The Forbidden Door

Last updated
The Forbidden Door
Forbidden door Anwar-preferred.jpg
Film poster
Pintu Terlarang
Directed by Joko Anwar
Written by Joko Anwar
Based onPintu Terlarang
by Sekar Ayu Asmara
Produced bySheila Timothy
Starring Fachri Albar
Marsha Timothy
Ario Bayu
Otto Djauhari
CinematographyIpung Rachmat Syaiful
Edited byWawan I. Wibowo
Music byAghi Narottama
Bembi Gusti
Gascoro Ramondo
Zeke Khaseli
Production
company
Lifelike Pictures
Distributed byLifelike Pictures
Release date
  • January 22, 2009 (2009-01-22)(Indonesia)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryIndonesia
LanguageIndonesian
BudgetRp 2 billion

The Forbidden Door (Indonesian : Pintu Terlarang) is a 2009 Indonesian psychological thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar based on Sekar Ayu Asmara's novel of the same name. Despite disappointing box office receipts in Indonesia, the film won rave reviews internationally, with The Hollywood Reporter calling it a film that "would make [Alfred] Hitchcock and [Pedro] Almodóvar proud." [1]

Contents

Plot

Gambir, a lifecasting sculptor of pregnant women, extramaritally impregnates Talyda Sasongko. At the abortion clinic, a man tells him that when his wife had abortion here, they were haunted with guilt, though gradually adapted as they aborted every single fetus they had. Gambir, overcome with emotion, cuts the belly part of one of his sculptures and puts the fetus, named Arjasa, in it, so it would appear "living". They later marry and his career rises (Arjasa's sculpture being the most acclaimed work), but he is still haunted and becomes dispirited, often causing division between him and Talyda. He also suffers erectile dysfunction as a result. When Gambir reveals to Jimmy, owner of an art gallery, that he wants to change his sculpting motif, he is threatened not to do so, or Arjasa's sculpture will be revealed and he and Talyda will face criminal charges.

One day, Gambir notices in his house a locked door; Talyda tells him only she can enter the door, warning that if he opens it, an energy of melancholy will consume Talyda and ruin their marriage. Gambir discovers that he has been getting messages written in various places stating "help me" and "Herosase". Noticing his friend Dandung exiting the Herosase building, he asks; Dandung tells him it is not for the faint-hearted and makes him a member. Gambir is told that the only rule in Herosase is to never ask. Gambir is made watching videos depicting rape, suicide, and a boy being violently abused by his parents. Dandung tells him the cameras were placed by Herosase Inc. without the knowledge of others, and says nothing can be done toward the victims. The next day, Dandung claims the boy died with his mother, leaving Gambir devastated with guilt.

At his sculpture exhibition, Gambir hears a talk among several members of Herosase, where a man speculates the boy's parents have been paid, and that he saw a video depicting the mother drowning him, convinced that soon the boy will die. Gambir goes to Herosase and watches as the bloody boy takes a chef's knife and gleefully performs familicide. At the channels menu, Gambir learns that his house has also been watched, and sees Talyda having sex with Dandung and his friend Rio upon his mother's suggestion, as well as telling Jimmy to fake his praise towards Gambir and his works, mentioning Arjasa's sculpture. For Christmas, Gambir arranges a dinner with Talyda, Dandung, Rio, his mother, and Jimmy. He infuses their red wines with a poison named devilish pit, causing 10 minutes of paralysis, and uses that time to kill them.

Gambir sees the locked door covered with a painting of an eye. After throwing it, he barges in and learns that the door is the house of the boy in the video. Upon seeing his mother, who bears resemblance with Gambir's mother, he has an epiphany that everything he went through is his imagination. The boy represents Gambir's youth, except before he was able to decapitate himself police barged in the house. He was admitted to a mental hospital named Herosase, where he forms a humane alter ego of himself. The sculptor idea comes from a journalist named Ranti who gave him books and magazines as influences on his imagination. Gambir fancied Ranti and imagined her as his wife named Talyda. Other characters are in reality hospital staff. He then imagines being a Catholic pastor assisting a man who went through the same thing he did in his imagination; he advises the man not to open his philosophical door of chaos which he dubs "the forbidden door."

Cast

Directors Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel, collectively known as The Mo Brothers, made cameo appearances as patrons of the art gallery Herosase while costume designer Isabelle Patrice appeared briefly as a doctor at the abortion clinic.

