Review: The Legend of King Naresuan Part I: Hostage of Hongsawadee

• Directed by MC Chatrichalerm Yukol
• Written by MC Chatrichalerm Yukol and Sunate Chutinatharanond
• Starring Sompop Benjatikul, Pratcha Sananvatananont, Sorapong Chatree, Chatchai Plengpanich, Grace Mahadumrongkul, Jirayu La-ongmanee, Suchada Chekly
• Released in Thai cinemas on January 18, 2007. Part II: Reclaiming Sovereignty, opens on February 15, 2007, and Part III is planned to open on December 5, 2007.

With Hostage of Hongsawadee, part one of what's now a film trilogy, The Legend of King Naresuan, MC Chatrichalerm Yukol is just getting warmed up. Still, it's hard to not judge this film too harshly, with its sometimes confusing storyline and uneven performances.

The highly anticipated followup to his 2001 epic, Suriyothai, the story picks up 15 years after the death of Queen Suriyothai. Under constant attack by Hongsawadee (Burma), the country that could be Siam has crumbled into rivalry and pettiness.

The ruler of Phitsanulok, King Thamaracha (Chatchai Plengpanich) whines when he's told that Ayutthaya won't send any troops to help fend off the Burmese hoards. Seeing no alternative, he surrenders to King Bayinnaung of Hongsawadee (a bold Sompop Benjatikul). To ensure he'll remain a loyal vassal, Thamaracha agrees to send his son, Prince Naresuan (Pratcha Sananwatananont), to Hongsawadee as a hostage.

Promising to treat the boy as if he were his own, Bayinnaung takes an immediate liking to the cheeky Naresuan, who refuses to bow to the king, saying he only shows respect to those who earn it. The boy accompanies the king on a campaign to Ayutthaya, and receives schooling in warfare while on the back of an elephant.

But the prince's real training begins in Hongsawadee, under the tutelage of an irascible staff-wielding head monk (the great Sorapong Chatree), who's Gandalf, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda all rolled up into one. A flash of magic reveals his potential, when he shows how a serpent-shaped scythe can become a deadly weapon with just a flip of his staff.

Ordained in this Burmese Shaolin Temple, the prince learns hand-to-hand combat, two-fisted sword fighting and tactics of war. What kind of Buddhism is this, anyway? Well, the basic tenants are there, sort of, as the prince learns when he and his newfound friends decide to take up cock fighting as a pastime. They receive a caning or two for their transgressions, but then convince the head monk to let them fight their magnificent rooster just one more time against the bird of a rival Burmese boy prince. Later, the noble rooster is let go by the prince, who displays an ability to talk to animals. Earlier, he tells a cobra to leave one of his friends alone, and this ability played a major role in last year's animated feature, Khan Kluay.



Naresuan's childhood companions are the temple boy Bunteng, a foul-mouthed, long-haired street urchin that Naresuan rescued from a mob after he stole some food in Thai town, and a temple girl, Manechan.

While Pratcha Sananvatananont has a commanding presence – as he should, since he's playing a future king of Ayutthaya – the other child actors are only barely tolerable for their cuteness, mainly because you will want to see what they will be like when they grow up.

The best performances are by the veterans Sompop and Sorapong, who are a joy to watch in their meaty roles. Guys like these don't get leading roles in Thai cinema very much these days. Sompop's cunning character is especially interesting. He makes the Burmese king come off like the good guy, while the Siamese kings look like fools.

As with Suriyothai, there is plenty of political intrigue as Bayinnaung relentlessly attacks and looks for ways to undermine Ayutthaya. After Suriyothai's daughter is captured by Bayinnaung while on her way to become a consort to another king, the fiery princess stabs herself with a hairpin rather than become Bayinnaung's lover.

Later, Naresuan's older sister, Princess Supankulayanee (an oddly cast Grace Mahadumrongkul), is brought to Hongsawadee, ostensibly as a court dance instructor, but she really knows what's on the smooth-talking king's mind when her face is slathered in white pancake make-up and brought before him . He just wants to chat, really. Defiant in spirit like her brother, she says she'll never give her heart to Bayinnaung, and will remain fiercely loyal to her native land. She even has some Siamese soil to prove her point.

The melodrama gets pretty confusing, and it's hammered home with some explosions and epic battles. It's tiresome. The fighting roosters have more heart and soul than the men in the warfare scenes.

