User reviews

Reading the other comments for this film here on IMDb, one might be forgiven for being a bit confused.

Some people claim that this is one of the vilest pieces of filth ever committed to celluloid and only the sick and depraved would be able to (or want to) sit through it in its entirety. This couldn't be further from the truth.

Other comments describe scenes of torture, abortions, real animal killings, castration, decapitation, mutilation, and humiliation. God only knows what film they were watching, but it sure wasn't Keith Li's Centipede Horror.

However, select 'prolific authors' in the comment filter, and you get a much more accurate account of the film (thank you EVOL666 and HumanoidOfFlesh for your always reliable contributions).

Centipede Horror is actually a fairly hum-drum serving of HK supernatural horror that is enlivened occasionally by some silly black magic mumbo-jumbo and a spot of creepy-crawly nastiness for all those afraid of many-legged mini-beasts.

The film begins with a young woman and her friend travelling to SE Asia where they are bitten by poisonous centipedes, which ultimately cause their deaths. The brother of one of the girls decides to investigate his sibling's strange demise, and discovers that his sister was the victim of a spell, placed on her by a magician seeking revenge for a terrible act perpetrated by their long-dead grandfather. And now he's after the brother too! The first 40 minutes of this film is almost coma inducing, and only the most committed of horror fans will make it past this point. Those that do will then be treated to an entertaining 'exorcism' involving a naked woman with a green stomach, two ghost children, and some yucky bugs.

From this point on, things thankfully get more interesting, until the effective finalé which features loads of scuttling critters and a wonderful closing moment which is guaranteed to make you gag: a woman graphically throws up several large centipedes!!!

I'd heard some really bad things about this film before going into it; but decided to see it anyway simply because it sounded like it could be good; and since Centipedes are one of the most horrific creatures alive, the film had quite a good chance. The people that have seen this film seem to be divided into two camps; some say it's disgusting and disturbing, while others say it's boring - almost like they've seen two different films! Unfortunately, I saw the boring one. The plot focuses on a wizard who decides to take revenge against a young girl who is wearing a necklace that apparently belonged to some old adversary. He takes revenge by having her cough up a load of centipedes, and after her death; her brother decides to investigate. I'm not all that well versed in Asian cinema, but I gather this is a part of some vomiting sub-genre; and that's a sub-genre I can't see myself seeing much more of. The only real disturbing scenes in the film are the ones that involve people vomiting centipedes; and once you've seen it, you don't really need to see it again. The plot is frankly dull, meaning the film has little in the way of interest or value. Centipede Horror is a rather rare film, and as such I would advise most people to do what they would do with actual centipedes; stay well away.

There are at least 3 different films being reviewed here! Some guy is reviewing 'Begotten', a majority of people are reviewing The Most Disturbing Film In The Universe (which I thought I was downloading after scanning a couple of the reviews), and a sanity-restoring few are reviewing the flick I just saw. A nice 80s Hong Kong black magic romp, with some gross out live centipede barfing at the end nicely rounding things off. It may not have been the disturbing nightmare I was anticipating, but this altogether different prospect was highly enjoyable, I thought, if pretty standard fare. Also of note, there is a great bit of moody 80s synthesizer work in here, which sounds awfully familiar to something from El-p's 'Fantastic Damage' album! OK, after some more digging, I think some people are reviewing Takashi Miike's segment of Masters Of Horror, called 'Imprint'. Others are reviewing 'Cutting Moments'. However, there is still one that is eluding me, which appears to be a HK 80s horror: wizards, decapitation, transformation etc. What the hell is this film?

After having sat through this film, I find the inordinate amount of reviews touting this film as the end all of "disturbing" films rather strange. I did think the reviews had something unrealistic to them, almost theatrical. My only explanation is that someone with a lot of time and/or friends decided to play an elaborate joke on the unsuspecting IMDb reader and filled the commentaries with unrealistic histrionic reviews on how "frightening" the movie is. Yet, again, the reviews are very sparsely distributed in the year 2006. I just don't know what to think. What I can tell you is this: This film is not frightening, it is not disturbing, it isn't even remotely disgusting save for some lame scenes with bugs being puked out. Big deal, really. The majority of the film is just a guy running around from one "wizard" to the next to try and find out what evil wrongdoing his grandfather had done, which is assumed was the cause for the spell that killed his sister.

