THAI DRAMA MOVIES
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Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about lack of freedom in jails.
Year: 1974
Thai title: ขัง 8
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree,Krung Srivilai,Kom Akadej
Main actress: Piyamas Monayakol,Ratanaporn Intarakamhaeng,Marasri Bangchang
Thai movie ขัง 8 was released in year 1974 and is showing realistic life in prison. Thai movie ขัง 8 was released in year 1974 and is showing realistic life in prison. Dao (Piyamas Monayakol) finds her fiance in bed with another woman (แฟนใหม่). As he is going to break the engagement with her, Dao shoots him. Policeman (Kom Akadej) arrests Dao. Her mother (Ratanaporn Intarakamhaeng) keeps crying. Dao is condemned to prison (ติดคุก) and discovers the harsh life there. Elder prisoner is played by Marasri Bangchang. Prassadee (Krung Srivilai) is the prison supervisor. Oratai has arguments with Dao as she wished Dao to be her husband (เป็นสามี). As they fight, both of them are condemned to isolation quarters. Oratai finally recognizes her mistake under the pressure of Prassadee. Dao faces adversity in prison with its internal harsh rules (ระเบียบ) and lack of freedom. Her lawyer Songkram (Sorapong Chatree) visits her and he succeeds to get her released for a retrial. Dao is reunited with her family again. Outside of prison, she realises who is or is not her real friend. She needs to convince a friend to be her witness (พยาน) for the retrial. Songkram promises to help. The father dies. Songkram confesses that he is helping Dao as he has gratitude towards her father. The father refused a debt reimbursement but asked him to promise to marry Dao. Per gratitude over the father (บุญคุณ), Songkram asks for Dao’s hand. As tomorrow will be the trial decision, Dao asks him to wait. The tribunal condemns Dao to full life imprisonment. She has to do at least 8 years to hope for any pre-release (สั่งกรรมก็รับกรรม). Songkram promises to wait. Songkram continues to visit Dao regularly but is also now Tuk’s boyfriend. Dao learns about his wedding and is of course disappointed. Her surname is นางฟ้าขัง8. When she exits from prison after five years for good behavior, she finds Songkram and her younger sister Tuk have a child. Anyway she is not resentful. It was the first movie of Piyamas Monayakol. A remake was done in year 2002.
Year: 1976
Thai title: นรกตะรูเตา
English title: The Hell of Tarutao
Rating: 3/5
Director: Ruj Ronnapop
Main actor: Sombat Methanee,Nard Poowanai,Manop Aussawathep,Adul Dulyarat,Pipop Pupinyo,Phirapon Piyawan
Main actress: Aranya Namwong,Sirikwan Nanthasiri
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This movie is based on a true story. Koh Tarutao was an island penal colony for prisoners (นักโทษการเมือง) having participated to the failed royalist rebellion in 1933. Through World War II, Tarutao island housed the country's most extreme incarceration center. A lack of supplies during the war left many prisoners to perish from disease or starvation. Two political prisonners arrive on Tarutao island with a bunch of other convicts. Nasty guardians monitored them. Sad and horrible events happened such as male prisoners raped, prisoners eaten by sharks or killed by guardians while trying to escape, prisoners harshly ransacked by guardians, lady raped by chief warden, prison director and doctor killed by chief warden. There is no way to escape from Koh Tarutao (มีแต่ตายกับตาย). The two political prisonners always fight together. They finally try but fail to escape. They are punished to be eaten by crocodiles but are saved by the two young ladies (หญิงสาวชาวเกาะ), who are residents on the island. They get in love and prepare an escape together thanks to the doctor and their father, crazy about money. The escape turns into a bloody tragedy. Only a few succeed to escape.
Year: 1982
Thai title: อีสาวทรหด
English title: Angels with Golden Guns
Rating: 2/5
Director:
Main actor: Kraison Saenganan
Main actress: Piyamas Monayakol,Penpak Sirikul
Angels with Golden Guns / Virgin Apocalypse is a IFD movie released in year 1981 and based on a Thai movie named อีสาวทรหด released in year 1982. The DVD lasts 1h22mn. It is HK Thai co production. Two versions were released, i.e. one for Thailand with actor Kraison Saenganan and one for Hong Kong with a Chinese actor. The HK version was released in Thailand under the name สวยประหาร ผ่าดงปืน. It seems that the original Thai version was never released on VHS, VCD or DVD in Thailand. A group of women tries to flee but they are caught back, tortured and some left as dead. They are forced to prostitution to bring money to the local mafia. Two fake film producers are looking for models in nightclub then a group of girls is kidnapped during a shooting session. A policeman tries to get the truth from the fake movie producer but gets captured. Among the girls, there are Piyamas Monayakol and Penpak Sirikul. Fighting happens at night time between two groups of girls. They are punished. But finally they try to escape again but get captured back through some shooting sequences over the river Kwai bridge. The rebellion leaders get caught and threatened. Two groups of ladies keep fighting. Used and abused, they must unite to fight. Rebellion happens and many dead happen on both sides as Piyamas and Penpak succeed to get M16 rifles. Their goal is now to catch the big boss. They kill his sbires one by one to reach him. The three ladies work with the cop to catch him.
Year: 1985
Thai title: จับตาย
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree,Ron Rittichai
Main actress:
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Some prisoners (นักโทษ) are used by Rangers police to cut trees in the forest. Porn (Sorapong Chatree) is a quiet prisoner (ครับนาย). Some of the rangers are good men but some are bad guys eager to shoot prisoners when they flee or force them to overwork. Porn is well appreciated by the Rangers police leader as he is always helpful and calm. Krasit, one of the Rangers police, doesn't like Porn as he is too soft. Kasit is spreading rumours of homosexuality (กะเทย) about the two men. Porn is said to have a beautiful girlfriend called Wan in the neighbouring village so Kasit wants to know more. Porn lies to his mother and his girlfriend about his prisoner status. He claims he is still a worker (พนักงาน). Krasit succeeds to steal Porn's girlfriend by telling the truth to Wan's mother. The Rangers police leader is nice and believes in prisoners' redemption so he is giving a lot of autonomy to Porn in the forest. Porn cannot stand Wan's decision (ไม่ทำใจ) and wishes to try to convince her a last time. In one year he shall be released. He is not a criminal (ผู้ร้าย) but Wan's mother forces her daughter to meet Krasit as she is not happy that Porn is a prisoner. Porn was coming from Mae Hong Son and was mistakenly trapped in a brawl. Krasit and Porn fight each other and Porn has no choice than fleeing. Wan cannot follow up. The Rangers police starts to chase Porn in the jungle. Porn has an arm injury as Krasit shots him and then he falls from a cliff. Kasit wants to catch him and kill him (จับตาย). Porn gets refuge with Wan and they flee together. The Rangers police leader cannot help anymore despite Wan's request. Mlabri people (known locally as Phi Tong Luang - ผีตองเหลือง - or "spirits of the yellow leaves") help Wan to go deep inside the forest. The Rangers police follows Wan to know where Porn is hidden. Deadly fights happen in the forest between the Mlabri people and the bad policemen. Krasit dies. Porn finally disguises his death by putting his clothes on a dead body disfigured due to disease.
Year: 1986
Thai title: คำสิงห์
English title:
Rating: 5/5
Director:
Main actor: Krailat Kriengkrai,Suchao Pongwilai,Sompong Phonmitr,Kowit Wattanakul
Main actress: Marasri Bangchang
Thai movie คำสิงห์ was released in year 1986 and lasts 1h54mn. Kam sing (ธนา สินทรัพย์) is a Thai boxer leaving for Bangkok and recalling his past while travelling by train. He is coming from a poor family. Due to debt, his father had to give the land title (จำนองที่ดิน) as compensation so they are finally expelled from their house. Her mother (Marasri Bangchang) sent him to learn Thai boxing in a Buddhist temple as he is always fighting. He befriends with Bulong (Krailat Kriengkrai). The rich local man Boon increases the interest rate so much so they have no way to pay back to get the house. They finally steal the debt recognition from him through a fight. Police is now looking for Kam Sing and Bulong. Kam Sing and the rich man's daughter Nit (อภิญญา คุ้มตะบุตร) know each other since childhood. Kam Sing finally decides to flee to Bangkok. Her mother doesn't wish him to become a Thai boxer (เจ็บตัว). Suchao Pongwilai is the heartless owner of ring. Sompong Phonmitr tries to abuse from Kam Sing. As all chances have been exhausted (หมดสภาพ), Bulong fights on a Thai boxing ring but is severely injured to the brain. While getting Bulong out of hospital, they are caught by police. Kam Sing ends up in jail as he was the one to hit Boon. Kam Sing is sent to isolation quarters (คุกมืด) as Kam Sing hits an inmate wishing to have relationship with him. His mother, tired by his behavior, becomes a nun (บวชชี). Knowing this, Kam Sing promises himself to become a good guy and to do something his mother would be proud of him. He decides to become a professional Thai boxer. Kam Sing wins all his fights as he is training very hard. He shall now face Kowit Wattanakul, Thai boxing champion. To trick the match, Suchao Pongwilai puts Kowit in a lower category so Kam Sing needs to lose weight to match 70kg causing him to become much weaker. Following an epic fight, Kam Sing finally defeats Kowit. He is back to his town and is shown as an example. He left as a pariah and comes back as a champion. He can now show to his mother that he really changed.
Year: 2002
Thai title: น.ช. นักโทษชาย
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress:
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It is about a guy condemned to jail for three years. It shows life in prison, i.e. violence, rape, death sentence, revolt, corruption, separation with family, love relationship broken, suicide, mafia, drug and so on...
