Wise Kwai's Thai Film Journal

Kongkiat, Wisit are serving up Slice

2008-10-11T04:12:00.004+07:00

Muay Thai Chaiya director Kongkiat Khomsiri's next project is a crime thriller called Slice that he is developing with Tears of the Black Tiger and Citizen Dog director Wisit Sasanatieng for Five Star Production.

It's not the first time the two have collaborated. Kongkiat wrote the screenplay for The Unseeable, the period ghost thriller that Wisit directed. Now Wisit is returning the favor, writing the story for Slice and working with Kongkiat on the screenplay.

Here's the synopsis for Slice, as found on 24 Frames per Second:

After a string of murder cases, involving mostly male victims being severed ... the police are still baffled by the case and have no clue linking a murder suspect.

An ex-hitman turned informant named Tai tries to fill in the details of this baffling case. But the police have simply disregarded his valuable input, until now.

The situation changes when the next victim is revealed as the son of a government official. The order is put out to capture the murderer at all costs. The police have nowhere to turn to for clues and so must rely on Tai for leads.

But information from Tai comes with a price. First he requests his freedom. In return, he promises to apprehend the murderer within 15 days. To make sure he can deliver the murderer as promised, his wife is held against her will until he can deliver the murderer.

With Tai's expertise in tracking down people, the ex hitman uses what he knows to gain insight and clues to the case. Remembering that one of his childhood friends has a history of mental illness that shows up in the form of resenting the male species in general, thus starts a chase for the murderer. Tai must now duel it out and hopefully catch the right man.

It'll be interesting to see what time period this noirish-sounding thriller is set in, and who will play the role of Tai. And how bloody will it be? As a member of the Ronin Team that's been behind the Art of the Devil series, Khom hasn't been afraid to get gory. Should be fun.

According to Five Star exec Amy Iamphungphorn, Slice is scheduled for release by spring 2009.

(Via 24 Frames per Second, Twitch; photos via Wikimedia Commons)

Chocolate, Truth Be Told in Hawaii

2008-10-11T01:52:00.003+07:00

The Hawaii International Film Festival has started and it runs until October 19, featuring a diverse program with more than a dozen different sections.

Chocolate, featuring hard-charging martial-arts action from a pint-sized Thai lady, is in the "Extreme Asia" section alongside Cyborg She, Metal Samurai, Kelvin Tong's Rule No. 1 and Tokyo Gore Police.

That's all extremely cool. But, I'm even more heartened that there's another film about a tough Thai woman: Pimpaka Towira's politically charged documentary The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong. It's great to see this documentary getting another airing -- especially while Thailand's political scene is again in the midst of a seemingly intractable (and this time quite violent) crisis. Now, as then, the spectre of Thaksin looms.

The Truth Be Told is part of the Documentary Feature Competition.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin gives Truth a nice write up:

Even if you're unfamiliar with the shaky landscape of Thai politics, the title player in The Truth Be Told: The Cases Against Supinya Klangnarong will transfix you.

Klangnarong, an activist in Thailand, was thrust into public life after comments she made to the Thai Post newspaper accused then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of using political favoritism to boost his family's business, telecommunications giant Shin Corp.

It's amazing to see her boundless energy being captured on film, despite the fact that she was facing an $11 million defamation lawsuit by Shin Corp. Even before her first court appearance at the beginning of the film, she has time to joke about her doting mother's inability to turn off a cell phone.

The film is historical and intensely personal at the same time. Klangnarong's public persona was defined by speeches, appearances at rallies and her cheery smile. Director Pimpaka Towira peels the layers to reveal a woman whose beauty and unflappable charm is only surpassed by her steely determination to do what's right.

Shin Corp. eventually offered to drop the case after it was bought out by another private firm; however, Klangnarong wanted to see the case to its end, much to the horror of her mother.

Her mother's plight over Klangnarong's feistiness forms the other central narrative to the story. The fear that her daughter would be suddenly snatched by Shinawatra's invisible iron fist is palpable.

The film meanders when the camera uses curious camera angles for momentous occasions, as when protesters organize a rally.

Still, it's the small moment-to-moment interactions with Klangnarong -- packing clothes, putting on makeup -- that put a human face to a national figure who somehow led to the overthrow of Shinawatra's government.

Another documentary of note is Ellen Kuras' and Laotian filmmaker Thavisouk Phrasavath's The Betrayal in the Reel Life section. There's also Vietnam's A Little Heart in the Human Rights program; and the environmentally themed Brutus from the Philippines in the Green Screen.

The Asian Showcase includes The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela (which is at Cinemanila); Indonesia's Chants of Lotus (to be featured at the upcoming 6th World Film Festival of Bangkok); and two other Indonesian films from the recent Bangkok International Film Festival, Nan Achnas' The Photograph (which I saw) and Garin Nugroho's Kantata Takwa (which I missed, sadly, I think).

Love of Siam in competition at Cinemanila

2008-10-10T10:05:00.004+07:00

Chukiat Sakweerakul's family and teen romantic drama The Love of Siam is in the Southeast Asia Competition at the 10th Cinemanila Film Festival, which runs from October 16 to 29.

Here's the lineup in that section:

12 Lotus (Royston Tan, Singapore)
Adela (Adolf Alix, Philippines)
The Blind Pig Who Wants to Fly (Edwin, Indonesia)
Confessional (Jerrold Tarog and Ruel Dahis Antipuesto, Philippines)
Flower in the Pocket (Liew Seng Tat, Malaysia)
The Love of Siam (Chukiat Sakveerakul, Thailand)
The Photograph (Nan Achnas, Indonesia)

Along with The Love of Siam, 12 Lotus and The Photograph were also in competition at the recent Bangkok International Film Festival. They are covered in my capsule reviews from the fest.

