GEUNG SI
(RIGOR MORTIS)
(RIGOR MORTIS)
(August 2013)
Juno Mak's feature debut is
an impressive feat: it’s a phantasmagorical tour of Chinese superstition and
religion that’s also a loving (and semi-meta) homage to the Jiangshi films of the ‘80’s.
And
it pays this rather noteworthy tribute by stripping away the comedic wackiness
of the original Jiangshi films and
delivering an atmospheric tale of blood and shadows and death.
Co-produced
by Ju-on mastermind, Shimizu Takashi,
Geung Si manages to rope in even a
non-Jiangshi film fan like myself
(those who know me well know that the wacky schtick is so not my thing) with the aforementioned phantasmagoria and
atmosphere and the straight-faced, straightforward approach to the narrative.
The
fact that I was not a particular fan of Jiangshi
also meant that the meta leanings of Geung
Si pretty much flew right over my head, but even missing out on that aspect
during my first viewing did not diminish my amazement at the film.
Playing
out like a wild and creepy mash-up of Asian horror and wuxia,
I highly recommend this, especially for those KADASIG readers who’ve ever wondered what a film adaptation would
look like.
For
my money, it would look something like Geung
Si…
(Geung Si/Rigor Mortis OS’ and Character Poster courtesy of
thedailyzombies.com.)
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