Private TV station 'TPI' launching new mystery series

JAKARTA (JP): Uninvited guests in the form of hideous ghosts appear at a cafe at night. Frightened guests run for their lives.

That was a scene in a play performed at the launching of a new program on private TV station TPI called TV Misteri or TVM (Television Mystery) on Tuesday.

The new program is a horror sinetron (television mini series) that TPI plans to air every Thursday night at 8 p.m. starting on July 12. The 90-minute sinetron replaces the old TPI' spook show called Layar Misteri which had been aired since 1993.

"We run the TV mystery series because we know Indonesia has very few horror movies on the big screen," said Theresia Ellasari, TPI's corporate communications manager.

TVM is similar to FTV (Film Television) which has been aired by TPI's rival, SCTV, since October 2000. But Ellasari denied that TPI copied the other private TV station's program.

"Before SCTV aired FTV, we had already aired a mystery film called Layar Misteri," she said.

Horror movies, featuring the usual murders, ghosts, psychics and brutal fights, apparently retain loyal viewers.

But due to criticism, TV stations refrain from showing excessively gory scenes and they focus more on sound effects instead.

One of TVM's directors, Noto Bagaskoro, argued that in a mystery movie violent scenes cannot always be avoided because the scenario requires such things as blood and guts, ghosts, cemeteries and psychics.

TVM relies on the strength of scripts based on horror fiction novels by Indonesian writer Abdullah Harahap.

The thirteen episodes ready to be aired every Thursday night are Bayangan Nona (Shadow of Nona), Misteri Kasih Sayang Bunda (Mystery of a mother's love and affection), Nyai Banjarsari (Madame Banjarsari), Arwah yang Lembut Hati (Kindly Spirit), Sumpah Leluhur (Ancestral curse), Penunggu dari Kegelapan (Watcher in the dark) , Misteri Sebuah Mimpi (Mystery of a dream), Kalung Setan (Devil's necklace), Roh dari Masa Lampau (Spirit from the past), Pemuja Setan (Devil worshiper), Bungalow di Lereng Bukit (Bungalow on a hillside) and Teluh Sapu Jagat (The Sapu Jagat's magical formula).

TVM producer Ferry Anggriawan said that he was interested in sinetron more than films because Indonesia's (big-screen) film industry had been in limbo for many years.

"It is a television era now and I am challenged to produce mystery sinetrons," he said.

Ferry, who used to produce films under the banner of PT Virgo Putra Film, said that VCDs of TV Misteri would be released soon after each episode had been aired on TV.

According to Ferry, each episode of TVM costs Rp 100 million.

TVM features actors Donny Kusuma, Sarah Vi, Hendra Cipta, Monica Oemardi, Teddy Syach, former horror film star Suzana and presenter Taufik Savalas. (Sri Ramadani)