Year: 2002
Thai title: ขัง 8
English title: Butterfly in Grey
Rating: 2/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress:
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A lady called Dao discovered her fiance in a bed with another woman. Following a sudden reaction, she shot both of them and is sentenced to 10 years jail. During these ten years, she endured the harch life in prison and the lack of freedom. After prison, she stayed in a friend's home and started writing a book about her life in prison. Her friend is leading a small escort girl business and Dao understands that even outside prison, freedom is not easy. It is a remake of the movie "ขัง 8" shot in 1974.
Year: 2010
Thai title: 8E88 แฟนลั้ลลา
English title: 8E88 Fan Lalla
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Note Chernyim,Jaturong Mokjok
Main actress:
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Busaba and Khun are preparing their wedding. Following a misunderstanding, Khun is accused of killing a member of Parliament. He is given a DVD by this member of Parliament before his death. The DVD is hidden inside the cover of Thai movie "แอบคนข้างบ้าน". Khun is sent to jail. Some ruffians try to force him to give back the DVD but to no avail. There is a comical representation of the jail environment. He is sent with his inmates to famous and harsh prison called 8E88. There are some references to famous Thai carceral movie "ขั้ง 8" (Butterfly grey). The ruffians threaten his fiancee so Khun has no choice but escape from 8E88 prison in order to help her. He succeeds to do so as the guardians are very lenient as they receive orders to let him go. It is a trick from the ruffians leader in order to exchange the DVD versus Khun's girlfriend. All classical Thai comic topics are here, i.e. lady boy, flatulence, police being fools, ghosts... Busaba is hurt by the ruffians and dies. Busaba ghost still wishes to help her fiance Khun. Khun searches for the DVD inside a DVD rental company's stock. The ruffians arrive at the DVD company. The police follows up. Khun cannot see his girlfriend Busaba (ตายแล้ว) as he has an amulet (ของ) around the neck. Busaba tries to protect Khun against the ruffians. Thanks to a video recording Khun demonstrates his innocence as the DVD contains proofs regarding the illegal activities of the ruffians leader. Khun forces the police to shoot him so that he can be with Busaba in the ghost world. Busaba finally wakes up so Khun made the wrong decision to die!
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about freedom.
Year: 1972
Thai title: คนดิบแดนเถื่อน
English title: The man from Deep River
Rating: 3/5
Director: Umberto Lenzi
Main actor: Pipop Pupinyo,Paen Pleumsachai
Main actress: Me Me Lay
The man from Deep River is an Italian movie shot in Thailand. A young man called Bradley comes to Thailand and visits famous places in Bangkok such as river canals (คลอง), market, Wat Po, Wat Indrawihan. He is interested by primitive tribes living along Thai Burma borders with no contact with outside world. Following arguments during a Thai boxing match, Bradley stabs a Thai man and has to flee. He takes refuge in a village near the River Kwai in western Thailand. He arrives in the village with diving equipment. He is doing everyday trips on the river and taking photographs. One day after having a nap, Bradley wakes up to find his assistant Chan killed. Bradley is then captured by an unknown tribe. This violent tribe is cutting prisoners’ tongue. Maria is the beautiful daughter of the local village headman. Bradley is seen as strange white fish by the villagers (เป็นมนุษย์). They use him to catch fishes and turtles as he knows how to swim. Maria likes him a lot and this causes jealousy from other tribe members who prepare some poisoned arrows. He tries to escape but to no avail. Bradley kills his major opponent in a fierce duel. Animal atrocities, such as fight between mongoose and snake, monkey decapitated and his brain eaten raw, snake cut in half, crocodile killed alive, goat throat slipped, are performed. Bradley is finally accepted as full villager member. He gets a new enemy as he cures a young child that the local shaman couldn't save (ผีเข้า). He finally marries Maria. Some strangers to the village kill one villager and perform cannibal acts. Maria and Bradley escape at nighttime thanks to the grandma They are captured again by the shaman. The grandma is severely punished. Maria pregnancy is painful. As the village is attacked by outsiders they all have to flee. Maria delivers a baby in the jungle but dies just after. Bradley finally stays to reconstruct the village despite having opportunity to leave. The movie is in Italian dubbing but the tribe is speaking Thai in the movie. Maria is not a Thai woman as her Thai pronouncing is not accurate. She is famous Burmese English actress Me Me Lay from decade 1970s. A few known Thai actors are performing such as Sulallewan Suxantat and Pipop Pupinyo. This movie is the first opus of other cannibal movies in 1970s-1980s. This movie is first entry in Italian Cannibal horror film.
Year: 1977
Thai title: เมืองอลเวง
English title:
Rating: 2/5
Director: Choomporn Theppitak
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree,Dam Datsakorn,Lak Apichat,Settha Sirachaya,Sithao Petcharoen
Main actress: Piyamas Monayakol
A young company owner is fed up with life. He is rich and successful but doesn't have real friends. People are only interested in his money. He decides to quit his life and to become a beggar in order to have more freedom. Being a beggar, he meets new friends and become a gardener. Unfortunately a mafia gang is looking for all beggars in the district in order to find him and ask for a ransom. His new friends will help him.
Year: 1981
Thai title: ถ้าเธอยังมีรัก
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director: ChatriChalerm Yukol
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree
Main actress: Naowarat Yooktanun,Tukata Jindanuch
Cheut is a man deceived by love and women. He buys a car to go to South of Thailand with two friends he met by chance. One lady is called Nut, who has been deceived by a man also. Reung is a man who just exits from prison and goes back to the South, hoping his former wife is still loving him. Many funny experiences happen to them during their journey. During the progress of the journey, they start to forget the past and look to the future with hope.
Year: 1988
Thai title: อุบัติโหด
English title: Bangkok Emergency
Rating: 3/5
Director: Toranong Srichua
Main actor: Likit Eakmongkol
Main actress: Sinjai Hongthai
A young postman dreams he will become famous. His dreams become true but not the way his policeman father was expecting as he gets twisted in mafia rivalries with a gunman causing his life and his family to be destroyed.
Year: 1992
Thai title: มอแกน 99 ครึ่ง ก็ถึงได้
English title:
Rating: 1/5
Director:
Main actor:
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A group of young Thai tourists take a boat to visit a remote island. The boat is stranded and they will face many dangerous issues to escape from the island.
Year: 1995
Thai title: บันทึกลับลูกผู้หญิง
English title:
Rating: 1/5
Director:
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A teacher brings her students for camping on country side in a park. The beautiful students face handsome park keepers. They also face ghosts in the forest so get separated into two groups. One group is rescued by forest people (คนป่า). Another group is hostage from a mysterious gorilla called King kong.
Year: 2003
Thai title: เรื่องรัก น้อยนิด มหาศาล
English title: Last Life in the Universe
Rating: 4/5
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Main actor: Asano Tadanobu
Main actress:
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Kenji is a Japanese working in a Bangkok library. He is obsessed by suicide. Noi and Nid are two sisters working in Karaoke for Japanese customers. Wishing to jump from a bridge, Kenji is distracted by a young woman he recognises from the library. This woman, Nid, is hit by a car and killed. Kenji then spends three days with Noi in her home. They start to learn and appreciate each other despite their opposite characters but Noi has to go to Osaka for work. The movie has a slow, dark and bleak pace. It has received many awards (Venice Film Festival, Thailand National Film Association Awards, Bangkok International Film Festival).
Year: 2007
Thai title: เมืองเหงาซ่อนรัก
English title: Wonderful town
Rating: 4/5
Director: Aditya Assarat
Main actor:
Main actress:
Ton, a Bangkok guy, arrives in a small Thai southern city and takes a room in a basic hotel. The hotel receptionist is Na. She is idle the whole day as there are no customers. The hotel is empty. Ton is working on a resort construction work close to sea. Near the resort there is an empty resort in quite bad condition. It looks like people left abruptly. He prefers to stay in the cheaper hotel far from the resort. His coworkers are surprised that a Bangkokian can stay in a such tranquil city. Na seems to like him. Ton likes quiet place (เงียบดี). Na is still single and takes care of a relative’s child. Ton needs to go back to Bangkok and to Na's surprise, he comes back.He doesn’t like Bangkok (รถติด, คนเยอะ). Ton is still single. A romance starts between Na and Ton. Na’s hotel was the biggest in town before people start going to seaside. For elders, living on hills was better due to deadly typhoon many decades ago. People in the small city start to gossip (นินทา) about Ton and Na relationship. Following the 2004 deadly tsunami, the city has lost all its tourists. One morning Ton's car is smashed. Some bikers try to intimidate Ton. Na starts to feel bad. She knows her brother is involved. Na is running the hotel with her brother but he is quite lazy. He does not dare to go back to seaside since the tragic 2004 tsunami. Nobody seems to have happiness in this city since the tsunami. Why Ton and Na should have happiness? One morning, after having spent the night with Na, Ton is kidnapped, hit and killed by the local bikers. Na was right to say Bangkok people never come back for her. This movie, which is not a main stream release, has received a few awards outside Thailand, i.e. at Hong Kong film festival, at the Pusan International Film Festival, at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and at the Deauville Asian Film Festival. It is slow pace movie. It is slow and quiet like this wonderful remote city.