The Main Competition at Cinemalaya has some interesting entries, including Melancholia, Lav Diaz' 7.5-hour-free drama. The winner of the Orizzonti Grand Prize when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, it was recently reviewed in Variety, which gave Melancholia its highest praise, calling it "madly uncommercial".

Another interesting choice in the Main Competition is The Amazing Truth About Queen Raquela, a docu-drama by Icelandic documentarian Olaf de Fleur Johannesson about a Filipino transsexual who dreams of escaping Cebu City to live the glamorous life in Paris.

The Docs in Competition has a strong local/regional flavor as well, including Cambodia's Paper Cannot Wrap Up Embers by Rithy Panh, and Teak Leaves at the Temple by Garin Nugroho from Indonesia.

Brillante Mendoza, whose Serbis will get a limited release next week at House cinema in Bangkok after its prize-winning run at the Bangkok International Film Festival, is the Director in Focus at Cinemanila this year.

(Via Penstalker)

Mheejou in Taiwan's Women Make Waves Film Festival

2008-10-09T20:07:00.004+07:00

Sukanya Vongsthapat has made her name as a producing partner at Baa Ram Ewe and Sahamongkol Film International with Prachya Pinkaew. She's been behind such major hits as Ong-Bak, The Love of Siam, Bangkok Love Story and Chocolate.

Her long in-the-works directorial debut, Mheejou, was released in Thai cinemas in August. Lamentably, it was in and out so quickly, I didn't get the chance to see it.

It looked like a sweet tale. The story involves the title character, a bubbly young Akha girl (Fuana Hiroyama) in northern Thailand, who wants desperately to be an on-camera talent on the local-access community television station a social worker is starting up.

So, if anybody gets to see it at the Women Make Waves Film Festival, which runs from October 17 to 26 in Taipei, let me know how you liked it.

(Thanks Stephen!)

A general surveys the battlefield

2008-10-09T09:58:00.000+07:00

Director and martial-arts choreographer Panna Rittikrai oversees the location of Ong Bak 2 in Rayong Province, where a 25-million Khmer-style palace has been built by set designer Ek Iemcheun. It includes an arena big enough for elephant battles! More about the palace is included in an earlier post.

According to a Daily Xpress item today (Page 7), the Born to Fight director is co-directing the Bt300-million movie with his long-time protege, action star Tony Jaa. Despite troubles with Tony a couple of months ago, Ong Bak 2 is nearly finished and is on track for release in Thai cinemas on December 4.

(Photo via Daily Xpress by Watcharachai Klaipong)

More Asian superheroes are coming

2008-10-09T03:10:00.002+07:00

The recently ended Pusan International Film Festival had its Special Program in Focus on Superheroes in Asia, which featured 2006's Mercury Man from Thailand and 10 other Asian supers.

Io9 reviews the program, with this to say about Mercury Man:

Mercury Man was a more Western take, with a hero overtly modeled after Spider-Man. Mercury Man is a Thai fighting Afghan terrorists for America, a concept that continues to make our brain explode.

According to io9, causing more of a stir in Pusan was Cicak Man 2: Planet Hitam, a sequel to a 2003 Malaysian film that hits cinemas in December. And there's the prospect of Jeon Woo Chi, a $12-million South Korean sci-fi fantasy with a rascally hero. The Hollywood Reporter also had details on that.

The Hollywood Reporter also has a report on another project: A film of Ramayan 3392 A.D., Deepak Chopra's and Shekhar Kapur's superhero comic adaptation of the Ramayana -- which along with Sita Sings the Blues -- is something I'd like to see.

E-Tim Tay Nae is made by a Nose

2008-10-08T12:01:00.001+07:00

Actor-comedian Udom "Nose" Taepanich originally wrote E-Tim Tay Nae as a globetrotting action adventure, with a budget of 70 million baht.

Locations would have included Japan, China and Vietnam, with a closing climax that involved blowing up the Taj Mahal in India.

Directed by Yuthlert Sippapak, the film has undergone a number of changes as it was picked up for production by Sahamongkol Film International.

With the company already committed to big-budget productions that include Nonzee Nimibutr's 200-million-baht Queens of Langkasuka and Tony Jaa's ~~250~~ 300-million-baht Ong-Bak 2, studio honcho Somsak "Sia Jiang" Techaratanaprasert said he couldn't afford to make another sprawling big-budget actioner.

So E-Tim Tay Nae became a modest, 17-million-baht romantic comedy, set in the seaside resort of Pattaya, about 90 minutes outside Bangkok. It's familiar territory for Yuthlert, who shot his 2005 crime-comedy Pattaya Maniac there.

Daily Xpress has stories about the making of E-Tim Tay Nae, in a longer article about a month ago, and a shorter piece more recently in Soopsip.

In E-Tim Tay Nae, comedian Nose plays a loser boxer who fights in staged bouts in a Pattaya tourist dive. His life takes perilous turn when he spots a pretty female Japanese tourist in the bar. Her name is Itemi, and Nose's character Ei-Ting nicknames her E-Tim.

She is played by Japanese model Asuka, in another example in the recent string of Pan-Asian cross-pollination in Thai movies.

