Mystics in Bali
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Mystics in Bali is a 1981 Indonesian horror film directed by H. Tjut Djalil and based on the novel "Leák Ngakak" by Putra Mada. The original Indonesian title is "Mystik" or "Leyak", but the film is also known as "Leák" in some territories and "Balinese Mystic" in Australia.
The film revolves around the Balinese mythology of the leyak (penanggalan) and was originally banned in Indonesia. Nevertheless, pirated copies found their way onto VHS first locally and then internationally.
The film eventually gained cult status amongst horror fans worldwide; particularly after the proliferation of the internet where countless reviews of it appeared prior to any DVD release.
The film received a DVD release by Mondo Macabro in 2003 but has since been deleted. Mondo Macabro released a new edition in 2007 that featured a new HD transfer from the original negative.
The film was recently featured on www.slatev.com as part of an entertaining video series about strange and weird cinema - it was discussed along with the Shaw Brothers, Heaven & Hell and the Killing Of Satan from the Philippines under the title International Buffet. (2008)
