The Seventh Curse

The Seventh Curse
Directed by	Ngai Kai Lam
Written by	Wong Jing Yuen Gai Chi
Starring	Chow Yun-fat Maggie Cheung
Music by	Shing Gam Wing
Cinematography	Lam Ko Chui
Release date(s)	1986
Running time	81 min.
Country	Hong Kong
Language	Cantonese

The Seventh Curse (Chinese title: 原振俠與衛斯理, pinyin: Yuan Zhen-Xia yu Wei Si-Li) is a 1986 Hong Kong film directed by Ngai Kai Lam.

Synopsis

In this movie, a young heroic cop in the jungle of Thailand attempts to rescue a beautiful girl from being sacrificed to the "Worm Tribe" she belongs to. As a result, the cop is damned with seven "Blood Curses" which burst through his leg periodically. When the seventh bursts, he will die, but Betsy, the beauty he saved, stops the curse with an antidote that lasts only one year, so on the advice of Wisely (Chow Yun-fat) he heads back to Thailand to find a permanent cure. Action ensues as the cop and cohorts battle the evil sorcerer of the Worm Tribe, a hideous bloodthirsty baby-like creature, and "Old Ancestor," a skeleton with glowing blue eyes that transforms into a monster that is a cross between Rodan and Alien.

Alternate versions

This film has at least three different endings in every of its release:

• In the original theatrical release, after the monster-killing climax, there's another by-the-pool-party scene (same pool as seen in the beginning of the film, but is supposed to be another party) in which Maggie Cheung's character (kind of) makes up with Dr Yuen. Then we cut to the original party scene that starts off the movie with Dr Yuen, Wisely, Ai Hong (Ni Kuang - the real author of the two pulp-novel series) and a bunch of beautiful girls. As the author finishes telling the movie's story to the girls, one of them asks if he has another adventure story to tell. The author replies, "Well, we have to see what exciting adventures Dr Yuen and Wisely are going to have." The two main characters come into frame, toast and finish their drink. Freeze frame and comes the music and end credits.

• In the first video release available in Hong Kong during the late 1980s-early 1990s, the last two scenes were completely cut out, so as the very last close-up of Bachu, the native girl. Instead it is replaced with a two-shot of her and her lover, while the end credits rolls halfly over its freeze frame, halfly over black. Also in that video release, the native girl's nude scenes were partly censored with the explicit body parts blacked out to make the film more "family-oriented".

• In the DVD edition, the second last scene in the original theatrical release is cut out, whilst the final scene is retained but with end credits rolling over. The original dialogues are replaced with the ending music. One would suspect the reason for the last two scene being cut out in later releases is because they drag on for quite a while, though narratively it is not a bad attempt as the two scenes mirror the beginning of the movie.

Cast

• Chow Yun-fat as Wei / Wesley
• Maggie Cheung as Tsai-Hung / Tsui Hung
• Chor Yuen as Chu
• Sibelle Hu as Su
• Elvis Tsui as Sorcrer Aquala
• Sau-Lai Tsui as Betsy
• Yasuaki Kurata as Captain Ho
• Dick Wei as Huh Lung / Hak Lung
• Ken Boyle as The Professor
• Chin Siu Ho as Dr. Yuan Chen-Hsieh
• Kara Hui as Inspector Chiang
• Ni Kaung as Narrator (voice)
• Tsui Sau-Lai as Betsy
• Joyce Godenzi as Pool Party Girl (long version)
• Wong Jing as Would-be Playboy
• Lung Wei Wang as Head Terrorist
• Yee Tung-Shing as SDU Officer
• Nina Li Chi as Champagne Girl (uncredited)

Crew

• Directed by Ngai Kam Lam
• Written by Wong Jing and Yuen Gai Chi
• Music by Shing Gam Wing
• Cinematography by Lam Ko Chui
• Art Direction by Oliver Wong

External links

• The Seventh Curse at the Internet Movie Database