Production

The film is Anwar's third feature releases following 2005's Joni's Promise and 2007's Dead Time: Kala . According to Anwar, while the story is based on an existing material, he added elements of his own into the screenplay by touching on his personal disdain of people who conceive children to conform to society's expectations without any real plans. [2]

Soundtrack

The Forbidden Door (soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by
Various Artists
Released2009
Genre Pop, rock, jazz

The film's original soundtrack consists of 18 tracks divided into two parts: part one consisting of songs performed by various bands and part two consisting of the film's score composed by Aghi Narottama, Bembi Gusti, Gascaro Ramondo, and Zeke Khaseli. [3]

Part One

No.TitleArtist(s)Length
1."Why"Mantra 
2."Nancy Bird" Sore  
3."Please Operator Please"Mantra 
4."Home Safe" Tika and The Dissidents  
5."Baby Baby"Mantra 
6."Jiro"Notturno 
7."Blessed the Tainted Heart"Mantra 
8."Lullaby Blues" Sore featuring Tilly of The Checkins 
9."Merry Mist"Alfred Ayal 

Part Two

No.TitleLength
1."Opening Tune" 
2."The Color Purple" 
3."Innocent Blood" 
4."Dirty Work" 
5."Naked Truth" 
6."Blood Opus" 
7."Chasing the Kid" 
8."The Eye" 
9."Pig-Headed Hero" 

Release

The film was released on January 22, 2009 in Indonesia followed by screenings at several international film festivals, including the International Film Festival Rotterdam, Toronto After Dark Film Festival, Sitges Film Festival, Vancouver International Film Festival, BFI London Film Festival, and Jakarta International Film Festival. [4]

Reception

The Forbidden Door received widespread acclaim from critics.

Calling it a film that would make "would make [Alfred] Hitchcock and [Pedro] Almodóvar proud", Maggie Lee of The Hollywood Reporter named The Forbidden Door "the most polished genre film of its kind in recent Indonesian cinema". [1] The New York Asian Film Festival's website described the film as a "19th century gothic novel adapted by Alfred Hitchcock and directed by David Lynch", calling it "one of the sickest, kinkiest movies". [5]

John Leal of Bloody Disgusting rated the film 8 out of 10 and wrote that the film "is a highly recommended Indonesian effort whose storyline gives us a very unique experience that comes well written and with plenty of horror to offset and in fact complement the drama. Anwar’s direction is equally amazing, giving us a full-frontal approach to the well-executed horror sequences that set this film apart from most of what I have seen in recent time." [6]

Similarly, Twitch Film's Ard Vijn also praised the film, noting that "Anwar wants to keep his movies accessible for the general public while telling them an outrageous story at the same time, and like with Kala it's amazing how well he succeeds. [7] He also noted that the 4 out of 5 stars audience rating the film received during its screening at the International Film Festival Rotterdam indicates that "maybe people are used to a lot more gore than I expected." [7]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryRecipientResult
2009 Bangkok International Film Festival Golden Kinnaree Award Joko Anwar Nominated
2009 29th Citra Awards Best Adapted ScreenplayNominated
Best EditingWawan I. WibowoWon
Best Cinematography Ipung Rachmat Syaiful Won
2009 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Best of Bucheon Joko Anwar Won
2010 KasKus untuk Film Indonesia Best FilmThe Forbidden DoorWon
Best Director Joko Anwar Won
Best Actor Fachri Albar Won
Best Screenplay Joko Anwar Won

Related Research Articles

<i>Dark Blood</i> 2012 film by George Sluizer

Dark Blood is a 2012 American-Dutch thriller film directed by George Sluizer, written by Jim Barton, and starring River Phoenix, Judy Davis, and Jonathan Pryce. The film was not completed due to the death of Phoenix in 1993, shortly before the end of the project and remained unfinished for 19 years. It was the last film to feature River Phoenix and the only film in which Phoenix portrayed a villain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joko Anwar</span> Indonesian filmmaker and actor (born 1976)

Joko Anwar is an Indonesian film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, he worked as a journalist and film critic.

<i>Dead Time: Kala</i> 2007 Indonesian neo-noir thriller film

Dead Time: Kala is a 2007 Indonesian neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar. The film stars an ensemble cast led by Fachri Albar, Ario Bayu, Shanty, and Fahrani.

Sore is an Indonesian indie band formed in Jakarta in 2002. The band was originally formed by Ade Paloh, Mondo Gascaro and Awan Garnida. They have been close friends since childhood. Other two members, Bemby Gusti and Reza Dwiputranto, were brought in by Awan Garnida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yogyakarta railway station</span> Railway station in Indonesia

Yogyakarta Station, commonly known as Tugu Station is a railway station located in Yogyakarta, Special Region of Yogyakarta, in Indonesia. The altitude of this station is +113 m (371 ft) amsl. It is currently operated by the Operational Area VI Yogyakarta of Kereta Api Indonesia.

