Construction of Folklore in the Online Horror Film “Legend of the Xing'an Mountains Hunter” การศึกษาโครงสร้างนิทานพื้นบ้านในภาพยนตร์แนวสยองขวัญเรื่อง “ตำนานนักล่าซิงอันหลิง”

Abstract

The online horror film “Legend of the Xing’an Mountains Hunter,” released during the COVID-19 pandemic, received critical acclaim and financial success, with its folklore narratives being a major highlight. This paper, utilizing methods such as “literature review,” “organization and summarization,” “comparative analysis,” and "case analysis,” compiles the folklore elements featured in the film. It analyzes the adaptation of folklore in the movie and explores the characteristics of online horror films. The study reveals that the folklore in the film is characterized by being “down-to-earth,” “non-mainstream,” and “diverse,” contributing to attention and discussion the film has received. However, these characteristics also present challenges in film production. The paper analyzes how the film utilizes folklore from a narrative perspective, highlighting the film's narrative strategy of strengthening the connection between each movie story structure based on the three-act-screenplay structure of classic horror film elements. Focusing on the legendary folk element of the "human-faced tree" in the Xing’an Mountains, the film adopts a narrative approach with one observer and multiple narrators, creating a storytelling pattern of “potential storyline and obvious storyline intertwined, truth and lies intersect.” This structure forms vivid narrative imagery with contrasting elements, utilizing abstract, three-dimensional, and regionalized audio-visual language. The film conveys simple folk values such as “A virtuous man makes his fortune in a proper way,” “family wealth should not be flaunted,” and “karma and retribution.” The balance between artistic and commercial aspects has gained favor from audiences and recognition from the industry. It opens up new avenues for the development of online horror films and pioneers a fresh approach to incorporating folklore in horror cinema. It marks a new milestone for the evolution of horror films based on folklore in the online genre.