The Elephant King

[ihop]

Anyone know where I can get a copy of "The Elephant King"?

This indie film was shot in and around Chiang Mai and I would love to see it!

Much thanks in advance!

IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0451221/

Edited June 17, 2007 by ihop

[sabaijai]

The film hasn't been released yet. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 06, and has been on the festival circuit since. Won a couple of awards along the way.

The film will get its first US theatrical release in August. I'd guess it will probably be available on DVD by Oct 07.

I saw the final print in Bangkok before it flew to NY for Tribeca. Really solid work, possibly the best foreign film about Thailand ever made (and one of the few, come to think of it) and one of the better foreign films shot in Thailand, period.

The producers - it's actually co-Thai, co-American production - submitted the film for the Bangkok International Film Festival (July 07) and it was inexplicably rejected.

[ihop]

Cool...thanks for the info! I'll keep an eye out for it.

[sabaijai]

Update from director Seth Grossman:

We're hoping for a limited domestic theatrical release this spring [2008], and our foreign sales company has arranged for distribution abroad this coming spring and summer, but so far I don't know about anything planned for Thailand, ironically enough. Check the Unison Films Web site, www.unisonfilms.com, for info on screening dates in the coming months. And say hello to Chiang Mai for me. How I miss the kao ka mu...

[sabaijai]

The Elephant King has just been released in Chiang Mai. It will be showing at Major Cineplex, Airport Plaza, from today though next Wednesday, possibly longer if it gets an audience.

[uptheos]

Major Cineplex Airport Plaza

The Elephant King TodaySatSunMonTueWedThu R

92 mins

English/Thai

14:20

16:25

21:45

[Groongthep]

The Elephant King opened today in Bangkok too, it's at the Major Cineplex in Ekamai and the Paragon among others. It's probably the best move concerning Thailand I have ever seen.

I was young when I first came to Thailand years ago and the character of Jake displays behavior that is frighteningly familiar to some things I vaguely remember.

It's ironic that it was released about a week after Soi Cowboy which IMHO was one of the worst I've seen.

[Asmerom]

The Elephant King opened today in Bangkok too, it's at the Major Cineplex in Ekamai and the Paragon among others.

It's probably the best move concerning Thailand I have ever seen.

I think that verdict would make sense only if you've seen just one other movie "concerning Thailand" and you're still a youthful under forty.

"Elephant King" ? What relevance does the title have to the movie? And what's the point of the elephant? They didn't look after it. Is that meant to be a metaphor fraught with deeper meanings. If so they escape me.

I guess the film was a story about two brothers who become disillusioned about Thailand and go home to mum. It certainly painted a jaundiced view of the way some Thais see Westerners as "wallets on legs" and a probably realistic assessment of the meeting of two mutually repellent cultures. But it was a bit crude.

The only two characters weren't really rounded out. Jake was a bit of a cartoon ; the dialogue practically non-existent and the music far too loud--just the way the Thais like it. And don't expect to be seeing lots of familiar Chiang Mai landmarks ; being a very low budget film they seem to have used the only two 40Watt bulbs they could afford. It was so very,very dark.

So,the best of luck to all involved , who I believe, have been nominated for a myriad of prestigious awards.

[Mapguy]

Interesting reviews. Seems worth seeing.

Have no idea how good or bad it might be.

I would be interested in hearing from more thoughtful film buffs about films shot about or in Thailand --- and I am NOT talking about Rambo or Bridge of the River Kwai flicks.

Edited January 16, 2009 by Mapguy

[wayfarer108]

The Elephant King opened today in Bangkok too, it's at the Major Cineplex in Ekamai and the Paragon among others.

It's probably the best move concerning Thailand I have ever seen.

I think that verdict would make sense only if you've seen just one other movie "concerning Thailand" and you're still a youthful under forty.

"Elephant King" ? What relevance does the title have to the movie? And what's the point of the elephant? They didn't look after it. Is that meant to be a metaphor fraught with deeper meanings. If so they escape me.

