Fists and Eros

Underworld Beauty (aka From the Underworld)

Dir: Hua Shan
Scr: Cang Nian (alias Cang Ping)
Prod Cos: Fuxing, Film & Entertainment
Cast: Tanny Tien Ni, Li Kun, Chang Pei-shan, Helena Law Lan, Cheng Kwan-min
1974 | Colour | DCP | Mandarin | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 89min

A timid and cowardly Wang (Li Kun) runs a small coffin shop and is often bullied by customers outside and despised by his wife (Helena Law Lan) at home, and he has no choice but to accept fate as it is. One day, when he is lamenting over his diminished life in his coffin workshop, a beautiful female ghost (Tanny Tien Ni) appears with irresistible charms, claiming that she commands a spell that can bring the dead back to life. She proposes to help Wang change his career to become a doctor, to save people's lives and become rich at the same time. What’s more, every time after she casts a spell, Wang must sleep with her. Wang follows the instructions of the female ghost, and really gain fame and fortune. The turning point of the plot is when Wang finds out that all the people he has saved are actually unrighteous people, and saving them implies the death of more souls. A conscience call makes him refuse to further cooperate with the female ghost.  

This film has the flavour of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, which combines spirituality, comedy and desire into an entertaining mix, offering some thoughts into morality and the meaning of death through a ghost parable.

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