Year: 2009
Thai title: เจ้านกกระจอก
English title: Mundane history
Rating: 4/5
Director: Anocha Suwichakornpong
Main actor:
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A young man, called Ake, is paralyzed and sitting in wheel chair. The movie relates the relationship between Ake, Pan, his personal male nurse, and Ake's father. Pan is coming from Phrae but has been educated in Khon Khaen. Ake has no wish to live anymore. It is difficult time for everybody and also for the father, who is always very busy. Ake is not willing to eat downstairs, not willing to receive visitors. Pan brings him some energy to accept his fate and they start to share a close relationship. It raises the discussion of the human condition and the helplessness that every person must endure. They talk common passions such as reading and writing. Finally Ake dies and the movie ending sequence is the birth of a child as part of our evolutionary cycle. The movie goes forward and backward, with repetitions same as our brain thinking. There is an allegory with a supernova as our human condition is biological, social, political and astronomical. Anocha Suwichakornpong is a Thai independent film director and his first long movie "Mundane History" won the Tiger Award from the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2009. The movie earned the 20+ rating in Thailand due to some "obscene" scenes. In fact the failed masturbation scene shows the emotional stress in which Ake has fallen in. Same as Apichatpong Weerasethakul movie, viewers might like or hate this movie.
Year: 2011
Thai title: รักตะลอนออนเดอะบีช
English title: Love Summer
Rating: 2/5
Director:
Main actor: Akom Preedakul
Main actress: Pimchanok Leuwisetpaiboon,Yui Tasumi
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Two friends, Jack and George, are meeting at the airport and they are involved with Bob a foreigner. They finally end up for a road trip to Phuket. Bob likes to defy people such as the owner of a Thai boxing ring (Akom Preedakul). Khai Muk, the Thai boxing ring owner’s daughter (Pimchanok Leuwisetpaiboon), accompanies them to Phuket as she wishes to join a Bikini contest in Phuket. His father has never been proud of her as he wanted a boy to take over the Thai boxing school. So participating to the bikini competition is a way for her to show she can win something also. The movie themes are about the transition friend to boyfriend, the need for many friends versus good friends. Many adventures happen on the way to Phuket and it tests their real friendship. A Japanese sexy tourist Yui joins them. Typical modern Thai humor includes farts happening in a haunted hotel bathroom. The movie is also an hymn to Phuket beauty. Romances start to happen between Jack and the Japanese tourist, between George and Khai Muk. Love is tested around by the presence of a rich handsome young man. Following a misunderstanding, the two girls believe the feelings of the two boys are fake and that they only want to sleep with them. Finally issues are solved and Jack convinces Khai Muk not to join the Bikini contest. Friendship is renewed. รักตะลอนออนเดอะบีช or Love Summer was released in year 2011. This movie makes the buzz in year 2011 as a Japanese AV star called Yui Tasumi was used.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about life complexity. The movies directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul are really a class apart. People often hate or like Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s movies but they are worth seeing as offering a refreshing breath outside the modern Thai cinema stream.
Year: 2001
Thai title: สุดเสน่หา
English title: blissfully yours
Rating: 3/5
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Main actor:
Main actress:
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Main characters are Min, an illegal immigrant from Burma, his Thai lover Roong, and Orn, a woman who assists them. The movie builds a lyrical story around their longing for an afternoon’s escape from the complications of daily life. This movie won "Un Certain Regard" award at 2002 Cannes Film Festival. This movie has also been registered as National Heritage per the 2016 list released by the Thai Film Archive.
Year: 2004
Thai title: สัตว์ประหลาด
English title: Tropical Malady
Rating: 3/5
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Main actor:
Main actress:
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Tropical Malady is the first Thai film to win a Special Jury Prize at the Cannes International Film Festival. The two-part story begins with a love affair between a young soldier and a country boy in a remote village in Isan. The village's tranquillity is harmed by a wild beast slaughtering cattles. The second part involves the hunt for the wild beast in the jungle. The beast alternately resembles a tiger and the country boy. Viewers either love or hate this film!
Year: 2006
Thai title: แสงศตวรรษ
English title: Syndromes and a Century
Rating: 4/5
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Main actor:
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The film is a tribute to the Apichatpong Weerasethakul's parents and is divided into two parts. A new doctor is coming from the Army and apply for a position in a provincial hospital. Weirdly he is afraid of blood. Monks come for health tests also. One elder monk is having bad dreams about chicken. He tortured them when he was young. He wants to get medicine for the whole village and finally provide some natural herbs for the doctor. Another monk goes to dentist for the first time in his life. He wishes to be a DJ, the dentist wishes to be a country music singer. A special relationship happened between them. The monk plays guitar. Even the monk said he is an ordinary person. A shy doctor asks for engagement to a lady doctor Dr Toey. She doesn't say yes or no but narrates her own story with Noon, boss of an orchid farm, who is only interested in his flowers. Those relationships don't complete. The second part of the movie happens in an hospital inside the city. Same actors are playing but talks are different inside the city. The dental yard is like an industry. The dentist just focus on his work, there is no talk with the monk. Another relationship between a doctor and his girlfriend seems to go nowhere as he wants to stay in Bangkok but she wishes to work in Rayong inside an industrial park under development. Finally the movie ends up in Lumpini park, nature inside Bangkok city, where people do their evening aerobic dance together but they are dancing alone. Thai Censorship Board objected to depictions of monks and doctors in this movie. Cut scenes include a monk playing guitar, monks playing kite and a monk being treated by a dentist. Other cut scenes include four doctors drinking whisky in a hospital room, a scene of a male doctor kissing his girlfriend in the hospital's locker room and having an erection. Like all movies by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, people either like or dislike them. There are beautiful lengthy sequences characteristic of Apichatpong Weerasethakul's work.
Year: 2010
Thai title: ลุงบุญมีระลึกชาติ
English title: Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives
Rating: 3/5
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Main actor:
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As usual, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s movies are not easy to understand. “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” is no exception. On top of this, most of this movie is narrated in Lao language so it makes it more difficult to understand. A family, aunt Jane and her son Tom, arrive from Bangkok into a Isan village. The car is passing by Isan villages through long sequences without any dialogs. They are visiting Uncle Boonmee. The uncle is seriously sick and needs to receive caring and medication. At evening time during a diner, a spirit is visiting them. It is Uncle Boonmee’s former wife. She is happy to receive good deeds from donations made to Buddhist temple. Then another spirit comes also. It is a half man half monkey with red eyes (ผีลิง). It is Uncle Boonmee’s son. His son, photographer, had been trying to shoot a weird spirit in the forest since a long time. They are looking at old pictures together. Many following sequences in the movie are about Uncle Boonmee recalling his previous incarnations. It is a film about recollection and death, about death and rebirth. Many sequences are beautifully shot especially night photography scenes but the sequences meaning is not easy to understand. Various sequences include 1) a buffalo is tied to a tree. He succeeds to break the rope and flees away. His owner is looking for it and finally finds it 2) weird spirit with red eyes seen in the jungle 3) A mysterious old woman is carried in a palanquin by a whole troupe. She is then talking to the waterfalls spirit. There is a love sequence with a fish. There are many spirit beliefs around Isan countryside. Discussion between uncle Boonmee and his wife about after life happen. The aunt and his son are going inside the jungle and a cave looking for the spirit with red eyes. Uncle Boonmee is finally found in the cave. He has finished to recall his past lives and dies. A Buddhist ceremony for his funeral is organised. The nephew Tom is a monk. He decides to disrobe not able to withstand quiet life in the Buddhist temple. It seems that everybody is back to a normal life. This movie won Cannes 2010 festival palme d'or. Apichatpong Weerasethakul became the first Thai director to receive such award. The movie was shot in 16mm format. It seems to also be an homage to the dying film cinema replaced by digital cinema. People often hate or like Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s movies but they are worth seeing as offering a refreshing breath outside the modern Thai cinema stream.
Year: 2011
Thai title: แต่เพียงผู้เดียว
English title: P-047
Rating: 3/5
Director: Kongdej Jaturanrasamee
Main actor:
Main actress:
Thai movie P-047 / แต่เพียงผู้เดียว, directed by Kongdej Jaturanrasamee, was released in year 2011. Two men with gloves are entering homes but do not steal anything. They are also involving themselves in life of people by checking their personal items. One of them is a locksmith (ช่างกุญแจ) called Lek and the other is called Kong, newspapers stand owner. Nook's previous girlfriend was called Nook; Lek seems to never have a girlfriend. One day in a big flat, the owner comes back earlier than expected. Following a break up situation, he wishes to get suicide. This is due to wrong messages sent by Kong by using the owner's computer. Hearing Lek and his friend, a fighting happens in which Lek is injured. The flat owner, a gay man, dies through unfortunate shooting and Lek disguises this as a suicide. Due to his injury, Lek ends up at hospital. He meets Oi, a half crazy lady, who likes to smell old boxes to remind her of the past. One morning, they find a peacock on the roof. Oi tells an old Thai story about the peacock. The movie is going back and forth. Lek falls from a cliff. There is some analogy between past life and current life of Lek. The old Thai movie เสน่ห์บางกอก (1966) is even shown as a testimony to the past. Lek finally meets a lady with whom he feels strong connection. This beautifully shot movie questions how much of other people's lives we can really borrow. Similar to Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s movies, the story is not always easy to follow but the slow pace and the beautiful image make it worth seeing.
Year: 2012
Thai title: เชคสเปียร์ต้องตาย
English title: Shakespeare Must Die
Rating: ?/5
Director: Ing K
Main actor:
Main actress:
Thai movie เชคสเปียร์ต้องตาย / “Shakespeare Must Die” was banned in year 2012. An official movie trailer lasting three minutes can still be seen. This movie was banned as a risk to cause unrest in Thai society. It is presented as the Thai version of Shakespeare's Macbeth. MacBeth wishes to take the place of the King and is wearing red clothes. The leader of the country is seen as megalomaniac, power crazy, besotted with sorcery. The movie got funding of Ministry of Culture (under PM Abhisit). The banning happened while the government of PM Yingluck Shinawatra was empowered. Former PM Thaksin is in trial with film director Ing K as the movie is accused of being propaganda attacking him. Ing K is the same director, who made previously the movie Citizen Juling (2008), where a young lady teacher died while teaching kids in South of Thailand, and also "My Teacher Eats Biscuits" banned in 1997. The movie “Shakespeare must die” also includes a scene from 06 October 1973 during student protests showing a lynching and causing society concerns by reopening old wounds.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about society rejection.
