Blu Release – 4/5
Sex and Zen
Director – Michael Mak (Butterfly and Sword, Marauders on the Train of China)
Starring – Lawrence Ng (Wolf Hiding, The Secret of S), Amy Yip (Stooges in Hong Kong, Queen of the Underworld), and Kent Cheng (IP Man 2, Sleepwalker)
Release Date – 1991
Tagline – “Banned for 400 years!”
When I started this journey a decade ago I never envisioned that I would be reviewing the films that I do. I mean, the migration from horror and exploitation to horror only made sense considering how much of a fan I am of the genre. However, I never expected to be reviewing sexploitation and Cat III films yet here I am. I started collecting sexploitation flicks several years back when companies like Vinegar Syndrome and Severin Films turned me on to them. I then found myself reviewing Japanese sexploitation flicks when Synapse Films’ sister company, Impulse Films, started sending them my way.
I didn’t really learn about CAT III, or category III, films until Unearthed Films started releasing some of these films from Hong Kong. Since then I’ve been absolutely hooked. A few months back Shout Factory released the blu collection Golden Harvest Vol. 1: Supernatural Shockers. This set really interested me so I snagged it for my collection. However, I couldn’t just put it on a shelf and forget about it. Instead, I made time to check it out. The first film in the set is the 1991 comedy Sex and Zen.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a young man who is somewhat of a scholar who laughs at traditional thinking. He takes on a young bride but wants to continue exploring the female body. He teams up with a thief who promises to supply him with women if he has a surgeon make him more endowed. He agrees and as he gains more sexual experience, he starts to realize there is more to life than just sex. **Spoiler alert**
I went into this one thinking it was going to be a bit raunchy and have some supernatural aspect to it. While it may have a little supernatural aspect and some sleaze, it was a romantic comedy through and through. I seriously wanted to like it but I found myself extremely bored with it before we hit the halfway mark.
The acting in this one is actually really enjoyable. The characters are very colorful and full or energy with the cast going above and beyond to make the scene fun. With that being said, some of them are rather cliched and blend into the background as the film progresses. The story for this one is more romantic comedy with a married man fucking around until he starts to realize that something more is waiting for him at home. The humor works at first but it’s kind of a one trick pony and the humor wears off fairly early. It does have it’s sleazy moments but the “supernatural” aspect of the story if very, very light. In fact, it’s so light that I wonder why it was included in this set.
Finally, no blood or gore in this one. A lot of skin and some laughs but that is the extent of it. Overall, Sex and Zen is not what I was expecting. In fact, I hope it doesn’t set the tone for this box set. If it does then I may have lost some money on this one.
Erotic Ghost Story
Director – Ngai Choi Lam (The Ghost Snatchers, Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky)
Starring – Amy Yip (Stooges in Hong Kong, Robotrix), Hitomi Kudo (Rape & Rape Special 1, Kyosei Waisetsu Shimai), and So Man (Erotic Ghost Story II, Ghost Story of Kam Ping Mui)
Release Date – 1990
Rating – 3.5/5
When I ordered the Golden Harvest Volume 1: Supernatural Shockers, I thought I was getting into some sleazy horror flicks. So far, that has not been the case and I’m not disappointed at all. In fact, I’ve really enjoyed myself up to this point. Granted, this is just the second film in the set but it was way better than the first film and even though it was nothing like I expected, it was still a lot of fun. While Sex and Zen was a extremely dull, Erotic Ghost Story was more entertaining. While the nudity was a given, the humor more than made up for the lack of supernatural elements that I was looking for.
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows three fox spirits that have meditated for centuries to shed their fur and walk as a human. However, they are tricked into following their carnal desires resulting in the three of them following for the same man. After taking turns with the man for several days, they start to revert back to their fox forms before realizing they were tricked into sleeping with him. **Spoiler Alert**
Erotic Ghost Story is not what I was expecting. Hell, the title is so misleading that I had to check the disc after watching it to ensure I didn’t toss in the wrong movie. With that being said, I truly enjoyed it and while the title doesn’t really represent the film, it fits this set perfectly.
