Nang Nak (1999)
Nonzee Nimibutr
Thailand
101 mins, color, Thai (English subtitles)
This beautifully sad retelling of an old Thai legend tells the story of a young wife who so loved her husband that she could not leave him upon her premature death but returned to live with him as a ghost. Slow moving and haunting, with little emphasis on the potentially scary aspects of the story (despite the occasional gory moments), NANG NAK is a tale that is distant yet touching.
Nimibutr's style is very leisurely, delicate, and subtle. Strangely, the film begins with the two lovers parting when Mak (Winai Kraibutr) has to go off to fight in some war. We are never told about the couple's history but in the brief moment (the scene lasts about a minute) we are fully aware of the depth of their bond and the strength of their commitment to each other. They never say anything except call each other, but Nak's (Intira Jaroenpura) sobbing was heart-rendering --- it was as if he whole being was crying in an ominous sign that this parting would be their last.
Mak is severely wounded in the war and almost dies but is saved by a High Priest at a Buddhist temple. In the meantime, Nak goes into labor and dies in childbirth. When Mak returns, she greets him cradling her newborn infant in her arms. Mak goes back to his normal life and they dwell in happiness, aloof from their neighbors, who strangely seem to avoid the couple. Gradually we realize the Nak indeed is a ghost for she was not able to bring herself to leave Mak and has come to be with him in death. Her time is running out, however, and she knows it but hides the truth from her husband. The other villagers try to warn Mak, but Nak interprets this meddlesome behavior as an attempt to break her family and she takes gruesome vengeance on any and all who come near. Eventually Mak finds out the truth and with the help of the kind Buddhist priests, Nak's soul is locked in a piece of bone then lost forever.
As should be clear even from this capsule summary, there are plenty of opportunities for this horror ghost film to be scary. Nimibutr does not shy away from evoking some visceral reactions from the audience. There are dead bodies with various parts missing, decomposing bodies, dying people, most shown in excruciating close-ups. Yet when one thinks that he will push even further, Nimibutr withdraws to the background and opts for a pastoral mood, where Nak's brutal revenge is only shown in its calm aftermath. The music by Pakawat Waiwittaya and Chatchai Pongprapapun is enchanting, I have heard only a handful of scores that can compare with Nang Nak in emotion.
The Ocean Shores DVD is surprisingly good. Despite the burned-in Chinese/English dual subtitles (with the usual subpar translation), the DVD is a rare gem. The picture transfer is pretty good, the soundtrack is very nicely done, and generally there were few glitches. One (minor) regret is the lack of any extras on the disc. There is only a scene access menu with no supplementary information. Given the dearth of info about Thai films, this is somewhat of a disappointment. However, this seems to be the only way to get this movie, and it is definitely worth it. Recommended.
June 21, 2001. BLS