The Victim - Pitchanart Sakakorn

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Phii khon pen" or "Spirit of the Victim")

directed by Monthon Arayangkoon
Thailand 2006

Ting (Pitchanart Sakakorn), an aspiring actress, is hired by the Thai police force to participate in the reenacting of murders and achieves great media success while hoping she is not upsetting the ghosts of those she portrays. When she is cast as missing-now-believed-dead former Miss Thailand winner Meen (Apasiri Nitibhon), Ting starts to believe that the dead woman is reaching out from beyond the grave to reveal that the murderer might be someone other than her estranged husband. Even then, things are not all that they seem as a mid-film reversal propels the viewer into an altogether different yet all-too-familiar Asian horror scenario.

THE VICTIM's novelty is that it is structured around an actual Thai police department investigative technique of using convicted criminals and stand-ins to reenact crimes for Thai media (some of the scenarios in the film are reportedly shot at real crime scenes). I'm not sure how much of the film's portrayal of this is indeed accurate so some of the more risible elements of the first half might be realistic while some may be explained by the intentional artifice of the first half. Unfortunately, after the surprise of the mid-film reversal wares off, the rest of the film is rather routine and the viewer may find it hard to relate to the sudden introduction of several unfamiliar characters and the revelations behind the haunting itself do not resonate as a result of this.

Director Monthon Arayangkoon followed this up with THE HOUSE.

Eric Cotenas

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Theatrical Release: 12 October 2006 (Thailand)

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DVD Comparison:

Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing (Asia Extreme Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MVM - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the Screen Caps!

(Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing (Asia Extreme Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. MVM - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing Region 1 - NTSC	MVM Region 2 - PAL
Runtime	1:48:00	1:43:40 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.83 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.78:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.9 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing (Asia Extreme Collection)
Bitrate: MVM
Audio	Thai DTS 5.1; Thai Dolby Digital 5.1; Thai Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo	Thai Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles	English, Spanish, none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • The Making of THE VICTIM (4:3; 21:40; in Thai with English subtitles) • Theatrical Trailer (4:3; 2:26; in Thai with English subtitles) • Two 60 second TV Spots (4:3; 1:57; in Thai with English subtitles) • Trailers for DORM, CARVED, THE GHOST, and SHUTTER DVD Release Date: 18 September 2007 Amaray Chapters 15	Release Information: Studio: MVM Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.78:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: 6 August 2012 Amaray Chapters 12

Comments

MVM's single-layer, progressive, anamorphic transfer appears visually identical to the R1 release (although the R1 was interlaced). A 2.0 stereo track is included only, even though the film was mixed in 5.1. There are no extras.

ABOUT THE TARTAN RELEASE: Tartan's DVD presents the film in an anamorphic transfer but it has not been progressively encoded so heavy combing is evident throughout. The subtitles have their share of distracting grammatical errors that suggest that they have not been significantly revised from their original translation (and are probably exactly the same as the Thai DVD release). DTS, 5.1, and stereo downmix options are all effective.

The making of is partially structured as a fictional true hauntings on set with filmmakers pointing out figures showing up in the rushes (in reference to the second half of the film). A trailer and TV spots as well as trailers for other Tartan Asian horror releases round out the package.

- Eric Cotenas

DVD Menus
(Tartan Video USA/TLA Releasing (Asia Extreme Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. MVM - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)