Indonesian horror

Last updated

Indonesian horror are fictions and films of the horror genre produced by the Indonesian film industry. Often inspired by local folklore and religious elements, [1] [2] Indonesian horror films have been produced in the country since the 1960s. After a hiatus during the Suharto era in the 1990s, when censorship affected production, Indonesian horror films continued being produced following Reformasi in 1998. [3] [4]

Contents

History

Ghosts and magical folklore have long been part of Indonesian culture. These later influenced the development of horror films. [5] Kuntilanak are particularly prominent in local horror films. [1]

During the authoritarian New Order regime under President Suharto, many horror films included religious symbolism and heroes to adhere to strict guidelines from censors. The Ministry Information under Ali Murtopo required that Indonesian films at the time had to follow strict moral and ethical guidelines, meaning many horror films juxtaposed violence and sexuality with religious heroes and themes. [6] Thomas Barker has argued that films produced after 1998 in Indonesia have been particularly shaped by what he described as the residual "trauma" of violence under the preceding New Order era under President Suharto. [1]

Actress Suzzanna has been called the "Queen of Indonesian horror". Suzzanna, c 1963, Tati Photo Studio 2 - Before restoration.jpg
Actress Suzzanna has been called the "Queen of Indonesian horror".

Suzzanna was a major film star in the 1970s and 1980s for her work in horror films. She appeared in 42 films before her death in 2008, including Bernafas dalam Lumpur  [ id ], Beranak dalam Kubur  [ id ] and Sundel Bolong. [7]

Indonesian horror films, particularly the work of Joko Anwar, attracted heightened international attention in the late 2010s, aided by streaming services. Some outlets declared films like Impetigore (2019) as part of a new wave of folk horror films from Southeast Asia. [2] [5] Impetigore was Indonesia's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in its year of release and attracted international recognition, but was not nominated. [2] [8]

HBO Asia also released Indonesian-developed horror television series Halfworlds . [5]

Themes

Themes approached in Indonesian horror include haunted forests as in Alas Pati: Hutan Mati (2018) [9] and ghost stories, for example. [10]

Notable films

Notable directors

Highest-grossing horror film

RankTitleAdmissionsYearDirector
1 KKN di Desa Penari 10,061,0332022Awi Suryadi
2 Satan's Slaves 2: Communion 6,391,9822022 Joko Anwar
3 Vina: Sebelum 7 Hari 5,815,9452024Anggy Umbara
4 Sewu Dino 4,886,4062023 Kimo Stamboel
5Pabrik Gula4,726,7602025Awi Suryadi
6 Satan's Slaves 4,206,1032017 Joko Anwar
7 Dancing Village: The Curse Begins 4,015,1202024 Kimo Stamboel
8 Grave Torture 4,000,8262024 Joko Anwar
9 Suzzanna: Buried Alive 3,346,1852018Anggy Umbara, Rocky Soraya
10The Verge of Death3,302,0472023Azhar Kinoi Lubis

Other media

Video games

Examples of Indonesian horror games based on folklore story, such as DreadOut and Pamali: Indonesian Folklore Horror

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Barker, Thomas (2013). "The Trauma of Post-1998 Indonesian Horror Films". Journal of Letters. 42 (1): 29–60. ISSN   2586-9736.
  2. 1 2 3 Ferrarese, Marco. "'New kinds of monsters': The rise of Southeast Asian horror films". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  3. Heeren, Katinka van (2007-06-01). "Return of the Kyai: representations of horror, commerce, and censorship in post-Suharto Indonesian film and television" . Inter-Asia Cultural Studies. 8 (2): 211–226. doi:10.1080/13583880701238688. ISSN   1464-9373. S2CID   145086314.
  4. "Indonesian Horror: A Beginner's Guide". pastemagazine.com. 2021-02-07. Archived from the original on 2021-12-23. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  5. 1 2 3 "New wave of horror flicks puts Indonesian cinema on map". Nikkei Asia. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  6. Singgih, Viriya (2020-02-11). "How Soeharto's Indonesia uses horror films to maintain social order". Viriya Singgih. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
  7. 1 2 "Horror artist Suzanna dies". The Jakarta Post . Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 2022-12-11.
  8. "The terrifying folk horror film that could be nominated for an Oscar". The Independent. 2021-01-25. Retrieved 2021-12-23.
  9. Times, I. D. N.; Nugraha, Sandi. "9 Film Horor tentang Akibat Melanggar Pantangan, Penuh Teror". IDN Times Jogja (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2024-01-13.
  10. "Indonesia's Horror Scene Is Booming. Can It Conquer The International Market?". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2025-01-05.