Year: 1975
Thai title: ข้าวนอกนา
English title:
Rating: 5/5
Director: Piak Poster
Main actor: Uten Boonyong,Adul Dulyarat,Suriya Chinaphan
Main actress: Sulaleewan Suwanthat,Marasri Bangchang,Khomapat Attaya,Namgneun Boonnak
Thai movie Khao Nok Na (ข้าวนอกนา) was released in year 1975 and directed by Piak Poster. It lasts 1h38mn. An aunt (Sulaleewan Suwanthat) is raising two children, the elder called Deuan is 5 years old and the youngest is called Dam (หีดำ). Both fathers are different. Dam's father is a black man so she is called Dam (ดำ – black) as a reference to her skin color. The children were temporarily given to the aunt by the mother. Unable to raise them, the aunt wishes to sell them to a rich lady. The rich lady (Marasri Bangchang) doesn't want Dam (ไม่ชอบเด็กดำๆ) and buys only Deuan for 3000 baht. She is renamed as Deuan Krai Saen (บุบผารัตน์ ญาณประสิทธิกุล). Father is veteran actor Adul Dulyarat. Finally Dam (ช่อเพชร ชัยเนตร) is sold to a family to become a helper (คนใช้งาน) and to be the puppet of the daughter. Veteran actress Khomapat Attaya is part of the other helpers. Dam is always stubborn (ดือ) as people dislike her skin color. Phi Pan (Suriya Chinaphan) is the son of a taxi driver, who always supported Dam but died earlier in a car accident. The house is becoming a mess with the daughter being pregnant with one male driver and the son spending like crazy on music instruments to build a band. The real mother is back and is asking for her two daughters. The aunt gives the address but the rich lady (คุณผู้หญิง) refuses to let Deuan go. The real mother, always seen smoking, goes to the police to get her rights respected. She finds first Dam. Adul refuses to give back Deuan and proposes 50 000 baht. She accepts and has to sign a contract. Having the money, she also rejects Dam and asks her to go back to her home. Disappointed by her own mother, Dam is looking for a job. She becomes a singer in a nightclub and sings her difficulties as being black in Thailand. Meanwhile the rich family watches Deuan playing in a ballet representation. Dam finds Phi Pan in the street and brings him to her home. They become lover as Dam believes he would be a caring man like his father but Pan is a lazy boy taking profit of girls' money. Pan is using Dam's money to entertain another lady. Adul finds that Deuan goes back home late and is wearing a ring given by a young boy Pop (เลือดแม่ของแค่มันแรง) (Uten Boonyong). Dam is finally dumped by Pan so indulges in alcohol and becomes a short time prostitute. She is surnamed as ลิง (monkey) or สกปรก (dirty) and being rejected by Thai society (equally by rich and poor Thai people). Dam meets people having problems also and starts indulging in drugs to forget daily problems. Pop tries to bring Deuan to a short time motel but finally changes his mind as she keeps crying and mentioning her father's pressure. Dam meets finally Deuan. Deuan is in paradise (สวรรค์) and Dam is in hell (นรก). Finally Deuan ends up with Dam indulging drugs as her paradise is also a hell being the daughter of an easy lady. Police captures the whole group. Deuan's parents bail her, forgive her mistakes and accept her relationship with Pop. A US black man bails Dam from jail and brings her to USA with him. The movie highlights racism in Thailand. Following Vietnam war, many similar cases of children born from Thai prostitutes and black US soldiers did happen in Thailand. A TV serie on the same story was released in year 2013. Khao Nok Na (ข้าวนอกนา) is an interesting title. Normally rice is white so Dam is the rice “outside” the field, i.e. being black and different from the majority of Thai people. The movie got 4 awards (รางวัลตุ๊กตาทอง), i.e. best actress, best song, best story, best supportive role.
Year: 1976
Thai title: สาวแก่
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Phairoj Sangwaribut,Manop Aussawathep
Main actress: Naiyana Shewanan,Tasawan Saneewong,Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej
Thai drama movie สาวแก่ was released in year 1976 and it lasts 1h45mn. Doctor Pim (Phairoj Sangwaribut) and nurse พี่ Yot (Tasawan Saneewong) are boyfriend / girlfriend. She is 12 years older. Her close friend is Jaem (Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej). Chaninee (Naiyana Shewana) brings her father to hospital. Pim helps to cure him. Many people in the hospital gossip (นินทา) about Pim and Yot. Jaem has even some concerns about the couple (ความเหมาะสมผู้หญิงกับผู้ชาย). Knowing he fails to be chosen to be sent overseas as doctor, Pim involves in alcohol and Yot has to bring him back home. Finally Yot and Pim become lovers as Pim is pushing for it under alcohol influence. Chalat (Manop Aussawathep), a policeman, is introduced to Yot by Jaem as she believes Pim and Yot don't go together properly as she is much older than him. The doctor opens a clinic with Yot as assistant. Yot sold her land to pay for the clinic. They are still calling each other "พี่ Yot" (Sister Yot) and doctor (หมอ). Pim meets Chaninee another time as her father is sick again. The father finally dies. He presents Yot as elder sister (พี่สาว) to Chaninee. Yot wishes to marry to stop all rumors (คนนินทาไม่มีวันหยุด). Jealousy happens as Yot is aware that Pim is seeing Chaninee. She complains Pim changed since he is meeting Chaninee. Yot announces she is pregnant since 2 months. She wishes to die! Pim goes to Pattaya beach to relax and meets Chaninee by accident there. Yot follows him there in order to know the truth. Yot keeps reminding Pim about the favors and help (ท่วมบุญคุณ) she gave him. Finally Pim accepts to marry her in order that the child has a father. Yot remains very jealous. The baby is born. Yot complains she is not happy despite performing her wife’s duties (ทำหน้าที่ให้ดีที่สุด) as good as she can. Jaem recommends Yot to give him some freedom and she keeps complaining that Pim has to kindness towards her (ไม่รู้จักบุญคุณ). Jaem is now with an older man with 4 kids. She claims it is better for a woman to marry an older man than a younger man. Fed up and following arguments with Yot, Pim quits the house. Pim announces he loves Chaninee but as respect for Yot, he will not quit her. Jaem and Chalat bring Yot out. Seeing Chaninee, Yot argues with her but Chaninee claims she didn't see Pim since his wedding. Yot shoots Chaninee but hopefully Chalat is here to stop her. Chalat promises to take care of Yot so that both couples can have happiness.
Year: 1978
Thai title: กาม
English title: Kama
Rating: 5/5
Director: ChatriChalerm Yukol
Main actor: Manop Aussawathep,Sorapong Chatree,Dam Datsakorn,Nirut Sirijanya,Adul Dulyarat,Somsak Chaisongkram
Main actress: Piathip Kumwong,Monrudee Yamaphai,Wiyada Umarin,Metta Roongrat
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Chet (Sorapong Chatree) performs love scene with Manvika (Piathip Kumwong) in front of cameras. Manvika (ดาวโป้) is a sex movies star. Veena (Monrudee Yamaphai), her teen daughter, feels ashamed. Manvika draws a line between public life and private life. She works hard to pay her daughter’s studies. There is a crazy painter called Marut (Manop Aussawathep) living near their home and drawing big vagina, i.e. his vision of a mother, or big penis (พระเจ้า), i.e. his vision of the humanity creation. The art critic doesn't understand him and sees him as a sex maniac only. The artist is seen as obscene (ลามก) by his neighbours. Veena gets interest in this artist and also starts to draw similar vagina during school art lessons. She is studying in a catholic private school. Next week is Veena's birthday. Veena has feelings that her mother doesn't spend enough time with her and more time with other men while playing movies. A journalist called Surasak keeps harassing the mother. As a vengeance as Manvika slapped him, the journalist publishes picture of her daughter Veena presented as a new star (ดาวรุ่งดาวใหม่). Despite not being aware, Veena is threatened to be expelled if it ever happens again as her school can only accept good mindset lady (สุภาพบุรุษสตรี). Society doesn't make a difference between a job and real personality of people. They all believe Manvika can only be an easy woman. The artist is also despised as sexual representations cannot be art according to society prejudices. While going back from restaurant, Veena's friend car hits the artist. Veena helps to bring him back home safely. The journalist is still angry and writes devastating reviews about Manvika. He is also a corrupted guy accepting money to write good reviews. Veena understands the artist motivations and doesn't believe what he is drawing is dirty as it is the origins of our world. People start to gossip, including Surasak the journalist, as Veena visits him every day. Neighbours believe a sex maniac artist and a daughter of porno star can only do bad things together. Veena wishes the artist to draw mountains or sea and he follows her advice. Following Surasak’s pressure, Manvika is downgraded to second role by movie director (Adul Dulyarat). One evening, the artist wishes to draw a nude painting of Veena. Afraid she starts shouting and fighting back. Surasak following them secretly takes pictures to be published on Thairat newspaper’s first page and pretending a rape. The artist is beaten by the mob. Nobody talks anymore to Veena (คนเลว) at her school. Manvika tries to get help from other newspapers but with no avail. Veena is fired from her school. Surasak’s wife (Metta Roongrat) asks him to consider how he would react if his own daughter was tarnished the same way. Nobody comes to Veena’s birthday (รังเกียจหนู). Newspapers can shape belief of people as even Manvika doubts about her own daughter. Only the artist understood her, so she leaves her home to find him in Koh Samet (เข้าใจกันดี). Following Manvika's tearful pleas, Surasak recognizes his mistakes and promises not to write about her and her family anymore. Being recognized on Koh Samet island, police and her mother are coming to get Veena back. Veena doesn't want to go back with her mum and be called as sex star daughter (ลูกสาวดาวโป้) again. Marut, the artist, gets shot by the police. Only the crazy artist was understanding Veena. This movie กาม includes strong critique of newspapers living on scandals (ข่าวเป็นข่าว), strong critique of society preconceived opinions on art and people public life. Many famous Thai actors have a cameo appearance in this movie.
