Film Name: 开心鬼撞鬼 / Happy Ghost III / Happy Ghost 3 / 開心鬼撞鬼
A classic Hong Kong comedy horror film from the 80s. Part of Raymond Wong’s famous Happy Ghost series.
Maggie Cheung, before her dental work, sported crooked teeth and an innocent, awkward charm. Back then, the future leading lady hadn’t yet unlocked her acting prowess, still playing the role of a clumsy, naive, and mischievous troublemaker. She pulled all sorts of pranks and played all kinds of tricks.
We can’t judge the entertainment films of that era by today’s standards for serious dramas. Cops get pranked, innocent students get possessed and dragged into gang territory, and the principal gets teased for having a crush just because he’s a bit older—even forced to dance suggestively in front of students and teachers. You can’t fault the eclectic, wildly imaginative Hong Kong comedies of that era for disregarding political correctness. We should be grateful for that whimsical, free-spirited chapter in Hong Kong cinema.
Such unrestrained creativity and boundless imagination in Hong Kong films existed because the city back then possessed an open-mindedness unlike today’s easily offended sensibilities, where people jump at the slightest perceived moral or political impropriety. Hong Kong people back then were proactive, inclusive, open-minded, confident, kind-hearted, and brimming with vitality.
Johnnie To’s early comedies were remarkably uninhibited. Raymond Wong was at the peak of his creative powers, and Michelle Yuen was stunningly beautiful. True entertainment should despise all forms of false propriety. They joked with deadpan seriousness, turning every dream—both audacious and impossible—into moving images and tangible reality.
One subtle, fleeting shot remains particularly evocative. Wong Bak-ming and Maggie Cheung sit atop the roof of a vintage car, the vehicle floating on the water as they fish in Victoria Harbour. As night deepened, the city sparkled, lights reflecting on the water. The car became a boat, fishing leisurely—like urban hermits untouched by the world.
It was just a fleeting glimpse in the film, yet breathtakingly beautiful. Such was the boundless talent of Hong Kong cinema in that era—treasures lying everywhere, ready to be picked up. Next time I shoot a car commercial, I’ll use this.
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