And when I say hammered, I do mean hammered in the literal sense as well. In one scene, a duplicitious Siamese general who betrayed Ayutthaya is rewarded by Bayinnaung with a chest full of gold and jewels. As he hugs the treasure chest, some men sidle up to him with sledges and spikes, and nail his hands to the chest. He and his burden are then thrown into the river. Thanks a lot!

Chatricharlerm is known for the messages in his films. So with King Naresuan, is there an underlying political message? Something about leaders who turn over their powers to rulers in another country? Is it really Burma that's being talked about here?

Eventually, the situation for Prince Naresuan proves untenable. The rival Burmese boy prince and his hangers-on are jealous of Naresuan and the attentions given him by Bayinnaung. Attackers are dispatched off a bridge and into a klong by the wire-assisted scissors kicks of Naresuan, who then escapes with some followers to Ayutthaya. His sister will stay behind in sacrifice.

But what of hopes for the Hongsawadee line to continue? "There is another," Bayinnaung is told by a soothsayer.



More information:

• Official site

See also:

• Review at Coffee, Coffee and More Coffee

(Cross-published t Rotten Tomatoes>)

Spiritual warrior

After touring the U.S. to promote Tom-Yum-Goong (or The Protector), Tony Jaa is back in Thailand.

After some time meditating at a jungle temple, he's spiritually revived and ready to get down to the work of directing Ong Bak 2, reports Parinyaporn Payee in The Nation yesterday.

The story of Ong-Bak 2 is based on Ai Noom Saraphad Phid, a low-budget film he made years ago with mentor and martial arts choreographer Panna Rittikrai. Intended as an audition screener for Sahamongkol Films, the film was never shown because film stock they used was expired. The title translates to "man with poison", and is about a man who has two conflicting sides. He lets the dark side rule over him until he "discovers the beauty of khon" (Thai masked dance) and is able to transform his powers for the good. Shooting will start in earnest in January with the film's release late in 2007.

Parinyaporn caught up with Tony at a "khrob khru" ceremony, in which khon students pay tribute to their teachers. Earlier this year Tony collaborated with national artist and dancer Pichet Klunchun on a khon-inspired dance that was performed at the Subhanahongsa Awards. Since then, Tony's been looking for ways to incorporate the sacred, traditional dance into his martial arts routines, so audiences can expect Ong-Bak 2 to show more of that influence.

Present at the ceremony was Sahamongkol Films exec Somsak Techaratanaprasert, and noticeably absent was Ong-Bak and Tom Yum Goong director Prachya Pinkaew. The Nation hints at rumors of a split between Tony and the Baa Ram Ewe production company head, though "Tony clams up" at any mention of it.

It goes on to mention a new production company set up by Tony, Iyara Films, will be producing the next project, Dab Atamat (Sword), which is still in script development.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

That voodoo you do so bad

It's not only in Thailand where movies and other works run into trouble with the culture police.

In Malaysia, there's a film called Dukun that would probably be a big earner, if only it could be released.

The Associated Press covers the tale.

It's a fascinating story, really, about a female witch doctor who was convicted and hanged in 2001 for the murder and hacking up of a politician. Reportedly, on the gallows, her last words were "I will not die!"

The movie, Dukun, has a fictional character whose actions closely mirror the true-crime story.

The movie is highly anticipated and would likely do great business for audiences who are still very much fascinated with the case and with the occult in general. However, the Malaysian censors take a dim view of such things.

It's uncertain at this time if the film will be released or if the director will submit to editing and reshoots.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

Focus in The Possible

While Charlie Trairat has had a few film appearances since Fan Chan, in Dorm, The Kingmaker and the upcoming Legend of Sudsakorn, not much has been seen from his co-star, Focus Jirakul. She's in The Possible, though. That's her there. Keep in mind she's still probably only around 14.

It makes sense that a good-luck charm from Fan Chan would be in The Possible, seeing as how it's the solo directorial debut of another one of the "Fan Chan six", Witthaya Thongyooyong.

The story involves a 1970s Thai band (patterned after The Impossibles) who are given a mysterious microphone that turns out to be a time machine that transports them to present-day Bangkok.

A number of actual Thai pop stars are in the cast, chief among them Apisit Opsasaimlikit. I kept looking at that guy with the long hair and moustache, trying to figure out where I'd seen him before. Well, he's Thailand's first hip hop star, Joey Boy. Members of other bands, including Yokee Playboy and Paradox, are also in this onscreen band.


