Encounters of the spooky kind

Encounters of the Spooky Kind, directed by icon of kung-fu cinema Samo Hung, has been credited with establishing the unique horror sub-genre of hopping vampire films, most vividly demonstrated by the Mr. Vampire series. A bizarre blend of slapstick, martial arts and the supernatural, this film follows the adventures of Cheung the Brave, an impoverished cart driver plagued by bad luck and a shrewish wife who is conducting an affair with his wealthy boss, Master Tam. After narrowly avoiding being caught one afternoon, Tam resolves to have Cheung eliminated by having a man dare him to spend a night in a haunted temple, and then paying Chin Hoi, a corrupt Taoist sorcerer, to raise a vampire to kill him. Cheung, unable to resist both a dare and the chance to prove his bravery, accepts, but is saved from certain death by his kung-fu skills and the advice of the sorcerer’s brother Tsui, who decides to help him defeat those who were plotting against him. Utilising his superior kung-fu abilities and a variety of vampire deterrents including chicken eggs, uncooked rice and a brew of dog’s legs and blood, he manages to ward off the vampire for a second night, only to be framed for the alleged murder of his wife. Escaping, Cheung finds himself caught up in a feud that eventually culminates in an explosive magical showdown between the warring brothers. As the evil incantations fly, Cheung, possessed by the spirit of the Monkey God, and Master Tam, possessed by the War God, are pitted against each other in a supernatural duel to the death. Stars Samo Hung as Cheung the Brave, Ha Wong as Master Tam, Lung Chan as Chin Hoi, and Fat Chung as Tsui. In Cantonese with English subtitles.