Vietnamese authorities have issued a regulation calling for restricting to the utmost the making or import of ghost and horror movies, a move that has raised the industrys hackles.

The National Department of Cinematography called on movie makers and importers to reject horror movies with little recreational elements that are incomprehensible, create antipathy in viewers, and with some horror and mystery elements that instill fear and panics.

Immediately, moviemakers and importers protested saying if a horror or ghost movie was recreational or created peace of mind or was easily comprehensible, it was poorly made.

And, if they failed to cause fear, they were just not horror movies, they said.

In any case, the number of horror films being shown in Vietnam was few compared to romantic, action, or comedy films.

Lai Van Sinh who signed the controversial note said it did not mean a total ban on horror movies but was merely a guideline since Vietnamese studios were making more horror and supernatural movies than ever as were importers.

With todays technology, the genre had been elevated to a new level where mystery and horror elements preyed on viewers minds, he said.

But horror films with a sound plot and humanistic and artistic endings celebrating the triumph of justice over evil were acceptable, he said.

We warn against movies lacking art or humanism, with incomprehensible plots and extreme horror, and managing to convince viewers into believing in ghosts and other supernatural things, he said.

Reported by Thu Nga, Tram Anh – Translated by A.N.O.N