Dead Talents Society
- 16 May 2024 (2024-05-16) (Cannes Film Festival)
- 7 August 2024 (2024-08-07) (Taiwan)
Dead Talents Society (Chinese: 鬼才之道) is a 2024 Taiwanese horror comedy film directed and written by John Hsu, starring Chen Bolin, Sandrine Pinna, Gingle Wang, and Eleven Yao. Set in a fictional underworld, the film revolves around ghosts who aspire to become the most successful and renowned stars with their scare tactics and performances among the living.
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2024, and released theatrically on 7 August in Taiwan.
Synopsis
Catherine, a renowned underworld diva known for haunting a hotel, is betrayed by her protégé, Jessica, who surpasses her at the Golden Ghost Awards with a series of jump scare videos on the internet, leading to a decline in Catherine's popularity.
Four years later, an unnamed rookie ghost[a] discovers that her body is eviscerating, as her piano competition certificate, the token which bears the value of her existence the most, has been accidentally discarded by her sister while moving away from the house. Realizing that the loss of the token would result in her perish within 30 days, Rookie enlists the help of her ghost friend Camilla, and joins the entry contest of the Dead Talents Society, where ghosts can receive a working pass to stay in the living world if signed by a haunting agency. Although Rookie's performance is awful, it moves Makoto, the agent of washed-up Catherine, who then invites Rookie to become Catherine's new protégé. Before Rookie and Camilla can get acquainted with Catherine and the agency's technician, Kouji, a new guest arrives at the hotel. Rookie and Camilla fail to scare the guest, much to Catherine's dissatisfaction, prompting her to intervene and haunt the guest herself. Enraged, Catherine demands that Makoto dismiss the two newcomers. However, Makoto informs her about the lack of use of their old tricks and the decline in their KPI, and convinces her that Rookie's apparent uselessness could prevent Catherine from being betrayed again. After 20 days of training, Rookie shows little improvement, but during the stay of a young couple, she inadvertently leaps off the building, gets stabbed through the hotel's signboard, and triggers a short circuit, which the couple captures on video and goes viral on the internet.
In the real world, a ghost-hunting YouTuber, Non-Believer, announces plans to produce a vlog by watching Jessica's jump scare videos in Rookie's haunted hotel, to see what would happen when the two urban legends are triggered simultaneously. This draws great attention from the underworld, even the Chairghost of the Society expresses interest to know how would both divas react. Jessica, now an international star after haunting an American influencer to death, agrees to return to Taiwan and do a crossover haunting show with Rookie, attempting to destroy Catherine's protégé. She publicly humiliates Rookie on a talk show, and when Catherine blames Rookie for not defending herself, the fragile-ego Rookie quits the agency in rage. Makoto finds Rookie at her old house, where she reveals that the piano competition certificate was actually forged by her father to encourage her, despite her being a good-for-nothing person who failed at numerous goals. After being expelled from university, the only goal left on her list was to be a good daughter, but she ultimately fails it as she is crushed to death while trying to secure the certificate in an earthquake. Knowing her story, Makoto encourages Rookie to be herself instead of living up to what others expect.
Meanwhile, the crossover show between Catherine and Jessica commences, with the two sabotaging each other's performances, failing to scare the ghost-hunting YouTubers. Enraged, Jessica assaults Catherine, causing collateral damage that destroys the YouTubers' camera, which means the show would not be seen by anyone in the real world and the Chairghost leaves prematurely before the show's end in dissatisfaction. Touched by Catherine's actions, Rookie shows up at the last second and performs another leap, which manages to scare the YouTubers and she chases them away alongside Catherine, Makoto, Camilla, and Kouji.
Although they lose at the Golden Ghost Awards, the YouTubers ultimately result in a car crash and the subsequent large exorcising ceremony garners public attention, which satisfies the Chairghost and ultimately grants renewals of Catherine, Rookie, and Jessica's working passes. In the end, Rookie visits her sister's newborn child and tells him that it is not necessary to be talented, but to simply be himself.