The trailers for E-Tim Tay Nae still retain a bit of the action-adventure that Nose intended, with a direct parody of the torture scene from the 2006 Bond film Casino Royale. It involved Daniel Craig's 007 sitting naked on a chair with the seat cut out, and a heavy knotted rope being swung with great force under the hole in the seat. In the E-Tim trailer, a spiky durian is involved. There was a longer version of that scene used in a teaser, and it's been recut for the general preview that's been playing recently. The YouTube video is embedded below.

E-Tim Tay Nae opens in Thai cinemas tomorrow (October 9).

38 years ago tomorrow ...

2008-10-07T17:31:00.006+07:00

On October 8, 1970, at Dongtan Beach, Jomtien, Pattaya, movie star Mitr Chaibancha was filming the final stunt for his latest film, Golden Eagle (Insee Thong).

He grabbed onto the rope ladder of a helicopter, and was borne off into the sunset, with the aircraft climbing higher and higher as the action star dangled. He lost his grip and fell to the ground.

He was 36 years old. Thailand's most iconic star, he starred in a staggering 266 movies from 1956 to 1970, many of them with his doe-eyed onscreen sweetheart Petchara Chaowarat. There's a shrine to Mitr in Jomtien.

Commemorating the 38th anniversary of the pompadoured action hero's death, Mitr will be remembered in several events in the coming weeks, with screenings of his movies and a charity concert.

The National Film Archive in Nakhon Pathom is organizing an event tomorrow at its Sri Salaya Theatre. It will also hold a series of screenings throughout the month.

Tomorrow, there will be a discussion with Mitr's co-stars, including Wassana Chalakorn and Yaowaret Nisakorn. A selection of the films in which Mitr starred, mostly with his on-screen sweetheart Petchara Chaowarat, will also be screened. Mitr’s biography, written by Inkhasak, will also be launched.

The films Nang Nok Pa and Wang Phrai will be shown. On Saturday, it'll be Om Ok Din; Rungthip on October 19 and Banthuek Rak Pimchawee on October 25.

All programs start at 1pm. For more information, call (02) 940-3855-6 ext 35 or (086) 384 5161, or see the Thai Film Foundation forum.

On November 9, there will be the "38 years of Mitr Chaibancha Charity Concert" at Siam Niramit Theatre.

Hosted by the Mitr’s Lovers Club, performers include Aranya Namwong, Umaporn Buaphueng and Surachai Sombatcharoen with his son Suthep's Junior Band. Rising star Korakan "Arm" Sutthikoset will cover "Yard Petch" from the classic musical Ngern Ngern Ngern (Money, Money, Money), which starred Mitr and Petchara.

Proceeds will benefit the National Film Archive. Tickets cost Bt2,500 at Thaiticketmajor.

(Photo via Samakkhi.ac.th; info via News.TourThailand.org and Daily Xpress, September 29, Page 7; cross-published at Bangkok Cinema Scene/The Nation Weblog)

The Holy Man 2 preaches at the box office

2008-10-07T08:55:00.002+07:00

No big surprise that Luang Phee Theng 2 Roon Ha Rumruay (The Holy Man 2) was the No. 1 movie over the weekend at Major Cineplex, Thailand's biggest movie chain.

After all, Phranakorn Film's first Holy Man was the biggest movie of the year in Thailand in 2005.

The rest of the weekend's top five is all Hollywood: Eagle Eye, Disaster Movie, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Day of the Dead.

The previous week's No. 2, the horror-comedy Baan Phee Pob 2008, has dropped out of Major's top five, but is probably still drawing crowds. Major Cineplex does not list revenue figures or the number screens in the weekly box-office tabulation on its website.

Despite its title, Luang Phee Theng 2 does not star Theng Terdterng, who has become a busy entertainer since hitting it big with the Holy Man role.

Replacing him is Apisit Opsasaimlikit, better known as Joey Boy. The GMM Grammy rap star proved he could carry a movie in 2006's The Possible, playing the the lead singer of a time-travelling 1970s rock band.

The hip-hop star lends his rapping talents to the role, whipping up enthusiasm among adherents as he preaches with a rapid-fire rhythmic flair. Later, some boyz in da 'hood express their appreciation for the rapping monk's talents, and Joey Boy momentarily, only perceptibly, starts nodding his head to their infectious break beats, but quickly catches himself. He then sets out to wander the Earth, like Caine in Kung Fu. He finds himself in a dustblown village, populated by freakish rustics. And he decides he's in the right place.

I've not been to see Luang Phee Theng 2, and don't know if I'll find the time. I feel like there's enough enjoyment to be had in the trailer. It's at YouTube and is embedded below.

Love of Siam surges to 10th at Taipei box office

2008-10-07T03:17:00.002+07:00

In its third week in Taipei cinemas, The Love of Siam has cracked the top 10, according to the Yahoo Taiwan box-office chart.

Sahamongkol's teen romance and family drama was right behind GMM Tai Hub's horror anthology 4bia, which fell one place from eighth the week before. Along with 4bia, The Love of Siam debuted in Taiwan three weeks ago in 12th place and was in 15th place the following week, so its 10th-place showing is a big surge.

Nowhere to be found in this week's Taipei top 20 is Chocolate, which debuted at No. 13 two weekends ago.

Stephen Cremin, Udine programmer and Screen International correspondent, generously provides some numbers to chew on - the Taipei grosses to date:

4bia - T$5,126,795
The Love of Siam - T$1,282,710
Chocolate - T$487,260

More on The Love of Siam can be found at My Magic Lasso Tells the Truth, which reprints the transcript from the Q&A session with director Chukiat Sakweerakul at the Bangkok Internatioanal Film Festival.

