The Era of Vampires (2002)

Director:

Wellson Chin

Writer:

Hark Tsui (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Action

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Decapitation | Dynamite | Self Sacrifice | Gas Explosion | Sword Fight

Cast

Ken Chang	...	Hei
Michael Chow Man-Kin	...	Fat
Suet Lam	...	Kung
Kwok-Kwan Chan	...	Choi
Anya	...	Sasa
Rongguang Yu	...	Master Jiang (as Yu Rong Guang)
Horace Lee Wai Shing	...	Dragon Tang
Ji Chun Hua	...	Master Mao Shan
Kuan Tai Chen	...	Zombie Wrangler (as Chan Koon Tai)
Lik-Chi Lee	...	Butler
Wang Zhen Lin	...	Young Maser Jiang
Zou Na	...	Ling
Yut Fei Wong	...	Undertaker
Mei-Yee Sze	...	Clothing salesman
Kin-Yan Lee	...	Geomancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Jay Blum	...	Hei (voice: English version) (as Steven Blum)
Richard Cansino	...	Dragon Tang (voice: English version)

Directed by
Wellson Chin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hark Tsui		writer

Produced by
Wouter Barendrecht	....	executive producer
Satoru Iseki	....	executive producer
Nansun Shi	....	executive producer
Hark Tsui	....	producer
Michael J. Werner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
J.M. Logan

Cinematography by
Kwong-hung Chan		(as Joe Chan Kwong Hung)
Sunny Tsang Tat Sze
Herman Yau		(as Herman Yau Lai To)

Film Editing by
Marco Mak		(as Marco Mak Chi Sin)

Makeup Department
Michael Shelton	....	special makeup effects artist: creature effects

Sound Department
Robert Nichols II	....	sound recordist

Visual Effects by
Steven Fagerquist	....	digital effects artist
Koan Hui	....	visual effects supervisor

Editorial Department
Jeff Pavlik	....	assistant editor (re-cut)

Production Companies

• Film Workshop
• Fortissimo Film Sales
• Hark & Company
• The Vampires Co. Ltd.

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2003) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Destination Films (2003) (USA) (subtitled)
• Film Workshop
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2003) (Finland) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters (Hong Kong: English title) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and gore. (also English dubbed version)

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

Hong Kong | Japan | Netherlands

Language:

Cantonese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Sweden:15 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Finland:K-15 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Company:

Film Workshop

Movie Connections:

Remake of The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires (1974)

Awesome if you like the Hong Kong 'hopping vampire' genre.

OK, let me start off by saying that if I hadn't read the other user comments for this film, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this, as I'm busy and if I commented on every film I liked, I'd never get any work done. I read the comments here, in The LA Weekly and on other internet sites- and they were, to sum up, some of the stupidest, snobbiest HK film reviews I've EVER read. Do not, repeat: DO NOT believe the hype.

Now, unlike alot of other Hong Kong film fans, I don't care for contemporary action films with cops, drug busts, car chases, etc. I DO like old school 70's Kung Fu; ala Chang Cheh and Liu Chia Liang. I also really like the Hopping zombie/ghost/vampire sub-genre of HK 'horror'. Now, in case you aren't familiar with these- they feature 'vampires' and 'zombies' that return from the grave (Usually due to some sort of improper burial) and hop about (Or in the case in Vampire Hunters- fly about). They are usually opposed by priests- Taoist priests- who use Taoist magic to defeat them. The seminal film in this genre is the mid-eighties comedy/horror masterpiece 'Mr. Vampire'.

Now, Tsui Hark's 'Vampire Hunters' plays alot like a much more serious version of Mr. Vampire- basically, the comedic elements usually found in these films are almost non existant in 'Vampire Hunters'. This alone makes it one of the only HK vampire films to play like 'action horror' instead of 'horror comedy'.

Now, this distinction alone makes Vampire Hunters worth a look.

So ask yourself: Do you want just a good, action packed film? The kind of film you're going to want to hold up to The best 1980s and 90s John Wu stuff? Maybe Ang Lee's 'Crouching Tiger'? Or even non-HK action like James Cameron's Terminator 2? Well if you just want great action, there's like, A THOUSAND good action films out there, ok? If you want something more, something you just DON'T SEE anywhere else- something like, Oh, I dunno... maybe... CHINESE VAMPIRES versus TAOIST WARRIOR PRIESTS???

Well, check out Tsui Hark's 'Vampire Hunters'. It's merely a decent 'action' film and not the best edited, paced, well written or anything else kind of film out there.

But, the sum of it's parts simply does not equate the fun action/horror fantasy of the whole. So- if you're a 'norm' who thought Erin Brokavich or maybe the Ocean's 11 remake was good, well stay FAR AWAY from Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters, it's not for you, you won't get it, understand it's appeal or be able to appreciate it.

If you're the kind of person who likes the idea of a Mr. Vampire/Chinese Ghost Story double bill, well, strap yourself in- cause Tsui Hark's Vampire Hunters will satisfy your desire to escape from reality for an hour and a half or so.