Singapore and Malaysia cinema's love affair with pontianaks

Pontianaks are said to dwell in banana trees and usually take on the form of a beautiful, long-haired woman in a flowing white dress. Despite her beguiling appearance, the vampiric creature will rip apart your entrails with long and sharp nails. They hunt by tracking the scent of laundry hung in the open, which is why you should not leave your clothes to dry overnight.

'It's more about loving yourself': The cast of 'Frozen 2' talk possible Elsa romance, plot details, new characters and morePontianaks have fascinated Singaporeans and Malaysians so much that they've become the quintessential supernatural horror, blending tragedy and fear with an iconic visage. Perhaps that's why they have been the subject of numerous films, because everyone loves a good pontianak story.

It was lauded for its realistic make-up and practical effects at the time, although it did restrict lead actress Mario Menado's expressions. There was also humour in this horror movie, perhaps to cater to a wider audience.After the success of Pontianak, Balakrishna Narayana Rao directed and released a sequel to his horror film – Dendam Pontianak. It came out in the same year as Pontianak, and Menado reprised her role in this sequel.

Return to Pontianak was a Singapore-made film by Djinn, also known as Ong Lay Jinn. It debuted in a number of film festivals, such as the Singapore Film Festival, Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, and Bangkok Film Festival.In 2004, Shuhaimi Baba directed Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam I, which was a box office success in Malaysia. It followed a vengeful pontianak, Meriam , who sought revenge on those who murdered her.

Pontianak films will certainly continue to be popular in both Singapore and Malaysia – and hopefully, it'll be the subject of a Hollywood blockbuster one day.Marcus Goh is a television scriptwriter who writes for “Crimewatch”, as well as popular shows like “Lion Mums”, “Code of Law”, “Incredible Tales”, and “Police & Thief”. He’s also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. You can find him on social media as Optimarcus and on his site. The views expressed are his own.

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