The acting in this one fits the film very well but the “performances” are not memorable for the acting. The three sisters are gorgeous in their own way and are not afraid to bare it all for the camera. While Yip has her famous cut away, the other two are not afraid of the camera. We also get some unexpected fight scenes that are well choreographed. The cast does a fine job with those as well but the main focus is the nudity which isn’t overdone like so many films before and after it
The story for this one reminds me a lot of the Witches of Eastwick but in a much more sleazier fashion. While I enjoyed and found myself laughing, it does run it’s course fairly early. The nudity does help carry it a bit further but the movie could easily be cut down drastically. Also, the title is misleading. The erotic part fits but the three sisters are not ghosts in the traditional sense and calling them that takes away from a huge chunk of the story.
Finally, the film isn’t a bloody one. We do get some fun zombie props and transitions early on in the film but that is about the extent of it. The focus on this one is the erotic and not the ghost portion of the title. Overall, Erotic Ghost Story is a fun watch especially if you are wanting some beautiful women and some laughs. While it doesn’t satiate those looking for some horror, it still delivers on the skin and comedy. Check it out.
Erotic Ghost Story II
Director – Peter Ngor (Legendary Couple, The Tragic Fantasy: Tiger of Wanchai)
Starring – Anthony Chau-Sang (The Mad Monk, Lamb Killer), Ichijo Sayuri, and Charine Chan (Happy Ghost 4, Return of the Fox)
Release Date – 1991
Rating – 3/5
I’m three films deep into the Golden Harvest Volume 1: Supernatural Shockers from Shout Factory and I have to admit that I’ve really enjoyed it this far. Sure, the first film was a bit of a dull watch but the second and third films were so much fun. Erotic Ghost Story may have been a very misleading title but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. This made me really excited about checking out the sequel that was also included in the set!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows the demon Wu Tang who has now taken another human form and falls for a human female. She is then murdered by another god. Lamenting at her death, Wu Tang turns to a village near his lair and forces them to send him a virgin every month and when they don’t he sends down his succubus to destroy the village. **Spoiler Alert**
Erotic Ghost Story II, like most sequels, is not as good as the first film. The story is all over the place, the characters are nowhere near as memorable, and the nudity is just there with little pertaining to the story itself. While it may not be as good, it was still a fun watch especially for a first time viewing.
The acting in this one is solid but the characters are not as fun as the previous film. The film focuses more on the random acts of nudity and sex over the characters and their development. It’s because of this that the cast doesn’t have much to work with aside from baring their assets in front of the camera. The story for this one is all over the place. It continues the exploits and evil deeds of Wu Tang but that is about the only real connection to the first film. The nudity happens for no reason with nothing connecting it to the story and we bounce from one thing to the next without really telling a coherent story. With that being said, the humor and action really finds it’s mark. I probably laughed more at this one than I did the first film.
Finally, the film has a lot of skin and some blood but not enough to satisfy those of you looking for a body count. Overall, Erotic Ghost Story II fits well in the Supernatural Shockers set. The title is still misleading but it has a lot of skin and some laughs. It’s well worth checking out.
Erotic Ghost Story III
Director – Kai-Ming Lai (Daughter of Darkness, Ghost House)
Starring – Pauline Chan (Hunting Evil Spirit, Spider Force), Tak-Bun Wong (Hard Boiled, Mystery Files), and Shing Fui-On (Queen of the Underworld, Fist of Fury 1991)
Release Date – 1992
Rating – 3/5
I’m deep into it now. Four films out of the six in the Supernatural Shockers box set from Shout Factory and I have to admit that I’m glad I bought it. The films are nothing like I was expecting but I am having a lot of fun with them especially the Erotic Ghost Story films. After watching the first two films I took a look at the box and realized that there was a third Erotic Ghost Story in the set that needed to be immediately watched which is exactly what I did!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a young man who has an assigned marriage that he does not want. He flees from his home and seeks refuge in some old ruins with his bride to be chasing him. The pair is soon swept into the afterlife where they are used a pawns to kill other gods so one can take control of Earth. **Spoiler Alert**
I went into Erotic Ghost Story III with the same mindset that I went into the other two films with and I have to say that it continues the nudie mayhem that the first two films had but it doesn’t go the same distance. The film has the same wild story, beautiful women, and fun action scenes but it goes full softcore flick instead of a sexploitation comedy. It was still fun but nowhere near the same level as the first two films.
