The Lifeless and the Lethal – movie overview The Lifeless and the Lethal

The Lifeless and the Lethal (1982)
Director: Wu Ma
Solid: Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying, Cherie Chung,
Language: Cantonese (with non-compulsory English subtitles or English dub)
Runtime: 139 minutes
Format: Blu-ray
Launch Date: twenty first November 2022

Jamie Havlin watches a supernatural martial arts comedy from Hong Kong, starring the legendary Sammo Hung.

Reuniting lots of the key gamers of the groundbreaking and vastly profitable Encounters of the Spooky Variety, Sammo Hung returned to the sphere of supernatural kung fu comedy with The Lifeless and the Lethal.

He produced, co-wrote the script and took on the lead function. He additionally helped out with the combat choreography however handed over the directorial reins to his pal Wu Ma. Sammo performs a none-too-bright however loyal younger man employed by his ‘Second Granduncle’, an ageing Taoist priest, performed by Lam Ching-ying, in his funeral paper art work (Zhizha) retailer.

Sammo’s character is usually known as Fatboy, albeit to his lifeless buddy Ma Lucho (Wu Ma), he was at all times Dumb Boy. Political correctness wasn’t massive in Hong Kong cinema within the Nineteen Eighties or typically life. In case you’re angered by any suggestion of fatphobia, this received’t be for you. However bear in mind, Sammo himself was at all times glad to be taken to activity for his massive girth in his films. He’s positively the meatiest martial artist to look usually in kung fu cinema and he’s additionally often solid as a extremely likeable character whereas, better of all, he’s clearly wildly athletic. You can even argue that there hasn’t been an obese star extra empowering within the final fifty years worldwide than Sammo.

The film begins with some adultery (of kinds), a person pretending to be a ghost and an actual ghost. Reduce to Fatboy’s physique being discovered outdoors Uncle’s premises, the place it’s revealed he has simply had a nightmare: what we’ve simply witnessed.

He’s to be married to Yuen, (Cherie Chung), an association devised by his father on his deathbed. ‘You had been engaged if you had been nonetheless in your moms’ wombs,’ Uncle reminds him, when he pleads for the plan to be dropped, as he believes she’s too good for him: ‘What good does it do for her to marry a person like me?’

That day, Shing, the mayor of the city, introduces Uncle to Li Yuet-ying, who was married to Ma Lucho. She’s eight months pregnant with Ma’s son apparently, which means Ma could have an inheritor. And whereas I don’t need to give away an excessive amount of of the plot, will probably be helpful to know that the rogueish Ma is simply pretending to be lifeless, a part of a rip-off to say his inheritance early, that’s being aided by Li Yuet-ying and her supposed older brother, who’s her actual husband.

Fatboy is unconvinced by the information of the being pregnant. We flashback to a go to that he and Ma made to a brothel, the place it’s revealed that Ma persistently suffered from impotence.

To analyze additional, he hatches a plan to cover in a single day within the funeral parlour disguised as a Taoist papier-mâché effigy of the sort typically burnt at Chinese language funerals within the hope that it will assist make sure the lifeless get pleasure from a extra snug afterlife – and right here, I’ll simply point out that funerals in South East Asia may be very completely different from these within the West, to the extent that there’s even a convention in China and Taiwan of households hiring strippers for funerals to assist increase the variety of attendees! Absolutely taking it a bit far there, guys!

In order that night time, one good friend pretends to be lifeless, whereas the opposite pretends to be an effigy. That is one unusual movie and it retains getting stranger, during to a really weird ending involving frogs, beetles, a sanitary towel and a few inexperienced spirits – and I don’t imply crème de menthe – along with Yuen marrying a crimson rooster cock. Actually.

Believing he’s been murdered, Fatboy checks Ma’s physique out however finds nothing untoward. Nonetheless suspicious, he vows to return the next night time to carry out an post-mortem on him.

It’s time for Ma and his con artist cohorts to make sure that Fatboy doesn’t try and fulfil his promise and presumably finish their ruse.

Hopes had been excessive for the same crucial and box-office success however The Lifeless and the Lethal did not win over audiences the way in which that Encounters of the Spooky Variety had or that Mr. Vampire would go on to do – with Sammo once more producing and Lam Ching-ying enjoying a Taoist priest.

It perhaps suffers from trying to mix too many genres together with too many storylines that don’t cohere collectively that solidly.

Is it scary? Not remotely, however this side of the film is simply employed to assist spotlight the comedy and supply some color.

Is it humorous? In locations, very, similar to when Fatboy swallows some aphrodisiacs and even feeds one to a cockatoo. They work, with amusing results on each. Demonstrating his expertise for bodily comedy, the ridiculousness of Fatboy disguised as a paper effigy made me snicker too. Loudly. At different occasions, the humour can fall flat, similar to with utilizing not one however two cross-eyed ‘comedic’ characters, one dim-witted, the opposite an alcoholic.

What concerning the motion? It’s very good, particularly within the second half, however there isn’t that a lot of it.

Sammo Hung, Lam Ching-ying and Cherie Chung (though she’s underused) all shine, and the particular results had been usually spectacular contemplating the movie is round forty years outdated and made on the type of price range that may seemingly solely match the each day spend on meals on the common Marvel blockbuster of at the moment.

Okay, I’m in a tiny minority however I’d moderately see The Lifeless and the Lethal than any of superhero film of current years. It’s flawed however often implausible enjoyable and I’m glad to have lastly seen it.

Particular options embody a restricted version O-Card slipcase that includes new art work by Darren Wheeling; a brand new characteristic size audio commentary by Frank Djeng & Michael Price and one by Mike Leeder & Arne Venema; a featurette ‘Sammo Hung on the 2016 Udine Far East Movie Pageant’ and a collector’s booklet that includes new writing by James Oliver.

For extra on the discharge, click on right here.

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All phrases by Jamie Havlin. Jamie has written a few brief movies screened on British TV and at worldwide festivals and he usually contributes to the glam rock fanzine Wired Up! Extra writing by Jamie may be discovered at his Louder Than Battle creator’s archive.