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I
Love Maria |
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Year: |
1988 |
Tsui Hark and Sally Yeh |
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Director: |
David
Chung Chi-Man |
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Producer: |
Tsui
Hark |
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Action: |
Ching
Siu-Tung |
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Cast: |
Sally
Yeh, John Sham Kin-Fun,
Tsui Hark, Tony
Leung Chiu-Wai, Lam
Ching-Ying, Lam Kwok-Bun,
Paul Chun Pui, Dennis
Chan Kwok-San, Kirk
Wong Chi-Keung, David Wu Dai-Wai |
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The
Skinny: |
Screwy
sci-fi action comedy that's cheap and cheesy, but also harmless
and fun. Watching this film may cost you a few brain cells,
but you'll probably be so amused that you won't notice. |
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Review
by Kozo: |
This
Tsui Hark-produced lark is basically the Hong Kong approximation
of cheesy Japanese science fiction. Sally Yeh stars as the
Maria, the evil moll to a mob boss (Lam Kwok-Bun). She also
stars as another Maria, which happens to be a robot created
in the other Maria's image. Maria the robot is supposed to
do the bidding of Maria the evil moll, but somewhow the construct
is reprogrammed by John Sham and Tsui Hark (in a very funny
performance). With all-new programming, Maria the robot starts
to fight for good, ultimately leading her into a confrontation
with Maria the evil moll.
I Love Maria is a mixture
of buddy comedy, Japanese science-fiction clichés and
even Fritz Lang's Metropolis. It's also light, wacky
and quite fun if you're in the right mood. There's not a lot
to truly recommend about this film except for the sheer wacked-out
slam-bang quality of the whole thing. John Sham and Tsui Hark
use their supremely odd looks to great comic effect, and Tony
Leung Chiu-Wai turns in an able supporting performance as
a bumbling reporter. Ching Siu-Tung's action is fine, though
not to the degree of his usual kung-fu choreography.
On the negative end, the film
features some truly horrid special effects. The rubber snakes
from Green Snake look postively real compared to the
styrofoam rubble that populates this picture. However, to
knock the movie for its low budget would be cruel. The filmmakers
and actors gamely play along with the movie's obvious B-grade
charms, and not an ounce of pretension can be found. I
Love Maria doesn't pretend to be anything but what it
is: totally harmless and utterly amusing sci-fi camp. With
crappy special effects. (Kozo 1996) |
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Availability: |
DVD
(Hong Kong)
Region 0 NTSC
Universe Laser
Widescreen
Cantonese and Mandarin Language Tracks
Removable English and Chinese Subtitles |
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image courtesy
of Universe Laser & Video Co., Ltd.
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| LoveHKFilm.com
Copyright ©2002-2017 Ross Chen
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