Mr. Vampire

A jiangshi is a corpse that hops because rigor mortis has set in, and is repelled by a paper talisman on the forehead and by holding your breath, since it hunts by respiration.

Ricky Lau's film took that folklore and turned it into slapstick action comedy, and it was so successful that Hong Kong made dozens of imitations over the following decade.

Lam Ching-ying plays Master Kau with total deadpan authority, and the physical comedy is truly excellent: the fights are choreographed by people who came out of the same industry as Jackie Chan.

The rules are the joy. Sticky rice draws poison, but only unprocessed rice. Ink lines. Chicken blood. Breathing.

It is a horror comedy that is actually funny, which is rarer than it should be.