Competence Network DORISEA – Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia 1 DORISEA WORKING PAPER ISSUE 23, 2016, ISSN: 2196-6893 MARY J. AINSLIE THAI HORROR FILM IN MALAYSIA URBANIZATION, CULTURAL PROXIMITY AND A SOUTHEAST ASIAN MODEL 23 DORISEA Working Paper, ISSUE 23, 2016, ISSN: 2196-6893 DORISEA WORKING PAPER SERIES EDITORS Peter J. Bräunlein Michael Dickhardt Andrea Lauser Competence Network “Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia” (DORISEA) The research network “Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia” (DORISEA) connects scholars from various academic institutions focused on Southeast Asia. It is coordinated by the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology at the Georg-August-University of Göttingen. Its core is formed by scholars from the Universities of Göttingen, Hamburg, Münster, Heidelberg and Berlin (Humboldt University) who are involved in several projects that investigate the relationship between religion and modernity in Southeast Asia. How to cite this paper: Mary J. Ainslie (2016): Thai horror film in Malaysia. Urbanization, Cultural Proximity and a Southeast Asian model. In: DORISEA Working Paper Series, No. 23. Göttingen: Institute for Social and Cultural Anthropology. DOI: 10.3249/2196-6893-dwp-23 © 2016 by the author This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 ISSN: 2196-6893 DOI: 10.3249/2196-6893-dwp-23 Research Network DORISEA Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia Project Office Georg-August-University Göttingen Institute of Social and Cultural Anthropology Theaterstr. 14 D - 37073 Göttingen Germany FUNDED BY: [email protected] www.dorisea.net Competence Network DORISEA – Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia 3 MARY J. AINSLIE THAI HORROR FILM IN MALAYSIA: URBANIZATION, CULTURAL PROXIMITY AND A SOUTHEAST ASIAN MODEL ABSTRACT This article examines Thai horror films as the most frequent and evident representation of Thai cultural products in Malaysia. It outlines the rise of Thai horror cinema internationally and its cultivation of a pan-Asian horrific image of urbanization that allows it to travel well. Through a comparison with Malaysian horror, the paper proposes a degree of ‘cultural proximity’ between the horrific depictions of these two Southeast Asian industries. This similarity then points to a particularly Southeast Asian brand of the horror film that is best understood through attention to structure and genre. Despite these similarities, I also argue that in the changing and complex context of contemporary Malaysia, the ‘trauma’ that is given voice in Thai horror may offer the new urban consumer an alternative depiction of and engagement with Southeast Asian modernity not addressed by Malaysian horror. INTRODUCTION from other ASEAN countries is still relatively low, suggesting that these are not yet circulating across In recent years, increased attention has been paid the wider region and are not yet connected to a to the movement of cultural products across nation- distinct image of Southeast Asian-ness (JWT Asia al borders within the Asian region. Such a develop- Pacific and A. T. Kearney 2013). Building upon this, ment is due, at least in part, to the success of East scholars note that there are two dominant regional Asian Popular culture which displaced much Amer- circuits of cultural products within Southeast Asia. ican cultural domination in the region. This began Firstly, there is a northern corridor across Thailand, with Japanese cultural products in the late 1990s, Laos, Cambodialakon and, to an extent, Myanmar. This and is now arguably dominated by the ubiquitous area is largely dominated by Thai cultural prod- ‘Korean Wave’, which has received much academ- ucts such as soap operas. The second circuit ic attention and continues to be a source of much is southern, reaching across the archipelagic region influence and enjoyment across Asia. With the rise of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei and consists of and conglomeration of the Association of South Malay-language products (Chua Beng Huat 2014; East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Southeast Asian Jirattikorn 2008). The Philippines likewise appears region has also become the subject of increasing in- to interject into both circuits to some extent, while ter-Asian cultural analysis. The study of inter-ASE- Vietnam and Singapore enjoy a much closer cultur- AN cultural exchange has been recognized as par- al relationship to China. Alongside this, South Asian ticularly important in light of its role in creating and and Chinese products also circuit, largely due to the furthering much needed economic links, increasing substantial Indian and Chinese diasporic communi- cultural contact between countries that were