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To my horror, it’s just a movie!
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T
he upsurge of horror movies shown in the theaters in Indonesia makes one wonder: how is the Indonesian audience being molded by film producers? Or is it the other way around, with the audience dictating the film market?
The horror genre has taken over the screens and is shelling profits, as seen from the response of the horror comedy movie Agak Laen (A bit different), which had garnered over 9 million viewers as of this writing.
According to senior film analyst Yan Wijaya: “In 2023, there were 108 Indonesian movies screened, out of which 51 were horror. This year from January 1 until March 19, 35 Indonesian films went on screen, out of which 14 were horror.”
Producers lately have been complaining of a lack of response to other genres. Comedy movies are still doing fine next to horror movies, but other genres turn out to be less profitable.
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Gop Samtani, owner of Rapi Films, notes the recent trend for horror movies. “There is a new horror movie almost every week. We are just following the trend because so far horror movies are doing well. Last year we produced two horror movies.”
Raam Punjabi, a legendary filmmaker, also adds: “Horror movies are a worldwide trend. Horror movies attract more profits as they are in demand. A horror movie that can acquire 1 million viewers is already considered a profitable one.”
