Mr. Vampire IV

Mr. Vampire IV

Original Hong Kong film poster
Traditional 僵屍叔叔
Simplified 僵尸叔叔
Mandarin Jiāngshī Shūshū
Cantonese Goeng1 Si1 Suk1 Suk1
Directed by Ricky Lau
Produced by Sammo Hung
Jessica Chan
Screenplay by Lo Wing-keung
Story by Ricky Lau
Lo Wing-Keung
Shut Mei-yee
Sam Chi-Leung
Starring Anthony Chan
Wu Ma
Chin Kar-lok
Loletta Lee
Music by Stephen Shing
Cinematography Abdul M. Rumjahn
Tom Lau
Bill Wong
Edited by Peter Cheung
Keung Chuen-tak
Production
company
Bo Ho Films Co., Ltd.
Paragon Films Ltd.
Distributed by Golden Harvest
Release dates
  • 12 December 1988 (1988-12-12)
Running time
 96 minutes
Country Hong Kong
Language Cantonese
Box office HK$14,038,901

Mr. Vampire IV, also known as Mr. Vampire Saga Four, is a 1988 Hong Kong comedy horror film directed by Ricky Lau and produced by Sammo Hung and Jessica Chan. The film is the fourth of a series of five films directed by Ricky Lau in the Mr. Vampire franchise. Mr. Vampire and its sequels were released as part of the jiangshi cinematic boom in Hong Kong during the 1980s.[1] The Chinese title of the film literally translates to Uncle Vampire.

Plot

In the rural countryside, a bespectacled Taoist priest called Four-eyed Taoist is always at odds with his neighbour, a Buddhist monk called Master Yat-yau. Their respective students, Kar-lok and Ching-ching, are friendly towards each other. The Taoist and Buddhist play pranks on each other.

One day, a convoy of soldiers escorting a coffin passes by their houses. Inside the convoy is Four-eyed's junior, Taoist Crane, and Crane's four disciples, as well as a young prince and his bodyguards. Four-eyed and Yat-yau learn from Crane that there is a jiangshi (Chinese "hopping" vampire) in the coffin, and the convoy is on its way to the capital to let the emperor inspect the jiangshi.

During a thunderstorm that night, rainwater washes away the magical charms on the coffin and the vampire breaks out, becoming more powerful after being struck by a bolt of lightning. The vampire starts attacking everyone in the convoy and infecting them with the "vampire virus", causing them to transform into vampires as well after a short time. Taoist Crane remains behind to hold off the vampire while the prince and his attendant flee towards the houses.

At this critical moment, Four-eyed and Yat-yau both decide to put aside their differences and focus on destroying the vampires.

Cast

Home media

VHS

Release date
 Country
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Format
Language Subtitles Notes
 REF
Unknown United States Unknown Rainbow Audio and Video Incorporation NTSC Cantonese English [2]

Laserdisc

Release date
 Country
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Catalog No
Format
Language Subtitles Notes
 REF
Unknown Japan N/A Pioneer LDC CLV / NTSC Cantonese Japanese Audio Mono [3]
1989 Hong Kong N/A Unknown SEL0133H89 CLV / NTSC Cantonese None Audio: Stereo, 2 Sides [4]

VCD

Release date
 Country
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Format
Language Subtitles Notes
 REF
Unknown Hong Kong N/A Deltamac (HK) NTSC Cantonese, Mandarin English, Chinese 2VCDs [5]
1 April 2000 Hong Kong N/A Joy Sales (HK) NTSC Cantonese, Mandarin English, Traditional Chinese 2VCDs [6]

DVD

Release date
 Country
 Classifaction
 Publisher
Format
Region
Language
 Sound
Subtitles
Notes
 REF
Unknown Japan N/A Universal Pictures Japan NTSC 2 Cantonese, Japanese Dolby Digital Mono Japanese Digitally Re-mastered Box-set [7]
19 December 2002 Hong Kong N/A Deltamac (HK) NTSC ALL Cantonese, Mandarin Dolby Digital English, Chinese [8]
19 February 2004 France N/A HK Video PAL 2 Cantonese Dolby Digital French Box-set [9]
15 March 2008 Hong Kong N/A Joy Sales (HK) NTSC ALL Cantonese, Mandarin Dolby Digital 2.0 English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese [10]

References

  1. ↑ Lam, Stephanie (2009). "Hop on Pop: Jiangshi Films in a Transnational Context". CineAction (78): 46–51.
  2. ↑ "Mr. Vampire Saga 4 (Jiang shi shu shu) (1988) - 1988 Golden Harvest Ltd./Rainbow Audio VHS". ghoulbasement.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "Mr. Vampire [IT94]". urabanchou.com. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  4. ↑ "Mr. Vampire Saga: vol.4 Rare LaserDisc". dadons-laserdiscs.com. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "VCD Mr Vampire 4 Deltamac". cinemasie.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  6. ↑ "Mr. Vampire Saga 4 (VCD) (Hong Kong Version) VCD". yesasia.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  7. ↑ "Mr.Vampire DVD Box [Limited Release]". cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  8. ↑ "Mr Vampire Saga 4 Deltamac CO. LTD.". play-asia.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  9. ↑ "Mister Vampire : L'intégrale - Coffret 4 DVD". amazon.fr. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  10. ↑ "Mr. Vampire Saga 4 (DVD) (Hong Kong Version) DVD Region All". yesasia.com. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
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