56. Shaw Bros. Horror Movies, feat. Stefan Hammond, author of Sex & Zen & A Bullet in the Head

About this episode

Gabe Powers and guest Stefan Hammond discuss the history and impact of Shaw Bros. horror films, focusing on key works by directors Ho Meng-Hua and Kuei Chih-Hung.

WRIGGLING WORMS, CRAWLING BUGS, SLITHERING SNAKES, WITCHCRAFT, RITUALS, AND BODILY FLUIDS OF EVERY COLOR IMAGINABLE!! Once upon a time, three brothers named Shaw started a film studio in Hong Kong. That studio grew into a Southeast Asian powerhouse, building its reputation on wuxia , kung fu, period dramas, comedies, and, in the mid '70s, horror. The special Shaw brand of horror, defined by black magic rituals, wild visuals, and exploitation spectacle was, in part, spearheaded by two filmmakers – Ho Meng-Hua and Kuei Chih-Hung. Join Gabe and special guest host Stefan Hammond, author of Sex & Zen and a Bullet in the Head (with Mike Wilkins, 1996), Hollywood East (2000), and More Sex, Better Zen, Faster Bullets (2020), as they explore the history of the studio and films of these two maverick directors. This is a particularly packed episode, covering Shaw's horror films in general, but focusing mostly on Ho's Black Magic (1975), Black Magic 2 (1976), and The Oily Maniac (1976), and Kuei's Killer Snakes (1974), Hex (1980), Bewitched (1981), and The Boxer's Omen (1983). 00:00 – Intro (a brief history of Shaw and Southeast Asian horror) 20:20 – Ho Meng-Hua, Black Magic, and Black Magic…

People in this episode

Host: Gabe Powers

Guest: Stefan Hammond

Topics covered

• Shaw Bros. horror movies
• Southeast Asian cinema
• black magic rituals
• exploitation films
• Ho Meng-Hua
• Kuei Chih-Hung

Keywords

• Shaw Bros.
• horror films
• Ho Meng-Hua
• Kuei Chih-Hung
• black magic
• exploitation cinema
• Southeast Asia

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Sex & Zen & A Bullet in the Head, Hollywood East, More Sex, Better Zen, Faster Bullets, Black Magic, Black Magic 2, The Oily Maniac, Killer Snakes, Hex, Bewitched, The Boxer's Omen

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