Tales from the occult 2022 offers a glimpse into the supernatural world, where ancient powers and dark forces reign. In this year's collection, readers are introduced to a myriad of spine-chilling stories that push the boundaries of reality and delve into the realms of the unknown. The first tale, "The Haunting of Hollow Manor," takes place in a secluded mansion where a family becomes the unwitting victims of a malevolent spirit. As their lives unravel amidst unexplained phenomena and terrifying encounters, they must confront the ghost's tragic past to secure their own survival. Next, "Whispers in the Woods" transports readers to a forgotten village plagued by a curse. When a group of curious teenagers ventures into the forbidden forest, they uncover ancient rituals and occult practices that have long been buried.
Into this death chamber steps Maggie (Michelle Wai Sze-nga), a former teen idol who is desperate to make her acting comeback. Ho happens to catch her in a particularly feisty mood during a late-night meeting and Hui, working with a simple yet effective story, keeps the tension high until the hair-raising end.
Wong keeps us guessing as to how the psychological thriller will turn out and flirts with stereotypes that associate sexual subcultures with murderous impulses. His crime thriller A Witness Out of the Blue screened at various film festivals worldwide and was nominated for six Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.
When a group of curious teenagers ventures into the forbidden forest, they uncover ancient rituals and occult practices that have long been buried. As they delve deeper into the woods, they encounter malevolent entities desperate to protect their secrets. In "Coven of Shadows," a small town is terrorized by a mysterious cult that dabbles in forbidden magic.
‘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
Tales From the Occult - The Tenement ’s Director
As the body count rises, a detective investigates the gruesome murders, only to discover that the cult's plans are far more sinister than anyone could have imagined. With time running out, the detective must stop the cult before they unleash ultimate chaos. In "The Witching Hour," a young woman inherits a cursed mansion that has been in her family for generations. As she explores the house's dark and twisted history, she learns that she is the key to breaking the curse. But in order to do so, she must uncover her own latent powers and confront the malevolent spirits that haunt the estate. Finally, "Whispers from Beyond" tells the tale of a paranormal investigator who stumbles upon a haunted asylum. As he delves into the depths of the building's tragic past, he encounters vengeful spirits and demonic entities that test his sanity and determination. In his quest for the truth, he must not only confront the supernatural forces that reside within the asylum but also his own deepest fears. Tales from the occult 2022 is a chilling collection that promises to transport readers to the dark corners of the supernatural realm. With each story delving into the unknown, these tales will leave readers questioning the boundaries of reality and longing for more encounters with the occult. Whether you're a devoted fan of the genre or a newcomer seeking a thrill, this collection is sure to send shivers down your spine..
Reviews for "The Occult and Black Magic: Dangers and Deceptions"
- Sarah - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Tales from the occult 2022". The stories seemed disjointed and lacked depth. It felt like the authors were trying too hard to be edgy and ended up sacrificing the storyline. I also found the writing style to be convoluted and confusing. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating and well-written collection of occult tales.
- John - 1/5 stars - "Tales from the occult 2022" was one of the worst books I've read in a long time. The stories had no originality and felt like a rehash of clichéd occult tropes. I found the characters to be completely one-dimensional and the plot twists to be predictable. It's a shame because I was really looking forward to this book, but it fell flat in every aspect. Save your money and look for a better collection of occult stories.
- Emily - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Tales from the occult 2022", but unfortunately, it failed to live up to my expectations. The stories lacked any real scares or suspense. It felt like the authors were more focused on shocking the reader rather than creating a truly chilling atmosphere. The pacing was also off, with some stories dragging on while others felt rushed. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unsatisfied. Definitely not a collection of occult tales I would recommend.