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IMDbPro

The Oily Maniac

Original title: You gui zi
  • 1976
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
The Oily Maniac (1976)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer1:05
1 Video
35 Photos
SuperheroActionCrimeHorror

A cripple takes revenge on criminals by using a magic spell that transforms him into an oily monster/superhero.A cripple takes revenge on criminals by using a magic spell that transforms him into an oily monster/superhero.A cripple takes revenge on criminals by using a magic spell that transforms him into an oily monster/superhero.

  • Director
    • Meng-Hua Ho
  • Writer
    • Lam Chua
  • Stars
    • Danny Lee
    • Ping Chen
    • Lily Li
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    1.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Meng-Hua Ho
    • Writer
      • Lam Chua
    • Stars
      • Danny Lee
      • Ping Chen
      • Lily Li
    • 17User reviews
    • 31Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:05
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos35

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    Top cast47

    Edit
    Danny Lee
    Danny Lee
    • Shen Yuan
    • (as Hsiu-Hsien Li)
    Ping Chen
    Ping Chen
    • Lin Chung Yue
    Lily Li
    Lily Li
    • Hsiao Li
    Lun Hua
    Lun Hua
    • Chen Fu Chien
    Hsieh Wang
    Hsieh Wang
    • Hu Li Fa
    • (as Hsieh Wang)
    Angela Yu Chien
    Angela Yu Chien
    • (Guest star)
    Ku Feng
    Ku Feng
    • Lin Ya Pa (Guest star)
    • (as Feng Ku)
    Hung Wei
    Hung Wei
    • (Guest star)
    Dik-Hak Chan
    Dik-Hak Chan
      Shih-Ou Chang
      Shih-Ou Chang
      Chok-Chow Cheung
      Chok-Chow Cheung
      Chuen Chiang
      Chuen Chiang
      Han Chiang
      Han Chiang
      Yang Chiang
      Yang Chiang
      • Yang Tien Tsai
      Tien-Chu Chin
      Tien-Chu Chin
      Alan Chung San Chui
      Alan Chung San Chui
      Chin Chun
      Chin Chun
        Lau Chun-Fai
        Lau Chun-Fai
          • Director
            • Meng-Hua Ho
          • Writer
            • Lam Chua
          • All cast & crew
          • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

          User reviews17

          5.71K
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          Featured reviews

          8RobinsonGruesome

          A True Cult Classic..

          I watched this bad boy last night and I simply loved it!

          If you are looking for usual Shaw Brothers' martial arts extravaganza you better to skip this one. There's only couple fighting scenes and they ain't nothing special. Oil Monster likes more to stomp, pound and strangle peoples to death than bust some kick-ass kung fu moves.

          But if you are B-movie fanatic like me and you like flicks with monsters in the bad costumes, you will love this movie too! Story is based on the old Chinese folk tale.. Crippled man learns magic spell from his uncle who is sentenced to be executed The spell turns him into a Oil Monster and it's payback time! Monster starts to kill bad guys like there's no tomorrow..excellent!

          'You gui zi a.k.a Oily Maniac' ain't horror, I would categorize it as a cheesy superhero tragedy. Yeah, that's right..

          Monster itself is like when Superman meets Mr. Hyde and Swamp Thing. This Chinese Toxic Avenger is really cheap looking in bad costume with shining yellow eyes and heart stuck to the chest. Special effects are hilariously poor, especially when Oil Monster turns pool of oil and starts to move around.

          'Oily Maniac' has lots of nudity and lots of sexual violence. Every Female character shows their boobs, except Lily Li. Don't show this film to your feminist girlfriend because there's plenty of rape scenes that she couldn't handle.

          This movie could be more entertaining with more gore. There's couple of smashed skulls, but nothing more. This might be filmed at same time with Black Magic (by same director Meng Hua Ho), as many of the locations looks pretty similar. The plot is entertaining and acting isn't bad, actually pretty decent. Danny Lee shines in this as usually.

          In overall, if you want to see piece of Chinese b-movie cult cinema you need to check this one out.

          I also recommend Meng Hua Ho's King Kong -rip off 'The Mighty Peking Man'.

          I give 'You Gui Zi' a.k.a 'The Oily Maniac' 7 1/2 oil-stained corpses out of 10
          6Platypuschow

          The Oily Maniac: More entertaining than it should have been

          This cheesy highly 70's Hong Kong feature immediately gives you the impression that you're going to regret watching it. From it's immensely 70's feel, terrible dialogue and cheesy plot I expected the worst and maybe that's why I came out the other end pleasantly surprised.

          Don't get me wrong The Oily Maniac isn't exactly a great film but it's not terrible either.

