Ong Bak Makes It To The U.s.

[Vit42]

First there was Red Bull, now Ong-Bak? Amazing Thailand indeed. What impressed Ebert about this film was that they don't use stunt doubles or computer graphics to generate the slick action sequences. For those who don't know Ebert, he's a famous American film critic who's on national t.v. every weekend. His pics for the Oscars was right on track.

Anyhow, I have a lot of Thai friends in the U.S. who are planning on convincing their "farang" friends to see the movie... to show them another side of thailand. Hey, at least Thailand has the potential to be famous for more than just the sex tourism!

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...S/50203003/1023

[konangrit]

First there was Red Bull, now Ong-Bak? Amazing Thailand indeed. What impressed Ebert about this film was that they don't use stunt doubles or computer graphics to generate the slick action sequences. For those who don't know Ebert, he's a famous American film critic who's on national t.v. every weekend. His pics for the Oscars was right on track.

Anyhow, I have a lot of Thai friends in the U.S. who are planning on convincing their "farang" friends to see the movie... to show them another side of thailand. Hey, at least Thailand has the potential to be famous for more than just the sex tourism!

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.d...S/50203003/1023

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not much of a story line, but some great action/stunt scenes in it. Probably one of the more marketable Thai movies in the US.

[aaaaaa]

my friend from Chicago told me that although it had good success there - it was banned or something like that.

I can suggest to see another cool Thai movie if you like non-CGI : its name in English is "Born to fight". not much Muay Thai as in Ong - Bak, but a lot of real stunts. western public loves it already - although it was realised on VCDs only just in Nov '04 and no Engl. subtitles yet.... I sent it to my friend - and he said his colleagues in the office queued up to borrow this movie from him....

another new movie coming - Tom Yam Kung. or did it come already to the cinemas? at least the PC game unders same name is being sold already in Panthip ...

[bina]

interesting; i was given a dvd of this movie last february when i was in thailand; it made the rounds of the kibbutz boys w/warning as to content.... my kids saw it several times, all w/o subtitles... which all the boys said they didnt need, in order to understand what was going on (i gave them a quick summary and mini explanation of thai lculture )... my thai friend had told my daughter that the actor does his own stunts (as she is a martial arts freak in movies)....

now i can offer it again to the adults together w/ this review which now makes it a 'real foreign movie' worthy of watching

[Queers for Fears]

Haven't seen it but action movies aren't my cup of coffee

[Shola]

Just going off on a sub-thread type thing, but who can recommend decent Thai/Asian movies, I like a good story line (I know thats hard to find in Asian movies!) Not in to any kind of war films though.

I've watched Jan dara (spelling?), thought it was Ok. Watched the Grudge, The eye, Jet Passat Baht (spelling again?!) and a few other comedys, so any recomendations? (Preferably with English subtitles )

[konangrit]

Just going off on a sub-thread type thing, but who can recommend decent Thai/Asian movies, I like a good story line (I know thats hard to find in Asian movies!) Not in to any kind of war films though.

I've watched Jan dara (spelling?), thought it was Ok. Watched the Grudge, The eye, Jet Passat Baht (spelling again?!) and a few other comedys, so any recomendations? (Preferably with English subtitles )

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Check out this Thread: Who likes Thai film?

I really like Last Life in the Universe.

Edited March 7, 2005 by konangrit

[Titus]

You can see the trailer for the sequel to Ong Back (called Tom yum Goong) here : http://www.tomyumgoongmovie.com , it has he second highest budget in thai movie history.

[Shola]

Check out this Thread: Who likes Thai film?

I really like Last Life in the Universe.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Great! Thanks Konangrit

[aaaaaa]

You can see the trailer for the sequel to Ong Back (called Tom yum Goong) here : http://www.tomyumgoongmovie.com , it has he second highest budget in thai movie history.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I saw this trailer. but only trailer.

so, that means - it didn't come out yet, right?

[bkkbound04]

ong bak is excellent, after watching it i lost interest in the us/hong kong action movies...they just seem so fake when i watch them now

i didn't know they were making a sequel, i hope it's as good

another excellent thai movie (with boxing ) is "beautiful boxer" it's the true story of a thai boy/man who wants to become a woman and starts to fight to earn money for the operation

Edited March 8, 2005 by bkkbound04

[manum]

Anyone know if Born to Fight is available on DVD with English subtitles yet?

[DJ Pat]

They could have sold thousands of the DVDs in Thailand if they arrogantly hadn't left the subtitles off it.

[Smokin Joe]

They could have sold thousands of the DVDs in Thailand if they arrogantly hadn't left the subtitles off it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Nothing arrogant about doing that, just good business. The local DVD's were also labeled "For Sale Only In Thailand" or something like that. If they intended to release it in the english-speaking market overseas they didn't want cheap copies available with dubbed or subtitled english out prior to it's release. The epic Suryothai was the same, Subtitles in the cinema but not on the DVD. Ong Bak also got good reviews in Honolulu for the same reasons mentioned above, real stunts.

In my younger days I actually performed some of those same stunts myself. Only difference was that mine were done by accident and involved a large intake of alcohol. They also were the ones that involved falling, or getting knocked, down.

[devildog683]

hopefully it hits okinawa before i leave, if not, i'll have to pick it up in the states

incidentlly, i have met ong-bak, his home (a nice on at that) is not far from my wifes village and his aunt is a good friend of the family

Edited April 11, 2005 by devildog683

[Narachon]

Saw "Ong Bak" with some friends here in New York City over at the AMC Empire theater on 42nd street a few weeks ago when it opened. I've seen the movie before, but only on DVD, so it was a great experience seeing it on the big screen. Great action movie, it was well recieved here, my friends loved it! I predict Tony Jaa will have his much dreamed future in Holywood! (after all, Jackie Chan is over the hill, and Jet Li IS just getting old! )

After the movie was over, one of my friends asked me if "Thailand is really like that?"