story at a plodding pace and fails to maintain a steady and even tone (the picture fluctuates wildly from being light and silly one moment to more grim and horrific the next moment!). Yet despite these flaws, this movie remains strangely compelling thanks to its genuinely oddball plot and offbeat "anything can happen" unpredictable atmosphere. The film really kicks to life with a series of memorably vile and revolting in-your-face graphic and unflinching splatter set pieces: a luckless lady has her face smashed in with a rock at the start of the flick, a man has his stomach cut open so various writing insects can be removed from his abdomen, a possessed guy gets burned at the stake, and a few folks vomit forth plenty of slithery snakes and grody bugs. Li Shih Chieh's acceptable cinematography, the laughably lousy dubbing, Wang Mao Shan's shivery ooga booga score, and an obnoxiously hearty little boy named Ding Dong further add to the endearingly schlocky charm of this totally disjointed, but still peculiarly entertaining junk.

Worms And Snakes. Yummers

[DavyDissonance · 7/10 · 28 February 2020]

Some deformed looking b···· is running around, making men puke worms and s···. The Devil is a typical far east Asian horror movie that contains vomiting and snakes and so forth. You know, the usual far east malarkey. I thought this one was good. It does contain some very gruesome body horror sequences, it's paced rather well and has an okay story. And I hate that little f····· Ding Dong. God! Asian kids are just the worst. This kid is just a whiny s··· with a gay bellboy costume. So annoying. Regardless, if you like Asian black magic movies, give this one a whirl.

Not "The Devil's Express"

[rwagn · 12 February 2006]

Videoasia has just released several two-fers under the collection called "Tales of Voodoo". Be aware that Volume 3 was supposed to contain "The Devil's Express" and "The Rapist". I have been trying to find a DVD version of "The Devil's Express" for years and was ecstatic to allegedly find it here for $7.99! However upon playing the disc I was disappointed to find the movie is actually " The Devil'". The other reviewers have already given a fair description of the film. I would like to add that this DVD collection has no menu, the film just begins and replays in a continuous loop, and no extras. Actually, the packaging is the best part of the product. The box does state, "Stiff as a corpse unanimated menus and pine box quality chapter feature" so I guess they are being honest. Buyer beware!

The Hotel Of Horror Welcomes You Inside. A Free Curse With Every Room.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 6/10 · 7 May 2022]

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of The Devil; here's the breakdown of my ratings:

Story: 1.50 Direction: 1.25 Pace: 1.00 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 1.25

TOTAL: 6.25 out of 10

The devil is one of those films you have to stay with until the end. It's only at this moment that everything becomes clear. And, I have to say, the story threw me, and I had the wrong character named the killer.

That was due to the story being a tad misleading, but aren't the best mysteries{?) Just ask Agatha Christie about red herrings. The main problem is the slowness of the unfolding story. There are a few periods which acquire a smidgen of dullness. The slowness comes after the opening sequence and picks up midway. The writers use this to build the characters, the mystery, and the relationships. It isn't too awful, though it could have been more entertaining. The entertainment comes from the young hotel porter. This kid is cunning, quick-witted, and extremely humourous. I wish some of his traits had rubbed off on the other characters in the story. Apart from him and the bad guy, the others are underwritten. They are too ordinary, and as such, a tad boring. But once the story gets going and the spells cast, hold on tight and get those grey cells working to figure out who the killer is.

The direction is sound and pretty entertaining, especially the gross-out effects. Note I didn't say special effects. No, the best FX in this film are all too real. Drop some red and green liquid on the victim under the spell, and then get them to spew up a few live worms or maggots - Urgh! I feel sorry for these actors and actresses. It's nothing special, but it works marvellously. There is one nasty special effects scene at the start. One victim is having his curse lifted. The removal requires the sorceress to open up the guy's stomach and remove all the creepy crawlies inside. However, as with the story, the drawback is the slowness of the film's pacing. Some scenes required more crispness and quicker cuts as they didn't need to be so long.

The acting is okay. The kid playing the young Hotel Porter stands out in this film. That is as much down to his written character as the child's performance, which is excellent.

The Devil is a good and entertaining movie, though a dash slow at the start. I would happily recommend it to all the horror fans out there, especially the Gore-Hounds and the Scooby Gangs. I may partake of this magical mystery film again, some time.

Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror list to see where I ranked The Devil.

Take Care & Stay Well.