Chukiat meanwhile is at work on the four-segment romance anthology 4 Romance, due for release in November. And his 13 Beloved was just released on DVD in the U.K. And a sequel to that should be in the works as well.

A Moment in June reviewed in Pusan

2008-10-06T20:08:00.003+07:00

A Moment in June, the debut feature by indie director O Nathapon, made its world premiere over the weekend at the Pusan International Film Festival. Part of the New Currents competition program, it'll screen twice more in Busan on Wednesday.

The Hollywood Reporter's Maggie Lee reviewed the film, which is an ensemble romantic drama with storylines that involves three couples, homosexuality, flashbacks from 1999 to 1972 and a play within the movie. Here's a bit from the review:

Beautifully composed, warmly lit and shot in sultry colors, June is steeped in the nostalgia of memory and of '70s Thailand. Scenes of heart-aching poignancy are enhanced by the classical cello score and a mellow Thai oldie, but the film is also painfully slow and needlessly wordy.

From the art direction to subtitles of dates and time, it is obvious that Nathaporn admires Wong Kar Wai. The play is reminiscent of the look and feel of In the Mood for Love -- perhaps too reminiscent, to the point of being derivative.

Even as I slap blockquote coding around that excerpt, I'm only half reading it because I don't want to know too much more about this movie before I see it, hopefully when it opens the 6th World Film Festival of Bangkok.

Film fest bribery case sprawls to the Elite Card

2008-10-05T12:22:00.004+07:00

New charges have been filed in the U.S. against Hollywood producer Gerald Green and his wife Patricia, the couple accused last year of paying bribes to a former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand so they could obtain contracts to run the Bangkok International Film Festival.

The new charges have to do with one of the Greens' companies getting a contract to produce an "elite privilege card" -- the Thailand Elite Card -- which for the current price of 1.5 million baht (around US$44,000) offers membership privileges to foreigners, such as fast-tracked immigration, a five-year visa, rides in airport limosines and free pases at five-star resorts, golf courses and spas.

Variety has the news from the Associated Press, and the Bangkok Post picked up on the story today (cache). The Post names that "former governor" -- Juthamas Siriwan.

The Elite Card has been a hot topic on such foreigner forums as Thai Visa. When it was first introduced in 2003, one of the privileges was the rather dubious claim that cardholders would be entitled to buy land.

The AP says the new indictment accuses the Greens of paying $1.8 million to "the TAT official" in exchange for being awarded lucrative business contracts that would earn them $14 million. They pleaded not guilty to the charges in the original indictment.

The Greens' Festival Management ran the Bangkok International Film Festival from 2004 to 2006, and the contract with their firm was canceled in late 2006 after Juthamas left the TAT governorship.

The Greens are to be arraigned on the new charges on October 14, the AP says.

Update: Bangkok Pundit has comments on this, and links to the Justice Department press release on the FCPA Blog.

Coming Soon, Queens, Naga, Soul's Code at AFM

2008-10-04T15:33:00.005+07:00

The anticipated GMM Tai Hub horror Coming Soon, initially scheduled for an October 30th wide release in Thailand, is coming a bit later in order to make its world premiere on November 7 at the American Film Market in Santa Monica.

Also at AFM will be screenings of In the Shadow of the Naga, Queens of Langkasuka, Burn and Soul's Code.

Coming Soon (โปรแกรมหน้า...วิญญาณอาฆาต) is the directorial debut by Sopon Sukdapisit, the co-writer of both Shutter and Alone with directors Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom. The synopsis, which is a bunch of questions about the conventions of horror movies and what you find scary, points to a blurring of reality and what is seen on film. Folks are eager to see what Sopon can do, and with the steady hand of producer Yongyoot Thongkongtoon behind him, he's going to do just fine, I expect. Chantavit Dhanasevi/Thanasevee from Hormones stars. The movie is due to open in Thailand on November 13. Update: 24 Frames per Second links to the trailer at YouTube.

Five Star Production will be at AFM repping Soul's Code, a CSI-crime thriller and ghost story. The movie was received with shrugs in Thailand earlier this year. Rose Media released it on English-subtitled DVD, which is generally not a very promising sign that the movie is expected to do much internationally. Still, Five Star has found there's life in Soul's Code, selling it on to markets in Latin America, and given that there's still a healthy appetite for anything that's Asian and horror, Soul's Code could find a buyer in North America. The star is M.L. Nattakorn Devakula, a blueblooded television newscaster, newspaper columnist, singer and politician who made an abortive run for governor of Bangkok. Soul's Code screens at AFM on November 7.

Sahamongkol Film International will be in Santa Monica with a full slate of In the Shadow of the Naga, Queens of Langkasuka and Burn.

The Buddhist crime-thriller In the Shadow of the Naga recently premiered at Toronto to little fanfare. Because the "monks-with-guns" movie challenges taboos, it hasn't been shown in Thailand yet, and maybe will never be. I hope to see it picked up for distribution. It's showing at AFM on November 9 and 11.

Queens of Langkasuka, now being heavily promoted for its October 23 wide release in Thailand, makes its North American premiere at AFM, screening on November 10 and 11. I've had high hopes for Nonzee Nimibutr's historical action-fantasy, but it has been poorly received at screenings in the Cannes Film Market and at Venice. It made a big splash in its Asian premiere at the Bangkok International Film Festival last week -- I didn't see it, okay? -- but I heard some kind words about the action and Dan Chupong. So maybe there's hope for it at AFM, if they push the action angle.

