Hantu Jeruk Purut
Encyclopedia
Hantu Jeruk Purut is a 2006 Indonesian horror film directed by Koya Pagayo and starring Angie, Sheila Marcia Joseph, and Samuel Z Heckenbucker. It tells the story of an aspiring writer who is haunted by the ghost she is investigating.
to look for information about the cemetery's legendary ghost, the headless pastor. After she begins writing, she is haunted by the pastor. Fearing for her life, she gives her notes to her fan, the high school student Airin (Angie); not long afterwards she is killed.
Airin sees Anna's writing as her road to becoming a famous writer herself, and goes to Jeruk Purut with her friends Nadine (Sheila Marcia Joseph) and Valen (Samuel Z Heckenbucker) to find the ghost. After circling the cemetery seven times, an act thought to call the ghost, they go home. Not long afterwards, Airin is visited by the ghost, who warns her that if she continues Anna's writing then she and her friends and family will suffer; Airin chooses to continue writing about the ghost.
Soon Airin's mother and friends begin experiencing accidents. Nadine is hit on the head by an exploding gas cylinder, while Valen is chased by a kuntilanak named Lasmi, eventually running into electric wires. While Airin is paying her respects to him in the hospital with Nadine and Cessa (Valia Rahma), Nadine becomes possessed by the ghost, knocks Cessa out, and attempts to strangle Airin. Airin escapes and runs into the morgue, with the possessed Nadine following her. Nadine is stabbed in the chest by Cessa just before she can kill Airin, dying; however, the ghost still attempts to kill Airin.
Airin eventually learns the truth. Years before, a young man had attempted to rape Lasmi, the servant of a pastor; when the pastor tried to stop it, the man killed both him and Lasmi. The man then put on the pastor's clothes to fool the locals, but was eventually caught and decapitated, later becoming a ghost.
, fainted. After they were diagnosed by a local kyai
as having been possessed, those present attempted to communicate with the spirit. Receiving no response, the kyai told the crew to offer cigars, chicken eggs, palm sugar
, and coffee to the spirits in glass containers before commencing filming.
Filming took place in numerous locations in Jakarta
and the surrounding area, including an abandoned hospital and houses. According to Joseph, while filming she experienced several strange happenings. She recalled that she and Angie saw the spirit of a child appear suddenly while filming in Ciawi, Bogor
. While drawing the scissors to film the stabbing scene, Joseph lost control and released them; the scissors flew and struck Angie on the left temple
.
Hantu Jeruk Purut was Joseph's first horror movie. She later commented that it was extremely tiring.
in Jakarta on 29 November 2006. Audiences filled the 1195-seat theatre, requiring an additional showing. It received a wider release in Indonesia and Malaysia on 30 November that year.
Dwita, writing in a review for Suara Karya
, said that Hantu Jeruk Purut gave her goosebumps
, with the sound, visuals, and plot deserving a thumbs up. However, Nur Hasan, writing for Detik.com, said that the cemetery background seemed fake, made to appear overly dark and gloomy, with the suspense lacking as the ghost was shown from the start. Benny Benke, writing for Suara Merdeka, said that the film left the impression that novelists are the professionals most-hated by ghosts, and the actors performances were "nothing special".
Plot
Anna, a mystery writer, goes to Jeruk Purut CemeteryJeruk Purut Cemetery
-Layout:Jeruk Purut covers a total area of . It is located in South Jakarta.Along with Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and Karet Bivak and Menteng Pulo public cemeteries, Jeruk Purut is one of the better maintained cemeteries in Jakarta.-History:...
to look for information about the cemetery's legendary ghost, the headless pastor. After she begins writing, she is haunted by the pastor. Fearing for her life, she gives her notes to her fan, the high school student Airin (Angie); not long afterwards she is killed.
Airin sees Anna's writing as her road to becoming a famous writer herself, and goes to Jeruk Purut with her friends Nadine (Sheila Marcia Joseph) and Valen (Samuel Z Heckenbucker) to find the ghost. After circling the cemetery seven times, an act thought to call the ghost, they go home. Not long afterwards, Airin is visited by the ghost, who warns her that if she continues Anna's writing then she and her friends and family will suffer; Airin chooses to continue writing about the ghost.
