The Dead and the Deadly (1982)

Because it's never made clear in the print I saw, I'm assuming that director Ma Wu is the guy playing "Lucho" (listed here as Ma Lun Chio) in THE DEAD AND THE DEADLY. (It's a common failing of "Americanized" versions of Chinese films that titles are often changed, scenes deleted, and credits cast to the wind.) Whoever the guy is, he's absolutely hilarious: he sports an obvious large prosthetic nose and his lower lip protrudes as if he's always pouting- and it doesn't end there: the English voice used to dub his dialogue is spot on (a rarity in imports) (check out the English-dubbed version of RUN LOLA RUN if you really want to know just how bad dubbing can get). Sammo as Wah Li is- as usual- great. When the lecherous Lucho "dies" and his pregnant wife shows up to collect on his "life insurance," Wah Li can't help but be suspicious: in a flashback, showing Wah Li and Lucho in a brothel, we learn that Lucho was impotent. The conniving Lucho, laid out for burial, must try to figure out a way to convince Wah Li not to perform an autopsy on him before it's too late. THE DEAD AND THE DEADLY boasts some excellent fx and is beautifully directed. There are also some great fight scenes, although this technically isn't a "kung fu movie." It's superior to every other movie of its type I've seen, from KUNG FU FROM BEYOND THE GRAVE to MR. VAMPIRE I & II to CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SPOOKY KIND, etc. A solid ten.

this movie was funny at times and the few fight scenes were actually well-done. one of the things i really liked about this movie was its strange and original story line. if you are into strange comedy movies, check this one out.

Being the bias Sammo Hung loving hippy i am, i can do nothing but heap praise on this little gem. Sammo plays Wah Li (i know this by looking it up, my subtitles only refer to him as "fatboy") Wah Li is a generous loyal friend to all and decides to look into the murder of his friend Ma Lun Chio (Wu Ma like whOa!) when he smells something fishy. Ma Lun Chio has hatched a plan with a woman and her " villainous " cohort to fake his death and devide his inheritance among the three of them. The woman substitutes as his wife as an heir is needed for the forture to be collect.Supernatural hijinx ensues as Sammo and Lam Ching Ying (playing and older, less dignified but ten times more loveable sifu then he will in the "vampire" series) work with Ma Lun Chio to avenge his death.My cousin who is ten and i had and absolute laugh fest during the scene where Wu Ma is tormenting a now stubborn Sammo into helping him. A real feel good movie experience. The ending must be seen to be believed. I wish beyond words HK films were still being made like this. Sammo needs to revive the ghost kung fu comedys he does so well.8/10

This film is just hilarious and definitely worth the two times me and my little sister have stayed up to watch it at three in the morning (or whatever daft time Channel 4 - UK tv channel - have put it on at). My only wish is that I could get a couple of copies of it on video so that me and my sister could watch it whenever we wanted for the rest of our lives. This film is excellent and if it's on a tv near you...WATCH IT!!!!