Friday, April 18, 2008

May Day, May Day, it's Theng

Popular comedian Pongsak Pongsuwan, better known as Theng Terdterng, is starring in Thewada Tha Ja Theng (The Angels Must Be Crazy or Theng's Angel), which opens on May 1.

This is the second film in the directorial comeback of former Film Bangkok studio head Adirek "Uncle" Wataleela, following 2005's all-star horror spoof Ghost Variety. Since his studio went belly up, Uncle now has a home as a director under the umbrella of Sahamongkol Film International.

Theng's Angel also marks the first time that funnyman Theng co-stars with the prolific Kotee Aramboy, the cherubic comic actor who is in nearly every Thai comedy these days. Uncle told the Daily Express that it is a classic pairing.

Soopsip has more:

All we have to do is say, 'Action', and that's it. They just unleash their gags and great dialogue. It's like watching Robert De Niro and Al Pacino together - only funnier."

Or how about Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Uncle?

From the preview, I can't quite tell what is going on. Rather than spend any more time on research, I'll just guess and see how close I come, which is always fun. It seems Theng's character is hoping for a guardian angel, and envisions a beautiful female angel (played by Bongkot "Tak" Kongmalai), but is instead saddled with an annoying, short, fat male cherub (Kotee). Slapstick pratfalls ensue. Theng dons a variety of disguises, including Elvis (harking back to his very first film role, in Yuthlert Sippapak's debut, Killer Tattoo) and Rambo. It's a bit of Capra's It's a Wonderful Life as seen through a Happy Madison filter by Uncle, with the Sandleresque Theng opposite a Schneideresque Kotee.

The comic policeman duo of Uncle and Boonthin Thuaykaew from Yuthlert's Buppha Rahtree and many other films (including, most recently, Hormones) will of course make a special appearance, as will Yuthlert himself, as a favor to both Uncle and Theng. Yuthlert briefly cameoed in Ghost Variety, as did nearly every other living Thai director.

Meanwhile, Phranakorn Film's long-proposed sequel to the 2005 smash-hit Holy Man, which starred Theng, has languished as Theng has vaulted to superstar status as host of at least a couple TV variety series and starring roles in films produced by Workpoint Entertainment and Sahamongkol.

Now Luang Phee Theng 2 is off the back burner, with a new star: rapper Joey Boy. More on that in the coming days.

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