New Thai Movie "hanuman" Is Virulently Racist

[Jingthing]

Just caught the new Thai movie, Hanuman (very bad movie BTW) and it had alot of big roles played by farangs and coincidentally? it was the most racist anti-farang movie I have even seen!

In this movie, farangs ...

desecrate Thai Buddist shrines

viscously beat up, murder, and burn alive Thai schoolchildren who happen to be impoverished and orphaned

portray the big Daddy farang with his vulgar Northeast US American accent, as obessed with sex with Thai women, every other line out of his mouth is Girls, Girls, Girls, the Girls are waiting! as he slobbers

kidnap the sweetest little CRIPPLED Thai little girl you ever did see, and threaten to murder her

there was not one farang character who was sympathetic in the smallest way, and there were many farang characters

Yes, I know its all part of the "story" such as it is. I am not one to favor censorship or political correctness. I am just reporting what I saw.

BTW, at the beginning of the movie the Big Daddy "Girls Girls Girls" farang is referred to by a Thai as farang translated into GRINGO. The translation was WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, GRINGO? The tone of his voice in Thai was like hearing him SPIT when he said FARANG. I do not think it was a translation error to translate farang to gringo. Gringo is a DEROGATORY term, and the CONTEXT and tone of voice of the speaker when he said FARANG was indeed derogatory, so I consider the translation intentional. This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

I realize the audience for this movie is Thai people and Thai people can and will make any kinds of movies they want, and watch any kinds of movies they want. However, I have to ask, will movies like Hanuman create more hatred and violence against farangs from Thais?

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[elkangorito]

Just caught the new Thai movie, Hanuman (very bad movie BTW) and it had alot of big roles played by farangs and coincidentally? it was the most racist anti-farang movie I have even seen!

In this movie, farangs ...

desecrate Thai Buddist shrines

viscously beat up, murder, and burn alive Thai schoolchildren who happen to be impoverished and orphaned

portray the big Daddy farang with his vulgar Northeast US American accent, as obessed with sex with Thai women, every other line out of his mouth is Girls, Girls, Girls, the Girls are waiting! as he slobbers

kidnap the sweetest little CRIPPLED Thai little girl you ever did see, and threaten to murder her

there was not one farang character who was sympathetic in the smallest way, and there were many farang characters

Yes, I know its all part of the "story" such as it is. I am not one to favor censorship or political correctness. I am just reporting what I saw.

BTW, at the beginning of the movie the Big Daddy "Girls Girls Girls" farang is referred to by a Thai as farang translated into GRINGO. The translation was WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, GRINGO? The tone of his voice in Thai was like hearing him SPIT when he said FARANG. I do not think it was a translation error to translate farang to gringo. Gringo is a DEROGATORY term, and the CONTEXT and tone of voice of the speaker when he said FARANG was indeed derogatory, so I consider the translation intentional. This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

Well, as you guessed, it is only a movie. But perhaps only "certain" people can see this fact? Others may see it as a "reality" & may react accordingly.

BTW, was there any censorship in the movie? Did you see weapons being fired, cigarettes being smoked, sex being had or alcohol being consumed?

[Jingthing]

BTW, was there any censorship in the movie? Did you see weapons being fired, cigarettes being smoked, sex being had or alcohol being consumed?

Weapons fired? ALOT! And many many bloody bullet wounds not to mention throat slashings and 2 decapitations (both farang, sorry "plot" spoiler ha ha)! Cigarettes? I don't recall so maybe no. Explicit sex? No. Drinking? I don't recall so maybe no.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[ObertoSanchez]

People bash thais, what the harm in them bashing back?

[Travel2003]

Have a look at the various periods Hollywood has gone through.

Periods where the bad people were only Russians, Germans, etc.

Then a period where the bad people were all Communists.

Then we have the period where all the bad people in the films are Arabs.

To mention a few.

[elkangorito]

BTW, was there any censorship in the movie? Did you see weapons being fired, cigarettes being smoked, sex being had or alcohol being consumed?

Weapons fired? ALOT! And many many bloody bullet wounds not to mention throat slashings and 2 decapitations (both farang, sorry "plot" spoiler ha ha)! Cigarettes? I don't recall so maybe no. Explicit sex? No. Drinking? I don't recall so maybe no.

If what you say is true (I don't doubt it), the Thai Censorship morons have failed to do their job. Generally, movies that have been vetted by this idiot authority have disallowed the viewing of the firing of weapons (at people). Strangely & I don't need to say this, the weapon is usually on full display just prior to any major execution.

Jingthing, in your opinion, what was the level of "censorship" within this movie compared to most other movies available in Thailand?