I guess the film was a story about two brothers who become disillusioned about Thailand and go home to mum. It certainly painted a jaundiced view of the way some Thais see Westerners as "wallets on legs" and a probably realistic assessment of the meeting of two mutually repellent cultures. But it was a bit crude.

The only two characters weren't really rounded out. Jake was a bit of a cartoon ; the dialogue practically non-existent and the music far too loud--just the way the Thais like it. And don't expect to be seeing lots of familiar Chiang Mai landmarks ; being a very low budget film they seem to have used the only two 40Watt bulbs they could afford. It was so very,very dark.

So,the best of luck to all involved , who I believe, have been nominated for a myriad of prestigious awards.

It's not a perfect film but I would disagree about the character development, which I found above average for an American production. FWIW I'm over 40, have lived in Thailand over half my lifespan and would agree that it's the best Western-directed movie about Thailand, or even set in Thailand, I've seen. If there's a better one, please name it because I'd like to see it.

As for the music being 'too loud', it seemed at a very average level for any film made since 1990 and it won two different festival awards for its musical score (see below).

Dark? It didn't strike me as dark at all, but perhaps there was a problem with the projection at Major/Airport Plaza. I watched it in BKK. If anything lighting was one of the film's strengths, from this movie buff's perspective.

I agree the title could be better. It's obvious to me, though, that it refers to the scene where Jake is seen riding on the elephant just after he bought the animal, hands raised triumphantly. And equally obvious that the dying elephant subtext is meant to symbolise Jake's own decline in Thailand. I thought the symbolism worked, YMMV. Earlier working titles were Kingdom of Silence, The Cool Season and Summer in Siam.

The film premiered as an official selection at Tribeca Film Festival, one of the most difficult festivals in the world to have a feature film accepted at, as far as film juries go. So among its peers, it appears to have been taken seriously. According to IMDB, among the awards Elephant King has already earned are Best Film (2007 Sacramento Film Festival; 2008 Oxford Film Festival; 2008 Lone Star International Film Festival), Best Actor (2007 Brooklyn Film Festival), Outstanding Musical Score (2007 Sacramento Film Festival) and Best Impact of Music in a Feature Film (2008 Park City Film Music Festival). Not too shabby

Edited January 17, 2009 by wayfarer108

[Asmerom]

It's not a perfect film but I would disagree about the character development, which I found above average for an American production. FWIW I'm over 40, have lived in Thailand over half my lifespan and would agree that it's the best Western-directed movie about Thailand, or even set in Thailand, I've seen. If there's a better one, please name it because I'd like to see it.

As for the music being 'too loud', it seemed at a very average level for any film made since 1990 and it won two different festival awards for its musical score (see below).

I agree the title could be better. It's obvious to me, though, that it refers to the scene where Jake is seen riding on the elephant just after he bought the animal, hands raised triumphantly. And equally obvious that the dying elephant subtext is meant to symbolise Jake's own decline in Thailand. I thought the symbolism worked, YMMV. Earlier working titles were Kingdom of Silence, The Cool Season and Summer in Siam.

As your disagreement is so stark I feel the urge to briefly reply. I can assure you that watching this film at The Major Complex was like peering through a glass really darkly.But, as you say, maybe a projection problem.

I regret the obvious often eludes me which explains why I can't see the connection between Jake mounting an elephant ( in the best possible taste),making a triumphant gesture-the triumph being his amazing ability to sit on an elephant-a scene which lasts all of a few moments and that being a sufficient reason for calling the film "The Elephant King".

Its a ridiculous title bearing no relation to the contents of the film which was a story about a mixed-up, extrovert elder brother trying ineptly but possibly eventually successfully to help his suicidally depressed younger brother to reclaim his life.Nothing whatever to do with pachyderms.

