Naked Killer
Encyclopedia
Naked Killer is a 1992
Hong Kong film
written and produced by Wong Jing
, and directed by Clarence Fok Yiu-leung
. The film stars Chingmy Yau
, Simon Yam
and Carrie Ng
.
The film is regarded as a cult classic
. http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/component/option,com_myblog/show,6582http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E4DB1738F931A3575BC0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=3
) is a vicious young woman who has no qualms about stabbing girlfriend-bullying men in the genitals
. Tinam (Simon Yam
) is a cop who is undergoing a rather traumatic period: he shot his own brother by accident and as a result vomits every time he handles his gun.
When Kitty severely injures a man by stabbing him in the groin, Tinam attempts to arrest her but can't manage it. Kitty later turns up at the police station and twists and turns the facts to the point that Tinam has no choice but to start a relationship with her. This reveals Kitty as a subtle manipulator. Tinam, who has become impotent, finds that with Kitty he no longer feels this way, though, for now, she is content with just leading him along.
Kitty's father is married to a new wife but it is a tense marriage and one evening he catches her with another man called Bee (Ken Lo
). In the fight that follows, Kitty's father falls down some stairs and is killed.
Furiously determined on revenge, Kitty breaks into Bee's office and proceeds to kill him, his bodyguards and most of his staff (there is some indication that he is involved with organised crime). In the course of her escape she takes a woman hostage but then, unexpectedly, the woman helps her out, disposing of many of the pursuers herself.
The woman turns out to be Sister Cindy (Wai Yiu
) who is in fact a professional assassin. She was probably out to kill Bee herself. Seeing that Kitty has potential, she proceeds to train her and give her a new identity. The training includes the killing of enraged, chained-up paedophiles in Sister Cindy's cellar. Before long the pupil is outsmarting the teacher.
For her first mission, Kitty accompanies Sister Cindy and murders a member of the Japanese yakuza
. This leads to a contract being placed on them and the assignment is entrusted to Princess (Carrie Ng
), one of Sister Cindy's former protégés and a lesbian
with an equally deadly young lover called Baby (Madoka Sugawara
).
While investigating the murder himself, Tinam goes to check up on an air hostess
whom the victim met. The witness is Vivian Shang, who Tinam recognises as Kitty. She denies this but renews their relationship.
Sister Cindy proceeds to murder other people who could connect Kitty to Vivian Shang, including Tinam's superior and a witness to the crotch-stabbing incident. Kitty does however stop her from killing Tinam himself. Kitty and Tinam consummate their relationship, but their different professions means that it will be difficult for things to go any further.
Sister Cindy for her part decides that Kitty has lost the killer touch, but on the other hand has found happiness with Tinam and tells her to leave and make the most of it.
Princess, who is supposed to kill Kitty, builds up an obsession of her own for the girl, which leads to some conflict with Baby. They do however set about killing Sister Cindy who, with death approaching, puts up a good fight. But she is ultimately defeated due to a ploy used by Princess earlier that day: she kissed Sister Cindy but her lipstick contained poison which, combined with some wine she has drunk, kills her.
Kitty goes into hiding but later confronts Princess, apparently willing to become her partner both in business and in bed. Princess subsequently falls into the same trap she set Sister Cindy: when they kiss, Kitty passes on some poisoned lipstick of her own. Tinam then bursts in, shooting away at Princess' henchmen, apparently having overcome his vomiting problems.
In the battle, Tinam kills Baby and a furious Princess pursues him and Kitty back to Sister Cindy's home. The poison in her system catches up with her however and she dies with Kitty taunting her by claiming that she on the other hand will get to hospital in time to survive.
By this time, the poison inside Kitty has taken effect. Unwilling to lose her again, Tinam fires his gun into the gas oven causing them and the house to go up in flames.
Hong Kong films of 1992
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1992:.-1992:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1992 at...
Hong Kong film
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
written and produced by Wong Jing
Wong Jing
Wong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
, and directed by Clarence Fok Yiu-leung
Clarence Fok Yiu-leung
Clarence Fok Yiu-leung is a Hong Kong film director and actor from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is perhaps best known for directing the cult hit Naked Killer .He was once asked by producer Mario Kassar to direct Basic Instinct 2.-Awards:...
