"The Seventh Curse" is a Hong Kong fantasy horror film that was released in 1986. Directed by Ngai Choi Lam, the movie stars Chow Yun-fat and Maggie Cheung. It is a blending of genres, combining action, adventure, horror, and fantasy elements. The film follows the story of Dr. Yuan Chen (played by Chow Yun-fat), an expert in ancient languages who inadvertently becomes entangled in a dangerous quest. Chen finds himself cursed after he accidentally helps to release an evil spirit known as the "Devil' Mistress.
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The first team included Alan Beadle, Dawn Fujioka, Dave Au, Katy Wu, Arree Chung, Erik Martin, Sho Katayama, Kean Soo, Sarah Mensinga, Matthew Armstrong, Molly Hahn, Shadi Muklashy, Chris Appelhans, and Amy Kibuishi. The first team included Alan Beadle, Dawn Fujioka, Dave Au, Katy Wu, Arree Chung, Erik Martin, Sho Katayama, Kean Soo, Sarah Mensinga, Matthew Armstrong, Molly Hahn, Shadi Muklashy, Chris Appelhans, and Amy Kibuishi.
Chen finds himself cursed after he accidentally helps to release an evil spirit known as the "Devil' Mistress." To lift the curse, he must find seven Buddha Statues within a week, each possessing a sacred jewel. With the help of a brave reporter named Wisely (played by Maggie Cheung), Dr.
Amulet
Amulet is a project I have thought about since I was 19 years old. I was a sophomore Film and Media Studies major at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997 when I read the graphic novel series Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind by Hayao Miyazaki for the first time. It left me emotionally overwhelmed. Soon after, I read Bone by Jeff Smith and felt equally inspired. To me, these books represented some of the highest forms of literature- like The Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia but with the addition of worlds and characters fully illustrated by the authors- and the stories within the pages were told in the form of comics! I immediately knew I wanted to make something like these books, so I set a goal to create a graphic novel series that could deserve to stand on the bookshelf next to the works of these masters.
The comic below represents my first attempt at writing and drawing the story. It depicts early versions of the characters Trellis (Trelly the Thief), Leon Redbeard (Leod the Cat), and a cat named Riley. At the end of this series of pages, a few panels of Emily and Navin were drawn before they go on their journey to Alledia, and Miskit is seen as a regular stuffed animal. By the end of drawing these pages, I was already burned out, I felt the results were disappointing, and the prospect of drawing thousands more pages seemed an unacceptable amount of work for a hobby project.
Making Amulet was a personal goal, not a career ambition, so I set the project aside to focus on developing job skills. Sketches and notes for Amulet slowly developed over the years while I worked as a graphic designer in architecture and later as a writer/director/3D animator for a small animation studio in Pasadena, California.
In 2003, I pitched an animated movie called Let’s Get Francis to Walt Disney Feature Animation and they optioned the rights to make it. I was brought on board as co-director and writer of the film. Having done extensive research on films with long development processes, I had a pretty good sense I was not going to get a chance to direct this movie. Already several years out of college, time was of the essence and I was looking to gain storytelling experience, so I signed away the rights to the movie and left my job in animation to focus my efforts on graphic novels.
Early efforts during this time included Daisy Kutter: The Last Train, a comic book mini-series published by Viper Comics, and the graphic novel anthology Flight, published by Image Comics (and later by Ballantine/Villard Books at Random House). They were both released to critical acclaim in 2004, while my webcomic Copper was growing in popularity online. Around this time, Scholastic sent me an email to inquire about new projects. With two published books under my belt, I decided to return to Amulet and give it another try. In 2005, I pitched Amulet to Scholastic Creative Director David Saylor and Editor Janna Morishima at Scholastic’s new Graphix Books imprint. Along with a short synopsis, I showed them the pages displayed below. Scholastic Graphix signed on to publish the first two books.
Yuan Chen embarks on a perilous journey to find the statues and lift the curse. Along the way, they encounter various supernatural creatures, deadly traps, and powerful adversaries. "The Seventh Curse" is known for its wild and imaginative special effects, showcasing a mix of practical effects and stop-motion animation. The film also features intense action sequences and some graphic horror elements, making it a thrilling and visually striking experience. Despite being a cult classic, "The Seventh Curse" received mixed reviews upon its release. Some critics praised its creativity and energetic performances, while others criticized its convoluted plot and over-the-top nature. However, it has gained a dedicated fanbase over the years and is often regarded as a notable entry in Hong Kong cinema. Overall, "The Seventh Curse" is a unique and memorable film that combines different genres to deliver an exciting and entertaining experience. It showcases the talents of its cast and crew and remains an iconic part of 1980s Hong Kong cinema..
Reviews for "The Box Office Success of "The Seventh Curse": How it Became a Surprise Hit"
- Jennifer - 2 out of 5 stars - I was really disappointed with "The Seventh Curse 1986". The plot was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were flat and uninteresting. The special effects were also very dated and took away from my enjoyment of the film. Overall, I found myself bored and wishing I hadn't wasted my time watching it.
- Mark - 1 out of 5 stars - "The Seventh Curse 1986" was a complete mess. The storyline was all over the place and seemed to drag on forever. The acting was subpar at best, and the attempt at blending genres just didn't work. I found myself counting down the minutes until the movie was over, as it was an absolute struggle to sit through.
- Sarah - 2 out of 5 stars - I didn't find "The Seventh Curse 1986" to be very entertaining. The plot was convoluted and hard to follow, and the pacing was incredibly slow. The action scenes were lackluster and the dialogue was flat. I wouldn't recommend wasting your time with this film if you're looking for something exciting or engaging.
- Michael - 2 out of 5 stars - "The Seventh Curse 1986" was a disappointment. The story had potential, but the execution fell flat. The acting was mediocre and the special effects were laughable. It felt like a low-budget attempt at creating an engaging adventure, but it missed the mark. Overall, I was left feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed with this film.