Fake Ghost Catchers, The (1982)

Classic kung fu action director Lau Kar-wing delves into the realm of ghosts, ghouls and giggles with this supernatural comedy starring Alexander Fu Sheng and Lily Li. Stylish choreography and energetic action performances from Johnny Wang and lesser-known kung fu actor Chang Chan-peng barely balance out excessive doses of nonsense clowning and camp special effects.

Released almost a year before the untimely death of Fu Sheng in 1983, THE FAKE GHOST CATCHERS is a standard supernatural comedy from Shaw Brothers that draws on popular genre conventions to put its stars through a predictable series of unfortunate events. Fu Sheng is the top star among the cast but was probably too busy cranking out other titles in 1982 including CAT VS. RAT, BRAVE ARCHER AND HIS MATE and MY REBELLIOUS SON to do anything more than play a screwball supporting role as a cowardly Chinese opera performer.

Future schlock king Wong Jing wrote a script that is strongly suggestive of the kind of crowd-pleasing but artless rubbish he would go on to specialize in as one of Hong Kong’s most commercially successful producers of the 1990s with titles like NAKED KILLER and HIGH RISK.

Screen beauty Lily Li is cast in a dual role as twin sisters, one of whom is murdered by the vengeful spirit of a spurned lover (Lung Tien-chiang). In death, she enlists the aid of two bungling helpers in order to save her sister from sharing the same fate. MAD MONKEY KUNG FU star Hsiao Hou is a lowly assistant to a Taoist conman who teams up with a rebel on the run (Chang Chan-peng). In return for helping Li, the pair receives Li’s supernatural aid in taking on a corrupt Qing officer (Johnny Wang) and a lazy-eyed gambling hall owner (Tu Shao-ming).

Wong plays it safe by drawing together extremely common elements and seemingly throwing them together randomly in hopes that something entertaining emerges. Helmer Lau Kar-wing is not quite the strong-willed perfectionist that his brother Lau Kar-leung was and although he crafts some fun action scenes the film overall seems hastily put together.

Comedy and low-fi special effects dominate the action but neither translates particularly well for a Western viewer 25 years later. The antics of Hsiao Hou and Chan are bland while Fu Sheng delivers a more enjoyable performance that is still hampered by Wong’s dyslexic narrative.

The monster make-up Lung Tien-chiang wears looks like his face is caked with dried oatmeal. Silent film-era camera techniques are used to produce ghost effects along with multi-colored lighting. Lighting is one area that Shaw Brothers almost never gets wrong. Most of the film is shot on sets so the crew has complete control. The downside is that when Fu Sheng jumps into a “river” to escape from Johnny Wang, it amounts to a short hop off a little bridge into a two-foot deep artificial creek. It’s amazing how the actors just run with it no matter how absurdly fake it looks.

Where Lau Kar-wing’s direction shines is in the colorful action scenes that blend supernatural fantasy and kung fu choreography. The scenes are quite imaginative and dynamic. Wirework, slow motion and undercranking are often used to enhance movements, particularly when Chang Chan-peng is possessed by Lily Li and becomes a super fighter, much like the channeling of various immortals through Sammo Hung in the climax to ENCOUNTER OF THE SPOOKY KIND. Chan looks a bit like a thinner version of Lo Meng and even shares some of the flamboyance of THE FIVE VENOMS star. He performs a few memorable action scenes while possessed. One involves a handful of flaming incense sticks and another is when he makes like a rigid Shaolin wooden man during a fast-moving bout with Johnny Wang.

For his part, Wang isn’t up to par with his best work performed under the direction of Lau Kar-leung. He is still expressive and fun to watch, although the goofy eye patch and red cape make him look a bit silly. Hsiao Hou and Fu Sheng are both disappointing when it comes to their action scenes. A pleasant surprise is to see Lily Li perform some wushu swordsmanship towards the end. She is about as elegant as any of Shaw Brothers’ action females ever were and although her fighting ability is limited it’s always nice to see her in action. She is also involved in one of the more memorable horror scenes.