. The film stars Chingmy Yau
Chingmy Yau
Chingmy Yau is a Hong Kong actress who no longer takes part in films although she is not formally retired.Yau entered the Hong Kong film industry after competing in the 1987 Miss Hong Kong Beauty Pageant....
, Simon Yam
Simon Yam
Simon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
and Carrie Ng
Carrie Ng
Carrie Ng is a Hong Kong actress best known for cult CAT III films Naked Killer and Sex and Zen. She won Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in The Kid and Best Actress at the Golden Horse Film Festival awards for her performance in Remains of a Woman.-Awards...
.
The film is regarded as a cult classic
Cult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
. http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/component/option,com_myblog/show,6582http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9902E4DB1738F931A3575BC0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=3
Plot
Kitty (Chingmy YauChingmy Yau
Chingmy Yau is a Hong Kong actress who no longer takes part in films although she is not formally retired.Yau entered the Hong Kong film industry after competing in the 1987 Miss Hong Kong Beauty Pageant....
) is a vicious young woman who has no qualms about stabbing girlfriend-bullying men in the genitals
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
. Tinam (Simon Yam
Simon Yam
Simon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
) is a cop who is undergoing a rather traumatic period: he shot his own brother by accident and as a result vomits every time he handles his gun.
When Kitty severely injures a man by stabbing him in the groin, Tinam attempts to arrest her but can't manage it. Kitty later turns up at the police station and twists and turns the facts to the point that Tinam has no choice but to start a relationship with her. This reveals Kitty as a subtle manipulator. Tinam, who has become impotent, finds that with Kitty he no longer feels this way, though, for now, she is content with just leading him along.
Kitty's father is married to a new wife but it is a tense marriage and one evening he catches her with another man called Bee (Ken Lo
Ken Lo
Ken Low Wai-kwong is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and a ex-member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team.-Early life:...
). In the fight that follows, Kitty's father falls down some stairs and is killed.
Furiously determined on revenge, Kitty breaks into Bee's office and proceeds to kill him, his bodyguards and most of his staff (there is some indication that he is involved with organised crime). In the course of her escape she takes a woman hostage but then, unexpectedly, the woman helps her out, disposing of many of the pursuers herself.
The woman turns out to be Sister Cindy (Wai Yiu
Wai Yiu
Wai Yiu, alternately Kelly Yao, is a Hong Kong actress.-External links:...
) who is in fact a professional assassin. She was probably out to kill Bee herself. Seeing that Kitty has potential, she proceeds to train her and give her a new identity. The training includes the killing of enraged, chained-up paedophiles in Sister Cindy's cellar. Before long the pupil is outsmarting the teacher.
For her first mission, Kitty accompanies Sister Cindy and murders a member of the Japanese yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
. This leads to a contract being placed on them and the assignment is entrusted to Princess (Carrie Ng
Carrie Ng
Carrie Ng is a Hong Kong actress best known for cult CAT III films Naked Killer and Sex and Zen. She won Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in The Kid and Best Actress at the Golden Horse Film Festival awards for her performance in Remains of a Woman.-Awards...
), one of Sister Cindy's former protégés and a lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
with an equally deadly young lover called Baby (Madoka Sugawara
Madoka Sugawara
, born February 17, 1973, is a Japanese actress and 1990 Monthly Playboy Playmate.-External links:...
).
While investigating the murder himself, Tinam goes to check up on an air hostess
Air Hostess
"Air Hostess" is a song by the British pop trio Busted. Composed by the band with Tom Fletcher of McFly, it was released as the third single from their second album A Present for Everyone in June 2004, reaching #2 on the UK Singles Chart.-Background:...
whom the victim met. The witness is Vivian Shang, who Tinam recognises as Kitty. She denies this but renews their relationship.
Sister Cindy proceeds to murder other people who could connect Kitty to Vivian Shang, including Tinam's superior and a witness to the crotch-stabbing incident. Kitty does however stop her from killing Tinam himself. Kitty and Tinam consummate their relationship, but their different professions means that it will be difficult for things to go any further.
