minoki
What makes this 1986 version so good? Character portrayal. Out of all the versions that I have looked over, none have captured the essence of the series like this one has. The story basically revolves around three disciples; Sun Wukong - Hailed the monkey king who wrecked heaven and the possessor of 72 mystical powers. Zhu Bajie - A half human, half pig immortal who was punished for trying to harass the goddess of the moon (haha) he possessed 36 mystical powers. Lastly we have Sh? Wùjìng - who was originally an immortal but was punished by heaven and reincarnated into a demon, he possesses 18 mystical powers. Their duty is to protect a mortal monk named Xuanzang from demons who wish to devour him in order to gain immortality because he is mortal, demons trick him in various ways and thus misunderstandings arises between the disciples Xuangzang. The portrayal of the characters are very believable and fun to watch due to the excellent acting.
Another thing that differentiates this version from the others is the costume. This may not seem like a big deal but having to look at a third rate costume that barely resembles the characters and bad makeup is very unappealing to watch and this is the main reason why many other versions are not very good. Another thing I will mention is that the actor who plays the monk switches up as the series go on, and this is done with a pool of actors back and forth and it's entertaining seeing different but similar versions of the monk ^.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this series if you are interested or is a fan of the novel but have yet to see this version. I will note that the editing of the magic etc is not that great because it was made in 1986 but that is nothing to be put off by. I hope this review has helped you a bit, this is one series that I can call a childhood favourite so I'm a little bias haha ^^
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The acting is very good and many of the comedy sketches are very original and incredibly funny. I don't think I can justify it he hilarity of this film by simply explaining it because it would spoil it and comedy is best experienced first hand. This film also features some very talented actors such as Chin Siu Ho who is notable for his work with Jet Li in Fist of legend and Tai chi master, and Lam Ching-yang - a very famous actor who unfortunately passed away in 1997 and this is one of his most notable works and is worth checking out.
As for the scarier side to this film, I would like to say that it has a very unique and traditional eeriness to it. This film is suppose to replicate many traditional myths that Chinese people held in earlier days when the dead was not understood well. Myths such as grudges or an unfulfilled goal can lead a spirit to not rest in peace after the person has died and can continue to haunt the living. Other things such as rituals used by Taoists believing that it can cleanse demonic presence. In this sense, if one is unfamiliar with such traditions then it would be very creepy to watch.
Overall, I would definitely recommend Mr Vampire for the entertainment value and comedy that it brings to its viewers. From personal experience, I have watched it many times and have laughed and found it entertaining each time without fail and have also introduced it to friends unfamiliar with this classic Hong Kong genre and they too have enjoyed it and laughed like crazy. ^ If you like this, watch all 3 and think of this one review as being for all 3. I hoped this I have enlightened you a bit on this old classic because it's sad sometimes seeing such awesome films without any reviews for new viewers so I hope this helped.
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The Amazing Strategist Liu Bowen
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The plot revolves around a psychological battle between two very strategic officials. One being Liu Bowen (protagonist) portrayed as an intelligent military strategist and the other Hu Weiyong (antagonist) portrayed as a cunning chancellor who work all his efforts into over throwing the kingdom. The interesting aspect about the plot is that only these two know the true identity of one another and they vow to take the other down.
This series can be described as a historical wuxia with many twists and turns. For each story, there is a mystery with a bigger picture behind it and is unraveled at a slow but masterful pace. Keep in mind that this was produced in 2006 and also if anyone has ever watched a wuxia series in the early to mid 2000 and even before that, you will know that the editing of the 'magic' and supernatural powers aren't very realistic but I think that is one of many enjoyable aspects of wuxia no matter how real or fake it is.
The series is very fun and mind boggling to watch because each story introduces a lot of new characters and entertainment value. The acting is very good for what the series is worth, you can also see character growth as the series progress and there is a lot of meaningful morals to be learnt. I will say again that I did watch this series over a long period of time since I was little (over years) and it has taught me value(s) such as justice and seeing the right or wrong.
Overall, I recommend this series, give one story a try and see if you want to continue because I know how time consuming it is to even watch a 20 or so episode series. I hope you enjoy and I hope this has helped you a bit. .^
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