for- ties across the region. However, there is a notable merly separated by the colonial powers and then absence of Thai cultural products below the South- influenced by strong nationalist movements. ern Thai border and, likewise, there is no substan- Recent research indicates that ASEAN people tial presence of Malay language products north of it. feel a strong cultural connection across the region, While these two circuits may otherwise seem and believe that they share key values (JWT Asia quite distinct (with exceptions due to niche fan Pacific and A. T. Kearney 2013). However despite communities and those with their own familial this, awareness of cultural productsDORISEA Workingand brands Paper, ISSUE 23,connections 2016, ISSN: 2196-6893 across such borders), there is anoth- Competence Network DORISEA – Dynamics of Religion in Southeast Asia 4 er instance of cultural exchange within ASEAN and even a thread solely discussing recommended Thai further across East Asia that must be added to such ghostShutter films, withLong commenters Khong displayingNang Nak an im- regional dynamics. This is the continuing popular- pressive knowledge of ThaiComing horror Soonfilms, Longmention Tor- ity of Thai cinema across the region, which in its Taiing/ The Coffin, the series, (dir. most visible and consistent form seems to comprise FaedNonzee/Alone Nimibutr 1999), , 4 mainly of horror films and, to a lesser extent, ro- (dir. EkachaiDek Uekrongtham Hen Pee/Colic 2008), mantic comedies. These continue to dominate the (dir. Banjong PisanthanakunSi Phraeng and /Park4bia- horrific representation of Southeast Asia interna- poom Wongpoom 2007), Buppah (dir. tionally and cross borders over which Thai cultural RahtreePatchanon/Rahtree Thammajira Flower of2006), The Night products do not otherwise flow. In doing so, they (dir. Parkpoom Wongpoom et al. 2008), may bypass and break down these two circuits. 303 Klua Kla Akhat/303 Fear Faith (dir. YuthlertRevenge Such is the case in Malaysia. While Thai pop Sippapak 2003) and even older, 5more obscure films music and TV-dramas are beginning to challenge such as the hegemony of the previous Japanese and Korean (dir. Somching Srisupap 1998). In another thread products (and are gaining increasing popularity in which opens by listing “top asian horror films (sic)” the northern region of Southeast Asia and in China) for Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong, the first re- these do not appear to have a substantial, recogniz- ply moves the discussion straight to Thailand stat- able presence in Malaysia. Rather, it is Thai horror ing “I find Shutter from Thailand quite scary”. The films which are the most frequent and evident ex- discussion then turns almost completely to Thai ample of Thai cultural products in Malaysia. The horror, with commenters mentioning favorite films vast majority of Thai films released cinematically and giving examples of scary scenes from Shutter, in Malaysia are horror films. Six out of seven Thai while one poster then states that6 “thailand very pro releases in the top 200 highest grossing films in Ma- in making horror movies (sic)”. laysia for 2013 were horror films, and five out of six In light of such success, this paper will examine in 2014. Likewise, a substantial portion of the Thai the significant and continuing presence of Thai hor- DVDs availableMuay-Thai in Malaysian stores are marketed as ror films in Malaysia. Despite its considerable ex- horror films. They outnumber both romantic come- pansion since the late 1990s, there is still very little dies and even boxing films. academic analysis of Thai cinema and even less at- Online Malaysian discussions indicate that these tention to the recent success of Thai cultural prod- Thai horror films have constructed a very definite ucts across Asia. Such success speaks of the recent and discernible presence and reputation, some- rise in economic prominence of Southeast Asia and thing that runs contrary to the previously noted ASEAN as a future economic and cultural hub. ASE- lack of awareness of ASEAN cultural products and AN appears to be carving out its own inter-Asian ‘brands’ within this region. For instance, popular cultural flows and could potentially challenge both Malaysian forum www.lowyat.net—said to be Ma- the traditional Western, and more recent East laysia’s largest online forum—has many discussion Asian, dominance. The paper will first address the threads attesting to the significant presence and rise of Thai horror cinema internationally, focusing popularity1 of Thai horror films among Malaysian on its cultivation of a pan-Asian image of urbaniza- viewers. In a thread entitled “What country punya tion which allows it to travel well. Through a com- horror movie gooding? (sic)” Thailand is mentioned parison with Malaysian