Sister Cindy for her part decides that Kitty has lost the killer touch, but on the other hand has found happiness with Tinam and tells her to leave and make the most of it.
Princess, who is supposed to kill Kitty, builds up an obsession of her own for the girl, which leads to some conflict with Baby. They do however set about killing Sister Cindy who, with death approaching, puts up a good fight. But she is ultimately defeated due to a ploy used by Princess earlier that day: she kissed Sister Cindy but her lipstick contained poison which, combined with some wine she has drunk, kills her.
Kitty goes into hiding but later confronts Princess, apparently willing to become her partner both in business and in bed. Princess subsequently falls into the same trap she set Sister Cindy: when they kiss, Kitty passes on some poisoned lipstick of her own. Tinam then bursts in, shooting away at Princess' henchmen, apparently having overcome his vomiting problems.
In the battle, Tinam kills Baby and a furious Princess pursues him and Kitty back to Sister Cindy's home. The poison in her system catches up with her however and she dies with Kitty taunting her by claiming that she on the other hand will get to hospital in time to survive.
By this time, the poison inside Kitty has taken effect. Unwilling to lose her again, Tinam fires his gun into the gas oven causing them and the house to go up in flames.
Reception
Although this film received a 80% on Rottentomatoes http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/naked_killer/ and was generally acclaimed by critics, its extreme and graphic violence and explicit sexual themes may have deterred many viewers. For those reasons the film has developed a cult following.Production notes
- In spite of the title, the film shows little in the way of actual nudity. At the time, appearing naked in Asian movies was seen as detrimental to an actor or actress' career prospects, though many A-list actors chose to star in Category III films. Although she does appear topless while making love to Simon Yam, Chingmy Yau keeps her breasts covered with her arm.
- This was one of a number of movies in which Yam and Yau starred together in the 1990s.
- The controversial nature of the film with its violent content and sexual themes led to extensive cutting by the censors in both Hong Kong and abroad.
- Japanese actress Sugawara does appear topless and her posterior is shown during her love scenes with Ng, who remained clothed and insisted on wearing gloves while fondling Sugawara's body.
- Studio shots were taken of Yau nude with Ng fully clothed.
Cast
- Kitty/Vivian Shang - Chingmy YauChingmy YauChingmy Yau is a Hong Kong actress who no longer takes part in films although she is not formally retired.Yau entered the Hong Kong film industry after competing in the 1987 Miss Hong Kong Beauty Pageant....
- Tinam - Simon YamSimon YamSimon Yam Tat-Wah , born March 19, 1955, is a Hong Kong actor and film producer.-Background:The son of a former police officer of Shangdong heritage, his father was a Hong Kong Royal Police ship captain who was murdered by his colleague....
- Princess - Carrie NgCarrie NgCarrie Ng is a Hong Kong actress best known for cult CAT III films Naked Killer and Sex and Zen. She won Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards for her performance in The Kid and Best Actress at the Golden Horse Film Festival awards for her performance in Remains of a Woman.-Awards...
- Baby - Madoka SugawaraMadoka Sugawara, born February 17, 1973, is a Japanese actress and 1990 Monthly Playboy Playmate.-External links:...
- Sister Cindy - Wai YiuWai YiuWai Yiu, alternately Kelly Yao, is a Hong Kong actress.-External links:...
(as Kelly Yao) - Bee - Ken LoKen LoKen Low Wai-kwong is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist and a ex-member of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team.-Early life:...
Crew
- Directed by: Clarence Fok Yiu-leungClarence Fok Yiu-leungClarence Fok Yiu-leung is a Hong Kong film director and actor from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He is perhaps best known for directing the cult hit Naked Killer .He was once asked by producer Mario Kassar to direct Basic Instinct 2.-Awards:...
- Written by: Wong JingWong JingWong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
- Screenplay by: Wong JingWong JingWong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...
- Produced by: Dennis Chan and Wong JingWong JingWong Jing is a Hong Kong film director, producer, actor, presenter, and screenwriter. A prolific filmmaker possessed of strong instincts for crowd-pleasing and publicity, he is often cited as the most consistently successful filmmaker , in commercial terms, in the Hong Kong cinema of the last...