''The Imp'' (兇榜;

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

name:魔界轉世/魔界轉生) is a 1981 Hong Kong

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...

directed by

Dennis Yu Dennis Yu Yun-kong (余允抗) is a Hong Kong film director active in the 1980s, and a crucial member of Hong Kong New Wave. He is most famous for directing horror movies Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fe ...

. In the film, a rookie

security guard A security guard (also known as a security inspector, security officer, factory guard, or protective agent) is a person employed by a government or private party to protect the employing party's assets (property, people, equipment, money, etc.) ...

is targeted for killing by an

imp IMP or imp may refer to: * Imp, a fantasy creature Arts and entertainment Music * IMP (band) a Japanese boy band Fictional characters * Imp (She-Ra), a character in ''She-Ra: Princess of Power'' * Imp a character in '' Artemis Fowl: The L ...

. The imp eventually inhabits the body of the guard's newborn baby through

spirit possession Spirit Possession is an altered state of consciousness and associated behaviors which are purportedly caused by the control of a human body and its functions by Supernatural#Spirit, spirits, ghosts, demons, angels, or Deity, gods. The concept ...

. The guard decides to commit

infanticide Infanticide (or infant homicide) is the intentional killing of infants or offspring. Infanticide was a widespread practice throughout human history that was mainly used to dispose of unwanted children, its main purpose being the prevention of re ...

axe murder An axe murder is a murder in which the victim was struck and killed by an axe or hatchet. List of axe murders The following are some notable cases. * Lucius Tarquinius Priscus, fifth King of Rome was assassinated by the sons of Ancus M ...

Plot

With a pregnant wife at home, Keung has been struggling to find a job when he finally finds work as a security guard in a commercial building. Strange incidents occur in the building and his colleagues begin to die one by one in horrible ways due to an

. A

geomancer Geomancy, a compound of Greek roots denoting "earth divination", was originally used to mean methods of divination that interpret geographic features, markings on the ground, or the patterns formed by soil, rocks, or sand. Its definition has ex ...

warns Keung that he will be the next victim and teaches him how to avoid fate. But Keung discovers the imp is trying to possess his baby. Failing to stop this, the ending shows him trying to kill the baby with an axe.

Cast

Chan Shen Chan Shen (11 March 1940 - 26 April 1984) was a Taiwanese-born Hong Kong film actor. He is best known for his roles as gangsters or villains in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1970s. Already an established film actor in Taiwan, he entered the Ho ...

- Old uncle Han *

Kent Cheng Kent Cheng Jak-si is a Hong Kong film and television actor. He is a two time recipient of the best actor award at the Hong Kong Film Awards. Biography Cheng was born in a poor family in Hong Kong.Interview of Be my Guest, TVB, 21 June 2008 He int ...

- Fatty *

Charlie Chin Charlie Chin Hsiang-lin () is a Taiwanese actor. He was born on May 19, 1948, in Nanking and grew up in Hong Kong. Throughout the twenty-four years of his acting career, Chin had participated in over one hundred films. As a member of the "Two Qins ...

-Cheung Ging-Keung * Wong Ching - Mr. Hong Kong *

Yueh Hua Yueh Hua (; 14 July 1942 – 20 October 2018), also known professionally as Elliot Ngok Wah, was a Shanghai-born Hong Kong actor, later based in Canada, with Shaw Brothers Studio and TVB. Yueh was one of the most versatile and prolific leading ...

(credited as Wah Ngor) * Yu Yi-ha

Reception

Devon B. from ''Digital Retribution'' awarded the film a score of 1/5, writing, "''The Imp'' is a somewhat slow movie that lacks any real eeriness until the climax." Peter Nepstad from ''The Illuminated Lantern'' awarded the film 4/4 stars, praising the film's characterizations, and slow build of supernatural tension.

References

External links

* 1981 films 1981 horror films 1980s Cantonese-language films 1980s supernatural horror films Hong Kong supernatural horror films Demons in film 1980s Hong Kong films Imps Films about spirit possession {{1980s-horror-film-stub