Introduction

Abstract

This introduction to Hong Kong Horror Cinema introduces Hong Kong horror from a variety of perspectives, charting the history and development of the genre and citing key films and filmmakers; it puts Hong Kong horror in the context of East Asian horror more broadly, discussing some of the cultural specificities of Hong Kong horror that differentiate it from the popular and historical horror cycles from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and China; it provides a brief overview of horror studies within the field of academic theory, and suggests ways in which Hong Kong horror films can contribute new perspectives to these well-rehearsed arguments. A brief survey of literature covers the major related works from the fields of Hong Kong cinema and horror film history, and in doing so, makes a case for the importance, timeliness and originality of this anthology. The introduction also includes a chapter-by-chapter breakdown of Hong Kong Horror Cinema, explaining the division of chapters into sections and drawing pertinent connections between the varied studies that follow.

Recognising the Role of the Emotion of Fear in Offences and Defences

“…Counsel adducing the grounds of coercive control, recognised in law as a stand-alone offence since 2015 (see earlier), successfully persuaded the Court of Appeal to quash the murder conviction. 187 The Court of Appeal not wishing to usurp the function of a jury and in hearing and deciding upon fresh evidence in the light of new changes in the law since the appellant's conviction, ordered a retrial. At a subsequent hearing on June 7th at the Central Criminal Court the prosecution accepted the psychiatric evidence and her plea to manslaughter, and the judge ordered her immediate release on account that the time she had already served in prison was an equivalent sentence.…”

De-Criminalising Adolescent to Parent Violence Under s 76 Serious Crime Act 2015 (c.9)

“…18 This situation was born out of the fact that offences tended to focus on an isolated, physical attack on the person or to their property and could not use the victim-complainant's narrative to give context to the circumstances in which the single event occurred. 19 Arguments were made justifying criminalisation including the symbolic nature of the criminal law, recognising the behaviour and the harm it caused as wrong and not to be tolerated by society; the ability of a criminal offence to enable recognition of the behaviour both for front-line service staff, such as the police, and victims themselves. Much of the problem with the criminal law's response to psychological forms of DVA was the greater prominence given to physical harm over psychological injury.…”