Need last-minute Halloween costume ideas but you’d rather be dead than be found in a readymade getup?
We totally get that being creative is at least half of the fun in Halloween, but with parties just around the corner, you might not have the time to go all out.
Luckily for you, a little crafting time and effort are all that is required if you choose to draw inspiration from some of the most famous ghosts from Indonesian horror movies. Chalk it up to our relatively minimalistic ghouls — for some of these, all you need are white fabric and some skin powder.
A lot of these ghosts are female, but who are we to stop you from some Halloween cross-dressing fun? It just so happens that iconic male Indonesian ghosts, like the decapitated pastor of Jeruk Purut Cemetery, require more frills and thus do not fit the purposes of this guide.
Also Read – Beware the Potato House: 5 haunted places in Jakarta & the horror movies they inspired
From Suzanna to Mak Lampir and beyond, here’s how you can terrify and impress on a budget this Halloween.
Suzzanna
There’s no better place to start than with the horror queen of Indonesian cinema herself, Suzzanna Martha Frederika van Osch, who portrayed various iconic spirits and demonic beings from the ‘60s and beyond.
The 2018 remake of Bernapas Dalam Kubur (Buried Alive) saw Luna Maya pay worthy homage to Suzzanna as a sundel bolong — a pregnant woman’s malevolent spirit who seeks revenge on her killers. All you need to look the part are a frizzy long black wig (if you don’t already have such hair), a long white dress, powder to make your face pale, and a black marker to draw Suzzanna’s iconic face mole.
Pocong
There are simply too many movies about pocong (a spirit trapped in their funeral shroud) to list. But the iconic Indonesian ghost’s look has remained consistent throughout the years. Grab a white shroud (or bedsheet if you don’t have any), wrap it around your body and leave an opening around your face. Bonus points if you can get help tying up the top and bottom of your costume with ropes.
For the additional scare factor, paint your face black — but not blackface, we must stress — and shove cotton balls into your nostrils. Hop around and look dead in the eyes all night long.
Mak Lampir
Misteri Gunung Merapi (1989), starring Farida Pasha, arguably remains the best depiction of the West Sumatra witch Mak Lampir. The legend goes that Mak Lampir was a beautiful princess who sought guidance from a magician after her family did not give their blessing for her to marry the man she wanted. Instead, she was cursed and transformed into a foul witch with a terrifying cackle.
To achieve Farida Pasha’s look, you will need some green face paint, a large white wig, a chopstick in lieu of a hair stick, and a large dark dress. To complete the set, wield a staff. If yours does not feature a terrifying beast head, improvise by sticking an appropriate doll on top.
Ibu
Joko Anwar’s Pengabdi Setan (Satan’s Slaves) from 2017 has already become a horror classic, despite it being a remake of a film of the same name from 1980. That’s in large part due to the maternal ghost of Ibu, who comes back to haunt her family after being bedridden for three years.
Ibu’s look is on the minimalistic side, as one can emulate her with nothing more than a flowing white gown and a bridal veil. We recommend you play the movie’s chilling original soundtrack, Kelam Malam (Dark Night) before you make an entrance to any room for that added spooktacular factor.
Si Manis Jembatan Ancol
If you’ve ever stowed away a Little Red Riding Hood costume, now is the time to bring it out. With some repurposing, you can easily become the titular character in Si Manis Jembatan Ancol (The Sweet Maiden of Ancol Bridge).
Should you wish to take fashion inspo from the 2019 movie about the Jakarta urban legend, you will need to wear a red dress and loosely drape a red veil around your head. If you want to go a little bit extra, hang out in Ancol late at night and terrify sleazy men by pretending to seek retribution after you were murdered for trying to protect your innocence.
