China is not the first country that comes to mind when thinking of horror films. Government regulations have virtually eliminated most of the innovation in all film genres, not just horror. However, every now and then, a filmmaker creates something that is either good or entertaining to watch. With that in mind, let’s look at 5 Chinese horror movies you should watch after Halloween if horror movie weariness hasn’t set in, and I’ve got a mix of serious and amusing films for you to enjoy.
The House That Never Dies :
This is the most grossing horror film in Chinese history, and it is unlikely to be surpassed, given that the film in second place, a 2017 sequel, barely grossed half as much at the box office as this one did! The employment of non-mainland Chinese performers and filmmakers was a savvy choice, starring the stunning Taiwanese actress Ruby Lin, Hong Kong veteran Francis Ng, and directed by Hong Kong’s Raymond Yip, who earlier helmed Lin in both Blood Stained and Shoes and the Phantom of the Theatre. The House That Never Dies series has various gimmicks that make the films fascinating. They take place in the present day in a vast Beijing house with a deep connection to the souls of previous residents. The performers also play characters from both the present and the past. Ruby Lin plays a contemporary author who goes to the mansion with her kids to be with her husband, whom she fears is having an affair with his helper. While in the mansion, she witnesses supernatural phenomena that are linked to the mansion’s horrific history. Lin previously portrayed Lu, a prostitute who falls in love with a man from a noble family who lives in the house. His family dupes Lu into marrying his recently deceased brother and burying her alive in a coffin, only to be saved when she is discovered pregnant. The theatrical version was released in True 3D and received positive reviews from reviewers and moviegoers alike, motivating some to visit the actual location of the mansion featured in the film. While it does feature the typical Chinese horror film finale, the effects employed throughout are relatively sound, the acting is strong and not overdone, and the storyline is engaging in its use of parallel times and actors playing dual roles. Read more: SILENT HOUSE
This film is also freely accessible on Netflix as a convenient viewing option.
Mortal Ouija :
This is another film that was well received by critics and performed well at the box office. Mortal Ouija is a significantly more serious horror film than the majority of those on this list, and it is one of the best, if not the best, movies in the Die Xian, or plate-fairy, film genre. Mortal Ouija, The film, which was released in 2019 with a rumored sequel due in 2022, follows the story of a divorced woman and her daughter who move into a huge but run-down apartment near her daughter’s school. The apartment is cold and musty at all times, and a bad odor can be sensed but not found at night. The previous occupants left behind a storeroom filled with trash, including an antique ouija board and dish, which the daughter, Wen Wen, uses to summon the malevolent ghost within. Supernatural occurrences occur in the apartment, and with the assistance of a few scientist spirit busters, they decide that there is nothing weird going on, yet the occurrences continue. Unfortunately, Wen Wen goes into a coma and is hospitalized; her mother then contacts the previous owner, who informs her that the ouija board contains a spirit that must be passed on to another person within 7 days of conjuring, or it will kill the person who summoned it. The film maintains the supernatural ruse throughout. Even if it is obliged to explain the ghost as a person dressed up, it then overrides that right at the end, giving an almost entirely acceptable finish. The entire film is worth seeing. It’s one of the few Chinese horror films that develop tension throughout and includes a lovely tribute to American flicks like The Conjuring and Japan’s Ringu.
Unfortunately, because it was never officially distributed, this film is challenging to find with English subtitles.
The Door :
The Door, released in 2017, is an intriguing Chinese slasher film, a horror genre that is sometimes disregarded in favor of supernatural and spirit-based films. This is unusual, given slasher films are supposed to have the fewest constraints.
The Door takes place in an abandoned factory where a film crew has gathered late at night to begin shooting. The actors and crew go missing one by one when it is discovered that someone, or a few people, is hunting everyone down, punishing them for a past incident in which all of them were somehow involved. Although not a unique premise, the film’s levels of violence and sex are remarkable for a Chinese film. Although there is no actual nudity in the film, the sex scene is rather intense, and the women are clad in some skimpy attire at times.
If you pay close enough attention to the film, you’ll see that the ending is telegraphed from the start. The payoff is questionable, but the trip to get there, where the experience is steeped in traditionally Western horror themes, will have you forgetting you’re watching a Chinese movie. Also read: Bhoy (2011)
Bunshinsaba vs. Sadako 2
A list of Chinese horror movies would be incomplete without a few sillier, outlandish picks that prioritize entertainment value over creative ability. It also wouldn’t be a complete list without a BiXian film, and these last two are from the same entertaining series. They’re both worth a look as hilariously illogical fun!
Bunshinsaba VS Sadako 2 is the second film in a series that pits China’s pen fairy against Japan’s VHS ghost. In this instance, digital video spirit. As expected, a group of teenagers watches a cursed web video, which unleashes Sadako into the world to kill them. As the gang As their numbers begin to dwindle, the survivors seek the assistance of a professor who is an expert in dealing with the supernatural and his dependable sidekick, both of whom possess an assortment of machinery that can be used to repress any spirits.
Sadako is predictably too powerful for them, and they turn to an ouija board to summon BiXian for assistance. In the ensuing showdown, this effectively becomes a China versus Japan film, albeit in spirit battle form! Naturally, in a national triumph, China triumphs (or does it?)! It’s fascinating that this series has decided to represent BiXian as a good person, despite the fact that she is generally shown as the spirit who relentlessly causes difficulty for those summoning her, but she’s definitely been enmeshed in national pride from her heritage.
Defining the picture as a masterpiece is a foolish thought – this is merely a goofy time-waster with some decent spectacular effects, a competent tale given through solid acting, and a finale that works well within norms – nothing to seriously disappoint. Before you ask, this film has nothing to do with the Japanese films; did they have intellectual property rights, or is this a bizarre bootleg?
Bunshinsaba Hoichi The Earless :
When you’re on a roll, keep with it. After producing two films in the series, the first of which lacks English subtitles, production house Zhonglele, which is also responsible for some of the incredible monster movies that have recently been released, including the incredibly entertaining film Land Shark, originally planned for this film to be Part 3 of the series. Originally scheduled to be released in 2019, the film was postponed and given a new title: Bunshinsaba Hoichi The Earless. I won’t go into detail about Hoichi The Earless, but suffice it to say it has nothing to do with the classic Japanese horror story.
This film does, however, call for a ceasefire with Japan, as Thailand is the new bad guy in this film. That’s right, the Thai Kumanthong is the main villain, and it’s another component of the film that doesn’t make sense. Nonetheless, you’re not here for reasoning; you’re here for enjoyment. You, Mei, encounter a wooden statue and bring it home after attempting to jump off a bridge and being rescued by her sister. While investigating the statue’s origins, she unintentionally performs a blood sacrifice to it, releasing Jaroona, the alleged Kumanthong. But let’s not get into the accuracy of this piece…
Jaroona is a particularly evil spirit, so You Mei enlists the assistance of the scientist with the wonderful machines (from the last film) and his sidekick to help her get rid of her. He decides to rely on the dependable Bixian, but she isn’t powerful enough to defeat her. So they use the ultimate power move, naming Bixian’s immortal nemesis, Sadako, in the hopes that she will join BiXian in defeating Jaroona. Is this a brilliant but insane idea to replace kaiju monster clashes with mythological spirits?
Hi! Saheli Banerji is a writer and novelist who has been featured on a variety of platforms for her distinct way of depicting real-life stories as well as the exotic and supernatural creatures of the earth. She likes to write poetry and sketch cartoons. You can contact her on LinkedIn. You can also follow her on https://xngrilaproductions.com