PopHorror Let's Get Scared
I know I’ve mentioned it in a few of my articles before, but Indonesia offers some of the real under-watched gems in the horror world. They are beautifully shot, well acted, feature fascinating culture, and have no lack of gore. Kimo Stamboel’s (The Queen of Black Magic) new film Dancing Village: The Curse Begins easily joins Impetigore and Satan’s Slaves to become a classic in the genre. What’s even more exciting is that this was the first Indonesian film shot exclusively for IMAX!
Synopsis
The village still holds many mysteries. Piece by piece of mystery is revealed, including the terror of the most feared entity, namely, Badarawuhi.
As with many Indonesian films, this film unfolds slowly, allowing time for the viewer to appreciate not only the development of the main characters, but also to get an idea of the culture of the region. Devoted daughter Mila (Maudy Effrosina) is desperate to help her sick mother, so she, her cousin Yuda (Jourdy Pranata), and a few friends travel to return a bracelet to an isolated village. They do this as instructed by a shaman they brought in as a consultant. Needless to say, there is definitely a creepy vibe coming off of the village. If this group was smart, they would have dropped the box containing the bracelet off and run. But that wouldn’t give us much of a horror film, so this group has no problem wandering in and making themselves at home.
Let me start by saying that this film is GORGEOUS. The supernatural creature tormenting the village, Badarawuhi (Aulia Sarah), is striking, and commands every scene she is in with her piercing gaze. The mythology of the story is very interesting, and while the plot is slow, it deliberately turns up the tension up in every single scene. You know something terrible is coming, but everyone is seems helpless to stop it.
As a bonus, if you feel sad at all about leaving the creepy dancing village behind after the film ends, don’t worry! This film is just a prequel to another film: KKN di Desa Penari, which is also great. I recommend both films to any horror fan! Dancing Village: The Curse Begins would be absolutely incredible on an IMAX screen, so if you have that chance, take it!
