Login
Login

Indonesian horror

{{Short description|Indonesian horror films}}Indonesian horror are fictions and films of the horror genre produced by the Indonesian film industry. Often inspired by local folklore and religious elements,{{Cite journal |last=Barker |first=Thomas |date=2013 |title=The Trauma of Post-1998 Indonesian Horror Films |url=https://so03.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/jletters/article/view/51103 |journal=Journal of Letters |language=en |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=29–60 |issn=2586-9736}}{{Cite web |last=Ferrarese |first=Marco |title='New kinds of monsters': The rise of Southeast Asian horror films |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/2/zombie-films-breathe-new-life-into-malaysian-and-indonesia-horror |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}} 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.{{Cite journal |last=Heeren |first=Katinka van |date=2007-06-01 |title=Return of the Kyai: representations of horror, commerce, and censorship in post-Suharto Indonesian film and television |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13583880701238688 |journal=Inter-Asia Cultural Studies |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=211–226 |doi=10.1080/13583880701238688 |s2cid=145086314 |issn=1464-9373}}{{Cite web |date=2021-02-07 |title=Indonesian Horror: A Beginner's Guide |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/indonesian-horror-beginners-guide/ |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=pastemagazine.com |language=en |archive-date=2021-12-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211223114612/https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/indonesian-horror-beginners-guide/ |url-status=dead }}

History

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

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.{{Cite web |last=Singgih |first=Viriya |date=2020-02-11 |title=How Soeharto's Indonesia uses horror films to maintain social order |url=https://www.viriyasinggih.com/how-soehartos-indonesia-uses-horror-films-to-maintain-social-order/ |access-date=2023-03-09 |website=Viriya Singgih |language=en-US}} 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.

File:Suzzanna, c 1963, Tati Photo Studio 2 - Before restoration.jpg has been called the "Queen of Indonesian horror".{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Horror artist Suzanna dies |url=https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/10/17/horror-artist-suzanna-dies.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021104843/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2008/10/17/horror-artist-suzanna-dies.html |archive-date=21 October 2008 |access-date=2022-12-11 |website=The Jakarta Post |language=en}}]]

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 {{Interlanguage link|Breathing in the Mud|lt=Bernafas dalam Lumpur|id|Bernafas dalam Lumpur (film 1970)}}, {{Interlanguage link|Birth in the Grave|lt=Beranak dalam Kubur|id|Beranak dalam Kubur (film 1971)}} and Sundel Bolong.

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.{{Cite web |title=New wave of horror flicks puts Indonesian cinema on map |url=https://asia.nikkei.com/Life-Arts/Arts/New-wave-of-horror-flicks-puts-Indonesian-cinema-on-map |access-date=2022-01-24 |website=Nikkei Asia |language=en-GB}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-25 |title=The terrifying folk horror film that could be nominated for an Oscar |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/impetigore-horror-film-oscars-2021-indonesia-b1792196.html |access-date=2021-12-23 |website=The Independent |language=en}}

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

Themes

Themes approached in Indonesian horror include haunted forests as in Alas Pati: Hutan Mati (2018){{Cite web |last1=Times |first1=I. D. N. |last2=Nugraha |first2=Sandi |title=9 Film Horor tentang Akibat Melanggar Pantangan, Penuh Teror |url=https://jogja.idntimes.com/hype/entertainment/sandinugraha/film-horor-tentang-akibat-melanggar-pantangan-c1c2 |access-date=2024-01-13 |website=IDN Times Jogja |language=id-ID}} and ghost stories, for example.{{Cite web |title=Indonesia’s Horror Scene Is Booming. Can It Conquer The International Market? |url=https://thediplomat.com/2024/05/indonesias-horror-scene-is-booming-can-it-conquer-the-international-market/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=thediplomat.com |language=en-US}}

Notable films

{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}

{{div col end}}

Notable directors

Highest-grossing horror film

{{Main|List of highest-grossing films in Indonesia}}

class="wikitable sortable"
Rank

! Title

! Admissions

! Year

! Director

1

|KKN di Desa Penari

|10.061.033

|2022

|Awi Suryadi

2

|Satan's Slaves 2: Communion

|6.391.982

|2022

|Joko Anwar

3

| Vina: Sebelum 7 Hari

|5.815.945

|2024

|Anggy Umbara

4

|Sewu Dino

|4.891.609

|2023

|Kimo Stamboel

5

|Pabrik Gula

|4.358.417

|2025

|Awi Suryadi

6

|Satan's Slaves

|4.206.103

|2017

|Joko Anwar

7

|Dancing Village: The Curse Begins

|4.013.558

|2024

|Kimo Stamboel

8

|Grave Torture

|4.000.826

|2024

|Joko Anwar

9

|Suzzanna: Buried Alive

|3.346.185

|2018

|Anggy Umbara, Rocky Soraya

10

| Di Ambang Kematian

|3.302.047

| 2023

|Azhar 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

{{Horror film}}

{{Cinema of Indonesia}}

{{Ghosts}}

Category:Indonesian films by genre