Chan Sau Ying (Ni Tien) is going to die from tuberculosis, and even then, her husband Chun Yu (Wong Yung) can’t stop abusing her. Her new servant Leung Yi Wah (Chan Sze Ka) takes pity on her, and they work together to drown Chun Yu in a pond, but then Sau Ying watches as her husband rises from the swamp and seeks revenge.

Kuei Chih-Hung was making his version of Diabolique here, but that movie didn’t end with a naked woman having blood slowly spit all over her and her entire nude body covered by painted spells. Instead, the climax delivers a shocking and visceral finale that leaves a lasting impression.

Ghosts that spit green vomit, animal guts falling like rain, and a grime-and-rain-filled swamp location make this movie feel just messy and gross, which quite often is how I like it. Sure, it moves slowly in parts — it is forty years old, after all — and some of the acting leans toward silly humor when the movie seems deadly serious, but when the last ten minutes give you the sleaziest exorcism you’ve ever seen, there are no complaints.

If you’re wondering why people are fans of this movie — and it may seem slow yet full of gorgeous filmmaking — stick around. The last 15 minutes are exactly what you’re looking for.

The Arrow Vide0 release of this film, part of the Shaw Scope Volume 4 set, has a high definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation, newly restored in 2K from the original negatives by Arrow Films. You can get this set from MVD.