Nauval Yazid, Contributor, Jakarta
Imagine that the Indonesian film scene over the whole year was built like a theme park.
A visitor to the park, seeking nothing but pure entertainment, would be left perplexed after seeing one too many supposedly frightening creatures.
Occasionally a dose of relief could come in the form of some good-hearted laughter. But the laughs would be few and far between, as they would have to compete with the shouts and cries of teenagers over maudlin stories.
An oasis of high-end cultural works appeared over the year, with less-than-stellar packages, which left them unappreciated.
The Indonesian film scene has been at its most productive in recent years, with close to 50 feature-length films produced in 2007.
Yet, this encouraging figure does not exactly reflect a variety of genres, as no less than 21 were horror films. The rest were split mainly between drama for adults (for example; Merah itu Cinta or Red is Love), teenagers (Kangen or I Miss You), pre-teenagers in the case of Bukan Bintang Biasa: The Movie (No Ordinary Star: The Movie), a variety of comedies (Maaf Saya Menghamili Istri Anda or Sorry I Knocked Up Your Wife) and children's films, including the little-seen Anak-anak Borobudur (Children of Borobudur).
Being overly dominant on the local big screens, the presence of ghosts and other creatures is unavoidable. Horror films generate significant profits as first-week releases, Indika Entertainment claim. The string of commercially successful horror films this year included Terowongan Casablanca (Casablanca Tunnel), Malam Jumat Kliwon (Thursday Night Horror) and a parody of horror films in the recently released Film Horror (Horror Film) -- considered an Indonesian version of the American horror-spoof Scary Movie series.
Indonesia's horror creatures even made it to foreign soils during the year, with the commercial release of 2006 leftovers Kuntilanak (The Chanting) and Pocong 2 (The Cloaked Ghost 2) in the Philippines and Malaysia, while Casablanca, Malam Jumat Kliwon and Lantai 13 (The 13th Floor) were released in Malaysia and Suster Ngesot (The Crawling Nurse) in Singapore.
We even started the year with a forgettable ghost film called Roh (The Spirit), an apparent remake of the film with the same title released in 1989, in which the promotional poster bore a striking resemblance to Hollywood's The Prestige, directed by Christopher Nolan. The not-so-laudable start paved the way for other terrifying disasters to come.
One needs to look no further than the highly anticipated release of Badai Pasti Berlalu (The Storm will Pass) one month after Roh was released. Deemed one of the most legendary films in Indonesia after its release in 1977, the remake was quickly met with fizzled reception over the film's lack of charming love chemistry between the lead characters. Later in the year, Legenda Sundel Bolong (The Legend of a Scorned Woman's Spirit) and Beranak Dalam Kubur (Birth in the Graveyard) both attempted to recreate the phenomenal success of the original versions in the 1970s. Yet, not many people flocked to theaters to witness both attempts.
Equally receiving cold receptions were efforts to repeat the massive success of tearjerker Heart in 2006. At least two films tried unsuccessfully to repeat the formula of: a) the use of overly sentimental love songs for the film's soundtrack in Love is Cinta, which saw the return of Heart's couple Acha and Irwansyah; and b) the use of panoramic backdrops as a feast for the eyes but not much else in Tentang Cinta (About Love).
While these films showcased slightly commendable production packages, Genderuwo set the lowest bar with a terribly horrifying promotional poster. Perhaps reflecting the laughable quality of the film, the poster, with actors posing mindlessly under a blatant tagline reading "the most scary ghost in the world", failed to grab the public's attention.
Sadly, an appalling poster trend was also apparent in the made-for-art-house piece The Photograph. It is such a pity, indeed, that one of the best reviewed Indonesian films in recent years had to be represented with a less-than-appealing package, although one could only hope for a better display when the film travels the international film festival circuit in the near future.
In recent months, though, a round of film festivals saw a few select Indonesian films make noticeable waves. For example, Kala was selected to bookend the Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival in its closing film slot before traveling to Vancouver and then the Golden Horse film fest in Taiwan; 3 Hari Untuk Selamanya (3 Days to Forever) received positive reviews upon its world premiere at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and its subsequent journey to film fests in Singapore, Pusan and London; and two 2006 films became the critical darlings of the international scene -- Garin Nugroho-directed Opera Jawa received high remarks from London's Financial Times during its release in the UK, and children's film Denias, Senandung di Atas Awan (Denias, Melodies Above the Clouds) won Best Children's Film in the first Asia Pacific Screen Awards, an annual film award jointly held by UNESCO and CNN International, after it was selected as Indonesia's representative for the Academy Awards next year.
Yet, nothing came close to cultivating both critical and commercial success the way Nagabonar (Jadi) 2 (Nagabonar [Becomes] 2) did this year.
Released in March, the film quickly drew an audience of 1.5 million within the first few weeks of its release and became the highest-grossing film of the year, a record which was followed later in the year by Lebaran-released Get Married and adult comedy Quickie Express.
Deddy Mizwar, the director of Nagabonar, has received most major film awards in Indonesia for the film. Nagabonar was named Best Movie at the Bandung Film Festival, the MTV Indonesia Movie Awards, the still-critically-challenged Festival Film Indonesia (FFI) and Festival Film Jakarta (FFJ). In his latest string of awards, Deddy was named Best Indonesian Director at the recent Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest).
With comedies finally getting the last laugh at the box-office this year, will we see the rebirth of the genre next year in the same way comedies once ruled Indonesia's big screens in the mid-1980s?
The first to grace the screen next month, Kawin Kontrak (Contractual Marriage), will remind audiences of local-flavor comedies a la Maskot (The Mascot) of last year, or Bintang Kejora (The Shining Star) in 1986. Next in line is Otomatis Romantis (Automatically Romantic), a debut feature film for talk-show host Tukul Arwana, and Monty Tiwa-directed Extra Large, starring one of Indonesian Idol's judges, Jamie Aditya.
Yet, if star power still lures audiences to theaters, then these comedies are likely to face stiff competition from big ensemble cast films, such as Rudi Soedjarwo's In The Name of Love, starring a list of both past and present Indonesian film stars such as Christine Hakim, Roy Marten, Cok Simbara, Acha Septriasa, Luna Maya, Vino G. Bastian; the much delayed Ayat-ayat Cinta (Verses of Love); and a remake of a Malaysian film, Cinta (aptly translated as Love), with Widyawati, Sophan Sophiaan, Wulan Guritno and many others.
In a more serious tone, JiFFest recently closed with a new Indonesian omnibus film made by four female filmmakers about marginalized women in different cities across Java called Perempuan Punya Cerita, which goes by the English title Chants of Lotus.
Horror fans will be happy to know the supposedly final installment of the Kuntilanak trilogy, with director-and-star team of Rizal Mantovani and Julie Estelle, is back on track, and following the success of Pocong 2, Rudi Soedjarwo will be returning to get the audience screaming with 40 Hari Setelah Kematian (40 Days after Death).
If these previews indicate the outlook for Indonesian film next year and many years to come, we can say the future of Indonesian film is upbeat. Surely there will be more fun, adventures and displays to bewitch and amuse us, the audience in a crowded amusement park -- after all, nothing beats the bittersweet taste of homegrown flavor.
