Rigor Mortis (2013)

A public housing tenement is plunged into a dark storm of supernatural chaos.

Director:

Juno Mak

Writers:

Lai-Yin Leung (script) (as Jill Leung), Philip Yung (script)

Stars:

Anthony Chan, Siu-Ho Chin, Fat Chung

7 wins & 28 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Anthony Chan	...	Yau (as Antony 'Friend' Chan)
Siu-Ho Chin	...	Chin Siu-Ho
Fat Chung	...	Gau
Chun-Man Ko	...	Feng's husband
Giselle Lam	...	Siu-Ho's Wife
Billy Lau	...	Cook
Hoi-Pang Lo	...	Uncle Yin
Richard Ng	...	Uncle Tung
Hee Ching Paw	...	Auntie Mui (as Nina Paw)
Kara Wai	...	Yeung Feng

Storyline

In this eerie and chilling, contemporary, action/special effects laden homage to the classic Chinese vampire movies of the 1980's, writer-director-producer, Juno Mak makes his feature directorial debut. Co-produced by J-Horror icon Takashi Shimizu, and reuniting some of the original cast members of the classic Mr. Vampire series, RIGOR MORTIS is set in a creepy and moody Hong Kong public housing tower whose occupants we soon discover, run the gamut from the living to the dead, to the undead, along with ghosts, vampires and zombies.

---

Plot Keywords:

vampire | directorial debut | hong kong | ghost | blond boy | 

---

Taglines:

Nobody's story ends well here (UK DVD, back)

---

Genres:

Action | Horror

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

6 June 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rigor Mortis

Box Office

Budget:

HKD 15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$603,742 (Hong Kong), 27 October 2013, Limited Release

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kudos Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Each ghost in the film is based on a mythological Chinese ghost: * The actor is a diao si gui, a lost soul who wanders aimlessly after a suicide by hanging. * The old man is a jiangshi, a vampire ghost. * The old woman is a gui po, a ghost who means well and wants to help but can take her methods too far. * The twins are nu gui, vengeful spirits after suffering sexual assault and suicide. * The mother is a di fu ling, a ghost eternally bound to a location that drove her to suicide.

---

Goofs

Towards the beginning, we see Pak exiting the elevator through a reflection of Chin's sunglasses. In this image, we also see the floor number 24. However, since this is being seen via reflection, the number 24 should be reversed as a mirror image, but it is not.

---

Crazy Credits

Right up to and at least one minute passed the very end of all the main end credits' there is a shot of the "vampire blood-wheel" in motion. Again, this is after the end credits after at least one minute of blank/black screen, on the UK Metrodome DVD.

---

Connections

Features Xia ri fu xing (1985)

---

Soundtracks

Spiritual Love
By Anders Nelsson (as Nelsson Anders Gustav)
Lyrics by Kok-Kong Cheng (as Cheng Kok Kong)

User Reviews

Eerie and disturbing homage to the classic Mr. Vampire.

Director Juno Mak brings us a horror HK movie like nothing else, a story about a former actor who makes his new home at a creepy, dark and depressed-looking Hong Kong public housing tower. There, he encounters a slew of ghosts and zombies.

It was nice to see a brand new horror movie from Hong Kong that pays homage to the classic Mr. Vampire and other ghost genre movies of the 1980s-1990s. Actors from the original Mr. Vampire series reunited to star in this film, including Chin Siu Ho, Anthony Chan, Billy Lau, Chung Fat and Richard Ng. They, including others in the movie, gave a very powerful and dramatic performance in their respective roles. Lai-yin Leung and Philip Yung wrote a very moody, dark and eerie story that, despite being a homage, provided a huge departure to the Chinese vampire/ghost movies of the 80s and 90s. The usual lighthearted humor and slapstick comedy seen in those movies were sorely absent in this film.

The darkness and gloomy atmosphere that surrounded this movie almost made it seem that the heydays of those classic ghost/vampire movies were long gone. Still, though, the setting and cinematography were a nice touch and it accentuated the horror and solemn drama felt in the film.

The plot goes at a fairly fast pace, keeping you engaged and intrigued. The main vampire in the film was executed very well and all the events leading to its appearances provided enough creepiness and terror to make the hair raise behind your neck.

While a pretty scary and intriguing movie, many of the plot points are confusing and the special effects team relied too heavily on CGI. The two female ghosts portrayed in the film seemed like a rip-off of The Grudge and the hopping vampire didn't really hop much - just gliding from place to place with heavy CGI influence. In addition, the bloody gore and adult themes were done overboard.

Overall, it's not a horrible movie. I prefer watching the Chinese vampires movies of the 80s and 90s, but this one is worth the watch at least once for a good scare and reminiscing.

Grade C-