|
 he anthology has been an enduringly popular film
format, especially in the horror genre, with classics such as the original
"Dead
of Night" and Mario Bava's "Black
Sabbath" to more modern variations like "Creepshow"
and "The Offspring". This has also been true in Asian cinema, most
notably the excellent "Kaidan",
and more recently with the successful "Three",
its sequel "Three:
Extremes", and now from Thailand, "Bangkok Haunted".
Although heavily advertised as
being the work of the currently en vogue Pang brothers, no doubt to cash in
on the global success of "The
Eye", two of the film's three stories are in fact directed by
another, less familiar Thai, Pisut Praesangeam. The sole Pang contribution
comes from Oxide (who recently went solo with the Alex Garland adaptation of
"The
Tesseract") and his brother Danny has nothing to do with the film
at all, despite what some DVD releases would have you believe.
The film as a whole is quite interesting in that it
is soaked with various forms of Eastern mysticism, most of which are quite
different to traditional Western ideas of the supernatural. This unique
cultural backdrop does give the three stories an added dimension and is
undoubtedly the film's main strength, helping to create a rich,
fantastical atmosphere. Unfortunately, there is little else special about
the package, and the lacklustre direction and overlong running time give
the whole thing a rather sluggish, bloated feel that makes it far easier
to sit through as three separate stores rather than one long dull film.
The three parts of "Bangkok Haunted" are
framed by a group of young women drinking in a trendy bar in the titular
city, who take turns trying to scare each other with ghost stories. The
first of these is "Legend of the Drum", which itself is based
around a tale within a tale, beginning with a young hitchhiker being told
about a supposedly haunted drum. The story of the instrument concerns a
young girl in a village whose disappearance is blamed on a local freak who
was known to be in love with her. This story flips back and forth between
the past and the present, where the spirit of the girl intrudes on the
troubled relationship of the drum's newest owner.
The second tale is "Black Magic Woman", in
which a lonely heart follows a neighbour's advice and uses the mysterious
'Ply Essence' to win herself a lover. The essence works wonderfully, and
the woman is soon fighting off new admirers, but of course it comes with
some rather hideous side effects as she soon learns. The final segment is
simply titled "Revenge", and follows a policeman's obsessive
investigation into the suicide of a young girl he believes was murdered.
His quest uncovers a number of unpleasant secrets, including some which
suggest that he himself may have been implicated in her death.
Of the three, the Praesangeam directed first story is
by far the best, skillfully switching between past and present with a
genuinely interesting and moving emotional heart. This is undoubtedly a
romantic slice of horror, and though there are a few scares and gruesome
moments, it is the more human elements which drive the narrative. The
flashbacks to the past are very atmospheric, and do offer an interesting
interpretation of the purpose of ghosts.
The second part, also by Praesangeam, is weaker, and
resembles a straightforward E.C. Comics story, complete with the requisite
grotesque final twist. Although this section of the film is probably the
most visceral, it is not particularly interesting, and lacking the rich
atmosphere and cultural aspect of the first story, it is a rather
pedestrian, average affair. The final story, directed by Pang, is also the
weakest, being a somewhat hackneyed police thriller whose final twist is
blatantly signposted from the start. The detective's investigation is
plodding and there is little to keep the viewer entertained.
Although there are two directors, there is really
very little difference in style between the three stories, and all have a
very similar feel. The film as a whole eschews cheap shocks and gore,
which would be fair enough if it were not for the fact that each tale
lacks little else to hold the viewer's interest. The first in particular
is certainly atmospheric enough, albeit in a rather generic fashion, with
Praesangeam relying on old tricks such as green lighting and an
overabundance of dry ice. Pang's direction is similarly unambitious,
aiming for a noirish, moody feel, but only managing dull and obvious.
The overall lack of effort or flair in "Bangkok
Haunted" is quite obvious and inspires a similar lack of enthusiasm
in the viewer. Whilst some films do benefit from a measured approach, an
anthology such as this relies upon short, sharp bursts of interest, which
"Bangkok Haunted" sadly fails to provide. Given this, the film's
greatest problem lies with its running time, which at two hours and ten
minutes is far too long. The second and third tales feel hopelessly
padded, and this serves only to slow the pace down further. The framing
sections involving the women in the bar seem very gratuitous, and despite
containing some apparently self-aware comments on the predictability of
the stories, add nothing to the proceedings as a whole. The film would
definitely have benefited from being trimmed by a good half hour, though
it is debatable whether even this would have improved the final
product.
Overall, "Bangkok Haunted" is a wasted
opportunity. Given the talent involved, and the potential for providing a
uniquely local take on the standard supernatural themes, this is a major
disappointment, a film which is far too long, far too slow, and ultimately
far too dull to entertain or to recommend beyond passing curiosity value.
|
