Upcoming films for the end of 2006

As the end of the year approaches there is going to be flurry of Thai films being released that will take us into 2007. Here's a look a some of the ones I hope to watch.


The Legend of Sudsakorn (November 30)

Actually, I'm not really looking forward to this. What bugs me is that there's Payut Ngaokrachang's animated version of the Sudsakorn story - Thailand's only cel-animated feature - that has never been given its due.

The live-action Legend of Sudsakorn, starring Charlie Trairat from Fan Chan and Dorm, has been frequently posted about over at Twitch and other places.

Adapted from the epic poem, Phra Aphai Mani, by Sunthorn Phu, the story is essentially Thailand's Lord of the Rings if you need a Western equivalent to measure things by.

Mono Film, the makers of last year's martial-arts actioner, The Tiger Blade, and the jungle monster adventure Vengeance from earlier this year, has been working on The Legend of Sudsakorn in post-production for the past year. So hopefully it will not look too bad. I'm going to watch it because I want to support the upstart Mono Film.


The Possibles (December 5)

I've lost track of how many of the six directors of Fan Chan have branched out on their own, but now it's Withaya Thongyooyong's turn.

His solo debut is called The Possibles, about a band from the 1960s-'70s that appear to be based on an actual band from the era, The Impossibles. (Or check Bangkok Funk for some samples and visuals.) They are a favorite band of mine. Among their finest work was on the soundtrack to a 1970s film called Tone.

I'm not sure what the film is about, but stills from Deknang make it look like a lot of fun.


King Naresuan (December 21)

I'm not surprised that MC Chatrichalerm Yukol's latest historical epic has been pushed back a few weeks from the December 5 (HM the King's birthday) release date that was being reported earlier. He'll probably be working on it until the last minute. The trailers are most impressive, bringing out the big guns. I'm hoping this has the same magic as Suriyothai, in which I became immersed in the grandeur and pageantry of it all, forgetting that I was watching a three-hour film.


The Sperm

I don't know when this is being released or what it's about, except that the director is Taweewat Wantha, who directed the insane SARS Wars and it stars the actress from Sayew, Pimpaporn Leenutapong, who's decidely less butch looking than she was in that film. It could be about a band. I'm not sure.


Tabunfire

I don't know the release date, but this is a cool-looking martial-arts film featuring Dan Chupong and Panna Rittikrai. Its name has reportedly been changed to Kon Fai Bin, but perhaps Tabunfire will be kept as the English-language name until it's sold to the Weinsteins and given the name of an old Jackie Chan movie.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)