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狼吻夜驚魂 (1995)
Midnight Caller


Reviewed by: danton
Date: 01/03/2002

Diana Pang Dan is known to HK movie fans for pretty much two reasons - and they're the same reasons that made Amy Yip famous a few years back. So it's not surprising that Pang Dan's movies are mostly cheap Cat III titillation flicks that are amusing mainly for their attempts to show as much of the star's assets as possible without actually revealing anything.

Midnight Caller is a little different. For starters, it's rated II, so while there is some brief nudity, there are no sex scenes. Secondly, the movie actually has a plot. However, it seems the people who made this movie apparently couldn't make up their mind whether this was going to be a thriller or a comedy, so in typical HK fashion they decided to make it both!

Pang Dan plays the host of a radio call in show who becomes involved in a criminal case when one of her callers turns out to be a mad man who's blowing up various buildings. She notifies the police and pretty soon has to deal not only with a mad man who's trying to kill her, but also with a costar whose deadly acting skills are too much even for her: Michael F. Wong. Wong plays the police inspector assigned to her case who obviously falls in love with her. So the movie starts alternating serious elements (the stalker) with the comedic antics of gifted comedian M. Wong. Will Diana be saved? Will Michael get the girl? Do we really care?

This movie is pretty bad, but also a lot of fun in a campy way. The final reel features a Diana Pang Dan dance routine that is so cheasy it had me rolling on the floor. Overall, I enjoyed this movie, the way a really bad movie can be a hoot to watch. Oh, and the charming Joyce Ngai plays Michael Wong's tomboyish sidekick - too bad she never had a bigger career.


Reviewed by: STSH
Date: 06/01/2001
Summary: Pang Dan full frontal !

.. but you'll need to be very quick to see it. In one of the scenes where "Mythical Breasts" is wearing a towel and has it ripped from her, there is a brief full frontal flash. You'll need to set the video to frame-by-frame to see it, and it's blurry, lasting perhaps two or three frames. But Pang Dan is famous for maximum tease and never quite showing it all. Well, she does in this one !

Dropping the towel is a regular motif (one of many) in this movie. First, Michael Wong drops his for Pang, then she has her's either fall off or pulled off several times after that. The frontal scene is near the end, during a chaotic fight.

I agree the plot is a mess. It seems to be a straight thriller which was messed up by frequent and oddly-timed dashes of low humour and silly sound effects. Perhaps Writer/Director/Producer/Presenter and cameo appearer Raymond Wong couldn't shake off all the comedies he'd written or starred in.

The chemistry between Michael and Pang Dan is a bit hard to take at times, but I think they eventually manage to pull it off, although the two-people-who-constantly-irritate-each-other ruse is pushed a bit too hard.

Scintillating dialogue. "You slept with other women, being naked".

As a mystery, there is some suspense maintained for much of the picture, although the ending thoroughly spoils this.

Overall, it's actually moderately enjoyable, esp if you want a few peeks at Pang Dan's gorgeous bod. Just don't take it too seriously.


Reviewer Score: 4

Reviewed by: pablo
Date: 12/09/1999

A madman calls in his evil doings into Pang Dan's midnight shows.Michael Wong is the apathetic cop put on the case. I'm still not sure if the film a satire of mysteries or if the filmmakers really didn't know what they were doing. Either way, the film has a really hard to follow plot and looks downright amateurish at times. Mildly amusing, but doesn't even try to cover any new ground.


Reviewed by: spinali
Date: 12/08/1999
Summary: NULL

When a pretty deejay's life is threatened by a madman, it's up to Michael Wong to protect the gal and snare the wacko. The plot (and the baddie) is uncommonly lame, but that ain't nothin' compared to the girl's jungle-boogie production number finale. Will-to-live defeatingly awful.

(1/4)



[Reviewed by Steve Spinali]

Reviewer Score: 2