[Jingthing]

Jingthing, in your opinion, what was the level of "censorship" within this movie compared to most other movies available in Thailand?

Well, I can directly compare the throat slashings to Sweeny Todd. In Sweeny Todd, they were blurred out. The throat slashings in Hanuman were clearly shown, but there wasn't much blood so it wasn't very disturbing. The decapitations were graphic and you saw the detached heads and dripping blood and all that but there was something very COMIC BOOK about the look of it, so again, not emotionally jarring like I think the Sweeny Todd slashings would have been if shown. There really was alot of gun shooting directly at people including many dead Thai cops hit by, you guessed it, the farangs.

The sex censorship was obvious. The big Daddy farangs was drooling about girls but when you actually saw him with "girls" the "girls" were homely middle age Mama types giving Thai traditional massages. There might have been a scene or two with Thai babe types in bikinis, but that's it. No sex.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[poshthai]

Its only a movie,maybe a bad movie but i cannot see thais will look at us as murderers and rapists.

[lannarebirth]

So, was our Damian Mavis in the cast?

[elkangorito]

Jingthing: overall, would you say that the censorship was "relaxed" in this movie compared to "main stream" movies?

Edited August 15, 2008 by elkangorito

[Jingthing]

Have a look at the various periods Hollywood has gone through.

Periods where the bad people were only Russians, Germans, etc.

Then a period where the bad people were all Communists.

Then we have the period where all the bad people in the films are Arabs.

To mention a few.

You are correct. But alot of us are farangs living in Thailand and Thais are watching movies like that. Makes one wonder.

[sriracha john]

This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

a troll-infested, multiple-deleted post mercifully closed is an old favorite?

[Jingthing]

This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

a troll-infested, multiple-deleted post mercifully closed is an old favorite?

I referenced it because some people on the thread asserted that it was not possible to use farang in a derogatory way. This movie proves that is not the case, right on the big screen.

OK, I do kind of like that old thread.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[Travel2003]

Have a look at the various periods Hollywood has gone through.

Periods where the bad people were only Russians, Germans, etc.

Then a period where the bad people were all Communists.

Then we have the period where all the bad people in the films are Arabs.

To mention a few.

You are correct. But alot of us are farangs living in Thailand and Thais are watching movies like that. Makes one wonder.

Im pretty sure they use the farangs as bad people in the movies because we are foreigners, and not because we are generally bad people.

We are here, they are aware of us, and they know a little bit about us.

To use, lets say, Mexicans, would maybe not been the best choice in a Thai movie.

That would have been the same as using Isaan people in a western film. Not many back in the west know about isaan.

Thais have already been used so many times, so I guess they look for something else from time to time.

[lannarebirth]

This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

a troll-infested, multiple-deleted post mercifully closed is an old favorite?

I referenced it because some people on the thread asserted that it was not possible to use farang in a derogatory way. This movie proves that is not the case, right on the big screen.

Did the bad farang call the Thais "Somchais", like so many here like to do?

[elkangorito]

I allude to the possibility that censorship is relaxed with movies that portray farangs as the "bad guys". My question to Jingthing is, do you think this is the case? This is not a trick question. I am not out to trap you.

[Jingthing]

Have a look at the various periods Hollywood has gone through.

Periods where the bad people were only Russians, Germans, etc.

Then a period where the bad people were all Communists.

Then we have the period where all the bad people in the films are Arabs.

To mention a few.

You are correct. But alot of us are farangs living in Thailand and Thais are watching movies like that. Makes one wonder.

Im pretty sure they use the farangs as bad people in the movies because we are foreigners, and not because we are generally bad people.

We are here, they are aware of us, and they know a little bit about us.

To use, lets say, Mexicans, would maybe not been the best choice in a Thai movie.

That would have been the same as using Isaan people in a western film. Not many back in the west know about isaan.

Thais have already been used so many times, so I guess they look for something else from time to time.

Can I have some of what you are taking? You seriously think it is totally innocent and just random and they could have used French poodles and it would have the same meaning to Thais?

[Jingthing]

This brings us back to an old favorite topic you might wish to refer to here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Hear-Word-Fa...p;hl=derogatory

a troll-infested, multiple-deleted post mercifully closed is an old favorite?

I referenced it because some people on the thread asserted that it was not possible to use farang in a derogatory way. This movie proves that is not the case, right on the big screen.

Did the bad farang call the Thais "Somchais", like so many here like to do?

Actually, most of the bad farang spoke FLUENT THAI! I think all of them except the Big Daddy Girls Girls Girls drooling dude who didn't. Which is hilarious when you think of the farangs who think learning the language makes you loved here.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

I allude to the possibility that censorship is relaxed with movies that portray farangs as the "bad guys". My question to Jingthing is, do you think this is the case? This is not a trick question. I am not out to trap you.

