''Ghost of Banana Tree'' ( km, ខ្មោចដើមចេកជ្វា, Khmaôch Daeum Chék Chvéa) is a
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
film. It is a
Cambodian horror film based on a
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
n ghost story about a vengeful ghost haunting a banana tree and killing her husband. It's the fourth horror film by
Campro production, following ''Neang Neath'', ''
The Forest'' and ''
The Haunted House''.
Tagline
Ha! Handsome Man hides in Byemane Tree thinking I can't find you
Plot synopsis
The story is based on a Khmer tale. A man goes abroad for business. While he is away, his wife falls ill and dies. Her vengeful spirit begins to haunt the people of the village. The husband returns and believes his wife's ghost is actually his living wife until her ghost's arm grows unnaturally long. He flees the house for help, but, even after a proper Khmer burial, his wife's ghost follows him to a
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
monk's house, where he has sought safety. As he recites prayers, his wife's ghost climbs one of the many nearby banana trees to enter the house through a window. (It is traditionally considered inauspicious by the
Khmer to grow banana trees close to a house, especially near a window.) She kills her husband, and the film ends with the couple's spirits flying to begin their next life together.
Origins
The film is based on a
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
n legend at which has been marketed by Campro film production as a true event occurred at least during the 16th century. A folk belief, which many Khmer still follow, stems from this legend, forbidding people from planting banana trees next to their houses as a ghost spirit could enter the house by climbing in on a banana leaf. If there was already a banana tree growing close by, all of the banana tree's leaves touching or near the house would be cut off for safety.
This centuries-old tradition is most common in more remote areas today.
See also
*''
Nang Tani
Nang Tani ( th, นางตานี; "Lady of Tani") is a female spirit of the Thai folklore. According to folk tradition, this ghost appears as a young woman that haunts wild banana trees (''Musa balbisiana''), known as in Thai language as ' ...
''
*
List of ghost films
Ghost movies and shows can fall into a wide range of genres, including romance, comedy, horror, juvenile interest, and drama. Depictions of ghosts are as diverse as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Beetlejuice, Hamlet's father, Jacob Marley, Freddy Kru ...
References
External links
Official Website
2004 horror films
2004 films
Cambodian horror films
Folk horror films
Films directed by Heng Tola
Films about trees
Cambodian legends
{{2000s-horror-film-stub