Rigor Mortis (2013)

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

Director:

Juno Mak

Writers:

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

Stars:

Siu-Ho Chin, Kara Wai, Hee Ching Paw

8 wins & 27 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Siu-Ho Chin	...	Chin Siu-Ho
Kara Wai	...	Yeung Feng
Hee Ching Paw	...	Auntie Mui (as Nina Paw)
Anthony Chan	...	Yau (as Antony 'Friend' Chan)
Hoi-Pang Lo	...	Uncle Yin
Richard Ng	...	Uncle Tung
Fat Chung	...	Gau
Billy Lau	...	Cook
Morris Ho
Zip Ho
Oggy Ho
Bobo Tsang
Chun-Man Ko	...	Feng's husband (as Ray Ko)
Giselle Lam	...	Siu-Ho's Wife
Chak-Sun Lau	...	Siu-Ho's Son

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.

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Plot Keywords:

possession | haunted | shaman | supernatural fight | psychotronic film | 

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Taglines:

The dead will rise (UK DVD, front)

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Genres:

Action | Horror

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The tall ghosts that cross the hallway carrying parasols are based on Chinese reapers. Three variations include: * A reaper that returns a soul 7 days after they die to home. They return the soul to their home to say goodbye to loved ones before being taken to hell. * Reapers that collect a lost soul that has wandered for 7 days. * A reaper on the hunt for wandering souls that they trap in their parasol. It is used as a net. This is where the superstition originates that you must not open one indoors should it contain a ghost.

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Goofs

In the dialogue, a zombie incorrectly identifies himself as a vampire.

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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.

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Connections

Features Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985)

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Soundtracks

Spiritual Love
Composed By Anders Nelsson (as Nelsson Anders Gustav)
Lyrics by Kok-Kong Cheng (as Cheng Kok Kong)
Re-arranged produce by Juno Mak
Vocal section by Adrian Chan
Re-arranged by Nate Connelly
[Theme Song]

User Reviews

Revival of the dead also revives Hong-Kong cinema.

Rigor Mortis, alongside Dream Home (2011) and Vulgaria (2012) is a string of strikingly local, one-hundred percent "Made in HK" cantonese productions thoroughly tickling the film buds of HK-cinefreaks like myself.

Prepared in a film industry long perceived as dead by me. One that since have been focusing on mainland China as its' main moviegoer, racking up Chinese-produced spectacles featuring dubbed mainland performers when not dishing out Lan Kwai Fong 1,2,3. This is a very, if not exceptionally, welcomed piece of what drove me to HK-cinema in the first place.

Take a slice of 80's hopping vampires sans the comedy, blended into perfection with stylish visuals, Ju-On-esque storytelling, loads of urban cantonese profanities and one can totally engulf himself in a genuine Hong-Kong movie experience. One rarely stumbled upon today.

Thank you, Juno Mak!

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese

Release Date:

6 June 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rigor Mortis

Box Office

Budget:

HKD15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,865, 8 June 2014

Gross USA:

$7,865

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$3,018,374

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kudos Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1