Once upon a time, deep in the heart of a dense and eerie forest, there lived a fearsome creature known as the Bones Headless Witch. Legend had it that she was cursed by a powerful sorcerer years ago, transforming her into a ghastly abomination. Now, she roamed the woods in search of lost souls to devour. With a skeletal frame draped in tattered rags, the Bones Headless Witch appeared to be nothing more than a grotesque nightmare. Her jagged bones jutted out from her body, giving her an otherworldly and macabre appearance. Those who dared to come close enough could hear the chilling cackles echoing through the trees.
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.
Those who dared to come close enough could hear the chilling cackles echoing through the trees. Despite her terrifying visage, however, the Bones Headless Witch possessed a kind of captivating beauty. The moonlight seemed to dance upon her skeletal remains, casting an ethereal glow around her.
‘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)
It was said that anyone who looked into her hollow eye sockets would be overcome with a mixture of fear and fascination. Living in isolation deep within the forest, the Bones Headless Witch rarely encountered anyone who would willingly enter her domain. The tales of her bone-chilling figure and insatiable hunger for human flesh kept most explorers and villagers at bay. The reclusive witch had become little more than a legend, whispered fearfully around campfires. Yet, there were those who were drawn to the witch's lair, unable to resist the thrill of encountering such a fearsome creature. Some sought to prove their bravery, while others ventured into the forest in search of forbidden knowledge. These foolish souls would find themselves caught in the clutches of the Bones Headless Witch, with no hope of escape. The Bones Headless Witch had become an embodiment of darkness and horror, a constant reminder of the malevolent forces that lurked in the shadows. She was a chilling reminder that not everything in this world was as it seemed, and that danger could be found even in the most unsuspecting of places. In the end, the Bones Headless Witch would forever remain a haunting figure, a tantalizing mystery lost within the depths of the terrifying woods. With her eerie presence, she served as a cautionary tale, warning those who dared to wander too far into the unknown. For those who crossed her path, the Bones Headless Witch served as a grim reminder that some legends were better left undisturbed..
Reviews for "The Curse Unleashed: The Chilling Truth of the Headless Witch in the Woods"
1. Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really excited to read "Bones Headless Witch in the Woods" based on the intriguing title and cover. However, I was quite disappointed with the actual story. The plot felt disjointed and confusing, with too many unnecessary subplots and characters that didn't seem to serve a purpose. Additionally, the writing style was quite bland and lacked any real depth or emotion. Overall, I found it hard to connect with the characters or care about their journey.
2. Mark - 1/5 stars - "Bones Headless Witch in the Woods" was a complete waste of time. The story had so much potential but failed to deliver. The characters were poorly developed and lacked any depth or relatability. The pacing was all over the place, with slow and boring chapters followed by rushed and chaotic scenes. The ending was equally disappointing, leaving many loose ends and unresolved plot points. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a compelling and well-written mystery.
3. Jessica - 2/5 stars - As a fan of mystery novels, I was excited to give "Bones Headless Witch in the Woods" a try. However, I found myself struggling to get through it. The story lacked suspense and failed to keep me engaged. The characters felt one-dimensional and predictable, while the dialogue was often clichéd and unrealistic. The overall writing style felt amateurish, lacking the polish and sophistication I expect from a mystery novel. Sadly, this book fell short of my expectations.