Seriously, the majority of reviews here must be some kind of joke. There simply is no other explanation. This film is too obscure to have somehow gotten into the hands of the kind of people who would unsuspectingly expect a Disney movie and then get "disturbed" by this of all movies. For cryin' out loud. If you are still not convinced, see ray1979, EVOL666, and ComixComix comments as well for a more realistic picture.

That said, I give the film a four, simply because it is decent for what it is: slightly cheesy, typically melodramatic Hong Kong "horror" fare.

Kay,a young woman,goes on vacation to South East Asia,which turns out to be a fatal mistake.She certainly wishes to be far far away when countless centipedes attack her.Kay lives through it,but not for long.In the hospital,her body is slowly decaying and she finally dies when the worms crawl out of her open wounds.Her brother Pak does research work and discovers that probably a 'centipede spell' was cast upon his sister.Could this all have to do with a mysterious fire his grandfather was involved in fifty years ago, that caused the death of three people?After finding out the truth,Pak and his girlfriend are in serious danger,when the centipedes attack once more..."Centipede Horror" is a gross HK horror film directed by Keith Li.The scene in which poor woman begins to vomit up centipedes is extremely disgusting.The special effects are pretty good and there is plenty of Asian weirdness.Check it out.7 out of 10.

I just don't know why I constantly subject my self to this crap...I haven't seen one of these types of films yet that I even remotely enjoyed, but being that I have the urge to try to absorb anything horror related - I guess I gotta take the good with the bad...

CENTIPEDE HORROR is another 80's HK film that deals with sorcery and vendettas and puking things up - in this case centipedes. A girl goes on vacation to South East Asia. While there, a sorcerer notices her wearing a necklace that belonged to an old comrade of the sorcerer, whose misdeeds caused the decimation of their village. The sorcerer casts a spell which causes centipedes to attack the girl while she's out in the woods trying to take a leak. When she dies, her brother travels to the scene of the incident to look for answers to his sisters death...

I don't know why other reviewers talk about these films as though they are so gory and disturbing. Yes...there are a few scenes of people puking up live centipedes in CENTIPEDE HORROR which can be kind of gross, but other than that (oh yeah...and one decent scorpion puking scene...), there is virtually no violence, gore, or other disturbing material in this film - and this also goes for all the other films in this same genre, such as SEEDING OF A GHOST, DEVIL FETUS, THE DEVIL, etc...They are all typically dull and derivative of each other - all involve some sort of sorcery, some sort of revenge against a previous wrong doing - and all have this revenge being exacted in the form of people puking up some sort of live creature. All very similar - all very dull. I give CENTIPEDE HORROR a 5/10 - only because the story is a little more coherent and is better filmed than some of the other entries - although I believe SEEDING OF A GHOST to be the best of this bad genre of films...leave these alone unless you're like me and HAVE to see everything horror-related, regardless of quality or entertainment value...5/10

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.

It's not every day you see someone throw-up a bucketful of live centipedes, but CENTIPEDE HORROR delivers just that, and more. This superior Hong Kong horror film offers more plot than most, and is never dull. In addition to centipede-barfing and closeups of flesh-eating insects, the film's show-stopping battle of the sorcerers had me pushed way back into my comfy blue chair.

Kay, against her family's warning, vacations in Southeast Asia and falls victim to a magician's spell. She dies with centipedes crawling out of her arms. Investigating her death, brother Pak Kai Lun discovers that his grandfather was responsible for burning down an entire village to cover up a double-murder, and the magician -- the only survivor of the massacre -- placed a curse on Pak's family.

The black wizard possesses Pak's girlfriend, Yeuk Chee, and directs thousands of venomous centipedes to fulfill his vendetta, as well as kill anyone who stands in the way. Yeuk Chee's magician father unsuccessfully tries to thwart the centipede dude, so it's up to a white-haired "master" sorcerer to conjure enough fire and brimstone to put an end to the curse. Seems as though half the characters are magically-inclined, which adds to the movie's humorous tone.

