Nang Nak - Return from the Dead

When I first studied in the university for movie productions, I was taken away by Bram Stoker's Dracula, the beautiful settings and play of shadows. I thought that all such romantic horror films should take on similar cinematography to make the film beautiful.

However, when I watched Nang Nak after graduation, I really salute to the director for making such a beautiful story. The story behind the legend was true, and it was the perfect choice of the director to choose the production of this film as a love-story instead of a horror movie.

Basically it all started out of love, the love of a woman to her man, bearing his child and yet, before they could get together again as a family, they had to be separated by heaven and earth as she dies during child birth. The female lead did a wonderful job to be so constrained, so soft and almost to the point of pitiful loving which makes it truly understandable why she could not leave her husband despite her death.

To intensify her longing to be with her husband, we saw how she was robbed off her belongings at the point of her death while she was giving birth, a young woman who had to bear the pain of childbirth without the support of her husband by her side. During that time, there were no modern hospital facilities and giving birth in itself is a dangerous labor of love. Her courage beaten, her life taken, and yet she had not been able to see her husband for the last time.

It is no wonder that such a loving woman would bring her child along with her to meet with her husband once more, just so that they can live together again as a happy family. Everyone in this world hopes for such a happy family life and yet this very basic human right had been taken away from her. Despite her coming back to haunt the village, as a viewer I can only pity her for her everlasting love for her husband and her strong will to keep herself within this realm of existence just to be with him, defying all laws of nature.

There is a lot more to this film than immediately meets the eye. Most Thai historicals or ghost stories are loaded with anachronistic pop culture cliches. This one wasn't; people spoke with their mouths filled with betel (maak), the lead actress didn't have lipstick, the houses were quite realistic, etc. In addition, the rural monks switched between high-level speech and country slang. The point is that this film is a serious attempt to do justice to both the original tale and the time period it is set in.

The empathy for Nak far surpassed the scariness. What stood out for me is that Nak's justification for her actions seemed quite defensible, adding to the anguished poignancy of the situation.

Asian ghost stories, when done well, have a strongly moral character. This is one of the finest examples I have seen.

Nang Nak is the first Thai film that has got Thai people back watching Thai films. It is Director Nonzee Nimibutr's second film.

Unfortunately foreigners will not understand the legend behind this film. It is a true story and the legend is very much alive in every Thai person's mind. The Temple (Wat MahaWoot) is still an active temple and even today people flock to the temple to get good luck (lucky numbers) for their lottery tickets.

The story has been told many times in film and also for television - but it still has a great impact on the Thai.

The film is well worth watching. The sound is excellent. There are a few problems with English sub titles but overall the Director did an excellent job. Small budget, good casting, excellent sound.

In 1868, Mak (Winai Kraibutr) is summoned to the war and leaves his beloved wife Nang Nak (Intira Jaroenpura), who is pregnant, alone in their isolate house in Prakanong. Mak fights with his friend Prig that dies while Mak is seriously wounded. He miraculously survives and after a long time, he returns to Prakanong.

He meets Nak and their son and they live happily together until the day that a friend of Mak visits him and tells that Nak had died in the delivery and he is living with the ghost of his wife and his stillborn son. Mak does not believe on his friend until the day that he discovers the truth about his family.

"Nang Nak" is a movie about a Thai legend of a faithful wife that dies but does not live the world of the living waiting for her beloved husband that is missing in action in the war. The story of eternal love is a touching ghost story with a melodramatic farewell in the end. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Vidas do Além" ("Lives from Beyond")

Nang nak had been made for many times in Thailand both for TV series and films. Therefore, most of them express the scary part of Nak but they don't mention anything about her deep true love to Mak. So I think this version is very touching and great. I love it. Though, there were many versions made but none of them gives good facts like this one. Two thumbs up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!