The slick thriller Burn might attract some buyers with its premise involving a conspiracy that's causing an outbreak of spontaneous human combustion. It didn't really catch fire with Bangkok audiences, though. Burn makes its North American premiere at AFM on November 9.

Also screening at AFM will be promo reel for Tornanong Studio and 20th June Entertainment's Tsunami 2022, a project I first noticed being promoted at the Thailand Entertainment Expo.

Aside from all that, it's always fun to browse through the AFM catalog and see what Thai films they have listed and under what title. For example, there's the kids-and-pirates flick Salad Ta Diaw Kab Dek 200 Ta starring anti-government activist and actor Sarunyu Wongkrachang. Now I finally know its English title: Pirate of the Lost Sea.

(Coming Soon posters via Hitman-Reloaded/Kung Fu Cult Cinema forum )

A Khmer palace and sword-wielding Tony Jaa on the set of Ong-Bak 2

2008-10-03T20:52:00.005+07:00

Thai media were invited to the set of Ong-Bak 2 in Rayong Province yesterday to have a look at the progress being made as the action star works to complete the film in time for its December 4 release.

Thai daily Kom Chad Luek carried a photo of a sword-wielding, cape-wearing Tony on today's front page.

The centerpiece of the set is a 25-million-baht replica of an ancient Khmer palace, the "Prasart Nagara of Dheva", built by Ek Iamcheun, the set designer who's been behind the production of such period films as Nonzee Nimibtur's Nang Nak and Jan Dara, Wisit Sasanatieng's Tears of the Black Tiger and Jira Maligool's The Tin Mine.

TonyJaa.org leads off its October news update with links to an MCOT video interview with a look at the set and a chat with a smiling, stocking-cap clad Tony, who's looking to put the film's earlier problems behind him.

Update: A lengthy trailer for Ong-Bak 2 is playing in cinemas. I caught it before a screening of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and it was the highlight of the evening. The trailer is almost 100% cut from the Cannes promo reel, and it's really something to take in on the big screen - Web video does not do it justice.

(Photo via Kom Chad Luek by Watcharachai Klaipong)

Phallic charms, buffalo amulets at heart of plans by new culture minister

2008-10-03T17:37:00.000+07:00

One of the fun things about getting a new government in Thailand is hearing the wacky ideas from the new culture ministers.

For example, earlier this year, a scantily clad girl band was held up as cultural ambassadors.

Now, there's another new government, since embattled prime minister Samak Sundaravej was ordered to stand down by the Constitutional Court, which ruled he violated the law by being paid to appear on a television cooking show. And he now faces worse problems -- criminal defamation charges -- which is actually quite chilling.

So Somchai Wongsawat is Thailand's new premier. And I don't want to dwell on the fact that his wife is the sister of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra -- the guy who the People's Alliance for Democracy anti-government protesters are so angry with, that for more than a month they have occupied Government House and vowed they will stage round-the-clock rallies until Thaksin's "nominee" government is removed from power.

Anyway, let's get to the reason I have a picture of wooden phalli on this page.

It has to do with Somchai's new culture minister, Worawat Ua-apinyakul, and Worawat'sidea to promote his vision of Thai culture, which includes marketing phallus-shaped amulets and water buffalo figurines as trinkets for tourists.

Here's more from a Nation-Daily Xpress story on Tuesday:

They are cultural products," Worawat said.

He unveiled his bold idea in a talk about the Culture Ministry's 2009 policies.

"We can turn local amulets with phallus symbols and buffalo statuettes into key chains and sell them to tourists," Worawat insisted.

Known as Palad Khik, the phallus-shaped amulets are believed to magically protect their wearers, while the "Kwai Tanoo" buffalo statuettes are said to give their owners the power to harm others.

Worawat hoped that manufacturers would provide certificates of authenticity to show their wares were properly made.

"The back stories behind the amulets could inspire big-budget movies too," the new culture minister added.

It is already quite common to see phallic-shaped amulets worn on keychains around Thailand. They can often be spotted on the keyrings of motorcycle-taxi drivers, who use the power of the phallus amulets to protect them against Bangkok's sometimes nightmarish traffic jams.

I did not know those details about the buffalo statuettes. I would not want to use a buffalo amulet's power to intentionally harm others, however it might come in handy as a strong defense.

The story has since been picked up by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, where it'll be one of those "odd" filler stories from the Land of Smiles. Folks on the Thai Visa Forum are having a ball with this one. Thailand Crisis weighs in as well.

Worawat's idea has been criticized as boneheaded. Academic Srisak Wallipodom told the Bangkok Post (cache) that Worawat has "shown that he has no understanding of culture ... if the idea came to fruition, it would lead to a crisis of culture".

A follow-up story in yesterday's Daily Xpress (Page 2, print edition), has Worawat denying his "One Tambon One Phallus" scheme:

Culture Minister Worawat Ua-apinyakul denies he is planning to promote phallus and magical buffalo amulets as Otop (local-speciality) products.

“My idea has been misunderstood,” Worawat complained yesterday, “My point is to promote local tourism with cultural highlights.”

He explained that legends, beliefs and interesting histories could attract tourists.

“For example, locals could give tourists clear explanations of their belief in holy water or voodoo dolls,” Worawat added.

Oh Worawat, I think you dug yourself in deeper.