The acting in this one is consistent with the second film. The characters are fairly generic and the cast doesn’t have an opportunity to act in a traditional sense due to the film’s heavy focus on the softcore aspect over story telling. The story for this one is a more straight forward. The movie wants the viewers to focus on the nudity which puts the story in the backseat so to speak. It does offer up a little more supernatural aspects than the previous two films but the comedy is replaced with sleaze. I love sleaze but it is a bit overdone here and the story suffers because of it.
Finally, the film has a lot of fun sets and locations with some wild make up but those wanting blood will be very disappointed. Overall, Erotic Ghost Story III is the weakest of the trilogy but still enjoyable especially if you want some late night sleaze. I wanted to love it but I did like it for what it is. Check it out.
Doctor Vampire
Director – Jamie Luk (Ghost in the House, Robotrix)
Starring – Bowie Lam (Hard Boiled, Supercop 2), Ellen Chan (Perfect Match, Exiled), and Sheila Chan (Ghost for Sale, Mortuary Blues)
Release Date – 1990
Rating – 3/5
The main reason I bought the Golden Harvest Volume 1: Supernatural Shockers was for the 1990s horror comedy Doctor Vampire. I was looking for this one on Amazon when I found it in a box set recently released by Shout Factory and decided this was perfect. Not only would I get the film I was looking for but I would get five bonus films that I had never seen before. I almost started with this film when I started reviewing the set but decided to go in order in which they appear in the box. After Sex and Zen along with the three Erotic Ghost Story films it was finally time to watch the film I originally wanted to see!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a doctor who is traveling abroad when he finds himself in the presence of a female vampire. She bites him on his nether region and leaves him alone for the day. He leaves to return home unknowing that he was slowly transforming into a vampire himself. **Spoiler Alert**
Doctor Vampire is one that has been on my radar for sometime after I received a press release for the UK release from Eureka Entertainment. In fact, that was the release I was looking for when I ventured to Amazon. I had no idea Shout had put out this set but I’m glad I found it. I’ve enjoyed the hell out of it so far. Doctor Vampire is no exception. While it’s not the film I was hoping it was, it was still a fun one regardless. The acting in this one is probably my favorite of the set so far. The characters are wildly enjoyable and the cast has a lot of energy that they bring to every scene. While the story was a bit lacking, the performances we are given more than makes up for the story.
The story for this one is not what I was expecting. I was under the impression it was a film following a doctor who was turned into a vampire but continues to try and practice medicine resulting in funny situations with random interactions with blood. Instead, it’s a doctor turned vampire that is hunted by another vampire because he has a rare blood type. It’s a funny story but I feel like it could have been a lot funnier especially if it took a more slapstick approach.
Finally, the film has some blood and that is about the extent of it. The blood we get is rather minimal and not enough to really stand out. Overall, Doctor Vampire is a solid horror comedy with a great cast and some laughs. It’s not a bloody flick, which is a bit disappointing for a vampire flick, but it still works. Check it out.
Robotrix
Director – Jamie Luk (The Case of the Cold Fish, The Night Rider)
Starring – Amy Yip (Erotic Ghost Story II, Ghostly Vixen), Chikako Aoyama (Two Punks, Finale in Blood), and David Wu (Devils on the Doorstep, Treasure Island)
Release Date – 1991
Rating – 3/5
Tagline – “Underneath she’s all woman…”
The Golden Harvest Volume 1: Supernatural Shockers has been a wild ride to say the least. I knew very little about this set prior to buying it but nothing would have prepared me for the amount of nudity and laughs contained inside the set. After five films so far, the final film was finally here which was bitter sweet. While I do look forward to checking out the film, I was not ready to put the sleazy comedies behind me. Regardless, it was finally time to check out the 1991 sci-fi comedy Robotrix from the same director as Doctor Vampire.