Year: 1984
Thai title: คนขวางโลก
English title:
Rating: 5/5
Director: Permpol Choei-arun
Main actor: Kamthorn Suwanpiyasiri
Main actress: Naowarat Yooktanun,Metta Roongrat
Chun is the unique child of a rich family. His father and mother always fight. The husband is cheating his wife and asks his son to keep the secret. Nobody understands or cares about him. Chun is like a beatnik, having long hair and driving an old beetle car. Chun is studying art painting. But even judges don't understand his work. He is fed up with life and rules. Thai students are not educated to challenge rules, the system or think by themselves. Only weak people fear the settled system. Society askes him to stop involvement in politics and focus on studies. He rides a horse in Bangkok to avoid traffic jam and promote his paintings. He challenges his art teacher and makes him upset. When seeing his father doing dangerous business involving risks for the staff health in a factory, he denounces him to the press but nothing is done as they are corrupted. So he makes an union to fight for staff right. His father is disappointed that his son betrays him. His uncle has a plan to have him come back in the society standard rules and be able to take over the company as his father is going old. The uncle orders he cannot see his girlfriend Wee as he is an ungrateful son. Chun goes in gogo bar and blames everybody for the society decadence, Thai men providing young girls to foreigners, indulgence in alcohol... He is expelled by the doormen and beaten by them. He is rescued by Nao, freelance working girl, who initiates him to love. He disappears for 4 days. A love story starts between them. Nao introduces him to her younger sister, who is Wee's best friend! Chun understands that Nao is a prostitute so leaves her. Everybody is lying to him, i.e. the father indulging with young men, the mother indulging in playing cards, Nao selling her body... He gets refuge in a slum. As money runs out, he sells his paintings. Nao recognizes his paintings and finds Chun but he rejects her due to her duplicity. Nao acknowledges but she has no choice as women are puppets that men are using. She does it for her sister to study as they have no more parents. Puzzled, Chun tortures himself same as hermit (ฤาษี). He is very sick so Nao calls his parents. A fight happens between ruffians sent by his parents and slum kids. Chun is sent to visit a psychiatric doctor for crazy people. Did he receive a good education from his parents? His father tries to change him so that he can work in the family factory but to no avail. He identifies himself to Van Gogh. He is forced to live a life like a prisoner with no freedom. His father wants to put him in an hospital for crazy people. Chun is ready to suicide himself. His slum friends and Wee rescue him just on time. This movie is a criticism of Thai education system. People are not themselves. They need to follow society precepts and cannot challenge them.
Year: 1985
Thai title: หย่าเพราะมีชู้
English title: The Accusation
Rating: 5/5
Director: Manop Udomdej
Main actor: Apichat Halamjiak
Main actress: Sinjai Hongthai,Nardtaya DaengBunga
The English title is the Accusation. Phan is a modern woman, teacher and writer. She is married with Phukphan and there is no love in the couple anymore (ชีวิตคู่น่าเบื่อ) but she needs to endure. They have strong arguments and her husband wishes to push her for divorce. He is an army officer. She finally receives a registered letter suing her for divorce due to adultery (ชู้). It makes newspaper headlines. She wishes to fight back and asks her friend Wan, a lawyer, to help but she refuses as Phan doesn't have strong evidences to refute the accusation. Wan finally changes her mind but has to face a famous lawyer on the other side. They start enquiries on Phukphan's past. The trial starts. The judge would like them to divorce silently to avoid noise and shame but it is too late. They both had a very busy schedule. Phukphan accuses his wife to have an affair with soldier Chayo. The trial raises issues related to sex affairs and private diseases (ติดเชื้อ). Crude details are given during the trial regarding intimate preferences of the husband such as a sadism. He blames his wife for not giving him what he wanted (อารมณ์เพศ). Real crude details are given during the trial. It was quite shocking during 1980s Thai society period. The lawyer is a woman. The defendant is a woman facing the establishment and men hostility. The accuser even tries to use fake testimony involving a policeman. Phukphan wishes to go with another woman. As Phan doesn't want to initiate the divorce, he planned to accuse her of adultery. Who wants to marry a woman who divorces her husband? it is wrongly seen as shameful by Thai society. A woman that asks for divorce is seen as a bad woman. She tried to support hoping her husband would change but he didn't. The movie exposes the horrible realities of her relations and his own sordid sexual life. Phukphan’s lawyer claims that Phan’s bad behavior is coming from the modern Thai novels she is writing. She finally wins the trial. This movie is widely admired by younger educated and intellectual Thai people. It nevertheless caused a major scandal by its sexual frankness and by the implication that a senior military figure could be guilty of socially inadmissible practices. In 1980s, Sinjai Hongthai played the modern woman in many movies (ฉันรักผัวเขา, ครั้งเดียวก็เกินพอ) directed by Manop Udomdej. She always has to fight for her rights.
Year: 1989
Thai title: คำพิพากษา
English title: The judgement
Rating: 5/5
Director: Permpol Choei-arun
Main actor: Somjin Thammatat
Main actress: Apiradee Pawaputanon
Fak is a brilliant Buddhist novice and villagers expect him to become the next village abbot but Fak decides to defrock in order to take care about his aging father, who is working as a school caretaker. Fak is sent to military duties. When he is back, his father has a new young wife, Somthong, who has mental deficiency. His father dies of a heart attack. As Somthong doesn't remember her address, Fak pities her and let her stay. During a temple fair, she brings trouble by announcing she is Fak's wife. Fak loses face and is bullied by the whole village. After the father, she takes the son!! Some bad words are even censured in the movie by a blank. Stepmother (แม่เลี้ยง) or wife(เมีย)? It becomes the local joke and villagers believe she is Fak's wife already. Nobody believes him when he claims the opposite. Fak is a nice guy that can never say no. So he is exploited by the headmaster (ครูใหญ่) and other villagers. Somthong is half crazy but nobody believes she has a mental deficiency. She is looking for Fak (เห็นฟักไหม) and shows her breast. She gets beaten by villagers as she behaves crazily and is irrespective to elders (เกรงใจหมาดีกว่า). Once again Fak pities her behavior issues with villagers. Officials keep complaining on her. Fak starts to be rejected (รังเกียจ) by villagers. For New Year Fak gives to subdistrict headman (กำนัน) an envelope with money as tradition. The story highlights the corruption of local officials. It is time to cremate (เผาศพ) his father's body but nobody wants to join despite all efforts done by the father for the community. Only one villager joins, i.e. the cremator. The headmaster doesn't join also. Same as the cremator, Fak is rejected by the villagers. Fak starts to drink heavily to forget his problems as he lost face. Society (ชาวบ้าน) did bad with him so it forces him to change his behavior. Every month he saves some money from his salary and the amount is managed by the headmaster. The Buddhist abbot tries to convince him to stop drinking (อายคน) but Fak cannot fulfill his promises. If he lies to monks, then who can trust him? One day he wakes up late as he was drunk. The school children wake him up to open the school door and tease him as Somthong has fallen asleep close to him. He is cross and throws a rock to them. One kid is hurt on the face. As the child's father has complained, the headmaster forces him to leave his job (โดนไล่ออก). He has 5000 baht left with the headmaster. His only remaining friend is the cremator. People on the margins of society stay together. Fak gets beaten by villagers so his leg is stiff forever. Modern development through electricity arrives in the village. The headmaster's wife wants a television and a fridge. The headmaster uses Fak's savings. On one side those officials look good as they collect money for the Buddhist temple, on the other side they are taking profit on Fak. Fak has become a real alcoholic. Nobody believes him when he claims that the headmaster stole his money (โกงเงิน) as he is a drunkard. He acts outside the society norms (ไม่เคารพผู้ใหญ่). As Fak keeps repeating the robbery to everybody, he becomes a nuisance. He is caught by the police. A villager group comes to put pressure on Fak. He needs to show gratitude (น้ำใจ) as the headmaster is a good citizen (คนดีฯหายาก). There is a sad music to announce Fak's coming death as strong alcohol has its toll. Somthong doesn't understand that Fak is dead. Now everybody is afraid of her in the village. The movie is about people judging the others without knowing all the circumstances, about hypocrite people (ผู้ดี), who behave well face to society but badly behind the society, about how rumours and gossiping can hurt people. This movie is based on the novel 'คำพิพากษา' by Chart Korpjitti. Chart Korpjitti was only 27 years old when he wrote this great novel in 1981. Following the success of the novel, this movie and a ten-hour television series were done but both were award-winning commercial flops!
Year: 2004
Thai title: ไอ้ฟัก
English title: The judgement
Rating: 4/5
Director: Patham Thonsang
Main actor:
Main actress: Bongkoj Kongmalai
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Fak leaves the monkhood to care for his old father. When he returns home, he finds his father has married a much younger woman. She is beautiful but also mentally unbalanced. Then the father dies, leaving Fak to care for his insane stepmother. Soon Fak's neighbors in this remote village are gossiping about him. This rejection by the villagers sends Fak into a spiral of despair and it shows how a conformist streak in society can reduce a man to decadence. This movie is based on the novel 'คำพิพากษา' by Chart Korpjitti. It is the second movie based on Chart Korpjitti's novel. The first version was shot in 1989.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about homosexuality and gay gender issues.