Soon Airin's mother and friends begin experiencing accidents. Nadine is hit on the head by an exploding gas cylinder, while Valen is chased by a kuntilanak named Lasmi, eventually running into electric wires. While Airin is paying her respects to him in the hospital with Nadine and Cessa (Valia Rahma), Nadine becomes possessed by the ghost, knocks Cessa out, and attempts to strangle Airin. Airin escapes and runs into the morgue, with the possessed Nadine following her. Nadine is stabbed in the chest by Cessa just before she can kill Airin, dying; however, the ghost still attempts to kill Airin.
Airin eventually learns the truth. Years before, a young man had attempted to rape Lasmi, the servant of a pastor; when the pastor tried to stop it, the man killed both him and Lasmi. The man then put on the pastor's clothes to fool the locals, but was eventually caught and decapitated, later becoming a ghost.
Production
Before production, the cast and crew went to Jeruk Purut to request the ghost's permission to shoot the film. While at the cemetery, two of those present, an actress named Yuni and a reporter from TV7Trans 7
Trans 7 is an Indonesian commercial television station based in Central Jakarta. It is jointly owned by the Gramedia Group and Trans TV. It began broadcasting on 15 December 2001. On 15 December 2006, the official name became Trans 7 from TV 7 due to its half ownership by Trans Corp, a company...
, fainted. After they were diagnosed by a local kyai
Kyai
A Kyai is an expert in islam. The word is of Javanese origin, and is sometimes spelled kiai. Traditionally, students of Islam in Indonesia would study in a boarding school known as a pesantren. The leader of the school was called kyai, as a form of respect. The traditional word for a teacher in...
as having been possessed, those present attempted to communicate with the spirit. Receiving no response, the kyai told the crew to offer cigars, chicken eggs, palm sugar
Palm sugar
Palm sugar was originally made from the sugary sap of the Palmyra palm, the date palm or sugar date palm . Now it is also made from the sap of the sago, arenga pinnata and coconut palms, and may be sold as "arenga sugar" or "coconut sugar".-Description:It is quickly gaining popularity in the...
, and coffee to the spirits in glass containers before commencing filming.
Filming took place in numerous locations in Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
and the surrounding area, including an abandoned hospital and houses. According to Joseph, while filming she experienced several strange happenings. She recalled that she and Angie saw the spirit of a child appear suddenly while filming in Ciawi, Bogor
Bogor
Bogor is a city on the island of Java in the West Java province of Indonesia. The city is located in the center of the Bogor Regency , 60 kilometers south of the Indonesian capital Jakarta...
. While drawing the scissors to film the stabbing scene, Joseph lost control and released them; the scissors flew and struck Angie on the left temple
Temple (anatomy)
Temple indicates the side of the head behind the eyes. The bone beneath is the temporal bone as well as part of the sphenoid bone.-Anatomy:Cladists classify land vertebrates based on the presence of an upper hole, a lower hole, both, or neither in the cover of dermal bone which formerly covered the...
.
Hantu Jeruk Purut was Joseph's first horror movie. She later commented that it was extremely tiring.
Reception
Hantu Jeruk Purut premiered at the Planet HollywoodPlanet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood, a restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in New York on October 22, 1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.-History:...
in Jakarta on 29 November 2006. Audiences filled the 1195-seat theatre, requiring an additional showing. It received a wider release in Indonesia and Malaysia on 30 November that year.
Dwita, writing in a review for Suara Karya
Suara Karya
Suara Karya is a daily newspaper published in Indonesia. Established in 1971 to assist Golkar in winning that year's legislative election, it became required reading for all civil servants and the voice of Golkar. After its circulation increased from 55,700 in 1971 to 300,000 in 1998, the fall of...
, said that Hantu Jeruk Purut gave her goosebumps
Goosebumps
Goosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
, with the sound, visuals, and plot deserving a thumbs up. However, Nur Hasan, writing for Detik.com, said that the cemetery background seemed fake, made to appear overly dark and gloomy, with the suspense lacking as the ghost was shown from the start. Benny Benke, writing for Suara Merdeka, said that the film left the impression that novelists are the professionals most-hated by ghosts, and the actors performances were "nothing special".