Horror served Thai style

When Sentosa Leisure Management was planning its Halloween event Sentosa Spooktacular last year, it turned to a few Thai film-makers to helm its scares.

It made perfect sense. Since the success of 2004 Thai horror flick Shutter at the box office here, more of the country's horror movies have invaded Singapore's screens and made moviegoers here toss and turn restlessly in their beds.

There are seven Thai horror movies pencilled in for release this year or already released. Next up on April 24 is She Devil, about a man who discovers that his wife is the titular ghoul.

Shutter remains one of the top-grossing Thai films of all time in Singapore with $1.3 million, second only to the Singapore-Thailand co-production The Coffin (2008), which grossed $1.35 million.

Distributor and exhibitor Golden Village had four titles last year and has about five planned for this year. On average, they earn about $200,000 each. It might not seem like a lot, but a spokesman for Golden Village says they are "generally profitable".

On the appeal of Thai horror flicks, she notes: "Thai film-makers are incredibly creative storytellers. Their culture is one where the supernatural and superstition is part and parcel of everyday life."

Indeed, as a producer, Mr Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, 46, senior director of major Thai film studio GMM Tai Hub's international business department, shares that the projects which interest him are the ones that are rooted in the familiar.

Mr Yongyoot, an adviser to Sentosa Spooktacular last year, says that what he likes is "something that is very common, like daily, with a supernatural twist to it". Such as photographs which capture unexplained images in Shutter.

If you have a fear of the dark and small, enclosed places, stay away from Shutter - it makes even photographers pause before entering the dark room.

Co-director and co-writer of Shutter, Banjong Pisanthanakun, 34, tells Life! that he finds inspiration from things around him. "I saw a very old photo and thought it was very scary. It reminded me of spiritual photography and I got the concept from there."

He clarifies, though: "There was no ghost in it."

After Shutter came the likes of Alone (2007) by Parkpoom Wongpoom, 35, who also co-directed and co-wrote Shutter. In addition, Body (2007) by Paween Purijitpanya, 35, Coming Soon (2008) by Sophon Sakdaphisit, 33, and Dorm (2006) by Songyos Sugmakanan, 40, all took a stab at scaring audiences here.

Life! caught up with the film-makers when they were here for Sentosa Spooktacular. As the event was such a success last year, this year's edition will again incorporate elements from Thai horror. Sentosa saw a 30 per cent increase in ticket sales last year compared to 2012.

The film-makers' involvement makes Halloween, which originated in the West, more relatable, just like their movies are culturally closer to viewers in this region. As the Golden Village spokesman says: "Thai horror films have developed their own niche in the world of film, incorporating believably scary stories, packaged in a sleek and novel film with a perceptible South-east Asian flavour."

Paween elaborates on the South-east Asian commonality: "The Thai people believe that a ghost is a karma thing and that is common to countries in the region. Only people who do bad deeds meet ghosts because of karmic payback. You need to have done something to the person or have some relationship to him or her, but in Western horror films, anyone can encounter a ghost."

For some directors, making a horror film is a way of confronting their own fears. Says Songyos: "When I go to certain places, my imagination runs wild. I place myself in the centre of the scene and think that if I get scared, the audience will as well."

In the movie Dorm, a young boy sent away to boarding school is frightened by the ghost stories he hears. Then he makes friends with another lonely outcast, who turns out to be the boy who drowned in the school swimming pool.

Another distinctive feature of Thai horror is the way comedy is added to the mix.

Thai horror fan Lily Tan, 24, who is self-employed, says: "The films play with your mind and scare you in usually unexpected ways, especially when they incorporate humour into horror, that totally catches me off-guard."

Songyos says: "That element doesn't tend to appear in Japanese, Korean or Western horror movies."

Banjong adds that the humour is of the "down-to-earth and very local" variety.

Take, for example, his horror-comedy flick Pee Mak (2013), about the titular soldier returning to his village after war and reuniting with his beautiful wife - rumoured to have died while giving birth.

While the director admits some of the local jokes and wordplay might not translate well outside of Thailand, he notes that the film also contains situational jokes which do travel. For example, there is a dinner segment in which Pee Mak and his army buddies have to stomach a ghost's idea of a hearty meal.

The film was, in fact, a hit in Singapore, with box-office takings of $922,000.

In Thailand, it is the highest-grossing local film of all time with 560 million baht (S$21.8 million).