Year: 1985
Thai title: เพลงสุดท้าย
English title: The Last Song
Rating: 3/5
Director: Pisarn Akraseranee
Main actor: Bin Banleurit
Main actress: Janthana Siriporn
It is about "KATOEI" (กะเทย - man dressed like a woman and behaves according to the gender role of a woman) and "tom boy" (ทอม - girl who behaves according to the gender role of a boy). It deals about their difficulty to find true love and the way society reacts to them. At that time, society was generally quite conservative and katoeys were viewed as abnormality. The public outcry the film raised helped push it under the national spotlight. The film's theme song became a hit. A remake was done by the same director in year 2006.
Year: 1987
Thai title: รักทรมาน
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director: Pisarn Akraseranee
Main actor:
Main actress:
It is about "KATOEI" (กะเทย - man dressed like a woman). It deals about their difficulty to find true love. It is the part 2 of the movie "The Last Song " (เพลงสุดท้าย).
Year: 2003
Thai title: บิวตี้ฟูล บ๊อกเซอร์
English title: Beautiful boxer
Rating: 4/5
Director: Ekachai Uekrongtham
Main actor: Sorapong Chatree
Main actress:
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It is based on the true story of Parinya Kiatbusaba, a champion kickboxing transvestite. Described as a living paradox – he fought like a man in order to become a woman – his story is a tale of one effeminate boy's determination to do whatever it took to raise the money to turn himself into the woman that he had always felt that he was. When people think about transvestite (กะเทย), they think about clowns, entertainers. This movie digs deep into the heart of someone who is a transvestite character.
Year: 2006
Thai title: เพื่อน...กูรักมึงว่ะ
English title: Bangkok Love Story
Rating: 4/5
Director: Poj Arnon
Main actor: Suchao Pongwilai
Main actress:
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Mek (เมฆ) is a solitary hitman with no friends and no love. He still has a brother and a sick mother. One day he kidnaps a young man denouncing corruption but refuses to execute him as the young man is not an evil guy (ฆ่าคนเลวไม่ฆ่าคนดี). Following arguments with his boss, a shooting happens and Mek flees with his victim. As Mek gets injured and loses blood, he receives help from the young man called Iht (อิฐ). Mek has a bad childhood. Iht then takes care of him, cleans his shack and wipes his body. A love story starts between the two men. It reminds Iht of his own past when his mother was sick and couldn't leave home. She died because some thugs hindered him to come back on time to give her medicine. He still feels ashamed as he couldn't help his mother on time. The ruffians still wish to eliminate them but the first attempt fails. Iht's girlfriend, Sai, starts to notice modifications in Iht's behavior. Love emerges between the two men. There is a delicate representation of homosexual love far away from the Thai ladyboy (กะเทย) usual style. Mek feels ashamed of himself and chases Iht. Iht still tries to meet Mek (ผมคิดถึงคุณ) but fails to locate him as Mek is too shy. Sai suffers as she knows she losts her love with Iht. Finally Iht and Mek find each other and declare their strong passion. It is seen by both Sai and Mek's brother. Iht helped Mek's brother, Mok (หมอก) who was always bullied by others as he is HIV positive. The mother knows also the truth about Mek. A tragedy happens as the two brothers argue. The mother hangs herself. While bringing the mother to hospital, ruffians try to kill Mek again. His mother is shot and dies. Meanwhile Sai decides to separate with Iht. Thinking about taking revenge, she finally doesn't shoot him. The two brothers decide to leave for the countryside. Before Mek decides to take revenge over the ruffians. Iht, alerted by the younger brother try to find Mek. Mek performs a rampage at the ruffians' place but is then captured at the train station by the police. Iht is injured into the eyes while trying to look for Mek at the ruffians' place. He is now blind. Mok dies from decease. In 2575, Mek is released from prison and Iht is waiting. The movie has a dark ending at Mek is shot down. This film won a Subhannahongsa Award for best screenplay and went on screen at many film festivals in Europe and Asia. The movie contains great action scenes including a shooting inside a Buddha factory.
Year: 2010
Thai title: อินเซค อิน เดอะ แบ็กยาร์ด
English title: Insects in the Backyard
Rating: ?/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress:
Thai movie อินเซค อิน เดอะ แบ็กยาร์ด / “Insects in the Backyard” was banned in year 2010. An official movie trailer lasting 2mn30s can still be seen. The trailer is mute except for a background music. Rating the movie as “20 years old” only was seen as not enough. This movie was banned due to immorality. Both children hate their transgender father and resort to prostitution. The daughter even keeps her school uniform. Some sex scenes are deemed too hard with genital seen. There is even a dream of patricide. Two main messages say “They are insects. They live in the Backyard called world” and “They are human. Who live in a Cage called ‘sex’”.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about modern society.
Year: 1989
Thai title: เทวดาตกสวรรค์
English title:
Rating: 4/5
Director:
Main actor: Santisuk Promsiri,Kiet Kijcharouen,Suchao Pongwilai,Kriengkrai Unhanan
Main actress: Jintara Sookkapat,Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej
Thep is part of a group of deities (Thewada - เทวดา) that comes to earth. Thep fails to go back to heaven. People in a slum (สลัม) are expelled from their home as a big company wishes to build a hotel. A journalist from CH8 (ข่าว 8) called Aep is showing the truth. Ruffians try to bring troubles but Thep protects Aep. Aep believes he met a crazy guy (เจอคนบ้า). As Thep has nowhere to go, he welcomes him in his home. Aep's sister, Kaew, is blind and makes flowers. Aep is having issues with a colleague, Watee, at the office. Other deities come to pick up Thep but Thep prefers to stay believing he is more useful in human world (มนุษย์). Aep is doing an enquiry on a kid that was kidnapped. He always highlights the opposition between poor and rich society. Aep interviews show real society so they are disturbing to his boss. Aep is worried (กลุ้มใจ) as her boss doesn't value his work. Thep starts to understand society hypocrisy (Good people – คนดี – only pretending, Charitable work – งานกุศล - is not only for those going to temple, do we value people only by their name particule – ทาน ?) Deities can be same as humans. As Thep is not willing to go back yet to heaven so he is helping Aep to do kindness (ช่วยทำความดี). Wattee and his boss (หัวหน้าผู้หญิง) are lovers. Wattee threatens her to nominate him at a higher position. An eye donation (บริจากตา) happens for Kaew. The donor is not compatible but Kaew accepts her fate. Meanwhile Wattee has no scruples. He dumps his girlfriend to pursue high professional hopes. He gets one video tape featuring a drug case but it is stolen by Da, one of the employee as it features her husband. She tries to protect her wedding and child as her husband is playing cards and dealing with drugs. Thep challenges the heaven that goodness should be seen before he heads back. To avoid bringing trouble to Da, the chief editor takes the responsibility of the missing tape. Things get worse as Da tries to get suicide as her husband has fled with her daughter. The deity leader tries to get back Thep but to no avail. Finally Da and her daughter are reunited. Through Kaew and the chief editor's action, Thep can see kindness on earth. Wattee is still jaleous with Thep and Aep. He sends some ruffians to neutralize them. Thep can vanquish them and Wattee is sent to jail as his boss doesn't support him (ตอบแทนความดี!). As Wattee is now in jail, it is time for Thep to go back to heaven. It was originally a Thai TV serie done in 1986 and then adapted to cinema in 1989. Another TV serie remake was done in 1998.
Year: 1997
Thai title: นางแบบ
English title: Dream society
Rating: 2/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress: Pornshita Na Songkhla
This movie is about a young girl, who wants to become a top model. It shows the top model world from inside with internal jealousy between girls, drugs, "KATOEI" (กะเทย) influence.
Year: 1997
Thai title: ฝันติดไฟ หัวใจติดดิน
English title: Dreamers
Rating: 4/5
Director: องอาจ สิงห์ลำพอง
Main actor:
Main actress: Kullasatree Siripongpreeda
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Thai movie ฝันติดไฟ หัวใจติดดิน / Dreamers was released in year 1997 and lasts 1h57mn. Movie director is องอาจ สิงห์ลำพอง. The movie was released under VCD and DVD format. Nai (ศรราม เทพพิทักษ์) is living with his brother Neung (อนันต์ บุนนาค), who has a mental deficiency. Their neighbor Pim (Kullasatree Siripongpreeda) wishes to be a singer. Nai is selling watches at a night market. Nai’s friend, Choi (อรุณ ภาวิไล), is also selling goods in the market. The market is managed by Beum, a local ruffian, and all stalls have to pay a protection fee (ค่าจำเนียร). Following a first failure, Nai and his brother encourage Pim to continue. On a next contest, a producer Thana (รวิชญ์ เทิดวงส์) notices Pim and wants her to become a star. He is also secretly fond of Pim. Meanwhile, Neung succeeds in preventing a theft. Beum was stealing inside Ravin's car. Beum is arrested by the Police. As Beum is released from the Police station, his gang storms Nai's flat. Nai and his brother have to flee. Pim is worried as Nai's flat was ransacked and he has disappeared. Nai and Neung stay in a new house. Nai loses his job as a cook because of Neung. Neung is getting sick and Nai is unable to pay the hospital bill. Nai remembers Thana and calls him. Thana pays the bill and finds a job for Nai. Nai believes it is not correct for him to meet Pim anymore so she is upset as he tries to avoid Pim. He also knows Thana loves Pim so he is stuck between reconnaissance towards him and love towards Pim so he decides to sacrifice himself. Pim brings Nai to an outdoor restaurant. It makes newspaper news so Thana is worried. He also shares his feelings to Pim. Nai hears everything and leaves before listening to Pim's answer. Nai decides to change home again and to leave Bangkok. At the train station, Neung leaves while Nai is buying tickets. He goes to a park, where he has hidden a piggy bank with coins he found over years. Beum and his friends see Neug. They hit him and leave him for dead. Nai brings him to the hospital, but it is too late as Neung dies there. Nai goes back to the market to get revenge over Beum. Nai is beaten by ruffians, but gets help from Choi. Choi is stabbed by Beum. Other stall owners help Nai and Choi. A fire occurs in the market. A few months later, Thana brings Pim to the south of Thailand. He leaves her in the front of a restaurant. The owner is Nai...
