Rview The First 7th Night (2009) - English

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10/6/2025

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00:00Hong Kong cinema has long made its mark with many classic works, but it also harbors valuable

00:06films that remain relatively unknown.

00:09The First Seventh Night, directed by Herman Yao, is a prime example of horror cinema

00:15deeply infused with traditional Chinese cultural elements.

00:19The film explores a unique spiritual custom, the belief that the deceased returns to the

00:24mortal world on the First Seventh Night, the seventh day after death, to bid farewell to

00:30their loved ones one last time.

00:33The film opens with a gloomy atmosphere, marked by a slow pace and psychological depth.

00:39It is not merely a chilling story, but also a moving one, quietly reflecting the realities

00:44of life and the unresolved inner struggles of people.

00:49The work stands as proof that horror can also touch the deepest emotional layers of the human

00:53experience.

00:55The film opens with a quiet nighttime street scene, taxis weaving through the busy roads,

01:01ambiguous phone calls hinting at something unusual.

01:04The pacing is slow, evoking a sense of anticipation, as if something is about to happen at any moment.

01:12In this suffocating atmosphere, the character, King of Maps, played by Gordon Lom Katung, emerges

01:18as a quiet fragment of the city's fabric.

01:21His nickname is not merely symbolic.

01:24It reflects his experience and seasoned nature, a veteran taxi driver who knows every corner

01:29of the town.

01:31After a brief negotiation, he accepts an unusual fare to Sun and Moon Village, a mysterious,

01:36almost forgotten place.

01:38In the First Seventh Night, he once again brings to life a brooding gaze, a stoic demeanor,

01:44and a flickering cigarette in hand, painting the portrait of a man weathered by life.

01:48The King of Maps comes across as a rebellious, world-weary figure, carrying the shadows of

01:54his past with him on every road he travels.

01:57The passenger seeking a guide for his journey is Little Ma, played by Julian Chung Chilam.

02:04The two quickly strike a deal.

02:06The King of Maps will deliver a package to Sun and Moon Village in exchange for a generous

02:10sum of money.

02:12The journey begins in an eerily quiet atmosphere with conversations carried out through a walkie-talkie,

02:18creating a sense of distance and adding a mysterious undertone to the late-night trip.

02:23From this point on, the film is enveloped in a dark and chilling tone, keeping the audience

02:29intrigued about what lies ahead.

02:31Little Ma comes across as cold and reserved, a man seemingly harboring a hidden secret, adding

02:38layers of suspense and mystery to the unfolding story.

02:42Their conversation takes us back to the past, as the King of Maps recounts to Little Ma the

02:47tale of the Chunlei Hotel in Sun and Moon Village.

02:51The story centers around Ah Fong, the hotel's proprietress, Michelle Yechuan.

02:57One day, she returns home carrying her child, only to find herself confronted by four uninvited

03:03guests, a gang of robbers who had just escaped with a large stash of gold.

03:08Ah Fong suddenly faces a dangerous and bewildering situation.

03:12She is forced to serve the intruders, complying with their demands.

03:16The real horror begins when one of the gang members, Chan Kyung, played by Samuel Tsung,

03:23becomes obsessed with Ah Fong.

03:25Enchanted by her fragile beauty and solitude, Chan Kyung gives in to his primal lust and rapes

03:32her.

03:33His blind desire sets in motion a tragic chain of events, culminating in a devastating outcome.

03:40The first seventh night draws inspiration from an ancient Chinese belief.

03:45The seventh night after a person's death, known as the first seventh, is believed to

03:50be the moment when the departed returns to the human world one last time to visit their

03:54loved ones before moving on to the next life.

03:57The robbers are unaware that tonight is the very night Ah Fong's husband is expected to

04:02return.

04:03The film's atmosphere shifts into a dark, ritualistic scene of worship, filled with dim lighting

04:09and vague, creeping sounds that seep through the house, creating a chilling sensation, as

04:15if the world of the dead is gradually making its presence known.

04:18Ah Fong sits in silence, as if seeking shelter from her trauma.

04:22Her emotional state resembles a small piece of driftwood on a river, fragile, powerless,

04:28yet clinging to the hope of a miracle, the return of her late husband.