(Photo: The phallus cave, Raylay by Robin McMorran/Flickr; cross-published at AllVoices)

6th World Film Festival of Bangkok to open with Moment in June; Bashir, Sita and Stones are highlights

2008-10-02T21:45:00.008+07:00

With one festival just ended, there's another to look forward to.

The 6th World Film Festival of Bangkok has just confirmed its complete lineup, and it's impressive, featuring the gorgeous-looking Thai romantic drama A Moment in June as the opener, the Rolling Stones' concert film Shine a Light, as the closer, and a load of highlights that include the Southeast Asian premiere of the Israeli animated war drama, Waltz With Bashir.

In all, around 60 features plus dozens of short films will be shown in the 6th World Film Festival of Bangkok, which runs from October 24 to November 2 at Paragon Cineplex.

A romance that toggles between 1972 and 1999, A Moment June, is the debut feature from young Thai director O Nathapon. It is making its World Premiere in the New Currents Competition at the Pusan International Film Festival. The cast includes Shahkrit Yamnarm (recently seen in the remake of Bangkok Dangerous), Krissada Sukosol Clapp (13 Beloved, Bangkok Loco) and Sinitta Boonyasak (Last Life in the Universe).

The film was backed as the first project in the Produire au Sud Bangkok production fund, which was initiated at the 3rd World Film Festival of Bangkok in 2005. A Moment in June makes its Southeast Asian premiere at the World fest.

The Thailand premiere of Shine a Light, in which director Martin Scorsese captures the Rolling Stones on their Bigger Bang tour in New York in 2006, will be the closing film, screening for free on Saturday night, November 1, on the outdoor stage in Parc Paragon, for a celebratory "live" concert-like feel.

The festival is dominated by documentaries. These include A Jihad for Love, about homosexuality in the world of Islam. It was banned earlier this year from a screening at the Singapore International Film Festival.

Among the World Cinema section is the Israeli animated feature, Waltz With Bashir, which attracted a lot of buzz at Cannes this year and is Israel's pick for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Another interesting animated feature is Sita Sings the Blues, American animator Nina Paley's musical adaptation of the Ramayana. It was featured in Berlin and Tribeca this year, and World fest director Kriengsak "Victor" Silakong picked it up at Sundance.

Other sections include a focus on Latin America, and a Tribute to Hector Babenco, with three films, including a new print of Kiss of the Spider Woman.

There's a retrospective on British director Derek Jarman, with three films including his best known works, Caraviggio and Jubilee.

And there's a Tribute to Shyam Benegal, who will receive this year's Lotus Award for Lifetime Achievement. Five of the Indian director's works will be shown.

For short films, there are programs from Thailand and Germany, as well as an assortment of films from Malaysia, Singapore, Spain and the U.K.

Dropped from the festival this year is the Harvest of Talents competition, with festival organizers saying they didn't have a budget for it. The World fest is a private venture of Nation Multimedia Group, which has been undergoing financial restructuring.

For the complete lineup, check out Bangkok Cinema Scene.

(Cross-published at Bangkok Cinema Scene/The Nation Weblog)

Taiwanese have little taste for Chocolate

2008-10-02T16:25:00.003+07:00

Sahamongkol's hit martial-arts drama Chocolate did not make much of a impact as it opened last weekend in Taipei, ranking 13th at the box office, according to Yahoo Taiwan.

Horror performs much better in Taiwan, as shown by the much stronger performance of Grammy Tai Hub's 4bia, which was in eighth place, down from its fourth-place opening the week before.

Chukiat Sakweerakul's romantic drama The Love of Siam, also from Sahamongkol, was at No. 15, down from its 12th place debut the week before.

The No. 1 film in Taiwan is the romantic comedy Cape No. 7, which Variety has news on regarding sales in Pusan. If it's this big a hit -- it's the top-grossing film of the year in Taiwan -- I expect it will be showing up on Thai shores for at least a limited run in the coming months.

Here are the box-office numbers as they relate to the current crop of Thai films in Taipei. They are for Taipei only and have been generously passed along by Stephen Cremin, Udine programmer and Screen International correspondent:

Chocolate earned T$222,760 (around US$7,000) on seven screens. Compare that to Chocolate's big brother films from the same team at Sahamongkol -- Ong-Bak earned T$876,390 on 10 screens during its opening, while Tom Yum Goong pulled T$1,051,020 on eight screens.
4bia opened with T$2,295,644 on 14 screens and by this past Tuesday had made T$4,523,533. Compare this to Alone, which opened with T$6,149,925 for a final gross of NT$18,898,326. Alone, a GTH production by the Shutter pair Banjong Pisanthanakul and Parkpoom Wongpoom, is the most successful Thai horror film in Taiwan.
The Love of Siam, down to three screens this week, has earned T$929,530. Compare this to another gay-themed romantic drama from Sahamongkol, Poj Arnon's Bangkok Love Story, which finished with T$973,483.

Turning to Hong Kong, 4bia made HK$50,000 from eight screens last week, and made HK$4.03 million after 18 days, according to the Golden Rock, which also notes that Chocolate earned a similar gross in Hong Kong back in April.

And hey, I just noticed on HK Flix that Chocolate received a DVD release in Malaysia -- with English subtitles! It is apparently an anomaly, as HK Flix says "the title is limited to stock on hand and will soon be unavailable."

Anyway, I'm content to wait for now for the eventual DVD release in the U.S. by Magnet, or maybe I'll spring for the U.K. version due out next month.

In the meantime, here's Chocolate star "Jeeja" Yanin Vismitananda on the red carpet last Friday at the Bangkok International Film Festival.

