Director: Nonzee Nmibutr
I watched Nang Nak together with my friends Xiaoting, Peishan and some other friends that were not from this course. As all of us were very afraid of horror movies, we took a deep breath and a leap of courage to bring ourselves to watch this very popular Thai horror movie in 1999. That was why we had to gather many friends, the more the merrier. Still, the experience of going through the horror elements in the film especially towards the last part when she starts to go to the temple to haunt all the monks was really agonizing. Our hearts almost stopped when we watched it. Our faces were like…
If we were to follow Abbas Kiarostami’s style of filming faces and portraits of actresses while they watch a movie like in Shiri, filming our faces when we’re watching Nang Nak would turn out into a comedy instead. And we made sure that this would be the only horror film that we’ll be watching for this film diary.
After the EXCITING film, this was the conversation that we had.
Yvn: Wahh… that was damn scary lah!
XiaoTing and Peishan nods furiously.
Peishan: But I feel that the wife is really quite poor thing, because she was just unlucky that she died when her husband is away and that she lost the child too.
XiaoTing: Yeah, at first it was kind of peaceful and we knew that she meant no harm, she still wanted to take care of her husband and imaginary child.
Yvn: And her undying and overwhelming love really gave her a lot a lot of power for her to create an illusion for such a long time for her husband…
Peishan: But I believe it is because the husband had also a very strong love for his wife for him to be under the illusion…
XiaoTing: It was quite sad that when he realized something was wrong he tried to kill his ghost wife by burning down the house. I sympathize with Nang Nak actually in this case. She must have felt very hurt and betrayed that is why she is so angry.
Yvn: But I think exorcising her is the only way to be liberated from the pain. In the first place, it was no one’s fault that she ended up this way. When she went into labour, I’m sure the villagers also tried their best to help her.
Peishan: Actually, I’m always very interested in these kinds of folktales. Although she does not have long hair, her face is really scary with all the effects and her mouth that is always very black.
XiaoTing: Yeah, the black thing that the villagers always keep chewing on… What’s that?
Yvn: Don’t know… haha. I always want to watch horror films because I’m very curious about how the characters, normally a girl or woman, turns into a vengeful spirit because of the people who harmed them. But I would always regret everytime after watching it cause I’ll think too much and won’t be able to sleep at night.
XiaoTing: Imagine watching in a theatre where the sound effects are really very loud and scary!
Peishan: But from research, I found out that the tale of Nang Nak is one of the most popular in Thailand. People really believed in it and they have a shrine for her. It is said that if you pray at her shrine, the spirit of Nang Nak will protect you. It is still very popular in Thailand now.
XiaoTing: Yeah the shrine has a statue of Nang Nak in gold. She is also carrying her baby. Maybe the shrine and the tale remind the Thai of a wife’s loyalty and love and how benevolent this love is.
Yvn: Wow, her statue sure looks really really creepy...
[1] NANG NAK Thailand 'GHOST WIFE' SLOW MOVING SUPERNATURAL ROMANCE. Retrieved on 30 April 2011 from http://www1.epinions.com/review/mvie_mu-1102083/content_191578672772
[2] One of the most popular Thai Ghost Stories. Retrieved on 30 April 2011 from http://ghostsofthailand.com/Nang_Nak_Thai_Spirit.html
[3] Nang Nak Ghost Shrine. Retrieved on 30 April from http://www.richardbarrow.com/unseen-thailand/nang-nak-ghost-shrine.html
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