          Arguably a superhero movie our hero gains the ability to turn into The Oily Maniac whose powers are essentially to be a man made of *Wait for it* oil! Though the plot isn't exactly original our leading character certainly is and though you may find it laughable and perhaps hard to get behind the character it is definitely memorable.

          This is a film I'd happily see a western remake of as the concept is a lot of fun. A bit of a higher budget to overcome the terrible 70's sfx and maybe make it either R rated or more tongue in cheek (This one doesn't know what it wants to be) Better yet here's an idea The Oily Maniac vs The Greasy Strangler Can you smell the potential? Make it happen Hollywood
          Dethcharm

          "My Hands Are Full Of Blood!"...

          THE OILY MANIAC Stars Danny Lee as Shen Yuan, who is given a mystical secret that can cure him of his polio. It also makes him invulnerable as long as he does good deeds. Following instructions, Shen turns into the shrieking petroleum product of the title, and begins wiping out bad guys right away.

          All goes well until Shen uses his powers out of anger, causing him to go totally berserk! The scene where he deals with his corrupt boss is quite memorable indeed! The finale is a feast of fiery fluidity.

          As Shaw Brothers films go, this is a good one. It's funny, exhilarating, and absolutely nuts! Sort of like a hybrid of SWAMP THING and THE TOXIC AVENGER (predating both of these films by a few years). The copious amount of female toplessness adds immensely to the absurdity of the whole affair!

          You will not forget the Maniac's scream if you live to be a thousand!...
          6christopher-underwood

          fantastic having a 1976 Hong Kong exploitation movie look so good but here even 84 minutes seems a long time.

          This would probably amuse a young adolescent male, what with the rampaging oil covered monster interrupting fairly explicit sexual goings and other non consensual abuses. Just about of interest too as an example of the myths and legends out of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, where some of this is filmed. For the general viewer, this is problematic, not due to any lack of cinematic skills, the Shaw brothers tend to know their audience and be able to cater for it but their is a distinct lack of focus. The oily maniac is pretty well done as far as the effects department go and whether it is the life size monster or the mere puddle that can slide under doors all is fairly satisfactory (especially helped by Jaws like rip off music to accompany each rampage) but there is no consistency as to his actions and those around him. Whilst all the girls who have their tops torn off are lovely the support acting is generally poor and with so much running about without anyone (us included) knowing why, those eyelids begin to drop. Fun in places and fantastic having a 1976 Hong Kong exploitation movie look so good but here even 84 minutes seems a long time.
          8HumanoidOfFlesh

          Sleazy and hilarious HK monster trash.

          Danny Lee plays a crippled guy who has polio.When he visits his uncle in prison,waiting for the execution,he gets a special spell thanks to the tattoo on his back.Since this day,the man can turn into the oily maniac super hero,who slaughters a bunch of criminals."Oily Maniac" is one hell of a hilarious monster flick.The main idea is completely crazy:a man can turn into a pool of oil.The special effects are primitive,but the action is fast and there is a good deal of nudity.The plot is silly,but who cares.If you like to see cheesy monster rampage and lots of breasts this low-budget monster/super hero flick is a must-see.I'd give it 8 out of 10 just for the sheer pleasure of watching this trash.

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          Related interests

          Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Mark Ruffalo, and Chris Hemsworth
          Superhero
          Bruce Willis in Die Hard (1988)
          Action
          James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
          Crime
          Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
          Horror

          Storyline

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          Did you know

          Edit
          • Trivia
            Based on the Malaysian legend of the orang minyak, or oily man, a supernatural creature born of crude oil and fueled by vengefulness towards those who wronged him, the film is a highly fictionalized take on the myth by Shaw Brothers studios, combined with elements from Hollywood slashers popular in Asia at the time. There had been at least three Malaysian film versions of the story prior: a trilogy comprising Curse of the Oily Man (1956), Orang Minyak (1958) and Serangan Orang Minyak (1958). He would turn up again many years later in Orang minyak (2007) and Pontianak vs. Orang Minyak (2012), the latter pitting the oily man against another figure from Malay folklore, a vengeful ghost woman.
          • Connections
            References Jaws (1975)

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          Details

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          • Release date
            • September 18, 1976 (Hong Kong)
          • Countries of origin
            • Hong Kong
            • Malaysia
          • Language
            • Mandarin
          • Also known as
            • 油鬼子
          • Filming locations
            • Malaysia
          • Production company
            • Shaw Brothers
          • See more company credits at IMDbPro

          Tech specs

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          • Runtime
            • 1h 28m(88 min)
          • Color
            • Color
          • Sound mix
            • Mono
          • Aspect ratio
            • 2.35 : 1

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