On (sub)genre and anatomy of Classical Indonesian Exploitation Cinema

Devil's Sword in Japanese version

First, Indonesian exploitation cinema has no specific term to be called. Unlike Mexico (Mexploitation), Canada (Canuxploitation), Latin America (Latsploitation), or Australia (Ozploitation) #crazyindonesia

So I adopt a term from a Greek for Indonesian exploitation in their golden age (late 1970s to early 1990s) = #crazyindonesia

My preliminary mapping: there are 2 types of #crazyindonesia

First: “indigenous” genre (in Karl Heider’s Term), especially Legeda, Kumpeni, and Silat. #crazyindonesia

Sometimes there are mixed subgenres, and it is common in exploitation cinema. #crazyindonesia

Legenda (legend) is a subgenre related to  myth, mystic, and supernatural). #crazyindonesia Nyi Blorong, Nyi Roro Kidul, etc

Kumpeni is about local <super> heroes in Dutch colonial era, commonly with supernatural and magical power: Jaka Sembung (The Warrior) series. #crazyindonesia

Silat is Indonesian martial art films    #crazyindonesia

Those subgenres  are considered as exotic, marginalized,  and unknown to Western cult community. Hence, they became cult and are celebrated by fans. #crazyindonesia

The second type is those  who were made for international tastes,   by adopting subgenres from American exploitation cinema.  #crazyindonesia

Some subgenres: cannibalism, mockbusters, womensploitation, women in prison, zombie). #crazyindonesia

Cannibalism, for example, Primitif, Barry Prima’s first movie. #crazyindonesia

Mockbuster films are rip-off films = Lady Terminator  follows Terminator, Pembalasan Rambu (Intruder) is Rambo wannabe. #crazyindonesia

Women in prison = Virgin from Hell, Kamp Tahanan Wanita etc #crazyindonesia

  

This second type are films for foreign market:  dubbed into English, and some of them using new foreign actors. #crazyindonesia