Director Keith Li builds suspense even during incidental moments, such as when a red-hooded demon appears at unexpected moments. A lengthy flashback, showing why Pak's grandfather burned down the village, casts a sympathetic light on the evil magician and suggests that the revenge may be justified, after all.

Some of the music is lifted from THE CAT PEOPLE (1982).

I have no idea why this movie has been advertised as one of the most gruesome and frightening Asian movies you will ever see. That is flatout a bunch of bullshit. Unless of course, you are mortally frightened by seeing a few big ass centipedes. The plot, A crazed evil wizard uses his powers to take revenge on beautiful women by making them vomit up live centipedes, which then proceed to eat their victims. That's the tagline, but to be honest, that is exaggerated way way beyond what is actually going on in this boring ass movie. The people that call this one of the most disturbing movies they have ever seen, have not seen anywhere close to the movies I have seen, especially from Asia. Big disappointment, and I can't recommend this very silly stupid movie to anybody, especially gorehounds. Be glad this is not available on commercial DVD, because you might be more tempted to buy it. So the final word on "Centipede Horror" is AVOID.....

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.

I've been hunting this one for years, I mean, the real stuff. It's easy to obtain as a download but I wanted the VHS. It never had a proper release and is only available on Japanese VHS. Even then it's hard to find and when you do you will have to pay over 100$ or more. Was it worth that hard earned cash, because some love it but most of the geeks hate it. Luckily I didn't hate it. It wasn't that gory as I expected but still it do delivers. First of all what I was surprised of was that it had some full frontal nudity without the blurred pubic hair so typical for Japanese flicks. It is offending in their believe to show the genitals. But here they were all in tact. The centipede's do attack and there were no effects used, it was the real stuff. Real animals were used and by saying that there is even some animal cruelty by skinning a chicken alive, once done she's decapitated so for animal lovers, leave this flick on the shelves. If you can't take flicks about wizards and voodoo stuff or doesn't really like Eastern flicks again don't watch it. Some scene's are indeed not for the squeamish, for example the vomiting scene's were a girls vomits centipedes who are alive. Nevertheless, strange flick, glad I found it finally after years of searching. And some effects are indeed passé but don't be annoyed by that. Low on gore or blood but high on weirdness.

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.

This obscure Hong Kong-horror has everything one could expect from it: Cult rituals from an evil priest or something like that, an evil curse which makes the female protagonist throw up crawling centipedes (and not fake ones, of course), some martial arts and lots of more or less intentional humor.

The video version I saw had no English subtitles, so I couldn't follow the dialogue; nevertheless the story seemed easy to follow, the pictures spoke for themselves. In one scene, an actress throws up scorpions (but I don't think she really threw them up; that would be too dangerous for her, wouldn't it), and, as already mentioned, the climax includes the cursed woman to let centipedes crawl out of her mouth before she throws them up, and she throws up many of them. At least this scene is EXTREMELY disgusting; I myself began to choke a little bit watching it.

Typical Hong Kong-horror, not for the easily disgusted.

Though not wholly out of character with similar fare out of Hong Kong, there are definite rough edges in the construction compared to contemporary works from elsewhere. There's a significant directness and curtness in many aspects, including the direction, editing, general pacing of scenes, music cues, and occasional infusion of tense moments outside of the big beats. By all means, one can discern the kinship this shares with countless other horror flicks - discrete events early on, followed by plot development as the events are investigated, culminating in more wicked doings in the third act. Given cultural differences that may not always be understood (and which may not be explained for outside viewers), possibly different sensibilities in some measure about cinema, and definitely those rough edges, the resulting picture may not come off as well. However much one may nitpick, though, by and large I think 'Centipede horror' is well made and enjoyable, with the most significant differences from more familiar flicks of the late 70s or early 80s being only in how Chinese culture and mysticism is centered over western notions thereof. For my part, I really like it!

