We are not alone …
“Bangkok Dark Tales”, a new horror-comedy anthology that’s drawing fans of both genres to the cinema, looks at another side of Bangkok through three scary stories: “Office Weed Sayong” (“Happy New Year”), “Baan Phee Hien” (“Haunted House”) and “Phee Rong Ha” (“The Fifth Cinema”).
“I wanted to make a horror anthology with several parts like ‘See Prang’ and ‘Bangkok Haunted’. At first, I intended to do the whole movie myself but later changed my mind and went to look for another two directors. I chose Alwa [Ritsila] whose short films I liked and Prang [Tharnwimol Ornphaplew],” says director Anusorn “Aam” Soisa-ngim, who oversaw the whole project and directed “Happy New Year”.
The anthology is splits into three distinctive segments with no wraparound narrative.
“Happy New Year” centres on office worker Gaem played by Napat “Yeepun” Banchongchitpaisal who agrees work on New Year’s Eve in the hope it will earn her a better position. She does the night shift in the same room as her boss, who died a few days earlier.
“Haunted House” is about two women – Bee, played by Nutjaree “Cherreen” Horvejkul and sister of Nichkhun 2PM, and Ann, by Korawan “Prim” Lodsantia from “The Face Thailand 3”. They both find jobs in Bangkok and rent a house, which is in a good area but which also has a family murder in its past.
“I selected Cherreen because I like what she did in previous movies. I found Prim while watching ‘The Face Thailand’ and thought she’d be perfect for the part. With her unsmiling face, I thought nobody would approach her,” says director Prang.
“Prim is great as Ann, Her lack of experience was evident during the workshop but she did really well during the shoot. I’m excited to play Bee,” says Cherreen.
The anthology wraps with “The Fifth Cinema”, set in a theatre to which admission by the public is prohibited.
“My idea was to make a movie about ghosts in a cinema. Bangkok theatres are large and luxurious and full of dark nooks and crannies. That makes them scary. While writing the script, I could see in my mind Yhok’s facial expression and eyes on ‘The Face Thailand’ and knew she’s be perfect with rapper Ake,” says director Alwa, who also plays a security guard in “Happy New Year.”
Kansiri Sirimat aka Yhok plays the cinema’s manager, Thananya “Pop” Manthawee stars as Oil, and rapper Narawut “Ake” Amnuay as a playboy figure.
“I think this playboy character is ideally suited to me,” laughs the rapper, who also wrote a song for the soundtrack.