**spoiler Alert** The film follows an evil robot with the brain of a human that is killing and raping beautiful women while committing other various crimes. To combat the robot, a recently slain female office is transformed into a robotrix to stop him. **Spoiler alert**
Robotrix is probably the most mild of the set but that doesn’t mean it’s not without the sleaze. It’s raunchy, funny, and the sci-fi aspect makes it a stand out within the set. However, it’s not as raunchy and funny as the previous films which is another reason it stands out from the other Cat III films. The acting in this one may be the best in the set but that doesn’t mean it’s stand out performances. There is some very likable characters but a good portion of the cast blends into the background.
The story for this one is a wild blend of sci-fi, action, and comedy with the uncomfortable rape elements. The comedy doesn’t always find it’s laugh but I liked the action and storyline we have. I wish more time was spent around the building and creation of the robots but you can’t expect a film focused on nudity to spend that much time crafting a story.
Finally, the film had some great practical effects for the robots and set design. However, it doesn’t have the blood I was hoping for. Nudity is a check but none of the red stuff. Overall, Robotrix is another flick that is very enjoyable but may not have the impact you are expecting especially if you spent the day watching the other films in the set. Regardless, it’s still worth a watch!
Special Features:
DISC ONE: SEX AND ZEN (1991)
Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono, Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This Release
NEW Audio Commentary With Hong Kong Filmmaker And Academic Gilbert Po And Critic Sean Tierney
NEW Interview With Academic And Filmmaker Chen Yu-Lin
Interview With Director Michael Mak
Original Theatrical Trailer
Fortune Star Home Video Trailer
Image Gallery
DISC TWO: EROTIC GHOST STORY (1990)
Original Cantonese Cut (89 Minutes) Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
Alternate Mandarin Cut (95 Minutes) Audio: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
NEW Audio Commentary With Hong Kong Filmmaker And Academic Gilbert Po And Critic Sean Tierney
NEW Audio Commentary With Category III Enthusiast James Mudge
NEW Interview With Frank Djeng Of The New York Asian Film Festival
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This release
Original Theatrical Trailer
Tai Seng Trailer
Image Gallery
DISC THREE: EROTIC GHOST STORY II (1991)
Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
NEW Audio Commentary With Hong Kong Filmmaker And Academic Gilbert Po And Critic Sean Tierney
NEW Interview With Actor Anthony Wong
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This release
Original Theatrical Trailer
Image Gallery
DISC FOUR: EROTIC GHOST STORY III (1992)
Original Hong Kong Cat. III Cut (96 Minutes) Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
Alternate Mandarin Cut (77 Minutes) Audio: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This release
NEW Audio Commentary With Hong Kong Filmmaker And Academic Gilbert Po And Critic Sean Tierney
NEW Interview With Category III Enthusiast James Mudge
Original Theatrical Trailer
Image Gallery
DISC FIVE: DOCTOR VAMPIRE (1990)
Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono, Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This Release
NEW Audio Commentary With James Mudge, Veteran Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks
NEW Interview With Actor Peter Kjær
NEW Interview With Critic Sean Tierney
NEW Interview With Academic Gilbert Po
Original Theatrical Trailer
Image Gallery
DISC SIX: ROBOTRIX (1991)
Audio: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Dual Mono
NEW Optional English Subtitles, Newly Translated For This Release
NEW Audio Commentary With Calum Waddell, Producer Of Category III: The Untold Story of Hong Kong Exploitation Cinema, And Hong Kong Film Enthusiast Andrew Fleming
NEW Interview With Actor Vincent Lyn
Deleted/Alternate Scenes
English Title Sequence
Original Theatrical Trailer
English Language Trailer
Image Gallery
