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I am confused by upcoming Malaysian ghost story Transverse (2 Alam). It's the not the plot line that I find confusing, it's why the film was made and what the purpose behind certain key elements was meant to be.

Here's the thing. Directors Ed Zarith and Hairie Othman have created here the story of a ghost haunting a small village. Nothing unusual there. What is unsual is that the ghost is that of a young transsexual named Amy / Adam who is dead by suicide, a scenario that would be ripe for an exploitation film in any country, never mind a country as conservative as Malaysia. What I can't get around is what the purpose of Amy / Adam being transsexual is.

I see four basic options. They may have done it simply to bait the local press and generate publicity. If that was the goal then they have succeeded because there's lots of chatter about it.

The quality of horror movies from Malaysia can be shall we say mixed, but 2 Alam (2 Lives) the latest offering by local helmers Ed Zarith and Hairie Othman seems to have far higher production values than the usual rubber masked, ghostly offerings. The movie has already courted small controversy in its home country, not only for its subject matter around the topic of transsexualism, but also a legal dispute between one of the directors and the movies producer over (isn’t it always) pay. There’s two versions of trailer that we can find, the first is a rough cut promo, the second looks a more polished/finished affair. ‘2 Alam’ was originally due to open in May, but the release has slipped and it’s now due to open in Malaysia and Singapore in September. Synopsis: Two Lives the story of “Amy,” previously known as Adam bin Zainal, who undergoes a sex change while in London.

The quality of horror movies from Malaysia can be shall we say mixed, but 2 Alam (2 Lives) the latest offering by local helmers Ed Zarith and Hairie Othman seems to have far higher production values than the usual rubber masked, ghostly offerings. The movie has already courted small controversy in its home country, not only for its subject matter around the topic of transsexualism, but also a legal dispute between one of the directors and the movies producer over (isn’t it always) pay. There’s two versions of trailer that we can find, the first is a rough cut promo, the second looks a more polished/finished affair. ‘2 Alam’ was originally due to open in May, but the release has slipped and it’s now due to open in Malaysia and Singapore in September. Synopsis: Two Lives the story of “Amy,” previously known as Adam bin Zainal, who undergoes a sex change while in London.