School of Film, Television and Media Studies

The author discusses the methods of distribution and marketing that gave 1980's Indonesian exploitation films cult status among both local and Western audiences. He describes how both Indonesian producers and Western distributors selected films to fit Western spectators' tastes, while local audiences watched and collected these films through video cassette discs (VCDs) and alternative film festivals. He also explains how Legend films such as "Devil's Sword" and "The Warrior" positioned their villains as symbols of Suharto's New Order regime.

Islamic film is emerging as a new genre in the Indonesian film world. As a cinema phenomenon, the film has raised questions about the relationship between Islamic values and the film industry. This article discussesa  particular film: Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (When Love Glorifies  God)

Do Commercialism and Islamic Law (Shariah) and Virtues become potential factors to lower the quality of so-called Indonesian ?Islamic Cinema??. Those factors seem to be embedded in most recent post- New Order Islamic films, and some film critics highlight that most of the movies in this ?genre? are mediocre. In Salim Said?s point-of-view, the battle between commercial films versus idealist films is eternal. But how about the position of Islamic Law and virtues both in the content and (pre)production of idealist Islamic films: to endorse or to worsen the quality of the movie? On the other hand, there are some discourses from Dakwah activist claiming that both filmmaking process and the stories should obey fit with Fiqih and Shariah. For example, they try to find the way out the problem when there is a scene about husband and wife hugging, but in the real life they are not the real couple (thus, they are not allowed to do so). Ketika Cinta Bertasbih (When Love is praying) is another interesting case, while they create a TV show for casting the actors to be fitted with some Islamic values embodied in fiction characters.