It is getting harder to turn out that big hit, though, say the Thai film-makers.

Mr Yongyoot observes that the number of Thai horror films made in a year remains steady - at least 20. But only one or two would break out.

Sophon notes: "The audience is now familiar with the genre and getting more intelligent. You have to step it up to another level to keep ahead of them."

And because of the challenge of doing so, Mr Yongyoot says the wait between movies from GMM Tai Hub is getting longer.

Even Shutter's Parkpoom is not immune to the pressure. But he thinks Thai horror still has legs. He had contributed to the horror compendiums 4bia (2008) and Phobia 2 (2009), but his last standalone feature was Alone, about a formerly conjoined twin being haunted by her dead half.

He says: "I don't think it will die off, but I won't do one until I have a good plot."

SCARES AT THE CINEMAS

PROJECT HASHIMA (Now showing)

Five teenagers take up the challenge of capturing on film paranormal activities on Hashima Island in Japan, one of the spookiest places on earth. They get more than they bargained for when an unexplained presence lingers around them even after they leave the island. Directed by Piyapan Choopetch, whose credits include My Ex (2009) and My Ex 2: Haunted Lover (2010).

SHE DEVIL (Opens April 24)

A country boy discovers on his wedding night that his bride has changed into a completely different and scary person. Helmed by Pisut Praesangeam, who contributed to the horror compilation Bangkok Haunted (2001).

MADE ME SHUDDER 2 (Opens June 12)

In Poj Arnon's Make Me Shudder (2013), a group of students venture into the most haunted building in their school. In the sequel, they unintentionally embark on a new adventure at Mae Nak shrine.

THE SWIMMERS (Opens in September)

An aqua-themed horror flick.

Note: Release dates are tentative.

THAI SCARE MEISTERS

PARKPOOM WONGPOOM, 35

Worked on: Shutter (2004), Alone (2007), 4bia (2008), Phobia 2 (2009)

Parkpoom is best known for Shutter, about a photographer who takes pictures with mysterious images after he is involved in a car accident. A hit at home, it also led to Thai horror clicking with the region. He has been working on a script for a political drama.

Favourite horror film: William Friedkin's The Exorcist (1973)

BANJONG PISANTHANAKUN, 34

Worked on: Shutter (2004), Alone (2007), 4bia (2008), Phobia 2 (2009), Hello Stranger (2010), Pee Mak (2013)

With his recent works, Banjong has been moving away from pure horror. Hello Stranger is a romantic comedy that takes place in South Korea, while Pee Mak is a blend of horror and comedy. What has not changed is his winning touch as both Hello Stranger and Pee Mak were hits.

He is developing a horror-comedy project for the China market with Hong Kong funnyman Stephen Chow.

Favourite horror film: M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense (1999)

PAWEEN PURIJITPANYA, 35

Worked on: Body (2007), 4bia (2008), Phobia 2 (2009), Seven Something (2012)

Body was inspired by a real-life case in which a doctor killed and dismembered his wife. Paween says the doctor has since been released from jail and is seeking to become a court judge. He adds: "I have to make a Body Part 2."

In the meantime, he is working on television commercials and music videos.

Favourite horror film: Sam Raimi's The Evil Dead (1981)

SOPHON SAKDAPHISIT, 33

Worked on: Coming Soon (2008), Ladda Land (2011)

Sophon's credits as a scriptwriter outpace those as director and he had a hand in penning Shutter (2004) and Alone (2007). He is probably best known

for Ladda Land, about a family encountering creepy events after they move into a new house. The film was a popular and critical hit, sweeping six awards at the Thailand National Film Association Awards, including for Best Film.

His next offering will be a horror flick centred on teenagers.

Favourite horror film: Alejandro Amenabar's The Others (2001)

SONGYOS SUGMAKANAN, 40

Worked on: Dorm (2006), Hormones (2008), Phobia 2 (2009), Hormones (TV series, 2013)

Songyos has moved away from horror to youth-oriented drama and romance.

After the success of the movie Hormones, he went on to helm the television series. It has been picked up for a second season which is slated to air next month. He says: "I can't really find any more plots for horror movies and that's why I changed genres altogether."

Favourite horror film: Sophon Sakdaphisit's Ladda Land (2011)

bchan@sph.com.sg

This article was published on April 2 in The Straits Times.

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