Tap into the world of Asian cinema with screenings by the Asian Film Archive at the new Oldham Theatre. Housed in the restored National Archives of Singapore building, the wheelchair accessible, 134-seater theatre has 4K digital and 35mm film format projections for all your viewing pleasure. But don’t expect the latest Hollywood blockbusters. Instead, settle in for a curated mix of acclaimed classic and contemporary Asian films.
This June and July, the Oldham Theatre strikes terror into your soul with State of Motion 2019: A Fear of Monsters – a constellation of Asian horror screenings. Follow the creatures that have traversed folklores and pop culture to the silver screen in these well-known classics and cult favourites. Here are our top scream screen picks for June and July.
Tickets start from $8 to $13. For the full programme, visit asianfilmarchive.org.
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Country Thailand
Showing Jun 12
A soldier returns from the Chiang Toong War and continues his life with his family. Little does he know that his wife died during childbirth and is now a ghost, as is their stillborn child. The film is based on the Thai folklore of Mae Nak Phra Khanong, the lingering spirit of a soldier’s wife.
Country Japan
Showing Jun 7 & 15
Before you watch Godzilla: King of the Monsters in the cinema, catch the movie that started it all. The OG of the Godzilla franchise follows the fire-breathing King of the Monsters as it terrorises the city when awakened from its centuries-old slumber by an atomic bomb.
Country Singapore/Malaysia
Showing Jun 15
Starring and created by the legendary P. Ramlee, this thriller shadows a disfigured hunchback who makes a deal with the devil for beauty. Trouble ensues when he kills a man and his new life is taken away from him. Begging for another shot, the devil demands he rapes 21 virgins.
Country Hong Kong
Showing Jun 16 & 20
It’s King Kong meets Hong Kong, where a hunter falls in love with a jungle woman and convinces her and her companion Utam, a giant ape, to join him in the city. All hell breaks loose when Utam gets mistreated upon their return.
Country Japan
Showing Jun 21, 29 & 30
Marking the first of the new releases is Makoto Nagahisa’s award-winning debut film about four orphans with the inability to grieve. Together, they form a rock band, fashioning instruments and outfits from junk.
Country Indonesia
Showing Jul 5
A cult fave among Asian horror fans, Satan’s Slave revolves around a wealthy family. After the death of the mother, a mysterious housekeeper is sent to care for the family. Soon after, they are violently haunted by the undead, including the spirit of their deceased mother.
Country Japan
Showing Jul 13 & 20
A girl decides to hit up her aunt’s remote mansion along with six friends only to experience supernatural occurrences on the estate. With the help of his teen daughter, the award-winning director Nobuhiko Obayashi directed the film to look like it was created by children.
Country Philippines
Showing Jul 17
The award-winning anthology consists of three episodes. Baso tracks the adventures of three friends who partake an Ouija-like game and uncovers a tragic love triangle. Pridyider sees a refrigerator comes to life in the most terrifying manner. Manananggal showcases a teen flirting with a girl who is – hold your breath – an aswang, a shape-shifter with a nefarious alter ego made popular in Filipino folklore.
Country Japan
Showing Jul 21
Based on Ryu Murakami’s novel of the same name, Raffles Hotel takes on a life of its own when a Japanese visitor is filled with rage upon discovering that her lover is married with kids.
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