"Kagbeni" transplants the famous horror story, "The Monkey's Paw", to the mountains of Nepal. Krishna has returned to his village (Kagbeni) from Malaysia, and is reminiscing with his old friend Ramesh. They come upon an old hermit, who presents them with a cursed monkey's paw that has the power both to grant wishes, and twist their meaning to cause tragedies.
05 Mar Kagbeni (2008)
Open Fist
This is a Nepali movie, loosely based on the 1902 horror short story The Monkey’s Paw. The name is a district in Nepal; the film is the director’s first. The reason for a Nepalese film to be made is the same in Nepal as anywhere in the developing world. Films validate a people, and they are good business when they can be outward looking, as this one is. Apparently, in this country of 30 million people, no decent films had been made before this one — or so the funders say. But the reasons for making and watching are different; there is a good reason to watch this. The actual story, acting and such are merely adequate, but the sense of place is profound, and the cinematography seems natural. This is a place unlike the place in which I live, and even places that I have visited, and I can report that there was competent sensitivity in conveying the nature of the place.
Posted in 2011
Ted’s Evaluation — 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
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