KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 ― Iconic US horror film fan magazine Fangoria is venturing into film production and its upcoming debut is a reboot of the lost 1964 Malay movie Sitora Harimau Jadian by the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee.
Variety announced in an exclusive report yesterday that the magazine’s moviemaking arm, Fangoria Studios, is developing a feature-length film titled Sitora.
The film tells the story of a tyrannical shaman who conjures a half-tiger, half-man creature to consolidate his feudal control.
We are overwhelmed with excitement to share with you the details for FANGORIA Studios' first feature film. International horror and powerful storytelling are our most passionate priorities at @FANGORIA, and @SitoraTheMovie checks each of those boxes. 🐅https://t.co/jhmMasPbTb
— FangoriaStudios (@FangoriaStudios) July 7, 2021
Malaysian screen legend Wan Hanafi Su has been cast to play Sir and the upcoming revival will be shot in actual kampung locations in Malaysia.
The 71-year-old actor is known for films such as Susuk, Bunohan and The Garden of Evening Mists, and is regarded as one of the 10 most bankable veteran actors in Malaysia.
“Sitora is a perfect example of who we are,” Fangoria Studios said in a press release.
“[Our] mission is to celebrate genre filmmaking by providing a platform for scary stories with deep roots in culture, folklore, legends and the macabre on the international stage.
“We believe that horror is truly global and has cross-demographic appeal.
“Fear is universal. When it comes to horror, everyone screams in the same language.”
Sitora will be helmed by Kuala Lumpur-born and Los Angeles-based filmmaker Diffan Sina Norman whose work has been screened at Sundance, South By Southwest and Rotterdam film festivals.
The original Sitora Harimau Jadian, or The Tigerman in English, was written and directed by P. Ramlee who also starred in the movie.
The black and white film featured actors Datuk Mahmud June, Rosmawati, Ali Rahman, Minah Hashim and Fazliyaton.
P. Ramlee also composed the music in the film that was distributed by Shaw Organisation.
The movie was P. Ramlee’s first directorial project at Studio Merdeka which premiered on November 30, 1964.
According to reports, it was aired at least once on RTM in the ‘70s.
But sadly, the movie earned the title of ‘P. Ramlee’s lost film’ as it was destroyed due to improper storage conditions at Studio Merdeka.
The film reels became brittle after they were placed in a non-air-conditioned environment that caused complete damage.
In 2019, the film recovery and restoration group Repair Gambar Lama was offering a reward to anyone who has a copy of the movie.
Founded in 1979, Fangoria which specialises in horror and genre film content has a huge cult following and continues to print quarterly.
The Atlanta-based magazine announced earlier this year it would develop and produce film, television and podcasts under Fangoria Studios.
Horror fans and proud Malaysians can keep up with updates on the film on Twitter.