(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

Release dates shuffled by Naresuan

Folks waiting to see Nang Nak star Intira Jaroenpura as a warrior woman will have to wait awhile longer.

Continuing delays with King Naresuan have pushed the film's release back to January 18. It's still an auspicous day, since it's Royal Thai Army Day.

I've lost count of how many times the film's release has been delayed, but with such an ambitious film, by an ambitious director, MC Chatrichalerm Yukol, it's par for the course.

The big news, according to Kong Rithdee in yesterday's Bangkok Post, is that the film is now "films", and will be released in two parts. Audiences can watch both in one go, or just see one. If they like what they see, they can come back for more.

The shuffling around has affected other films. Dynamite Warrior, originally planned for release on His Majesty the King's birthday, December 5, has moved to the December 21 date vacated by King Naresuan.

Kong speculates that maybe Borat will be shown in Thailand, but it's highly doubtful, even though it's the film everyone wants to see.

That December 5 date was pretty crowded anyway, with the GTH musical time-travel comedy The Possible opening the day before on December 4, and Legend of Sudsakorn on November 30.

It's going to be a long weekend.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

Tears of the Black Tiger to get U.S. theatrical release

I saw something about this on Twitch awhile back, and now Five Star Production has confirmed it.

After around three years of talks, Magnolia has succeeded in acquiring the rights to Tears of the Black Tiger from Miramax's vaults. The theatrical release by the Landmark Theater chain is planned for January.

This is big news. It looked as if Tears of the Black Tiger (Fah Talai Jone) would never see the light of day after it was bought by the Weinsteins, who then had the ending changed and then locked it in a vault for no one to see.

While it's hoped (and very likely) that Magnolia will release the original version of the film, the exact details of this will be forthcoming from Magnolia. Director Wisit Sasanatieng "is extremely delighted about this," says Five Star's spokeswoman.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

Jim Thompson returns to Bangkok

Jim Thompson was a former OSS agent who came to Thailand right at the end of the Second World War. His mission was to turn to the Thais against their Japanese occupiers, but just as he landed the Japanese surrendered. He stayed in Thailand anyway, though his activities in the Kingdom remain the source of much speculation. One thing he did for sure, though, was revitalize the art and industry of Thai silk, and to this day a brand of Thai silk bears his name.

In 1967, he vanished without a trace in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, and his disappearance has also been the source of much speculation, with writers and conspiracy theorists all weighing in. A TV movie about it was produced by The Nation some years ago. It was a disaster. Teleplay writer Prabda Yoon probably wishes it would be forgotten about, but I've got the VHS tapes to prove it happened.

A co-worker once asked me what I thought about the Thompson legend, and I said I figured he was still alive, probably hanging out in Bangkok. It turns out I wasn't too far off the mark. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his birth, and to celebrate it, Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul has put together a show called Lost in the City that celebrates the life and legend of Thompson. It's on until March 31 at Jim Thompson House, which is a collection of old Thai-style wooden houses on the banks of Klong Saen Saeb near National Stadium in Bangkok.

They have some pretty cool art to promote the exhibition, including an ad that looks like an old Thai movie poster, and a slick composite photo that makes it look like Thompson is riding the Bangkok Skytrain.


(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

The opera's over

That old saw about the opera being over is going to have to change. Now, as the latest work by Somtow Sucharitkul, Ayodhya, demonstrates, it's not over until the press conference is held.

The opera, based on Thailand's national epic, the Ramakien, premiered over the weekend in a two-performance run. But in the ensuing days, a controversy has arisen that has hit the international press. It seems that the Culture Ministry made Somtow sign a contract to make him change his opera so that one of the principle characters, Thotsakan, dies offstage. To have him die onstage, the Culture Ministry said, would bring bad luck to Thailand.

Yeah, you read that right: If a character in an opera dies, it will bring bad luck to an entire nation.

Somtow went along with the decree, though, I suppose, so he could get his ambitious project staged. If he had protested beforehand, it might not have come off at all.

The Nation covered the story today, and it hit the international press over the weekend, including the BBC, AP and UPI.

The foreign press, which have a limited understanding of the issue, are quick to blame the junta and the recent coup for the crackdown. Let me put it as nice as I can: the Culture Ministry have always been thorny about the issue. Their stance on the opera mirrors a performance earlier this year (and before the coup) by Thai rock musicians in New York for the Ramakien: A Rak Opera.

