'Shutter' Director Banjong Pisanthanakun Shares His Love for Horror Films
While they enjoy massive popularity during Halloween, horror movies have proven to be a timeless genre. And among the industry’s most successful storytellers is none other than Banjong Pisanthanakun, the Thai filmmaker known for cult classics such as “Shutter” and “Alone.”
Despite his well-earned success, it’s apparent that Banjong stays both grounded and approachable. When asked what he considers to be his greatest achievement, Banjong merely shrugged and admitted that he isn’t exactly sure. What he does know is what makes him happy and that is how he "gets to experiment with something new in each project I work on.”
Obviously, Banjong is driven by a sincere desire to tell stories, which is how he remains active in the film industry, continuing to breathe life into chart-topping narratives. “I have a new project that I produced, set to release in March 2025,” Banjong revealed. “It’s a comedy called ‘The Red Envelope,’ a remake of the Taiwanese movie ‘Marry My Dead Body.’ The film stars the hugely popular duo Billkin and PP, and is directed by Chayanop Boonprakob, who’s known for ‘Friend Zone’ and ‘SuckSeed.’”
A versatile filmmaker, Banjong cannot be pigeonholed: his skills make him prolific in multiple genres. Yet, he is most renowned in horror; as such, it may come as a surprise to find that Banjong never consciously chose to get into the genre.
When he and co-director, Parkpoom Wongpoom, began working together, the goal had simply been to “find a great story with the strongest idea.” “It just so happened that at the time, we came up with the plot for ‘Shutter’ and we really liked it,” Banjong shared. “That’s why my first film ended up being a horror film and I’ve been making horror films ever since.”
Through the genre, Banjong and other filmmakers explore topics that would otherwise be considered taboo. “These films allow us to themes such as sin, guilt, and human nature,” he mused.
Now in his forties, Banjong contributes his passion for horror to childhood memories. While some prefer to avoid the genre, Banjong has always faced such fears head-on. During school breaks as a child, he would often stay over at a relative’s house and, together with his cousins, would rent horror movies to watch at night.
“Thailand is a very superstitious country, full of all kinds of beliefs,” he noted. “Thai people like to listen to ghost stories, and ghost-related shows are extremely popular. That’s probably why we enjoy making horror films and can create them in a unique and interesting way.”
Granted, horror films have changed a lot since he first released “Shutter” in 2004. It’s been over twenty years since its debut, and Banjong noted that the styles have changed. “Back in the day, filmmakers competed to produce creative horror scenes, coming up with unique ideas for ghost appearances and the best jump scares, to the point where it became repetitive and overused,” he said. “But now, horror films have evolved a lot. Today, there’s more focus on creating atmospheric horror. Filmmakers aren’t just trying to scare people with ghost scenes.”
But it’s not just in his beloved genre that Banjong sees such progress. Since the pandemic, the Thai film industry has started to pick up again. One of 2024’s most successful Thai releases, “How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies,” has been lauded by critics and by Banjong himself.
“It’s such a positive sign for the industry, and I hope this keeps going consistently. Consistency is key,” Banjong acknowledged. “Thai films are also finding more success in neighboring countries. I hope this continues without losing momentum.”
For more updates, follow Banjong Pisanthanakun on Instagram.
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