I'm pleasantly surprised by just how strong the screenplay is. The scene writing may vary a little in its strength, with some moments meeting with greater success than others, but much more than not it is quite suitable in propelling the narrative. Moreover, like that narrative, scenes at their best are rich with excellent flavor, making for a compelling viewing experience as black magic and death bring the horror element to bear. It's clear that Amy Chan Suet-Ming poured a lot of care and thought into the script, for in addition to major backstory the latter half is filled with substantial detail about the spells and rituals on hand. It speaks well to director Keith Li and all others involved that the last third or so is flush with especial intensity and energy to make the proceedings all the more vibrant, with the genre styling being ever more prominent. The cast readily embrace that dark but fun tenor, and even those in smaller supporting parts are a minor joy in and of themselves. Naturally those with the most screen time particularly stand out, and Michael Miu is a steady anchor as protagonist Pak Wai-Lun; Tien-Lang Li's role as Yeuk-Chee ultimately offers an opportunity for her to let loose a little more, and she certainly makes the most of it. Not to be outdone, Hussein Abu Hassan sure seems to be throwing himself into the angry gesturing and demeanor of the unnamed antagonist.

Those operating behind the scenes also turned in fantastic work to help bring this to life. Though relatively few compared to some other titles, the practical effects and special makeup that present here are terrific, ably realizing the sorcery and maladies that are at play here. I don't know where the production snagged all the countless centipedes that we see at various points (the climax not least), but there's something to be said for the effort to secure real insects. To that end, while Yip Lee's cinematography is splendid generally, giving us eyefuls of everything there is to see herein, the tight focus on the centipedes is an especially nice touch, letting us get a good look at these beautiful but sometimes dangerous and misunderstood creatures. The costume design, hair, and makeup are fetching - and of all things, the art direction also really makes an impression in 'Centipede horror.' It's not so spectacular, perhaps, as what we're familiar with in other features of the time out of Hong Kong, like the Shaw Brothers' period kung fu pieces, yet there's considerable imagination reflected in the sets that adds to the atmosphere the movie carries. And speaking of that atmosphere, the music at its best is superb, a bounty of dramatic themes that reflect and enhance the grim tidings. Granted, there are also some curiosities in the music, including some themes that are ill-fitting, and some that blatantly lift from popular songs and rearrange the chords; the original film version of David Bowie's "Cat people (Putting out fire)" is the most obvious example. And still the music is much better than not, another facet of this that's so commendable.

I'm really very pleased with just how good this is. I had mixed expectations, perhaps, but I was solidly entertained throughout, and it's readily apparent to me how much skill and intelligence went into the picture in every capacity. Overall it may not be anything truly special, but the last act especially should handily satisfy one's horror cravings, and even in a case where the acting, direction, and craftsmanship are highly admirable, the writing leaps out as being a specific highlight. It won't appeal to everyone just as a matter of personal preference, and it goes without saying that anyone with a phobia of "creepy crawlies" should walk away altogether. I had a really good time watching 'Centipede horror,' though, and as far as I'm concerned I'm happy to recommend it for just about anyone who appreciates the genre.

A young woman travels to "SE Asia" (country never divulged) despite her elders warning her never to go there. She is then apparently the victim of a curse or "spell" that causes her body to spew centipedes which quickly turn on their host.

The woman's brother travels around the same "SE Asian" country trying to undo the curse while we are treated to more centipede-spewing, some coming out the mouth, others, apparently, coming out the vagina swimming in menstrual blood.

I will say that however much the actress was paid who had centipedes coming out of her mouth - and crawling back in there - wasn't enough.

Other than that all that the movie really has to offer are some interesting black magic sequences, but these pale in comparison to the classic Shaw Bros. movie, "Boxer's Omen".

Some of my difficulty with the movie may have admittedly been due to the typically obtuse subtitles, which would be familiar to any fan of HK movies. You know the ones, with the Asian characters on top and English beneath them. The English is generally poorly translated, but that's not the biggest problem: the subtitles are white and so are many of the movie's scenes, making some of the subtitles impossible to read.

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Centipede Horror; before launching into my critique, here's a breakdown of my ratings:

Story - 0.75 Direction - 1.00 Pace - 1.00 Acting - 1.00 Enjoyment - 1.25

TOTAL - 5.00 out of 10

Centipede Horror is similar to Bewitched (1981) but doesn't possess as much pizazz. Centipede is definitely the poorer and worst dressed cousin.

