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Understanding ghosts through society’s lens.
Horror isn’t typically my go-to genre, but lately, I’ve found myself re-watching Supernatural from Season 1, now already on Season 5, thanks to streaming services that let me experience it without the frustrating censorship and interruptions that came with cable in the early 2000s. Alongside it, I sometimes tune into the BBC’s Uncanny podcast, which strikes a similar balance between belief and skepticism that I enjoy.
Both shows led me to consider how supernatural figures reflect the societies they inhabit. It sparked me to look into Indonesia’s own supernatural folklore, which thrives in local horror films.
To my surprise, there are at least 258 local feature film productions in the horror genre over the past decade, or almost half of the number of total film productions — something I noticed on streaming platforms, which now overflow with Indonesian, Western, and Asian horror shows.
While I’m more of a true-crime fan like many women, exploring these horror titles and trailers — and my own childhood memories of Indonesian folklore — reveals a fascinating lens through which horror reflects deeper societal values and shifts.