Year: 1997
Thai title: ฝันบ้าคาราโอเกะ
English title: fun bar karaoke
Rating: 4/5
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Main actor: Ray McDonald
Main actress:
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Pu, a young girl, has been dreaming that her mother, who had died some years before, is building a house. A fortune teller advises her that, should she continue to have this dream, her father will die when the house is completed. Her father, a playboy, is a karaoke regular. He eventually becomes involved with Yok who has connections with the Chinese Mafia. Noi, son of an American soldier who dreams of saving money, learn English and wants to leave for America. He is in love with Pu, but too shy to reveal his love for her. Pu cannot stop dreaming about the house. Her father's relationship with Yok brings him nothing but bad luck... This movie is a study as well as a satire of the co-existence of modernity and superstition.
Year: 1998
Thai title: กล่อง
English title:
Rating: 3/5
Director:
Main actor: Udom Taepanich
Main actress: Metinee Kingpayom,Orasa Isarangkul,Juree Osiri,Marasri Isarangkul
Thai movie กล่อง, directed by ChatriChalerm Yukol, was released in year 1998. It lasts 1h36mn. A story is told by a comic show actor (Udom Taepanich - อุดม แต้พานิช). The people appearing in the story are in fact present in the theater. He reuses them. The story is about Cheut, who is a song composer and has only problems having debts, being annoyed by the landlord (Orasa Isarangkul), being exploited by ruffians or by policemen (asking for money for police charity but keeping for himself) and being unlucky. His wife (Metinee Kingpayom) always blames him (คนหรือควาย). He goes to a music producer but cannot get any appointment so even loses his musical compositions there. As he always gets cheated, bullied, annoyed, blamed (กง แกล้ง รังแก ด่า) so he decides to get suicide but he fails despite several attempts (ไม่เคยทำอะไรสำเร็จ). Wishing to plunge from a tall bridge, he misses the bus. He notices another passenger also waiting for the bus. Trying to talk to him, he realizes that the passenger is dead. He steals his box as anyway it cannot have any usage for a dead man. Cheut and his wife try to open the box without success. In the morning, the wife is very unhappy as she found from the newspaper that the dead man is a drug trafficker and that box certainly contains heroin. So they are in serious problem. Following multiple happenings, Cheut gets rid of the box. His wife, learning from TV that the deceased was finally a rich man and not a drug trafficker, asks him to get back the box asap. As the landlord is asking for the rent, Cheut’s wife tells her there is certainly money in the mysterious box. Rumours spread fast (นินทา). People are greedy. People previously bad with him are now very polite, very attentive as they believe he is now a rich man. They all fail to open the box. Luckily the producer finds the songs written by Cheut and he becomes a rich man. He decides to throw away the box. The box is like Pandora box, a box for dreams. As their dreams are achieved, they don't need the box anymore.
Year: 2007
Thai title: พลอย
English title: Ploy
Rating: 3/5
Director: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Main actor: Ananda Everingham
Main actress: Lalita Panyopas
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Wit comes from America with his wife Daeng (Lalita Panyopas) for funerals. He has been living there for 10 years. Daeng finds a paper with a phone number related to a lady called Noi in Wit's pocket. He meets a young 19 years old teen girl called Ploy at the hotel coffee shop and invites her to rest in his room while waiting 4 hours for her mother. She has a black eye. A mysterious hotel maid taking good care of a suit. Daeng disagrees to let Ploy stay in their hotel room but doesn't dare to tell her frankly. The hotel barman (Ananda Everingham) wears the suit. He meets the maid in a hotel bathroom. They made love in the room. There is contrast between this new relationship and jealousy happening between Daeng and Wit regarding Ploy. While Wit is sleeping, Daeng tries to suffocate Ploy and kills her. Meanwhile a lady called Noi knocks at the door with a child. Everything was a dream. Daeng argues with Wit about his feelings as he is always busy at the restaurant or watching football late with his friend. Wit refuses to explain who is Noi. Daeng leaves the hotel room. Discussions about end of relationship love happen between Wit and Ploy. Daeng indulges in alcohol as she is a former Thai actress. She stopped acting 10 years ago. She follows a man claiming to be a former fan. Some parts might be dream or reality. The movie keeps the ambiguity. She follows him until his warehouse home. She starts to be worried. She cannot contact Wit as he has gone out with Ploy. The man drugs Daeng, starts to be more daring and tries to rape her. Wit is worried about Daeng (อย่าทิ้งพี่นะ). In the morning, Daeng flees but the man gets a gun to chase her. Following a fight, a gun shot is heard. Who gets shot? Finally Daeng arrives on time for the funeral and Wit confirms his love for Daeng. Ploy (พลอย) is a 2007 movie directed by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang. It mixes love, couple crisis and expiration of relationship.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about abortion theme in modern society.
Year: 1987
Thai title: รักใคร่
English title:
Rating: 5/5
Director:
Main actor: Santisuk Promsiri,Somsak Chaisongkram
Main actress: Aranya Namwong,Jintara Sookkapat
Khun Num Yao (Aranya Namwong) is a middle age lady (ผู้ดี). She is practising illegal abortion on teens or rich ladies having affair and then unwanted baby. Her son Ran is hot tempered (ใจร้อน) and is butterfly man (หลายใจ). She also pays for Tap Tim studies, who is the daughter of her domestic helper. Tap Tim is not strong in studies but always willing to (เรียนไม่เก่งแต่ตั้งใจ). She wishes to be a nurse. Ran has a bad mindset but is intelligent and always studies well. He has become a doctor. In 1980s decade, abortions were not authorized in Thai hospitals. Patients needed to bring proofs in front of the police that the unwanted baby was due to a rape. Khun Num Yao knows it is illegal (ผิดกฎหมาย) but is is necessary (ความจำเป็น). She doesn't hope for gratitude (บุญคุณ). Adults have fun in modern society without responsabilities (ผู้ใหญ่สนุกอย่างเดียวไม่รับผิดชอบ). People have fire (ไฟ). She even helped her own son's girlfriends to abort. Pa Kong, Tap Tim's mother, is always helping Khun Num Yao during illegal abortions. Tap Tim succeeds to be a nurse. She is invited to Hua Hin by Ran, who is partying with friends. She is helping her mother to arrange food in the seaside resort. Ran has a dirty mindset (เรื่องลามก) in the heart despite high studies. She hates Ran. Tam Tim needs to compensate the good deeds received (ตอบแทนความบุญคุณ) and have to help Khun Num Yao for abortion as her mother is sick. She is unhappy and she has studied nurse job to save people and not to kill them (ทำบาปฆ่าคน). There is a deranging allegory between the mother killing life and the son creating life in the hotel room with girls. Pa Kong relates old story to her daughter. Ran's real mother asked to abort when she was already seven months pregnant. The child had survived and Khun Num Yao has adopted Ran as her own child. Tap Tim is confused (สับสน) but now better understands Ran's behavior (ไม่ได้รับอบอุ่นจาก Khun Num Yao). Ran hops between girls. Tap Tim's friend, Pol, is sick and has been dumped by Ran. Ran lies to himself and to the girls. Pol is pregnant. Thap Tim, fed up, tells him the truth (บัดซบ, ไม่ไช่มนุษย์, ปัญหาสังคม) to Ran regarding his real origin. Ran cannot stand the truth and breaks everything in his room. Ran disappears. Thap Tim decides to leave Khun Num Yao's home and brings her mother to go to countryside. She helps poor villagers and works in a dispensary (สถานีอนามัย) as nurse (นางพยาบาล). One day a little girl is really sick. There is a need for a doctor's help. They go to the next big village. Doctor Ran is there. He helps the girl but refuses to talk to Thap Tim. Ran is addicted to drugs in order to forget his past. Thap Tim helps for his redemption (เป็นคนดีได้). Finally the whole family is reunited. Ran is now having confidence into himself and asks his mother to stop doing this illegal job. She accepts. Ran will spend two years outside thailand to finish studies regarding proper abortion. Thap Tim promises to wait. The movie raises the hot topic regarding abortion legalisation in Thailand.