<i>The Skin I Live In</i> 2011 film directed by Pedro Almodóvar

The Skin I Live In is a 2011 Spanish thriller and melodrama hybrid film written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, starring Antonio Banderas, Elena Anaya, Marisa Paredes, Jan Cornet and Roberto Álamo. It is based on Thierry Jonquet's 1984 novel Mygale, first published in French and then in English under the title Tarantula.

Sekar Ayu Asmara is an Indonesian songwriter, director, and author.

<i>Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet!</i> 2008 Indonesian film directed by Djenar Maesa Ayu

Mereka Bilang, Saya Monyet! is a 2008 Indonesian film directed by Djenar Maesa Ayu. Starring Titi Rajo Bintang, Henidar Amroe, and Ray Sahetapi, it tells the life story of Adjeng, who was sexually abused as a child by her mother's boyfriend. Filmed over 18 days after several years of development, the film adapted two of Ayu's short stories from her debut anthology of the same name. Owing to its low budget of Rp 620 million, its cast and crew were mostly amateurs and students, although several established actors appeared at reduced rates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atiqah Hasiholan</span> Indonesian-Arab actress and model (born 1982)

Atiqah Hasiholan Alhady is an Indonesian-Arab actress.

Kanjeng Raden Tumenggung Irwan Susetyo Pakusadewo or better known as Tio Pakusadewo is an Indonesian actor of Javanese descent.

<i>Kick-Heart</i> 2013 film by Masaaki Yuasa

Kick-Heart is a 2013 Japanese anime short film that uses surreal-psychedelic animation and storytelling to tell a love story between a professional wrestler and a nun. The film was directed by Masaaki Yuasa through Production I.G studios, who ran a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the short. The short screened on Toonami in 2013 and has screened at several festivals such as the BFI London Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rio Dewanto</span> Indonesian actor and model

Rio Dewanto is an Indonesian actor and model of Javanese descent.

Timo Tjahjanto is an Indonesian film director, producer, and screenwriter known for his film works mostly on the horror and action genres. Tjahjanto owns the film production company Merah Production.

<i>Ave Maryam</i> 2019 Indonesian romance drama film

Ave Maryam, initially titled Salt Is Leaving the Sea, is a 2018 Indonesian romantic drama film written, directed, and produced by Ertanto Robby Soediskam. Starring Maudy Koesnaedi, Chicco Jerikho, Tutie Kirana, Olga Lydia, Joko Anwar, and Nathania Angela, it concerns a forbidden romantic relationship between a Roman Catholic religious sister and her pastor. Made under the sentiment of the lack of non-Muslim films in Indonesia, the film was shot for nine days in 2016, and features a soundtrack by Aimee Saras.

Kimo Stamboel is an Indonesian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for his works on the horror genres both as himself and also as part of The Mo Brothers with friend Timo Tjahjanto.

Ritual is a 2012 Indonesian psychological thriller film written and directed by Joko Anwar. It stars Rio Dewanto in the lead role and is Anwar's first English-language film. According to Anwar, he made the film in English simply to indicate that it does not take place in Indonesia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fachri Albar</span> Indonesian actor and musician

Fachri Albar is an Indonesian actor and musician. He is best known for starring in Joko Anwar's Neo-noir thriller Dead Time: Kala in 2007 and psychological thriller The Forbidden Door in 2009.

Indonesian horror are the films of the horror genre produced by the Indonesian film industry. Often inspired by local folklore and religious elements, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicco Jerikho</span> Indonesian actor and film producer (born 1984)

Chicco Jerikho Jarumillind is an Indonesian actor and film producer. In 2014, he received the Citra Award for Best Actor for his performance as Sani Tawainella in Lights from the East: I Am Maluku.

References

  1. 1 2 Lee, Maggie (July 7, 2009). "The Forbidden Door — Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on May 13, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ Djaya, Andi Baso. "Joko Anwar: Saya sudah setengah mati kejar-kejar proyek itu". Lokadata.ID (in Indonesian). Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ Forbidden Door Soundtrack. deathrockstar.info. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  4. ↑ The Forbidden Door (2009) - IMDb , retrieved February 7, 2021
  5. ↑ Guillen, Michael (February 10, 2010). "SFIAAFF28: The Forbidden Door (Pintu Terlarang, 2009): The Twitch Round-up". Twitch Film . Archived from the original on February 19, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  6. ↑ Leal, John. "The Forbidden Door". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on October 20, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Vijn, Ard (February 5, 2009). "Reviews: IFFR 2009: The Forbidden Door Review". Twitch Film. Archived from the original on January 14, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.