Centipede Horror (1982)

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Keith Li is still not a familiar name to many except gore hounds specializing in SE Asian horror, but those in the know will agree that he reached his pinnacle with this disturbing, uncompromising gem of cinema; his only extant subsequent films seem pale and incomplete when compared to the bleak vision of Centipede Sorcerer.Other commenters here have already noted many of the unforgettable features of this film: Darma Yang's startling cinematography, the strong religious and existential subtext, and of course the sheer barking madness of what actually occurs during the film. To this I'll only add that Li displays an absolute mastery of tone here; apart from a slow section in the first part of the movie, it stays extremely, horribly consistent throughout, with a mood that builds like the slow realization of some terrible idea from a suspicion to full-blown awareness.As another poster noted, seeing this will be a real shocker for fans of Din Long Lee. It's truly a one-of-a-kind performance, but I can't help but think that the very fact that she was involved in a production like Centipede Sorcerer had something to do with her career never really taking off with more mainstream audiences. It's a testament to Li's weird genius that he ends his film with a tip of the cap to Truffaut's 400 Blows. Days after I've seen it, the haunting final score still lingers in my memory. This is certainly not a movie I can recommend to everyone, but it left an indelible mark on me for sure.

Have to put in my 2 centipedes worth. I am extremely disappointed in humanity, after seeing this movie. THE CENTIPEDE HORROR (not some other unknown movie some of these reviews are mistakenly for). I got this shocker - or schlocker - based on the many reviews - even apparently Mr Maltin's - like the most horrific and disturbing film made.What are you? Children? Lol. The incredible film that drove people to the edge of sanity for life is like the Monty Python joke that kills. It just can't be. I should have guessed it was too bad to be true. Or just another marketing ploy from the filmmaker's family and friends, mwaha.Much worse things are on Fear Factor. I just do nut understand how this almost makes people psychotic, unless viewed by people already in a mental home (I'm gonna get a few good negative points for that!)*SPOILER* The unwatchable ending is a minute or so where four live centipedes crawl out a girl's mouth. A second shot she appears to vomit live ones, as the camera pans down to live ones on the floor. I think they would have been just in her mouth.There is no transformation into another being, and centipedes don't eat people. They come out of people, lol. The one other time was from a wound. The transformation? What, where the cursed girl got a mild case of sores the doctor said was like radiation poisoning, but not serious, and then she died?*SPOILER END*The Excorcism of Emily Rose at least DID have some real scares! And that is a miracle (hah, that's punny). HOSTEL, Texas CHAINSAW, ETC, all had some degree of fright. This film didn't raise an eyebrow hair for me. The only dreadful thing was the empty boredom yet another film made me suffer.And the film didn't even feel like horror. More mellow drama, ending more like a Hong Kong fantasy film, where anything goes over the top, in the duel of the sorcerers. and is quite weird. Certainly not real. There's curses, counter curses, and priests-a-plenty. A centipede curse, a sound or voice curse.... a not knowing when to cut the scene curse. Some of that stuff was almost engaging.It was barely about centipedes. After their first appearance early on for a minute, you don't see them til the end when you get the obligatory floor full - and mouth full.Now remember, I want at least 19 negative points please, and zero helpful ones.I'm only really, REALLY jealous of those people who went mad.

I write this comment almost 12 days after watching this movie and still there is a sense of discomfort about this movie, when I think of the way it ended. Very frankly "Centipede Horror" freaked me out. Seen a lot of Din Long Lee (Hong Kong Police Madame 3) vehicles, but this one, Dang!!!! really put me off. First of all the movie is paced so slowly that it kinds of puts off track and then last 30 minutes just blows you off, with a last few scenes taking the cake. This in no way can be described as a family picture, rather, it is a movie for psychos whose time might be better spent getting their noggins looked at. With decent acting from all of them. I give this one nevertheless a 0/10 just for sheer bad vibes...Steer clear.

Kai-lum has recently returned from Canada to Hong Kong, finding his sister struck by a horrible unknown disease after she visits "Southeast Asia". Kai-lum investigates and finds it has something to do with a seedy looking character in need of either a haircut and shave or a better make-up artist. Kai-lum drags along his gal, Chee, in search of the truth and finds that his deceased grandpa was involved in some nasty doings. A spirit man now seeks revenge on all in grandpa's family, including Kai-lum. The old conjurer has a special bad spell which inflicts death by huge, Southeast Asian centipedes. Can Kai-lum defeat the evil sorcerer with the help of his chanting Buddhist monk pals, or will he need even more powerful help from Shao-lin kung fu mystics (also in need of better wigs and fake beards) to defeat the evil magic man?? I ain't gonna tell you. Chock full of Southeast Asian weirdness and gross out fights with bugs. Only if you enjoy off-beat Hong Kong flicks.