| In an odd move, at the end of Bennie Chan's (not to be confused with Gen-X Cops director Benny Chan) Human Pork Chop, the filmmakers state that events and characters are fictional. While that may apply to the characters somewhat, the template for the story is straight out of our grim reality. It concerns the torture, rape and subsequent dismemberment of single mother/prostitute Fan Mei-Yee. One of the grisliest aspects of this criminal case was the disposal of the body parts, in particular the skull that was found inside a Hello Kitty doll. The reason for this severe punishment inflicted upon Fan was due to a debt of only a few thousand Hong Kong dollars, believe it or not. In the end, the loan sharks who held Fan captive received life sentences and Hong Kong Category III exploitation filmmakers saw their chance to put the events on film, TWICE. Yes, premiering on the same day as Human Pork Chop was There's A Secret In My Shop, starring Michael Wong. We at least know who came up with the more caring title, if there ever was such a thing.
Having said that, Bennie Chan's vision is quite chillingly effective as he uses the low-budget to enhance a grittiness and realism that showcases man at its very worst. There's more emphasis on ugliness rather than gore but that is equally hard to take so be prepared. Even with the film's most disgusting scene, involving feces, being heavily censored, Chan's direction is still punishing to a large degree. Nothing is redeemable although no person deserves that kind of punishment, making the movie rather heartbreaking at times.
On a side note, the corporation behind the Hello Kitty doll obviously wanted nothing to do with the film, which led to shots of the doll being pixellated in There's A Secret In My Soup. However the shots of it in Human Pork Shop are not manipulated. There is the possibility that a redesign of the doll was made for film purposes but nonetheless, those familiar with the case and product won't mistake it for any other.
Emily Kwan is simply terrific as Grace, one that is on the downslide of life with no apparent ambitions to better her situation. Not even being a single mother stops her from committing the wrongful act that ultimately seals her fate. Wayne Lai, a rather underrated and talent chameleon of an actor provides the chills but can't really make his stone-cold character lift out of the basic template of the writing. Helena Law Lan and Amanda Lee co-stars.
Being shot so short after the case was wrapped up, this movie obviously hit a few nerves but then again, this is what exploitation filmmakers lived and breathed on back in the Cat III heyday of the 90s, real life crimes. It could produce lasting profound effects and while Human Pork Chop won't stand next to the best works of people like Billy Tang, aficionados will surely study, not admire, this vision of the bleakest of the bleak side of society and humanity. |
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