Catriona Richards | March 28, 2012
Luna Maya star in ‘Hi5teria,’ an omnibus film produced by Upi Avianto. (Image courtesy of Upi Production and Starvision)
The feature-length omnibus film “Hi5teria,” which premiered in Jakarta on Tuesday, does just that, offering five young directors the chance to reach a national audience with five short films in the horror/thriller genre.
“Hi5teria” is the brainchild of Upi Avianto, a director, producer and screenwriter known for the films “Coklat Stroberi” (“Chocolate Strawberry”) and “30 Hari Mencari Cinta” (“30 Days Looking for Love”).
After a lengthy search through social networks to find passionate young filmmakers, Upi chose five who she felt were up to the task. They are Adryianto Dewo, Chairun Nissa, Billy Christian, Nicholas Yudifar and Harvan Agustriansyah.
“I looked at the clips of their previous films and at how they directed, edited and were able to tell a story,” Upi said. “From there I picked a group of five myself.”
Following suit from the Thai omnibus film “Phobia,” or “4bia,” and its sequel, “Phobia 2,” or “5bia,” the five directors were tasked with creating a short, scary film to be compiled as one feature-length release.
Upi relied on her hand-picked directors not to stray too far into the cringe-worthy territory of other Indonesian horror films, filled with busty maidens, gory murders and cheesy supernatural effects.
“We wanted to create a concept that was different,” she said. “From looking at their work, I could see they had very good taste, and they weren’t going to create horror that was too weird.”
But as is the case for many directors, taste must sometimes be compromised for the reality of the available funds. The less impressive films of the bunch were definitely those that overreached with special effects to create terror, instead of relying on dread, suspense and other budget-friendly devices.
Yudifar’s contribution, “Palasik,” features a frightful jiggling skeleton of sorts that evoked screams of terror (or was that laughter?) from the audience at the premiere.
The film’s title refers to a Minangkabau legend from West Sumatra about a baby-munching supernatural being that appears in human form. There is something almost Python-esque about the wiggling creature that zips through scenes at random, though it’s unclear whether the comedy is intentional or not.
Despite some reasonable acting from Imelda Therinne as the ghost-fearing pregnant mother and some truly spooky moments as she creeps around an old house, it is the special effects that turns this film into more comedy than thriller.
One director who seemed to have a bit more money at his disposal was Christian, who managed to secure Luna Maya as his leading lady in “Kotak Musik” (“Music Box”). Luna is still in the midst of rebuilding her public image after her involvement in a sex-tape scandal that landed her boyfriend, Nazril “Ariel” Irham, in jail.
As if playing up that reputation, the director cast Luna as a promiscuous researcher who easily hops in and out of bed with men, dismissing their wishes to form a lasting relationship with a simple “you’re good in bed, that’s it.”
In the end, the audience appears to be taught a moral lesson, as supernatural forces instill the fear of God and ghosts back into our science-minded, independent Luna.
Incidentally, none of the filmmakers knew what the other was preparing, yet each chose a female character as their victim of terror.
In one film, “Wajang Koelit” (an old spelling of “wayang kulit,” or leather shadow puppets), women star as both slashers and slashees.
Director Nissa chose US actress Maya Otos, known for her comedy dangdut group The Bugils, to play a foreign journalist drawn into the world of Javanese puppet theater. Otos plays down the stagier aspects of her musical persona and plays it straight as the intrigued outsider.
Trouble brews when Otos’s character meets a female dalang (puppetmaster) played by Pipien Putri, and things start to get bloody. The incorporation of puppet theater and the structured storytelling makes this film one of the best of the lot.
Another standout piece is Agustriansyah’s “Loket” (“Ticket Booth”), which uses an everyday setting, the ticket booth of an underground parking lot, as the scene of horror.
Young actress Ichi Nuraini is expressive without being overwrought. She plays the ticket booth attendant haunted by strange happenings. Though the editing drags on toward the end, this film is one of the scarier ones, thanks to a scenario that is easy for city-dwellers to relate to — that spooky feeling even the toughest people are likely to feel in desolate, concrete spaces — and striking camera work.
One of the best-looking pieces is the opening film, “Pasar Setan” (“Demon Market”), directed by Dewo. Though the story meanders as much as the characters, who are forever looking for lost loved ones in the forest, the natural landscapes are stunning, showcasing Indonesia’s natural beauty.
In the end, that’s what “Hi5teria” is all about: Showing off what Indonesia has to offer. And in that respect, it does a commendable job.
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