"Stories from the Occult" Throughout history, humans have been fascinated by the supernatural and the unexplained. The occult, which refers to hidden knowledge or practices related to supernatural phenomena, has always been a subject of interest and curiosity. Tales from the occult have captured the imaginations of people and continue to intrigue us even today. From ancient civilizations to modern societies, tales of the occult can be found in various cultures and traditions. These stories often revolve around mysterious events, hidden powers, and supernatural beings. They explore the realms beyond our understanding and delve into the unknown, often raising more questions than they answer.
In A Witness out of the Blue director Fung Chih-chiang’s thoroughly entertaining part The Tenement, rising actress Sofiee Ng Hoi-yan plays Ginny, an internet author whose writing of a crime story is interrupted when she encounters a weird-looking figure in the stairwell of her half-deserted tenement building.
A lively opening sees unethical investment influencer Wilson Jerry Lamb Hiu-fung sing the praises of the half-empty venue during a live-stream as paid extras wander around behind him. But, when a journalist turns up, investigating one of the tenants, the whole thing is turned on its head, giving the overall project a killer ending.
They explore the realms beyond our understanding and delve into the unknown, often raising more questions than they answer. One popular aspect of the occult is witchcraft. Across different cultures, witches have been portrayed as individuals who possess magical abilities and use them for good or evil purposes.
‘Tales From The Occult’: Udine Review
Newcomer Wesley Ip Sang-hoi joins veteran filmmakers Fruit Chan and Fung Chi-chiang for the first instalment of Media Asia’s new Hongkong omnibus series, Tales From The Occult. Bringing together three distinct modern takes on the classic ghost story, Tales From The Occult is spooky rather than scary and even occasionally funny as each of the filmmakers use well-oiled horror tropes in a nod to the spectre of the territory’s past whilst also providing 111 minutes of quality genre entertainment.
111 minutes of quality genre entertainment
Narratively efficient due to the short run-times of each individual film, all three ghost stories move along at a cracking pace – there is no time for tiresome false jump scares, or characters who don’t believe their friends are being haunted; all three shorts simply cut to the chase. And though each short film is distinct, there is tonal continuity in Henry Lai’s consistently creepy scores. A polished package, with a big enough name in Fruit Chan, Tales From The Occult should have no trouble finding its audience both at genre festivals and beyond – this would be a perfect Hallowe’en offering for cinemas or a streaming service.
The first short, The Chink, is Ip’s directing debut. It begins with two teenage girls hanging out after school. After they part ways, and on her walk home alone, Yoyi (Cherry Ngan) follows a cat up to the titular chink between two walls. But when she pulls an obscuring object away for a closer look she finds instead the cold, hard stare of a dead, rotting corpse. Editor Mathew Tang, who is also a producer on the project, cuts abruptly to the present day where the two girls, now women, are unpacking in Yoyi’s new apartment. As the story goes on, it becomes clear that the cut represents the callousness with which Yoyi has forgotten her past trauma, revisiting it now as, “The feeling’s been creeping back.”
Crafted entirely around that creeping tone, The Chink is all billowing curtains and growling, rumbling sound design. Her sensible Uncle Ronald (Lawrence Cheng), a psychiatrist, uses relaxation techniques to help Yoyi through her trauma, which he assumes to be imagined and not real. Ultimately, though, the surprise ending, which takes place in session, suggests some ghosts have greater impact than modern methods can manage.
In Fruit Chan’s Dead Mall, real estate, consumerism, pandemic panic and online influencers all come under attack. The aesthetic is claustrophobic, beginning with close ups of a crowd at a busy street crossing, wearing masks, mostly surgical style until Benny Chan’s slow motion focuses on gas masks, signalling something even more serious than the current Covid-19 pandemic. Moving indoors and with a smaller resolution handheld camera, Dead Mall is an assault of bright lighting, point of sale signage and eerily empty shopfronts. Our host is Wilson Yeung (Jerry Lamb), an online influencer for a channel called ‘The Gate To Wealth’. He is staging a video to encourage investment in the mall, working with its managers and a crew of paid actors. But things take a turn for the worse when a female figure wearing a gas mask starts stalking him and another influencer turns up to film in the mall.
