From Shaw to Snakes: The Venom and Violence of Early Chinese Language Horror Cinema 2023

A look back at the largely undocumented period of early Chinese-language horror cinema, beginning in Hong Kong and the Shaw Brothers and graduating to Taiwan and the production of Calamity of Snakes in 1983.

Haunted House Elf 1990

A family moves into a house. The handyman's son tells the brother and sister there is a family of vampires sealed up in the basement. After freeing and befriending the child vampire, he uses his vampire magic to take the daughter and the handyman's son into a comic book to save a princess from a cannibal witch doctor and tribe. The witch doctor (Wu Ma) changes into the monkey king and Dracula, among others. The kids counter with their own transformations. For instance, when the witch doctor changes into Jesus, the kids chase him with a crucifix. Meanwhile, in the real world, the vampire parents are hopping around trying to find their son.

Heart Beat 1989

Taiwanese thriller.

Queen of Cobra 1988

Taiwanese action film.

Master Hui Neng 1987

Taiwanese historical drama about the Buddhist monk Huineng.

Death Code: Ninja 1987

International intrigue surrounds this battle for possession of a secret war map that could mean the end of the world.

The Challenge of the Lady Ninja 1983

During the Japanese occupation of Shanghai, a Chinese woman trains in the covert arts. When she arrives in Hong Kong, she learns that her brother works on behalf the Japanese cause. She then pulls together a team of women warriors to stop her brother

Don't Love Any Stranger 1982

Taiwanese action film.

Calamity of Snakes 1982

During the construction of luxury apartment buildings a huge nest of thousands of snakes is discovered. Francis Chang (the boss) refuses to delay the construction and orders to kill all the animals. He is repeated warned by his wife, who had some nightmares concerning him and the snakes. They do not manage to kill all snakes and so they take revenge on the construction workers and Francis Chang. Soon thousands of killer snakes under the lead of a giant Boa invades the building an kill all the new inhabitants. Even a snake master can't stop them.

36 Super Kids 1982

Young students of martial arts must prove themselves worthy to their overbearing Master.

The Black Pearl 1982

Women are beaten, raped, tortured and killed in brutal prison.

The Dynamite Trio 1982

The most deadly fighter on earth, a man so dangerous in combat he only uses one hand, is after the greatest book ever written. This book, a tutorial in the "mantis fist", must be protected by an unlikely band of hero's.

Woman Police 1982

Taiwanese crime drama.

Classmate 1981

The Third Sword 1978

The lovely Fire Pheonix comes to the rescue of a young man who is the last survivor after his family has been killed. The entire Martial Arts World is dragged into the ensuing turmoil. Ambushed at every turn, our heroes must find a clue to the murders. Who is friend? Who is foe? Who is behind this fiendish plot? What mysterious kung fu will the enemies unleash next?

Layout 1977

The place: Shanghai. The time: 1921. The Japanese aggression towards China is getting stronger each day. Enter Hsueh Ao-Lin, an agent of the government sent to uncover the Chinese traitors helping the enemy. Once inside, Hsueh must fight both the Japanese and his countrymen for his sake, and the future of China.