I think you are on to something. Just based on the throat slashings.

I just had another thought. In the early days of Hollywood, the only roles available to black people were bad stereotypes of black people. So the black actors took what they could get. Some people have criticized those black actors for participating in that. It occurs to me these farang actors playing bad stereotypes of farangs are in some ways in the same boat as those early black actors. I don't blame them for taking the jobs, just observing.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[12DrinkMore]

Just to bring back the happy memories, don't forget to download a trailer and poster...

http://eng.phranakornfilm.com/en/movie/mov...ls.php?movie=25

[lannarebirth]

Hey, Damian Mavis IS in it. His career is really blossoming.

http://www.conanstevens.com/acting-movies-...ey-warrior.html

[Jingthing]

Just to bring back the happy memories, don't forget to download a trailer and poster...

http://eng.phranakornfilm.com/en/movie/mov...ls.php?movie=25

Like I said, it wasn't very good. I didn't like it because it was a bad movie, not because of the political stuff I observed. I would say skip it. I do realize that talking about it here will probably sell some more tickets; it doesn't matter either way. Again, I wonder about the impressionable Thai child who has never met a farang and sees a movie like this. Did I mention the farangs desecrated Buddhist shrines and burned sweet little poor Thai orphan children alive?

BTW, if you saw the TRAILER for Hanuman as I did before seeing the movie, trust me, the TRAILER is way better than the movie. It was a good trailer!

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[lannarebirth]

Hey, Damian Mavis IS in it. His career is really blossoming.

http://www.conanstevens.com/acting-movies-...ey-warrior.html

Well, I tried to PM Damian to come talk about it, but apparently he has been banned. Can't imagine why.

[12DrinkMore]

http://www.conanstevens.com/acting-movies-...ey-warrior.html

Did ya get to look at the photo of this guy? He's even trying to sell a book so you can look the SAME.

[lannarebirth]

http://www.conanstevens.com/acting-movies-...ey-warrior.html

Did ya get to look at the photo of this guy? He's even trying to sell a book so you can look the SAME.

Yeah, he's a big fella. Here's our Damian. He's a stud.

http://www.honourtkd.com/homepage.php

[Heng]

"Farang" can most certainly be used in a derogatory way... and it certainly will seem even more so if you have a low self esteem.

[GuestHouse]

The point has been made here that Hollywood has historically portrayed Germans, Russians, French and more recently Arabs the bad guys, the evil people who threaten the US/West and its values.

Well yes that is true, but there is a distinct difference and another Hollywood lesson to learn.

These groups, more specifically Nations are all external to the USl, and they are coincidentally groups/nations which at the time they were portrayed in these negative ways were in conflict with the US.

The critical difference with respect to Farangs in the case given is that Farangs are a growing part of Thai society.

To make a meaningful comparison one would have to consider the Hollywood portrayal of minority groups in US society.

Again, you will find negative stereotyping, but you'll also find that this has been a hard fought battle ground for those wanting to promote integration.

I regard the OP's concerns as legitimate, and I also regard the digression on the discussion of the term 'Farang' as something of a distraction.

Classic stuff - 'The Grammar of Race' and and interesting twist on Gramsci's theory of hegemony.

Thailand has a growing Frang population, more significantly Thailand has a growing number of mixed race Farang/Thai Citizens.

These portrayals will undoubtedly create a negative view of Farangs that will impact immigrants and will undoubtedly impact these mixed race Thai Citizens.

That these movies are made by educated people who are conversant with the tools of manipulating sentiments is quite depressing.

[G54]

Racist??

You mentioned racist and Thai in the same post and did not get the topic closed, or get a ban???

[Jingthing]

Racist??

You mentioned racist and Thai in the same post and did not get the topic closed, or get a ban???

The night is still young.

GuestHouse, thanks for the thoughtful comments. I think you might be right. Mixing the racial stereotyping in the movie and opening up the old is farang a bad word discussion was probably ill advised. Maybe we can just focus on the stereotyping and leave the farang word discussion for another day.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Jingthing

[Heng]

The point has been made here that Hollywood has historically portrayed Germans, Russians, French and more recently Arabs the bad guys, the evil people who threaten the US/West and its values.

Well yes that is true, but there is a distinct difference and another Hollywood lesson to learn.

These groups, more specifically Nations are all external to the USl, and they are coincidentally groups/nations which at the time they were portrayed in these negative ways were in conflict with the US.

IMO German-Americans, French-Americans, Russian Americans, etc. could take it in stride, I think our local potpourri mix of farangs can as well.