The story begins a tad spikily and feels rushed. The writers try to condense a lot of mystery and exposition into the opening sequences. Regrettably, it doesn't quite work. I believe that with a slight story structure alteration, everything could have been resolved. I had a sense the story was there to drive the action and effects and not entertain. That is a pity as the story could have been so good.

However, if the story's purpose was to get the audience to the action and effects, the direction let us down on that journey. There were plenty of sections that required a sharper tone to them. Quicker cuts between angles and scenes would have helped create excitement, especially in the Good Vs Evil battle segments. I'm not even going to mention how the low budget affected the special effects; still, it was nice to see what happens to the bones in a KFC Boneless Bucket. And, the skinless chickens aren't the only beasties in this flick. Oh no, the star of this show would be the centipedes in the end sequence. I didn't know these critters could skitter so fast. Usain Bolt would have trouble beating these varmints in a race. Now I say the centipedes would be the stars, that is, if it weren't for Tien-Lang Li, who had three of these creepy crawlies in her mouth. Each is about three to four inches long and very much alive. You, my dear lady, are a star. Thank you for creeping me the F-out.

As for the cast, I can only call them average. Although, that has more to do with the writers' lack of characterisation than the performers. The actors and actresses can only do so much with what they are given.

With all of that in consideration, Centipede Horror isn't a write-off. It is interesting and entertaining, but I couldn't say it engrossed me and didn't let go. If you want to watch a Good Vs Evil Sorcery flick, I would happily recommend Bewitched. However, if you come across Centipede on any streaming service, it wouldn't hurt you to give it a watch. It may also whet your appetite for something better...like Bewitched (no, I don't get royalties - it's just that good.)

Please feel free to visit my Absolute Horror and Monstrous lists to see where I ranked Centipede Horror.

Take Care & Stay Well.

This film begins in Hong Kong with a young woman named "Kay" (Lai Fun Chan) asking her brother "Kai-Lum Pak" (Kiu Wai Miu) for permission to go to Southeast Asia with one of her friends. Although their mother has strictly forbidden such a trip Kai-Lum agrees since she will only be gone for a week. In exchange for not telling their mother Kay agrees to wear a magic amulet which is supposed to ward off evil spirits. Once there Kay and her friend stop for some refreshments at a local street vendor (played by Hussein Abu Hassan) who immediately recognizes the amulet. That night it is revealed that the street vendor is also an evil sorcerer of great power who places an evil curse upon Kay which takes effect the minute she removes the amulet. Not long afterward, Kay is hospitalized after being attacked by a multitude of centipedes. Learning of her plight Kai-Lum immediately takes the next airplane to Southeast Asia and arrives just prior to her death. Eventually he learns of the evil curse that had been placed upon her because of something that their grandfather had done many years earlier and that he is now the next victim. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this film started out routinely enough but after about 40 minutes or so got really bizarre with a couple of wizards doing their best to fight the evil sorcerer and save Kai-Lum and his girlfriend "Yeuk-Chee" (Margaret A. Lee). On that note, it reminded me of a similar film called "Black Magic" which came out about seven years earlier and also featured mystic sorcerers fighting a battle to the death as well. In any event, I suppose this low-budget, Chinese horror film wasn't too bad and for that reason I have rated it accordingly. Average.

Centipede Curse (the name I've always known it by) is talked about as one of the most disturbing Hong Kong movies. No it isn't. I will say that if insects and (in my case) snakes upset you then either look away when on screen or skip this movie. They are not a huge part of screen time. And the centipedes are not the little fuzzy ones but the large spiny ones. Plus this was made in 1982 so no CGI. Real critters.

This movie is more an investigative story that begins when Pak's sister dies of a strange disease and centipedes come out of her wounds. Then begins the backdrop of a curse from decades previous and various sorcerers either battle the curse or try to enforce it. So expect some Chinese mumbo jumbo and black magic which adds to the uniqueness of the movie. It's all very interesting as we learn everything the same time as they do in the movie.

The cast is very good. The story has a flow that keeps the movie moving right along. The actors worked with real creatures and one actress should have been payed extra for her performance.

This film has all the primary ingredients. If you like thrillers with a real story then definitely watch it!