(Photo of Jeeja via Image.net by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

On DVD in the U.K.: 13 Beloved

2008-10-01T23:00:00.000+07:00

Following English-subtitled releases in the U.S., Hong Kong and Singapore, Chukiat Sakweerakul's bloody psychological thriller 13 Beloved is due out on DVD next Monday (October 6) in the United Kingdom. Amazon.co.uk has it available for pre-order.

It's being handled by Revolver Entertainment, the company that is behind the controversial same-day-and-date multiplatform release of the genre pic Mum and Dad.

(Thanks Logboy!)

BKKIFF '08: Festival notes part four

2008-10-01T19:02:00.006+07:00

Ticket sales up

The Hollywood Reporter's Joel Gershon has filed an interesting and fact-filled wrap-up of the Bangkok International Film Festival. Among the key points is that 14,000 tickets were purchased, making for a 28% increase in festival sales over the previous year. Also, 8% of screenings were sold out and overall, 50% of the seats were filled.

Too much going on

Hopefully next year's festival will be scheduled so that it doesn't conflict with other major events in the capital. This year while the festival was going on, culture vultures had to make difficult choices, festival maven Lekha Shankar noted in an article for the Festival Daily News. The World Gourmet Festival was happening, and there is the International Festival of Dance and Music, which brings in world-class companies to perform ballet, contemporary dance, opera, symphonies and jazz. There was also professional tennis to watch at the ATP Thailand Open. Perhaps attendance at the film festival would have been even better if the cultural calendar was less crowded. Closer coordination and cooperation between the film festival and the Thailand Entertainment Expo is also needed.

Anger over subtitles

The Thai subtitles are attributed for the boost in ticket sales, and the system mostly worked well. But there was one incident at the screening of the New Zealand docu-drama Rain of the Children, according to The Hollywood Reporter. When the subtitle system malfunctioned, director Vincent Ward "grew so incensed", he went to the back of the theater, grabbed the projector and threw it at the operator. There were no injuries, and, apparently, no charges were filed with police. Ward later apologized.
There were also technical problems with the Thai subtitles at Sunday morning's screening of the Malaysian film Days of Turquoise Sky. Festival staffers were working feverishly to fix them, and got them going about 10 or 20 minutes into the film. Nobody got angry, and no projectors were thrown.

No spending on stars

Around US$2 million was spent on this year's festival, with no cash outlayed to fly in Hollywood stars to add glamour to the red-carpet galas as in past years. Says festival director Jaruek Kaljareuk:

We felt that money spent on stars, their entourages, fees and expenses would be better spent elsewhere. The international guests we did invite came without fees or even food expenses, and came with the sole motivation of supporting the festival. I am particularly grateful to them."

There were some stars this year, including Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose latest film JCVD was a late addition to the festival lineup. Armande Assante also strutted the red carpet and posed for pictures, as did young starlet Arielle Kebbel. Veteran producer Roger Corman was here to take part in a seminar on producing. Van Damme is a regular visitor to Thailand - he's said to be setting up some kind of business venture in Phuket. I'm not sure what Assante and Kebbel were doing, other than just being happy to be here, and everyone was happy to have them.

Final word, for now

I think the commitment to provide Thai subtitles and the decreased emphasis on red carpets and celebrities is a step in the right direction for the Bangkok International Film Festival. Put on a great festival that is well attended by the locals, and stars from all over will willingly follow. Anyway, I go to film festivals to watch movies, that's all. Sure, it's nice to meet directors and actors, and talk with friends and colleagues about the films we've seen. But the hoopla over galas, stars, tuxedos, gowns, cocktail parties and banquets is a mostly annoying distraction. I suppose they are a necessary evil of showbiz though.

(Photo via Image.net by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images)

BKKIFF '08: Capsule reviews

2008-10-01T01:11:00.006+07:00

Aside from Soi Cowboy, Citizen Juling and the restored print of The Boathouse, I spent most my time at this year's Bangkok International Film Festival catching films from other Southeast Asian countries. Here's what I saw.

Invisible Children

Directed by Brian Gothong Tan, Singapore, 2008

Intertwining storylines depict alienation, confusion and dysfunction in Singapore -- moral beacon of the world. A little boy and his older sister run away from their broken home after a fight with their recently-made-single mum. An obsessive-compulsive mosquito abatement officer with no social skills comes to the aid of a suicidal neighbor lady, who it turns out is the glamorous face of "Merlion Air". He cleans her apartment. A young woman working in a lawyer's office keeps breaking dates with her army-officer boyfriend in order to complete assignments for her demanding boss (who's the asshole brother of the mosquito guy). And the army officer has problems of his own with an undisciplined soldier. The narrative is disjointed, and goes off in certain directions for too long, making me start to wonder, "Hey, what's happening with those kids?" (3/5)

Now Showing

Directed by Raya Martin, Philippines, 2008

Spanning nearly five hours and employing a lot of experimentation that taxed the patience of many in the audience, this is really a simple story about a girl and her relationship with her mother. But it's also a survey of the cinematic soul of the Philippines, and the part films play in Pinoy culture. Beginning in her childhood, the girl's mother is present, but it's really her aunt who is the parental figure. Still, the mother-daughter bond is sealed over a late-night viewing of a television horror-movie show. The girl and her mother are then packed away one night, leading to a middle section in which a scratchy 1939 black-and-white film is played. There's a spooky visit to a graveyard. And suddenly, the little girl is a young woman, hanging out with friends and gossiping. She's working in her aunt's pirate DVD stall. There are tears. And a boy gets involved. (4/5)

