Shutter [Import]

"Shutter," offers nothing new in the horror genre, in regards to what one expects from horror. However, what impressed me with the film is that it is the first feature film by both of the Thai directors, Bangjong Pisanthankun and Parkpoom Wongpoom. And given that Thailand does not have a very large, or great pedigree in the horror film market in comparison to Japan, this film is a worthy effort. The films main protagonist is named Tun (Ananda Everingham), and he portrays a photographer whose past is about to catch up to him. Tun and his girlfriend Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee) are driving home late one night after drinking and entertaining friends at a club, when suddenly their car hits someone in the dark. Since both were drinking, Tun decides it best to leave the scene of the accident.

Nothing will be the same for the two after this incident. Moreover, there is something in Tun's past [no spoilers] which will have a significant impact on his life. Soon strange occurances begin to happen. The photographs that Tun snaps appear to show strange shapes and figures in them. Thinking that these exposures were defective, or the careless acts of the developer, Tun insists that a mistake has been made. It is either his camera, or defective film. Soon Tun's friends begin to die suddenly: All by by suicide; and each of them have a connection to Tun and his past. Thinking that the car accident was the reason for the now unexplained events that are occuring in his life, Tun and Jane begin to look into this matter. However, the true reason behind these events are much more ominous and sinister.

While the film does have some elements of other horror films in the film, they are more out of an influence than genuine copying. Furthermore, this is typical of the horror genre, including American horror films. Many borrow from each other. Having written this, I would also like to point out that there are many elements in this film which you will not see in MANY horror films: Like a story. The strength of this film is the journey that Tun and Jane must go through in trying to untangle the mess that their life has now suddenly taken. Further, the acting is very good in this film. Plus there are no special effects, or silly gore scenes. All in all, I thought this was a very good film, and for that it gets 5 stars. I have the import DVD, purchased through Asia Cinema. Therefore, I don't know how well this current DVD copy is. However, I do recommend the film. It will make a nice addition to your foreign cinema collection. [Stars: 4.5]

Shutter was my first experience with a horror film made in Thailand and I was taken by its subtle terror and the skillful way that the suspense was built up over the course of the film. Shutter is the work of two young Thai directors, Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, who, despite their inexperience, have crafted a mesmerizing film of horror, guilt, and sorrow.

Tun, and his girlfriend Jane are heading home after a night of drinking with Tun's buddies when they hit a young woman walking in the road. Jane wants to get out to check on her but Tun urges her to drive away. In the days following the accident, Jane is wracked with guilt, wondering what happened to the woman while Tun's only worry is the neck pain he's experiencing from the accident. Tun is a photographer and he starts to notice strange images appearing in his pictures. Wisps of glare distort the images and what appears to be a shadowy figure is seen.

Jane finally convinces Tun to re-visit the accident site but no trace of the girl is found and no hospitals report any accident victims from that night. They visit the publisher of a ghost magazine and he shows them dozens of photos with spiritual images in them...some fakes, yet others unexplained. The tensions mount as Jane learns about Tun's connection to the girl they hit on the road, a shy, former lover who he dated in college. The film builds masterfully towards an unsettling and utterly terrifying climax, the likes of which I've not experienced before. This is a ghost story in the true gothic tradition. A mournful, baleful spirit who elicits both fear and pity.

At first I thought Shutter was just going to be another Ju-On type of film and it's almost as if the directors caught themselves falling into that inevitable comparison, and took things in another direction. It's a small film...the main characters (one or both) are onscreen nearly throughout the entire movie. Natthaweeranuch Thongmee as Jane and Ananda Everingham as Tun are wonderful and believable in their roles. Unlike so many low-budget American horror films where the actors play brainless characters, these two show amazing depth and have a genuine chemistry together. Again, considering their relative inexperience as actors, their performances are surprisingly real.

What really propels Shutter is that it doesn't go for any cheap thrills or scares the way so many American films do...there's no gratuitous T &A, no obnoxious machismo from the male actors, just restrained, and powerful performances. These two young stars, and their directors have a great future in front of them.

If there was one slight disappointment, it's that the DVD doesn't come with much in the way of extras. There's a brief interview segment with directors and cast, and some behind the scenes material but that's about it. The film is in Thai with English subtitles. You must see this one!

Spooky Thai horror film "Shutter" (2004) is actually shot by two young directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom, both still in their 20s. They were mainly working on TV commercials in Thailand before making feature film debut with "Shutter" which went on to become Thailand's biggest hit in 2004. Their profile reminds me of David Fincher who tends to create films with styles over content, but "Shutter" is not just about elaborate images and camerawork.

The film also resembles some other films made in English-speaking countries - at least, its beginning. We see a college student Jane (Natthaweeranuch Thongmee) and a young photographer Tun (Ananda Everingham) at the wedding party for one of Tun's friends. After the party, they head for their home by car at night, but their car hits a woman who fell on the ground and does not move. Getting scary of the accident, they leave the spot without calling the police or hospital.

The situation is similar to "I Know What You Did Last Summer" so far. Weird things start to happen around Tun and Jane, but the story takes a completely different direction when they come to learn more about the woman whom they think they might have killed. The story is told in a typically Asian horror fashion, like "The Ring" (or "The Ringu"), "Grudge" (or "Ju-on" if you like) and "The Eye," connecting the episodes in the past with those in the present.

[SPIRIT PHOTOS] One unique point about "Shutter" is the use of its photos, especially "spirit photos" photos with a strange shadow or face in the picture. It's not the same as the photos David Warner took in "Omen" - those used in "Shutter" are totally different kind, and the film will show you how different. Like the cursed video of "The Ring," the photos play an important role in the film's otherwise orthodox storytelling, where you find conventional narrative techniques used effectively with the directors' original styles. Some of you might not find the film so scary as they thought, but even they would sometimes think "how did they shoot that?"

Most people would find "Shutter" creey and scary, but the film's scare is created not by gore or blood, but by its atmosphere. Don't miss the final cut which you should watch very closely ....