Reproduction of Destructive Power and Supernatural Power of Thai Classical Music by Thai Film

Abstract

The academic article aims to 1. study Thai films that related to Thai classical music as a sender 2. to contribute to the development of accurate beliefs and renewed perceptions regarding in Thai Classical music. The study employs textual analysis guided by the theory of reproduction, Thai musicological theories, and the functional theory of mass media consisting of 8 films: Bangkok Haunted (2001), The Overture (2004), The Victim (2006), The Haunted Drum (2007), Luer Lae (2011), Under the Mask (2015), My Boo (2024), and Haunted Universities 3 (2024). The results of the study are 1) Thai films that related to Thai classical music as a sender that reproduction of destructive power and supernatural power of Thai classical music in 2 primary dimensions: 1.1) Visual Dimension is Thai films manifest the presence of Thai classical music instruments, traditional Thai ensembles, and associated cultural beliefs in a tangible and explicit manner 1.2) Auditory Dimension is the use of Thai classical music instruments and Thai ensemble sounds is employed to create narratives, emotions, and atmospheres characterized by fear, suspense, and excitement and 2) to contribute to the development of accurate beliefs and renewed perceptions regarding in Thai Classical music in 2 perspectives 2.1) Mysticism as Social Mechanism is the supernatural beliefs surrounding Thai classical music serve as a cultural strategy, functioning as a social mechanism to instill discipline, respect and order among musicians. These beliefs, inherited from ancestors, have been deeply embedded as cultural norms and practices within the Thai classical music community across generations and 2.2) Mysticism as Cultural Heritage is rather than inciting fear, these mystical elements are integral to Thai artistic and cultural wisdom. They are profoundly embedded in Thai ways of life, traditional, and rituals from birth to death, such as the Piphat ensembles in funeral ceremonies and the Wai Kru ceremonies.