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Chih-Hung Kuei

Chih-Hung Kuei

Director and writer · Died October 1, 1999, aged 61 · Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

Kuei Chih-hung (桂治洪) (20 December 1937 – 1 October 1999) was one of the most popular and daring filmmakers to work for the Hong Kong-based Shaw Brothers Studios, directing more than 40 films throughout the late 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s. Known for his bold cinematic style, innovative use of realistic, on-location shooting and often gritty, controversial subject matter, Kuei found critical and commercial success working in a variety of genres, including the hard-boiled crime drama of The Teahouse (1974) and its sequel, Big Brother Cheng (1975), wuxia classic Killer Constable (1981), and the cult horror favorites The Killer Snakes (1975) and Hex (1980). Kuei often added subtle commentary to even his most mainstream projects, depicting the poverty of the public housing, police corruption and colonial government rule with an unflinching honesty.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 20, 1937
Died
October 1, 1999 (aged 61)
From
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Works as
Director and writer
Titles
8 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Up 35% in 30 days

What are Chih-Hung Kuei's films like?

Across their 7 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Survival.

Genres

Action3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 15th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
37%
Survival
28%
Power
25%
Bonds
9%
Survival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeGreed3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRedemption2 titles, browse their movies with this themeOppression2 titles, browse their movies with this themeViolence2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 0 · Dark 5

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 1 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 3

Intense: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their intense movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 0 · Charged 2 · Intense 5

Whiplash: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their whiplash movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 0 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 4

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 2 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 1

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 4

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 2

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Absurd
4
Dread
3
Manic
2
Melancholic
1
Other
3

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Bittersweet4
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Chih-Hung Kuei's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 5 of their 8 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Subscription and free streaming for Chih-Hung Kuei's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 8 with a MovieCove page.

  • Misfire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Director

  • The Boxer's Omen(1983)

    Director · Special Effects · Story

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Curse of Evil (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • Hex After Hex(1982)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Godfather from Canton (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Director

  • Bewitched (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director

  • Corpse Mania (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Director · Writer

  • Revenge of the Corpse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Writer

  • Hex vs. Witchcraft(1980)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Hex(1980)

    Director · Screenplay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Coward Bastard (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    Director

  • Killer Constable(1980)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • The Gold Connection (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • The Reckless Cricket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    Director

  • Crazy Imposters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Director

  • The Criminals, Part 5: The Teenager's Nightmare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Assault: The Criminals, Part IV(1977)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • The Criminals, Part 3: Arson (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1977)

    Director

  • Loceng Maut (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Co-Director

  • Mr. Funny Bone (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Killers on Wheels (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • The Criminals, Part 2: Homicides (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Spirit of the Raped (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)

    Director

  • Fearful Interlude (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • Big Brother Cheng (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1975)

    Director

  • The Rat Catcher (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • Ghost Eyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • The Teahouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • The Bod Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • The Killer Snakes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Director

  • The Bamboo House of Dolls(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Supermen Against the Orient(1973)

    Director

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all films

  • Payment In Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • The Delinquent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1973)

    Director

  • Intrigue in Nylons (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • Stranger in Hong Kong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director · Writer

  • The Gourd Fairy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Director

  • The Lady Professional (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1971)

    Director

  • A Time for Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director · Writer

  • The Orchid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Assistant Director

  • Love Song Over the Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Director

  • The Five Billion Dollar Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Assistant Director

  • Dear Murderer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Assistant Director · as Secretary He

  • 裸尸痕 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Assistant Director

  • Hong Kong Rhapsody (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1968)

    Assistant Director

  • Trapeze Girl (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Assistant Director

  • Operation Lipstick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Assistant Director

  • Lover's Rock (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Assistant Director

Career shape

A full career of 48 titles from 1964 to 1984.

Highest rated

Killer Constable (1980)

Midcredits 82nd

Most popular right now

The Boxer's Omen (1983)

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting1 of 48: 0 only acting, 1 with another roleDirecting39 of 48: 34 only directing, 5 with another role · typical Midcredits score32ndWriting6 of 48: 1 only writing, 5 with another roleOther crew9 of 48: 7 only other crew, 2 with another role

48 titles, 6 with more than one role — directing and other crew overlap on 1 of them.

By decade

1960s6 · 1 acting · 6 crew1970s30 · crew1980s12 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Chih-Hung Kuei's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 32nd percentile, the median of all 8; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 37th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

37thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

50thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 8 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up2
  • 50th to 74th1
  • 25th to 49th2
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 8 titles are Mixed.

  • Crowd Pleaser2
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed5

Most divisive · director

Supermen Against the Orient (1973)

67th percentile spread · 42% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · director

Killer Constable (1980)

Midcredits 82nd · 68% liked

Reviewers score the atmosphere 70/100 and the pacing 49/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles. The element that speaks to their work as a director.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Chih-Hung Kuei work with?

People who share at least 2 of Chih-Hung Kuei's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Hsing-Lung Chiang shares the most, 6.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers