Popular Vietnamese horror films

Recently, several Vietnamese horror films have grossed over 100 billion VND at the box office, creating a boost for this genre. This is also a positive sign, marking a shift in the future of Vietnamese horror films.

Appealing due to its use of folk elements.

It could be said that this is the first major breakthrough in the horror film genre recently.   The Lunar New Year television series "Tet in the Village of Hell" was broadcast on digital platforms, followed by the film adaptation " The Soul Eater " directed by Tran Huu Tan and produced by Hoang Quan. This horror duo attracted attention for its exploration of the supernatural based on Vietnamese folklore. Adapted from the novel of the same name by writer Thao Trang, " Tet in the Village of Hell " seamlessly incorporates Vietnamese cultural and spiritual customs and beliefs, such as the tradition of releasing carp on the day of the Kitchen God, the use of human skull wine, boats carrying spirits, and fireflies used for summoning souls. These elements, combined with traditional costumes (four-panel dresses, five-panel dresses) and the eerie setting in a remote mountainous area of ​​northern Vietnam, create novel and captivating elements for viewers. "The Soul Eater " tells a haunting horror story revolving around the early days of the village of hell. It includes a scene of a mouse wedding reminiscent of the "Mouse Wedding" depicted in Dong Ho folk paintings. The addition of a nighttime wedding procession scene allows viewers to recognize that the film draws inspiration from the wedding customs of the Dao people of Mau Son. This is not to mention the music, created from stylized couplets and verses used by the characters in dialogue, aiming to instill fear and enhance the film's eerie atmosphere.

Vietnamese horror films continue to achieve high box office revenue.

PHOTO: Provided by the manufacturer

Sharing his thoughts on the trend of incorporating folk elements into horror films, producer Hoang Quan said: "Folklore is an invaluable cultural treasure. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to explore and bring these stories to modern audiences. The combination of folklore and the horror genre helps us evoke fears that already exist in everyone's subconscious, while also providing a novel yet familiar experience." Currently, this director-producer duo is also releasing the horror film "Cam," based on the fairy tale "Tam Cam ." According to the producer, in addition to the content drawn from folklore, the costumes and props in the film are also distinctly Vietnamese, with over 300 costumes inspired by the late Le and early Nguyen dynasties in the style of ancient folklore.

A scene from the movie Cám

PHOTO: Provided by the manufacturer

The horror movie "Dog" Released during the 2024 New Year's holiday, the film also impressed audiences by drawing on the folk legend of "the dog wearing a hat," primarily found in Northern Vietnam, to create a unique storyline. " Ma Da," which broke box office records in the horror genre, also incorporated elements from the folk legend of "the ghost pulling legs." Upcoming horror films like " Linh Mieu - Quy Nhap Trang" by director Luu Thanh Luan and "Doi Hanh Xac" by Luong Dinh Dung also explore Vietnamese folklore. "Doi Hanh Xac " features many mysterious elements based on semi-fictional folk legends, such as catfish living to old age with beards, or creatures turning white and living in graves, and the centuries-old legend of a guardian spirit of treasure, all incorporated into the film.

A boost in revenue, but not an easy win.

Compared to horror films released a few years ago such as "The Curse of the Blood Orchid ," "Ten : The Curse Returns ," "Soul Stealer ," and "Nightmare ," horror films based on Vietnamese folklore have seen explosive box office success. For example, " The Soul Eater" grossed over 66 billion VND, "The Demon Dog" reached 108.4 billion VND, and " Ghost of the Skin" became the highest-grossing Vietnamese horror film with 113.69 billion VND after 15 days of release.

The horror film *Hill of Torture* also draws on Vietnamese folklore.

PHOTO: Provided by the manufacturer

Thus, it can be seen that audiences are still interested in Vietnamese horror films that explore stories seemingly only found in literature and folk tales. According to director Tran Huu Tan: "Young audiences today have begun to show more interest in and delve deeper into local culture, which opens up opportunities for us when exploiting folk materials. To solve this problem, we choose to combine tradition and modernity, along with creating new plot points based on old foundations to create a product that is both familiar and fresh, attractive, not boring for viewers, not falling into clichés, while still preserving the essence of Vietnamese culture." Furthermore, according to many producers and directors, making horror films is not easy because of the large investment and high risks. "Horror films are a bit easier if someone adapts stories into films using visual descriptions or depicting existing folklore. But for creative directors, horror films are very difficult, like works of science and art. Filming horror films also has its own unique style. Horror films also require significant budgets, no less than other genres, if you're serious about making a film to offer to the audience," said director Luong Dinh Dung.

"Vietnamese cinema has been witnessing a new wave of horror films in recent years. This is partly due to the open and innovative policies of the Vietnam Film Department regarding this genre. Regarding the folk elements in these films, we can see a global trend over the years of localization, combining indigenous stories with global needs and trends. The Vietnamese film market, with its horror stories deeply rooted in folklore, is thriving because of the growing national spirit and desire of young people to delve deeper into their national identity. Therefore, 'Vietnamese ghosts' are not only more relatable but also more appealing as Vietnamese people gain a deeper understanding of their own spirituality and beliefs." - Film critic Lucas Luan Nguyen

According to Box Office Vietnam's statistics, "Ma Da" has reached 127 billion VND after more than a month in theaters. Meanwhile, "Cam" recorded over 110,000 tickets sold before its release date, becoming the film with the highest number of advance tickets sold in the history of Vietnamese horror films. To date, Tran Huu Tan's project has also grossed 50 billion VND, and is predicted to reach 100 billion VND in the near future. Besides the 100 billion VND revenue story, "Quy Cau" recently received good news by winning the Best Feature Film award at the Kanazawa Film Festival 2024.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phim-kinh-di-viet-an-khach-185240923232320909.htm