Finally, Fung Chi-chiang’s The Tenement, which blends comedy with horror, is both the most classic and revisionist of the three ghost stories. In a half-empty, dank and crumbling apartment building, occupied only by five strange and stubborn tenants who won’t sell to developers, a water ghost appears. They all see it, and immediately form a 1980s-style ‘kids on a caper’ gang (think The Goonies, or Stranger Things, but with a strong sense of irony). The water ghost first appears as a shadow on the wall, with long, sharp talons and a hunchback. Later, in close-up, it appears to be a woman whose face is painted ghostly white, her fixed stare and dark cloak a genre giveaway that she has come specifically for one of the five individuals. Who then, can anyone trust? Literally drudging up the past, flooding the stairs and apartments with water, this initially appears to be your garden variety ghost. But, when a journalist turns up, investigating one of the tenants, the whole thing is turned on its head, giving the overall project a killer ending.
The films are ordered according to their seriousness, lightening a little in tone each time, but always anchored by Henry Lai’s creepy score. For a first instalment, Tales From The Occult promises old school horror with a contemporary twist, its light-touch satire a welcome addition to classic supernatural fare. The next instalment, the currently undated Tales From The Occult 2, has Frank Hui, Doris Wong and Daniel Chan attached.
Production companies: Media Asia Film, Movie Addict Productions
International sales: Media Asia Film, [email protected]
Producers: John Chong, Mathew Tang
Screenplay: Fruit Chan, Fung Chi-chiang, Wesley Ip Sang-hoi, Ling Wai-chung, Ho Sui-hong, Stanley Wong
Cinematography: Benny Chan (Dead Mall), Ming Wong (The Tenement), Kwan Pun-leung, Sunny Wong (The Chink)
Editing: Tin Sup-fat, To To, Mathew Tang
Production design: Delon Sui, Chet Chan, Pater Wong
Music: Henry Lai
Main cast: Jerry Lamb, Cecilia So, Richie Ren, Sofiee Ng, Peter Chan, Paul Che, Baby Bo, Cherry Ngan, Ng Wing-sze, Kelvin Kwan, Lawrence Cheng
Cinematography: Benny Chan (Dead Mall), Ming Wong (The Tenement), Kwan Pun-leung, Sunny Wong (The Chink)
These tales often involve rituals, spells, and potions that can help or harm people. The portrayal of witches in folklore and literature has both intrigued and terrified audiences for centuries. Another prominent aspect of occult stories is the concept of spirits and ghosts. These tales explore the idea of life after death and the existence of entities that can communicate with the living. From haunted houses to possessions, these stories often involve encounters with vengeful spirits or unexplained phenomena. Additionally, the occult has also been associated with secret societies and ancient knowledge. Stories of secret societies like the Freemasons or the Rosicrucians often involve hidden rituals, esoteric wisdom, and the pursuit of immortality. These tales tap into our curiosity about the mysteries of the world and the possibility of hidden knowledge that can unlock great power. Tales from the occult provide a glimpse into the darker and mysterious aspects of human existence. They offer an escape from the ordinary and allow us to explore the possibilities beyond our everyday lives. Whether we believe in the supernatural or not, these stories continue to captivate us and ignite our imagination. In conclusion, tales from the occult have played a significant role in human storytelling and fascination with the unknown. They provide a window into a world beyond our comprehension and invite us to question the boundaries of our reality. These stories continue to be told and retold, keeping the allure of the occult alive in our collective consciousness..
Reviews for "Occult Mysteries Unveiled: Tales of the Supernatural"
1. John - 2 stars - "I was really excited to read 'Tales from the occult' as I am a big fan of horror stories. However, I found the book to be incredibly predictable and cliché. The characters lacked depth and the plot twists were easily anticipated. Overall, I was disappointed with the lack of originality in this collection."
2. Sarah - 1 star - "I struggled to get through 'Tales from the occult.' The stories felt disjointed and the writing style was hard to follow. The author seemed to rely on shock value and graphic descriptions rather than creating a genuinely eerie atmosphere. I found myself skipping pages just to get to the end. It's a definite pass for me."
3. Michael - 2 stars - "I wanted to like 'Tales from the occult' but the stories fell short for me. The pacing was slow, and the build-up to the climax was often underwhelming. Additionally, the endings felt rushed and did not provide a satisfying resolution. I was left feeling unsatisfied and underwhelmed by this collection."
4. Rebecca - 2 stars - "I was not impressed with 'Tales from the occult.' The stories lacked originality and failed to create a sense of suspense or dread. The author seemed to rely on predictable tropes and overused horror elements. Overall, the collection did not live up to my expectations and I would not recommend it to fellow horror enthusiasts."