Character development above average you say, "for an American production". Well, exactly.I just love that reservation.But awards for music; for best actor!! I'm baffled, nay, shocked I really shouldn't be going to the films at my age; I'm bound to be disappointed and bafflement like bewilderment is no stranger to a contemporary of Truffaut and Jean luc Goddard though I'm a lot younger than Satyajit Ray, ( surely he's departed).

A bout de Souffle, Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar (The Apu Trilogy) I would guess fairly low budget films about young people growing up by young untried directors, yet what a wealth of meaning,characterisation,rich incidental detail and universal emotional appeal those classics (especially the Indian ones) portrayed.The sitar music heavenly, the acting brilliant ,direction superb.

Compared with these great stories-the ones that inhabit my memory The Elephant King is more of a comic strip drawn with broad crude brush strokes. I know, I know, things have changed over the last fifty years as I'm often reminded when peering myopically into the densely printed columns of my True Vision Magasine vainly searching for something other than Horror,Suspense,Crime, Action, Thriller,Humourless Comedy,and Performing Animals. Clint Eastwood occasionally brightens things up. And Hey! "Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot" was showing on Friday 16th Jan at The Alliance Francaise. And I missed it. C'est la vie.

Edited January 17, 2009 by Asmerom

[Jingthing]

Oh please. This movie is what is called a SMALL FILM. Small budget, small market. It isn't worth getting excited about either way, Not seeing it will not be a major blow to your life experience, spoken by someone who just saw it. It will out of your system quicker than your last overly greasy plate of Pad Thai.

Edited January 17, 2009 by Jingthing

[Asmerom]

Oh please. This movie is what is called a SMALL FILM. Small budget, small market. It isn't worth getting excited about either way, Not seeing it will not be a major blow to your life experience, spoken by someone who just saw it. It will out of your system quicker than your last overly greasy plate of Pad Thai.

You're right , of course, but it is Saturday night and those of us who stayed at home need something to get excited about.

[polecat]

to a contemporary of Truffaut and Jean luc Goddard though I'm a lot younger than Satyajit Ray, ( surely he's departed).

A bout de Souffle, Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar (The Apu Trilogy) I would guess fairly low budget films about young people growing up by young untried directors, yet what a wealth of meaning,characterisation,rich incidental detail and universal emotional appeal those classics (especially the Indian ones) portrayed.The sitar music heavenly, the acting brilliant ,direction superb.

...

Compared with these great stories-the ones that inhabit my memory The Elephant King is more of a comic strip drawn with broad crude brush strokes.

...

And Hey! "Les Vacances de Monsieur Hulot" was showing on Friday 16th Jan at The Alliance Francaise. And I missed it. C'est la vie.

Wow, are you an intellectual?

[Asmerom]

Wow, are you an intellectual?

No, not really, though I may have inclinations in that direction. If I were an intellectual , I might find unravelling Henry James' sentences in The Golden Bowl much easier than I do and I'm terribly partial to apple crumble which I think probably disqualifies me.

[ASHTONITE]

So I take it that the overall consensus is that the movie sucks and is not worth seeing? :-)

[Asmerom]

So I take it that the overall consensus is that the movie sucks and is not worth seeing? :-)

Not at all. Opinions differ. Why not go and see it yourself and tell us what you think?

[polecat]

So I take it that the overall consensus is that the movie sucks and is not worth seeing? :-)

Nah, I reckon it's worth a look. Some interesting ideas, some wonderful imagery, a nice low-key visual tone and a refreshing change from most of the big-budget tripe that usually litters the screens. Plus, you get to watch a farang waster slowly cracking up as his life unravels - and smirk because you've met plenty of people like that in Thailand.

[ASHTONITE]

Well... I sure can't pass up a chance to SMIRK :-) Yeah... we have all seen a lot here in Thailand... interesting mix. Been here 3 years and the stories I can tell.

[Maccheroncini]

I wish I was an intellectual like Asmerom Anyway, the movie reminded me of The Beach but with out Hollywood superstar and without the reminiscent photos at the internet cafe at the end of the movie.