04:33At the same time, the robbers grow increasingly uneasy amid the strange ritual.

04:38Chan Kyung begins to feel a creeping anxiety, haunted by the guilt of his immoral actions.

04:44A sense of dread takes over him, as he fears the soul of the husband has returned to seek

04:50justice for what was lost.

04:52The mysterious ritual serves as a bridge between two worlds, marking the moment when Ah Fong's

04:59husband's spirit returns.

05:01It provides a sense of catharsis and satisfaction for horror film lovers.

05:06The film fully utilizes hazy visuals, flickering lights, and an eerie silence to create an intense,

05:12supernatural atmosphere.

05:14The story concludes with a gunfight, a familiar motif in Hong Kong cinema.

05:19In the end, Chan Kyung pays the price for his despicable actions.

05:23When the narrative returns to the present, Little Ma reacts with skepticism to what the king

05:28of maps has just told him.

05:30He coldly remarks,

05:31This doubt goes beyond mere attitude.

05:44It hints at something more uncanny, as though Little Ma already knows what really happened

05:49at the Chun Lei Hotel.

05:51Even though the times and locations mentioned by the king of maps match reality, the progression

05:57of events and the portrayals of the characters differ entirely.

06:01It's at this point that director Hermann Yulia subtly inserts a narrative twist.

06:06A turning point that completely upends the viewer's initial perception.

06:10From the gentle, pitiable woman described by the king of maps, Ah Fong transforms into

06:15a cunning and manipulative figure.

06:18Someone willing to seduce, deceive, and disregard morality to achieve her personal goals.

06:24This second version of her is a stark contrast, seductive and pragmatic.

06:29It's a deeply layered role, far from the docile traditional characters that Yip Tung typically

06:35portrayed during her TVB days.

06:37According to Little Ma, the story took an entirely different turn.

06:41Ah Fong, along with Chan Kyung and the rest of the gang, fled to the Chun Lei Hotel after

06:47the robbery.

06:48A violent conflict soon erupted, and Ah Fong abandoned her young son, Ah Long.

06:55She never returned to Sun and Moon Village again.

06:59Director Hermann Yao masterfully employs the storytelling device to highlight the stark contrast

07:04between two generations while also evoking deeper, more reflective meanings within the film.

07:11Beneath what appears to be a simple narrative lies a poignant slice of human fate and tragedy,

07:17compelling the audience to contemplate the relentless cycle of life.

07:21From that moment on, Ah Long's life descended into a path of pain and misfortune.

07:27At just five years old, he barely survived under the cruel hands of his uncle.

07:32Enduring abuse not only physically, but also mentally.

07:35The tragedy reached its peak when, in an act of self-defense, he took his uncle's life,

07:41and from then on, wandered aimlessly through the world.

07:44Growing up deprived of love from both his father and mother, Ah Long was forced to face the

07:49harsh realities of life far too early.

07:53For 30 years, he lived a life centered solely around money, with no emotional ties to his

07:58hometown or family.

08:00His taxi became his only home, a vessel that sustained his life through years of childhood

08:05trauma and loneliness.

08:08Compared to other children, was Ah Long a cruel oversight of fate?

08:12The film transcends the horror genre, emerging as a sorrowful portrait of human destiny, leaving

08:19the audience with a lingering sense of melancholy and reflection.

08:23The First Seventh Night is not merely a horror film, it's a journey toward redemption and

08:28spiritual release.

08:30The film conveys a profound and hopeful message, inviting viewers to reflect on the human condition

08:37and the invisible bonds that entangle us in life.

08:40Through its story, we see that people often cling to something, sometimes resentment, sometimes

08:46lingering pain, which keeps them lost, unable to find the motivation to move forward.

08:51The ties of maternal love, the regrets that remain, and a sense of aimlessness create a vicious

08:57cycle that feels impossible to break.

09:00The ending of The First Seventh Night serves as a release, untying the emotional knots of

09:05Ah Long's 30 years of torment.

09:08It also opens a new chapter, the beginning of another, The First Seventh Night cycle, as

09:14Ah Long now awaits the return of his own mother.

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