Year: 1988
Thai title: ครั้งเดียวก็เกินพอ
English title:
Rating: 4/5
Director: Manop Udomdej
Main actor: Likit Eakmongkol,Apichat Halamjiak,Somsak Chaisongkram
Main actress: Sinjai Hongthai
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Lak is a modern Thai lady. She is fianced since two years but her fiance (คู่หมั้น) is always busy with his work and has no time for her. There is still no confirmed date for the wedding and she is upset by this. In Pukhet, to escape to boredom, Lak (Sinjai Hongthai) meets young bachelor Samon (Likit Eakmongkol). Samon is hot temper and asks for wedding with Lak after a few days of friendship only but she refuses as she has already a fiance. She starts to be fed up with Samon as she doesn't love him. Samon is a butterfly man. Samon invites himself (รังควาน) to Lak's appartement in Phuket. She refuses to tell anything to her fiance as there is nothing to say! Lak accepts to kiss Samon but nothing more. Then Samon forces her and she gives way to Samon. Despite her friend advice, Lak refuses to go to police to file a claim (แจ้งความ) as she is afraid and feels shameful. Lak is back to Bangkok. Samon continues to chase her in Bangkok. Samon contacts Lak's fiance and tell him he and Lak love each other and that he and Lak are lovers. A discussion happens between Lak and her fiance. She cannot stand his kindness and gives back her fiancee ring. He leaves to Indonesia. As Samon is still chasing her, she goes to police to complain. Samon is arrested. Samon's lawyer asks for compromise outside the court to protect her name but she refuses. She claims she was not consenting (ไม่เต็มใจ). Samon's lawyer tries to convince the tribunal that it was not a rape but a common acceptance. Lak changes home and quits Bangkok. She doesn't care anymore about the trial. She is now pregnant. Shall she keep the future baby or not? She doesn't want to destroy the baby future as it is still a life so she decides to keep it. She doesn't want to be forced again by Salmon's acts so she keeps behaving same as before, i.e. doing intensive gym. The foetus dies. She is now freed. She loses the trial as Samon is only condemned to a 600 baht fine. She meets him in an hotel again. He challenges her again. At night time, he succeeds to enter in her house but gets severely beaten and dies when falling from the stairs. She is sent to prison but released promptly. Her former fiance is waiting for her. This Manop Udomdej's movie is related to women position in Thai society (difficulty to prove a rape, abortion difficulty for single woman). This movie received four gold statuette awards (รางวัลตุ๊กตาทอง) in 1987.
Some Thai drama movies (หนังชีวิต) deal about various themes and can be a mix with other themes such as comedy.
Year: 1927
Thai title: ช้าง
English title: Chang: A Drama Of The Wilderness
Rating: 4/5
Director: Merian C Cooper
Main actor:
Main actress:
Movie ช้าง - “Chang : A drama of the wilderness”, film is a US movie shot in Thailand in 1927. Merian C Cooper, who later went on to produce King Kong, made this film in Nan province, featuring an attack by a herd of rampaging elephants on a forest village. Krung Lao is a tribesman. His family is living in a stilt house. He has three children. Dog is brought upstairs every evening and ladder is removed to avoid jungle animals entering at night time. A leopard is eating his calves despite a fence so he sets up a trap to catch it. Buffalo is used as a transportation mean. Many wild animals are featured such as tiger, bear, snake, porcupine, gibbon, varan. The leopard is finally captured and killed. The movie shows traditional ways to capture and kill tiger and leopard. A baby elephant is also captured by Krung through a traditional hole trap. The mother elephant wants to get back her calf and does a rampage on Krung's house. The family has to flee by boat. They are then chased by a tiger and a leopard. Krung succeeds to kill the tiger and captures the leopard in a trap. Later on, a whole village is destroyed following a rampage by a herd of elephants. Traditional way to capture a herd of elephants is also featured by guiding elephants to a big area surrounded by high fences. The family builds a new house and has their own new elephant. This 90 years old movie is impressive with a huge live elephants herd featured and no Fx.
Year: 1957
Thai title: โรงแรมนรก
English title: Country Hotel
Rating: 5/5
Director: Ratana Pestonji
Main actor: Prachuap Ruekyamdee,Chana Sriubon,Sompong Phonmitr,Tat Ekathat
Main actress: Sarinthip Siriwan
The hotel bar caretaker Noi is a brave guy (Prachuap Ruekyamdee) but he is a bit gullible and too nice to customers. The hotel is used as rehearsal hall by choral or a Philippine artist such as miss Flora or Chinese opera (งิ้ว) or even a boxing match. The hotel is often used for arm wrestling competition. The caretaker Noi can often beat men much stronger than him. This strange hotel has only one room and it is already occupied by Mr Chana (Chana Sriubon). Issue arises when a young lady called Riem (Sarinthip Siriwan) asks for a room also. Chana renames the hotel Paradise as hotel Hell (โรงแรมนรก) as it is too noisy. Chana and Riem keep arguing for the room and even fight for pillows (ใจดำ). Chana is getting mad as he cannot sleep properly. Rumors about bandit Seua Din reach the hotel. Taking a bath in a nearby river, Riem needs to borrow Chana's gun to protect herself in case Seua Din is around. As Chana refuses, she bets with him and wins a shooting game. Three ruffians including a fierce guy called Krai are looking for Chana as he is an accountant. They wish to rob his money before he pays company salaries. Noi's uncle is shot. Riem is back when they start to beat Noi and Chana to know when the money arrives. The ruffians are quite polite (เสือสุภาพบุรุษ) but determined to get the money. Noi tells that Riem is Chana's wife. To make Chana speaks, the ruffians threaten his wife’s integrity. Chana finally accepts to tell that money will arrive at 4am. Love emerges between Riem and Chana. One of the ruffians helps Noi as he was looking for honest job and not a thief job. Krai shoots his two friends at nighttime as he believes they betrayed him by protecting Chana. Seua Din enters in the hotel and wishes to get the money also with no sharing. So a Russian roulette game is organised between Krai and Seua Din. Seua Din is very polite (เสือสุภาพบุรุษ) also but not Krai who breaks the game rules and shoots him. Chana and Noi capture Krai. The agent sending the money was Riem, daughter of the company owner. Chana and Riem cannot marry as Chana believes he is a small accountant only. Riem succeeds to convince him. There is a great performance of Prachuap Ruekyamdee who is playing a major role here instead of being a second role in a movie with leading actor Mitr Chaibancha. The movie scenario is very witty. Country Hotel (โรงแรมนรก) is a 1957 black and white movie lasting 2h19mn. It was filmed in 35mm format (using real actors voice) at the opposite of mainstream Thai movies using 16mm format (using dubbers). The movie received 3 awards in 1959 (best director, best image, best sound). The bar can still be found at Thai Film Archives museum. Western classical music is used. There is a great soundtrack used to create special ambience when fighting is happening. It is an indoor movie shooting.
Year: 2018
Thai title: 2,215 เชื่อ บ้า กล้า ก้าว
English title:
Rating: 4/5
Director:
Main actor:
Main actress:
Thai movie and documentary "2,215 เชื่อ บ้า กล้า ก้าว" was released in year 2018. It lasts 1h30mn. Toon Bodyslam (Athiwara Kongmalai), famous Thai rock star singer, ran from South Thailand (Betong) to North Thailand (Mae Sai) to get charity from Thai people giving money to help 11 public hospitals to buy equipment. Toon ran 50 kms a day and did it in 55 days. He took one rest day for every four running days. Toon gave hope and energy to people showing that they could achieve their dreams. More than 1400M THB were received. The movie shows the challenges and difficulties he faced to achieve this target. It shows people, who help him around such as his mother, doctor and friends. It also shows Thai people enthusiasm and generosity to support him during his run.
Year: 2018
Thai title: กลางแปลง
English title: Country Movie
Rating: 3/5
Director: มรกต แก้วธานี
Main actor:
Main actress:
Thai movie กลางแปลง / Country Movie was released in year 2018 and lasts 1h36mn. Isan language is used. Movie director is มรกต แก้วธานี. Thai actors and actresses featured in this movie are พราว อาร์สยาม, เดียว ชูพงษ์, เอฟ นนทิพัทธ์. This movie shows the life of outdoor cinema companies in the rural side. Some companies are still using film reels. They are hired for local events such as merit ceremony (งานบุญ), funerals (งานศพ)... Advertisement in the village is done through a megaphone. It costs 30 THB for adults and 15 THB for children to watch movies. An outdoor cinema company is having difficulties in business. Finally, it gets hired for a spiritual ceremony. Another outdoor cinema company gets hired for the same spiritual ceremony (แก่บน). Fee is 6,000 THB for two movies. The two outdoor cinema companies end up at the same location and argue together. The father has to separate them. Both men, Taen and Kaen, love the same lady, Prao (พราว อาร์สยาม), so they are in competition. The father recommends his son not to fight and to let Prao make her choice. Local ruffians led by Kaen (เดียว ชูพงษ์) ask money from the outdoor company. They get beaten by Taen (เอฟ นนทิพัทธ์). Prao, daughter of the outdoor cinema company, is back in the village. She wishes to take over her father, but he is reluctant. Young lady Prang is upset as she loves Taen also. Prao accompanies Taen for outdoor cinema sessions but business is difficult. Few people come to see movies. Prao wishes that outdoor cinema (หนังกลางแปลง) remains in countryside as it can help to educate youngsters if good and useful movies are shown. Kaen and his men are back to disrupt Taen's outdoor cinema projections but Prao chases them away. Kaen is sad as he also loves Prao. Prao is thinking about ways to make the business more successful by using social media. Prao wishes to move from film to digital, so she convinces her father as the business is decreasing. Currently they are showing old movies in 35mm format such as Anaconda and ปลุกมันขึ้นมาฆ่า from Panna Rittikrai, so it is not enough to attract a big audience as new movies are released in digital format only. Meanwhile Kaen is suspected by the village leader as money and a Buddha statue has disappeared from the local Buddhist temple. A high society lady hires two cinema screens for a robe offering (ทอดกฐิน) event. As the father has only one screen, he hires his competitor screen also. During the event, two ruffians steal expensive bags from ladies. Kaen helps to stop but he is injured. Taen intervenes also and the two ruffians are recognised as former novices in the Buddhist temple. The village leader apologizes to Kaen. The company now projects digital movies having copyrights. Prao has to go back to Bangkok to finish her studies. The father wishes to keep the film reels as it will show to younger generations how outdoor cinema was. Prang takes good care of Kaen.
This Thai Drama movie page 2 contains 48 records.
ThaiWorldView movie database contains 1539 records.