Cast
- Chen Bolin as Makoto, a one-time pop idol-turned-underworld haunting agent of Catherine[1][2]
- Sandrine Pinna as Catherine, a washed-up underworld diva[1]
- Gingle Wang as The Rookie,[a] a newly deceased young woman who tries to become an underworld diva[1]
- Eleven Yao as Jessica, a renowned underworld diva and the protégé-turned-rival of Catherine[1]
- Bai Bai as Camilla, Rookie's best friend who later becomes a member of Makoto's haunting agency[1]
- Soso Tseng as Kouji, the technical support of Makoto's haunting agency[3]
Also appearing in the film are Da-her Lin as Non-Believer, a ghost-hunting YouTuber;[3] Lung Lung and Daniel Chen as Lola and Ken, Non-Believer's companions;[3] Huang Di-yang as the Chairghost of the Dead Talents Society;[4] and Na Wei-hsun as Rookie's father.[5] Cameo appearances include political commentator Milla as Connie, an underworld talk show host,[6] and comedian Hello Hor as an underworld news anchor.[7]
Production
Development
Following the commercial success of the 2019 horror film Detention, director John Hsu decided to take a lighter and comedic approach for his new project.[6] Noticing the growing popularity of ghost-themed films in Taiwan, he collaborated with screenwriter Tsai Kun-Lin to develop a never-before-filmed idea in 2020 which later evolved into Dead Talents Society.[6][8] In February 2021, the duo invested over NT$1 million to shoot a 6.5-minute teaser, which generated significant buzz and online discussions.[6] Chen Bolin and Sandrine Pinna appeared in the teaser and confirmed their involvement in the lead roles,[9] while Milla of the political satirical news channel Eye Central Television was set to make a cameo appearance.[6] Originally scheduled to begin filming in late 2021, the duo spent two years refining the screenplay, going through more than twenty versions, which Hsu attributed to the unexpected popularity of the teaser.[10][11] On 19 January 2022, Sony Pictures International Productions (SPIP) and Taiwanese production company Activator announced their collaboration to co-produce the film.[12] This marked SPIP's first Taiwanese production in twenty years since the 2002 film Double Vision, with SPIP funding over half of the film's budget.[13] SPIP also acquired worldwide distribution and adaptation rights.[12] In December 2022, Gingle Wang, Bai Bai and Soso Tseng were announced to take up lead roles.[14]
Filming
Principal photography was initially scheduled to begin in 2021, but was delayed until December 2022 due to rewrites and the COVID-19 pandemic.[13][10] The underworld hotel in the film was primarily shot at Champagne Hotel in Jiaoxi, Yilan.[15] The production crew spent a month renovating the ninth floor and constructing a fake elevator set to recreate the 1970s-80s vibes.[15] Filming also took place in Zhongshan District, Keelung,[16] and concluded in January 2023.[17]
Post-production
Due to an extensive number of VFX shots, the film underwent an additional year of post-production after filming.[11] An official trailer was released on 1 April 2024,[18] with Eleven Yao, Huang Di-yang, Lung Lung, Da-her Lin, Daniel Chan, and David Chu revealed to be part of the cast.[19]
Release
The film had its world premiere at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival on 16 May 2024,[20][21] and was theatrically released on 7 August in Taiwan.[22] The film was also selected for screening at the Midnight Madness section of the 49th Toronto International Film Festival, marking its North American debut.[23]
Reception
Box office
Dead Talents Society opened at the top of the Taipei box office, bringing in 3.5 million NTD on its first day,[24][25] and accumulated over 15 million NTD in revenue during its opening weekend.[26]
Critical response
James Marsh of South China Morning Post gave Dead Talents Society 4/5 stars and described the film as "wildly imaginative, frequently hilarious and shamelessly feel-good", with insightful explorations on existential purposes.[1] Estella Huang of Mirror Media referred the film as a complete and well-crafted supernatural comedy, noting that while the film's setting may bear resemblance to Monsters, Inc. and Coco, the insightful commentary that reflects real-life struggles and social phenomena made the worldbuilding distinctive.[27] Writing for The News Lens, Berton Hsu praised the film's entertaining qualities, visual designs, and experimental narrative approach, while noting the director's bold attempt in balancing horror and comedic elements to create a unique afterlife world.[28] Steven Tu, in his United Daily News review, called the film a milestone in the maturation of Taiwanese genre filmmaking, extolling the film's unique worldbuilding, heartwarming character arcs, and strong technical execution as creating a highly entertaining yet emotionally resonant work that exemplifies the true craft of successful genre cinema.[29]
