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What makes 1981 cult classic The Imp one of Hong Kong’s most terrifying horror films?
Directed by Dennis Yu, The Imp blends elements of Western horror classics with Taoist beliefs to create a thoroughly modern shocker
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Hong Kong audiences have always preferred their horror mixed rather than straight, with local producers traditionally combining scares with action, kung fu and comedy, or softcore sex and bloody violence – as seen in the adult Category III shockers of the early 1990s.
Consequently, surprisingly few pure horror films have been made locally. Since the 1998 mega-success of the J-horror sensation Ring in Hong Kong, viewers have largely looked to Japan for their Asian scares.
This is why 1981’s The Imp, directed by Hong Kong New Wave filmmaker Dennis Yu Wan-kwong, stands out. It blends elements of Western horror classics Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist and The Omen with Taoist beliefs to create a thoroughly modern shocker.
The contemporary, urban setting – mainly filmed in United Centre, a tower block in Admiralty – distinguishes it from most rural Hong Kong ghost stories. Furthermore, Yu eschews flatulent comedy sequences and incongruous action, opting to play it straight throughout.
Most importantly, Yu’s feature is genuinely scary and never devolves into parody – a common failing of local shockers. The horror specialist once noted in an interview that filmmakers must first scare themselves to frighten an audience, an approach that clearly succeeded here.
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