[Movie] Tsiu Hark's Vampire Hunters [possible spoilers]

[reddist]

Heya. Anyone seen this yet?

I kinda liked they way they portrayed the vampire king as nearly unkillable and absurdly powerful. That was fun.

I don't know a lot about Chinese mythology as it relates to undead, though. What was the deal with the scrolls tacked on to the heads of the "zombies?" I can make some assumptions, sure, but does anyone know for sure? And vampire's can't see you if you're wet? Is there basis for that in Chinese myths or is it an offshoot of the more "western" idea that vampires can't cross running water?

And WHAT was the deal with the newly risen dead HOPPING AROUND?!

Basically I guess I want to know how much of that was based on traditional Chinese myths as they relate to undead and vampires, and how much of it came out of Tsui Hark's butt.

Thanks!

-Reddist

 

[reddist]

Just a bump for the day-timers, since I posted this so late last night.

Thanks again

-Reddist

(x=x+1)

 

[Hand of Evil]

Have yet to see it.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

I don't know a lot about Chinese mythology as it relates to undead, though. What was the deal with the scrolls tacked on to the heads of the "zombies?" I can make some assumptions, sure, but does anyone know for sure? And vampire's can't see you if you're wet? Is there basis for that in Chinese myths or is it an offshoot of the more "western" idea that vampires can't cross running water?

And WHAT was the deal with the newly risen dead HOPPING AROUND?!

Neither do I, and I haven't seen this either, LOL. But I'll shoot out answers anyway. The scrolls on heads - I know in JADE DRAGONS AND HUNGRY GHOSTS the chiang-shih have pieces of paper taped to their foreheads. That's one of those things that is just wonky enough to be real, closest thing I can think of is how the golem had a scroll in his head.

The wetness thing = no clue.

And you're on DnD boards, and you don't know Hopping Vampires? Dunno if they're actually from Chinese myth or not, but they're in Hong Kong flicks and Oriental Adventures 3e.

 

[reddist]

Re: Re: [Movie] Tsiu Hark's Vampire Hunters [possible spoilers]

... but they're in Hong Kong flicks and Oriental Adventures 3e.

Hey.. I've got that... I'll go read it again. Thanks.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

OK, just spoke with a buddy of mine who's of Chinese descent and he says that the scroll-on-head thing was a traditional way of immobilizing undead, and he thinks that the enchantment could be reversed to control them as well. The wetness thing he said might be derived from the belief that you could drive away Chinese vamps by spitting at them (also by yelling obscenities at them). And hopping vamps, well one of the beliefs about Chinese vamps was that sometimes rigor mortis affected the risen dead, too, and the only way they could move was by hopping.

 

[reddist]

Thanks muchly for the footwork, ADG.

Still... the hopping zombies LOOK funny

-Reddist

 

[Kenpo Wolf]

I rented VH last week and was very disappointed. I was expecting some great martial scenes, some mystic action and a cool vampire. All I got was four bungling monks who made the Three Stooges look like Einstiens, zombies who do nothing but jump and a ugly vampire that floats. I did'nt like it all

 

[reddist]

Nods, I didn't say I particularly ENJOYED the movie, but I did like the way the protrayed the "boss" vampire as insanely powerful and difficult to kill. Some of the images were fun, but over all I wasn't impressed either. I too was hoping for better choreography, effects, and less slapstick. Ah, well. At least I rented it before I bought it.

-Reddist