Haunted House Elf

A family moves into a house. The handyman's son tells the brother and sister there is a family of vampires sealed up in the basement. After freeing and befriending the child vampire, he uses his vampire magic to take the daughter and the handyman's son into a comic book to save a princess from a cannibal witch doctor and tribe. The witch doctor (Wu Ma) changes into the monkey king and Dracula, among others. The kids counter with their own transformations. For instance, when the witch doctor changes into Jesus, the kids chase him with a crucifix. Meanwhile, in the real world, the vampire parents are hopping around trying to find their son.

Directed by Law Chi, Haunted House Elf leans on a strong ensemble — Lin Hsiao-Lao, Hsiang Yun-Peng, Wu Ma — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1990.