Japanese VHS art.
I’ve seen a lot of crazy movies, but Mystics In Bali about takes the cake. Released in 1981, this low-budget Indonesian flick is one-of-a-kind, guaranteed to thrill horror movie fans the world over.
Based on the novel Leak Ngakak, the film follows Cathy Kean, a young American anthropologist, who comes to Bali to learn more about the Leyak. Part of Balinese folklore, Leyaks are demonic witches that can make themselves turn into animals, and detach their own heads, which then fly through the air. Leyaks feed on human flesh and blood. In Bali, Cathy meets a local who introduces her to one of these witches. Cathy grows interested in becoming a Leyak herself, and by way of black magic, she is transformed. Though the effects aren’t all that special, bizarre, grotesque sights like Cathy’s flying head—with some internal organs still attached—are unforgettable.
In addition to its cheap-looking special effects, the dubbing is poor, the acting ain’t the greatest, and the dialogue is often unintentionally hilarious (example: “Mmmm delicious, this blood is good!”)—all just part of what makes Mystics in Bali such a wild ride. The main draw for horror fans is its graphic depictions of gore and other outlandish imagery, but it’s also genuinely eerie.
In his book, Mondo Macabro : Weird & Wonderful Cinema Around the World, author Pete Tombs writes about how the film transcends its limitations.
The film was cheaply and quickly made, yet its awkwardness and shooting style give it a kind of strange authenticity. The camera hardly ever moves; most scenes are filmed in one take, using medium or close shots. In the many night sequences there are no foregrounds. The characters are isolated against the vast, empty backdrop of black space. There’s a constant feeling of mystery, of tension, as though almost anything might emerge from the blackness.
Mystics in Bali is one of those movies that I don’t want to write too much about, for fear of spoiling it for those that haven’t seen it before. Trust me, if it at all seems like something you’d dig, you will not be disappointed.
Just one more thing that’s weird about the picture: The purpose of nearly all of the dialogue in the film—and this is no exaggeration—is to explain to the audience what is happening on screen. It’s odd, but not such a bad thing, considering all of the craziness thrown at the viewer.
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