It has nothing to do with the coup. It has to do with aspects of Thai culture and religion that go back thousands of years. As with the Rak Opera, the ministry holds that Ayodhya falls under the guidelines of khon dance performance, the form of masked dance in which the Ramakien is depicted. It is held sacred in Thailand, and there's no room for monkeying around with it, in the Culture Ministry's eyes.

Somtow, in The Nation today, said that khon experts disagree as to whether the taboo against the onstage death of Thotsakan is an ancient tradition or whether it was established in the early 20th century.

"This is not a matter on which the Ministry's experts hold the sole, unanimous opinion. So, even if the traditions of khon did apply to opera, the argument can work both ways. My personal problems with this matter have nothing to do with the death of Thotsakan at all - as I have said, both the director and I did a great deal to accommodate the tradition as it was stated to us. My personal problems as an artist are that the Ministry feels it has the right to impose a blanket restriction on a work of art. This is a chilling and positively Stalinist concept.

"The word culture is a holistic thing. It is about ancient traditions, but it also about modern explorations of tradition. A culture is alive precisely because it grows and is continually reinvented. Our job as artists is to mirror society and the human condition, and, most of all, always to speak the truth no matter what the cost."

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)

Shutter, Dorm picked up by Tartan

Tartan has picked up the GTH ghost thrillers Shutter and Dorm for release in 2007, according to Kaiju Shakedown.

Tons of extra features but no subtitles

You think of Thailand and DVDs, legal DVDs aren't usually the first ones to come to mind. But it's because of piracy that distributors of licensed DVDs are getting creative with their packaging.

The Nation yesterday had a story about the cool designs for DVD packages for such films as Khan Kluay and Dear Dakanda. Most of them have been by a company called Dodisc.

For Fan Chan, they packaged the special edition DVD in a scaled-down replica of a school book bag. They did elaborate layouts for Tom Yum Goong and Invisible Waves. Check out Twitch for an example of The Tin Mine.

They are beautiful, with tons of extra features, gatefold sleeves and lots of photos. There's a catch though: No English subtitles. Not on any of them.

Since 2004, there has been a steady decline in the Thai releases of Thai films with English subtitles. And there have been plenty of great and good films that deserve a wider audience, but will likely never see the light of day.

The reason, I've been told, partly has to do with the licensing of the subtitles. If they are left off the Thai release, the companies don't have to pay royalties. And, there's the exclusivity that they can use to sell foreign distributors on if they pick up the films for overseas release. But it's a big if.

It was good to see The Nation's Parinyaporn Pajee address the issue by talking to Thai film critic Je-ngor Sor Bai of Pulp magazine. She feels that Thai DVDs should come with English subtitles.

"We all know it's just a trick they use to keep prices as low as possible," Je-ngor was quoted as saying. I think we are losing an amazing chance to introduce Thai films to a much wider audience."

The critic points out that only a few Thai movies are released in foreign cinemas. Even those that travel on the festival circuit rarely receive the kind of exposure they deserve. Adding English subtitles would benefit the entire Thai film industry.

It makes me think about the old days, back about, oh, 2003, when just about every Thai film released had subtitles. It meant there was great exposure: Tears of the Black Tiger, Monrak Transistor, Last Life in the Universe, Mekhong Full Moon Party and more.

But now, no more. No Citizen Dog (not yet anyway). No Ai-Fak. No Yam Yasothon. No Midnight My Love. No Sai Lor Fah. No Tin Mine. These are all wonderful, loopy films that I'd love to watch again, but anyone who doesn't speak Thai is cut out of the loop by the language barrier. So on the store shelves the DVDs will sit and unwatched the films will be.

A great many films have been released overseas that are worthy. Buppha Rahtree is one worth ordering from Hong Kong. Fan Chan is another.

Born to Fight and The Bodyguard have become available, but mainly because they appeal to the action genre. Films like Ai-Fak, Yam Yasothon or Midnight My Love (even with the presence of "Dirty Balls George") are harder sells. It's really too bad they don't have English subs. They deserve a wider audience.

Anymore, you have to wait for the overseas release, like in the case of Invisible Waves, which is due out in Hong Kong.

(Cross-published at Rotten Tomatoes)