Mystics in Bali (1981)
"Leák" (original title)

Researching a book that takes her to Bali and the black magic cult of Leák, Cathy meets an evil witch which promises to train her in the dark arts. Tricked, Cathy is turned into a ... See full summary »

Director:

H. Tjut Djalil

Writers:

Jimmy Atmaja (scenario), Putra Mada (novel)

Stars:

Ilona Agathe Bastian, Yos Santo, Sofia W.D.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ilona Agathe Bastian	...	Catherine 'Cathy' Kean
Yos Santo	...	Mahendra
Sofia W.D.	...	Old Leák Queen (as Sofia WD)
W.D. Mochtar	...	Machesse
Debbie Cinthya Dewi	...	Young Leák Queen
Itje Trisnawati
Ketut Suwita
Dis I Gusti Ngurah Lanang Jugutkarana	...	(as Drs I Gusti Ngurah Lanang Jagat Karana)
Teddy Riady
I Gusti Ngurah Oka Ayajimbaran	...	(as I Gusti Ngurah Oka Aryajimbaran)
Dis I Gusti Lanang Agung Iswara	...	(as Drs I Gusti Lanang Agung Iswara)
Gusti Ngurah Futra Wiryanata	...	(as I Gusti Ngurah Putra Wiryanata)
Atikah
Ida Ayn Trisnawati
Luh Putu Triyata

Storyline

Researching a book that takes her to Bali and the black magic cult of Leák, Cathy meets an evil witch which promises to train her in the dark arts. Tricked, Cathy is turned into a Penanggalan; a flying vampire with internal organs hanging from her neck. It is now up to the local holy men who are then enforced to do battle with the forces of evil.

---

Plot Keywords:

pig | flying head | witch | vampire | sorcerer | 

---

Taglines:

She sold her soul to possess the secrets of black magic... (Mondo Macabro USA DVD release)

---

Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

---

Details

Country:

Indonesia

Language:

Indonesian

Release Date:

1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mystics in Bali

Filming Locations:

Negara, Indonesia

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pusat Perusahaan Film, Video Tape Corp.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first true Indonesian horror film aimed at a western audience.

---

Goofs

One of the men on the council Machesse leads says that the flying head was said to have light-colored hair (which would mean that she is a foreigner). However, she actually has dark hair.

---

Connections

Featured in Cinemassacre's Monster Madness: Mystics in Bali (2010)

User Reviews

One of the most bizarre films you're ever likely to see

This film has an atmosphere of creeping evil and a sense of the presence of the unknown that's highly unnerving. It's something to do with the almost documentary like way it's shot. The most bizarre scenes and exotic transformations are shown straightforwardly, with no hint of flashiness. And this makes them even more strange and unsettling. In many ways it's reminiscent of Cocteau's theory of the fantastic, approaching it from the perspective of realism rather than announcing how strange it is through camera angles and clever tricks.

There's no denying that the film was shot on a shoestring. However, the obvious commitment of all involved and the unusual use of the scope frame lift it to a level above that of many low budget Asian horrors of the period. It actually makes a virtue of its limited means, forcing us to use our own imagination to fill in the blanks.

Anyone searching for something out of the ordinary, something truly unique, will find lots to treasure in Mystics in Bali. It's a film that can be watched again and again. It has an almost hypnotic quality that draws the sympathetic viewer into a strange, hallucinatory dream.