The Photograph

Directed by Nan Triveni Achnas, Indonesia, 2007

Beautifully lit, with a haunting quality and a worn, timeless production design, this is the story of a karaoke-bar hostess/prostitute and the odd, tender relationship she strikes up with an elderly Chinese photographer. The woman has dreams of hitting it big as a singer, so she can support her daughter and mother. The eccentric old man is dying, and he's trying to find an apprentice to take over his dusty old photo studio. At times it's whimsical, especially when the apprentice he thinks is perfect is far from it. The woman is played by Indonesian singer Shanty, who is utterly charming. The man is portrayed by talented Singaporean actor Lim Kay Tong, who was so convincing that people in the audience were genuinely concerned for the man's health. But he's more than okay. "He skips rope for 40 minutes a day," the director assured us after the final credits had rolled. The Photograph is among the films chosen for the 2009 Global Voices Initiative. (4/5)

Serbis

Directed by Brillante Mendoza, Philippines, 2008

Inside the adult-movie house they've run for generations, a family is coming apart at the seams. The chief matriarch, the grandmother Flor (Gina Pareño), is off to a court hearing, where she hopes to see her husband sentenced to prison on bigamy charges. Her daughter Nayda (Jaclyn Jose), an equally strong woman, is left in charge of the place. The men working there are either shiftless or a little bit stupid. These include Nayda's husband Lando and her cousins, the artist-handyman Alan (Coco Martin) and the projectionist Ronald (Kristofer King). The setting is at times erotic - helped along by an opening sequence of teenage daughter Jewel (Roxanne Jordan) getting dressed and admiring her naked body in the mirror. There's also lovemaking session by Alan and girlfriend Merly (Mercedes Cabral), but there's a hideous boil on Alan's butt. The gay and transvestite prostitutes who ply their trade in the cinema add a great deal to the seedy environment. A footchase with a thief and a goat on the loose get the heart pumping. A pregnant girlfriend makes for even more melodrama. Ironically, the theater is called "Family". (5/5)

Days of Turquoise Sky (Kurus)

Directed by Woo Ming-jin, Malaysia, 2008

Rushmore without the quirk - not necessarily a bad thing - this is a sweet tale of a schoolboy's crush on his pretty new English teacher (Carmen Soo). It's not quite coming-of-age, because it's all very innocent. The boy Ali is struggling with home life, living with his kind-hearted but apparently gambling-addicted father (Nam Ron), and being bullied by an big bespectacled boy and a heavyset girl. He goes fishing with his friend, Hassan, who is moving off on his own in pursuit of a new girl in town who eats pasta for lunch. A neighbor lady (the riveting Mislina Mustapha) is angling to be a maternal figure, and Ali at first keeps his distance, but when she starts teaching the boy how to properly throw punches, Ali comes around. Meanwhile, the teacher has a boyfriend who is not everything he seems. (5/5)

12 Lotus

Directed by Royston Tan, Singapore, 2008

What a letdown after the raucous, highly entertaining, smash-hit musical 881. The story starts out strong, with Mindee Ong (Little Papaya in 881), playing another getai singer. But she grows up with single father who is abusive, and is then sold to repay gambling debts to a handsome young singer (Qi Yu-wu - also returning from 881, and he actually speaks and sings this time around). The story keeps getting darker and darker until Mindee's character cracks up, locks herself inside her apartment and gorges herself on cream crackers until she turns into heavyset actress Liu Ling Ling, also from 881. It's shades of Memories of Matsuko. The only thing that kept me interested in the rest of the movie was watching Liu's performance. She made me believe that Mindee Ong was somehow trapped inside her body. But she never gets out. (3/5)

Otto; or, Up with Dead People

Directed by Bruce LaBruce, Canada/Germany, 2008

This was a drastic change of pace from the Southeast Asian dramas I'd been watching. Perhaps too drastic. While hilariously camp -- and pretentiously so -- Otto veers into the realm of hardcore gay porn as only a zombie movie can -- after a zombie eats out the guts of a guy, he explores the new orifice in a manner I would rather forget. But thank goodness for Hella Bent, the black-and-white, silent-film girlfriend of Medea Yarn. Even in color frames, Hella appears monochrome, and "speaks" with title cards. Medea is the underground goth filmmaker of Up with Dead People, the zombie movie within this zombie movie. At times, it's hard to tell what's "real" and what "isn't". The titular Otto is a young gay zombie who is trying to hide his undeadness by signing up to star in Medea's movie. He's so good at being dead, because he is, that the other cast members are jealous. Otto, meanwhile, is trying to patch together the memories of his past life. And then there's a gay zombie orgy. (3/5)

Histeria

Directed by James Lee, Malaysia, 2008

The director moves from his Love Trilogy into low-budget horror that is generously bloodsoaked but lacks any suspense. Scares are punctuated by the musical score, which if it wasn't there, you wouldn't know to be scared. Instead of any frights, the overwhelming feeling I had was impatience as I waited for six snobby, troublesome teenage girls at a rural boarding school to be picked off one by one by an unseen force. I just wanted it over with, quickly. When that force is finally glimpsed, it's a major disappointment, because the action takes place in the dark and the fearsome power of what's killing of the girls can never be fully seen. A vastly better effort by Lee is his family drama, Breathing in Mud, which I saw earlier this year at the Singapore International Film Festival, and was in the Southeast Asian competition in the Bangkok fest. Update: Asian Cinema - While on the Road has a positive review of this film. (2/5)