Ghost of Mae Nak is a 2005

2005 in film

- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...

 Thai

Cinema of Thailand

The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...

 horror film

Horror film

Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...

 thriller about a protecting ghost directed and written by British director Mark Duffield. The film stars Pataratida Pacharawirapong, Siwat Chotchaicharin and Porntip Papanai

Porntip Papanai

Porntip Papanai is a Thai actress and model. Among her film roles are supporting parts in Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's Monrak Transistor , in which she played the country singer Dao, and Ploy , in which she portrayed Tum, the hotel maid....

 as the ghost.

Synopsis

Set in modern Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

, the life of groom Mak is disturbed, by successive nightmares with a ghost woman, Mae Nak

Mae Naak

Mae Nak Phra Khanong , or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak , is a well known and popular Thai ghost. Local folklore claims that this story is based on actual events that took place during the 19th century.-The story:...

, an ancient Thai legend. He meets his beloved fiancée Nak to acquire an antique brooch

Brooch

A brooch ; also known in ancient times as a fibula; is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material...

 and an old abandoned house in Phra Khanong

Phra Khanong

Phra Khanong is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Its neighbor, clockwise from north, are Suan Luang, Prawet, and Bang Na districts of Bangkok, Amphoe Phra Pradaeng of Samut Prakan Province , Khlong Toei and Watthana of Bangkok.-History:Phra Khanong was an amphoe of Nakhon Khuan Khan...

 through an unscrupulous real estate

Real estate

In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...

 agent Angel and they decide to buy the property.

After their wedding, two small-time thieves break into the house and steal their gifts and other objects. Mak happens to see the criminals on the streets of Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

 selling his goods. He chases the burglars and they run their van over Mak, who falls into a deep coma

Coma

In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...

. The ghost Mae Nak protects the young couple against Angel and the burglars, but in return she holds the soul of Mak.

Nak finds the remains of Mae Nak in an ancient cemetery, and with some monks, they exorcise

Exorcism

Exorcism is the religious practice of evicting demons or other spiritual entities from a person or place which they are believed to have possessed...

 Mae Nak from Mak using the ancient brooch and release her spirit.

Cast

• Pataratida as Nak
• Siwat as Mak
• Porntip Papanai
  Porntip Papanai
  Porntip Papanai is a Thai actress and model. Among her film roles are supporting parts in Pen-Ek Ratanaruang's Monrak Transistor , in which she played the country singer Dao, and Ploy , in which she portrayed Tum, the hotel maid....
  
   as Mae Nak
  Mae Naak
  Mae Nak Phra Khanong , or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak , is a well known and popular Thai ghost. Local folklore claims that this story is based on actual events that took place during the 19th century.-The story:...
  
  
• Jaran Ngamdee as Por Mak
• Meesak Nakarat as Angel

Background

The story of Mae Nak Phra Khanong

Mae Naak

Mae Nak Phra Khanong , or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak , is a well known and popular Thai ghost. Local folklore claims that this story is based on actual events that took place during the 19th century.-The story:...

 is famous and a favorite among Thai people. There is a shrine dedicated to her at Wat Mahabut on Sukhumvit

Sukhumvit Road

Sukhumvit Road , or Thailand Route 3 , is a major road in Thailand, and a major surface road of Bangkok and other cities it winds through. It follows a coastal route from Bangkok to Trat and is just over in length....

 Soi

Soi

Soi is the term used in Thailand for a side-street branching off a major street . An alley is called a Trok .Sois are usually numbered, and are referred to by the name of the major street and the number, as in "Soi Sukhumvit 4", "Sukhumvit Soi 4", or "Sukhumvit 4", all referring to the fourth soi...

 77 (On Nut) in Bangkok

Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...

's Suan Luang

Suan Luang

Suan Luang is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. It is bounded by other Bangkok districts : Bang Kapi, Saphan Sung, Prawet, Phra Khanong, and Watthana.-History:...

 (formerly Phra Khanong

Phra Khanong

Phra Khanong is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Its neighbor, clockwise from north, are Suan Luang, Prawet, and Bang Na districts of Bangkok, Amphoe Phra Pradaeng of Samut Prakan Province , Khlong Toei and Watthana of Bangkok.-History:Phra Khanong was an amphoe of Nakhon Khuan Khan...

) district.

The tale has been depicted on film numerous times since the silent era, with one of the most famous being Mae Nak Pra Kanong in 1958. A 1999 version, Nang Nak

Nang Nak

Nang Nak is a romantic tragedy and horror film directed by Nonzee Nimibutr in 1999 through Buddy Film and Video Production Co. in Thailand, based on a legend. It features the life of a devoted ghost wife and the unsuspecting husband.-Plot:...

, by Nonzee Nimibutr

Nonzee Nimibutr

Nonzee Nimibutr is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. Best known for his ghost thriller, Nang Nak, he is generally credited as the leader among a "New Wave" of Thai filmmakers that also includes Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Wisit Sasanatieng and Apichatpong...

, gained worldwide acclaim as part of the "Thai New Wave" cinema movement. There also is an opera, Mae Naak

Mae Naak

Mae Nak Phra Khanong , or simply Mae Nak or Nang Nak , is a well known and popular Thai ghost. Local folklore claims that this story is based on actual events that took place during the 19th century.-The story:...

, by Thai composer Somtow Sucharitkul.