A tragic ghost story based on the Thai legend of Mae Nak Phra Khanong. Nang Nak is a wife and mother to be living on the bank of a river. Her husband Mak is sent to fight in a war in which he is injured. He returns home to his wife and son, but all is not as it seems. First off this film really does look beautiful. It's well shot and the jungle locations are absolutely pristine. It gives this film a very unique feeling away from the usual Gothic that would be the norm for a story like this. The tale itself is pure melancholy. It's not difficult to work out what's going on but the themes on…

The painfully sorrowful NANG NAK (นางนาก, 1999), became of one the more important Thai films at the time, breaking a rare million Baht at the box office, and revitalizing the film industry that kick started a new wave of Thai horror, is based on the popular cultural ghost story of Mae Nak Phra Khanong, a loving and devoted wife and mother that refused to go on to the next life, creating a local haunting while living with her unaware husband. It's a subject of debate if this is just folklore or basis on an actual person; Asian gothic scholar and director Mattie Do on their audio commentary debate this, saying to an older generation of Thai and Laos people who…

A movie that will feel novel to western viewers that have not been exposed to Asian ghost stories.

In a way, it's a romantic tragedy tinged with Buddhist supernatural beliefs. One can't help but sympathize with the husband Mak and his wife Nak and the lot that fate has dealt them.

Mak returns home from serving in the Thai military. He has a tender and joyful reunion with his wife and newborn child. Soon, he begins to feel he is being shunned by his riverside community.

One day a friend dares to tell him the shocking truth: His wife and child died in child birth while he was away. Mak has been communing with ghosts...and the people of the settlement…

Fate is such a strange thing. Some seem like they are dying but survive. Some die all of a sudden without a sign. That is, what's certain is uncertain.

A very sweet ghost story based on one of the most repeated, and well known folktales from Thailand. I would not pay attention to the genre this is listed under, because it is definitely not a horror movie I would say. Even if there are certain scenes of heightened horror, I would not recommend going into the movie expecting that, because you would probably be disappointed. Instead, I recommend going into this film expecting more of a religious experience.

The Buddhist aspect of this film is really where it thrives, because…

All the Haunts Be Ours — A Compendium of Folk Horror: Volume 2

As we travel the world of folk horror with the All the Haunts Be Ours set, we come to Thailand and a famous ghost story that comes from their folk legend. It's the sentimental and romantic tale of a young husband who goes off to war, leaving his pregnant wife behind, and who nearly dies, taking months to heal and return home. When he comes back, he sets up house with his wife and newborn, only to be told by the locals that both his wife and the baby died in childbirth...

While the story is compelling and carries that aura of folk legend that you can…

A tragic tale of a young married couple, Nang Nak was the first Thai film to earn over 100 million baht at the box office. Based on one of Thailand’s most popular ghost stories, this retelling follows the marriage of Mak and Nak.
Set in a rural village, Mak is conscripted into the Thai army and sent off to war, leaving behind his heavily pregnant wife. After a horrific battle and injury, he eventually returns home to Nak, but not everything is as it appears.
Directed by Nonzee Nimibutr, this version of the Mae Nak Phra Khanong legend uses atmospheric cinematography and emotional hooks to weave a story that blends romance and horror. At its heart, it’s a tale of…