Notes
- ^ a b Gingle Wang's character is unnamed and was only referred to as "You there" in the English subtitles throughout the film. This article will follow South China Morning Post's characterization and refer to the character as the "Rookie" based on her traits.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Marsh, James (13 August 2024). "Dead Talents Society movie review: Gingle Wang in hilarious Taiwanese supernatural comedy". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ Juju, Petit (10 August 2024). "《鬼才之道》玩壞陳柏霖?恥度無極限唱跳歌曲〈愛的視線〉致敬金城武〈標準情人〉" (in Chinese). Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ a b c Juju, Petit (31 July 2024). "陰間喜劇《鬼才之道》陳柏霖鬍子NG兇器,王淨自述像憂憂:背負許多期許卻感到抱歉" (in Chinese). Marie Claire. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ 林奕雯 (7 August 2024). "陳柏霖亮相「金鬼獎」嗨翻西門町 王淨自招麻瓜體質" (in Chinese). Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ 李承陽 (8 August 2024). "《鬼才之道》上映首日奪票房冠軍 王淨感性金句逼人淚灑影廳" (in Chinese). China Times. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Ku, Daniel (17 February 2021). "顛覆三觀的恐怖喜劇《鬼才知道》,陳柏霖扮演陰間魯蛇槓上「演技派鬼后」張榕容" (in Chinese). Vogue. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "COOL 每月潮流片單│《鬼才之道》、角頭 IP 新作、異形新作!這幾部是你 8 月不可錯過的佳片!" (in Chinese). Entertainment on Line. 7 August 2024. Archived from the original on 11 August 2024. Retrieved 11 August 2024.
- ^ "看張榕容「大法師」爬行!徐漢強新作《鬼才之道》輪到張榕容、陳柏霖扮鬼嚇人啦" (in Chinese). Esquire. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ 林芷卉 (27 February 2021). "張榕容驚曝靈異體質!「大法師下腰」全身痛5天嚇壞網友" (in Chinese). SET News. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b Hsieh, Allie (22 December 2022). "恐怖喜劇片《鬼才之道》終於開拍!過氣鬼陳柏霖打造「陰間劇組」,帶菜鳥女鬼王淨創造都市傳說!" (in Chinese). Cosmopolitan. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b Wong, Silvia (3 April 2024). "Sony-backed Taiwanese horror comedy 'Dead Talents Society' sets release plans". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 6 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b Tartaglione, Nancy (18 January 2022). "'Dead Talents Society': Sony Pictures International & Taiwan's Activator To Co-Produce Paranormal Comedy" (in Chinese). Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b 江昭倫 (19 January 2022). "索尼影業睽違20年再投資國片 《鬼才之道》進軍國際" (in Chinese). Radio France Internationale. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ 羅子欣 (22 December 2022). "張榕容扮鬼過敏「週週往醫院跑」陳柏霖保證翻轉觀眾想像" (in Chinese). TVBS News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b 廖福生 (12 March 2023). "獨/陳柏霖、張榕容合體搞鬼 《鬼才之道》拍攝場景搶先開箱" (in Chinese). TVBS News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ "111年度影視協拍業務聯繫紀錄一覽表" (in Chinese). Keelung City Government. 3 January 2023. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ 黃雅琪 (31 January 2023). "陳柏霖19歲嫩照曝!合體林依晨嗨唱". Yahoo! News (in Chinese). Now News. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ 陳穎 (1 April 2024). "張榕容驚爆人氣蒸發!過氣天后賞王淨一巴掌 大嘆:力爭上游找出路" (in Chinese). SET News. Archived from the original on 22 April 2024. Retrieved 22 April 2024.
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- ^ Wong, Silvia (10 April 2024). "Golden Horse to bring five Taiwanese projects to Cannes". Screen Daily. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
- ^ 鍾志均 (1 April 2024). "王淨《鬼才之道》跳樓來真的!遭張榕容甩巴掌不手軟" (in Chinese). Liberty Times. Archived from the original on 11 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan (25 July 2024). "Demi Moore's 'The Substance' to Open Midnight Madness at Toronto Film Fest". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 26 July 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ^ 黃保慧 (8 August 2024). "「鬼才之道」奪票房冠軍 王淨感性喊話:做個好女兒" (in Chinese). United Daily News. Archived from the original on 10 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
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External links
- Dead Talents Society at IMDb