A Study of the Influence of Shamanism on the Thai Film Rang Zong

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of shamanism on the Thai film Rang Zong: The Medium, exploring the themes of possessiveness, hedonistic eroticism, death, and ghost consciousness through the film’s references, in particular, to the Lascaux cave murals, which were also produced by a shamanistic mindset. Rang Zong, directed by Banjong Pisanthanakun and produced by Na, Hongjin of Korea, conveys the vividness of reality through a fake documentary format. In the Lascaux cave murals, a primitive shaman performs rituals to pray for condolences, consolation, and peace after death for the dying bison that shows humanity’s connection to nature. In Rang Zong, by contrast, the shaman demonstrates how there is a lack of communication and sympathy in modern life. In shamanism, there exists no notion of good and evil, and so the ghosts in the film are not an expression of evil, but only want to communicate the injustices they have suffered. However, due to a lack of communication skills, the shaman in this film perceives the ghosts solely as an evil to be removed, rather than listening to their voices. Such a narrow perception leads to a disconnection between the sky and the earth, and a tragic situation is produced through the revenge of the misunderstood ghosts.