Lights, Camera, Lots Of Action

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Lights, camera, lots of action

Published on December 22, 2005

The Thai movie industry heated up over the last year with some big earners and alternative cinema coming to the fore. It’s been high drama in the Thai movie industry this year, with the box office the scene of much laughter and torrents of tears. Sure-fire winners have fizzled and died, while low-cost losers have achieved better-than-expected results.

But there was one predictable success story - the spicy, no-wires, action-packed “Tom Yum Goong”, starring local hero Phanom “Jaa” Yeerum and produced by Thailand’s largest studio, Sahamongkol Film.

Everybody knew that “TYG” would be the 2005 box-office champ. And it won the title easily, grossing Bt300 million following its nationwide release in August.

And that was all profit. Director Prachya Pinkaew’s first movie, “Ong Bak”, and the popularity of its star - he’s “Tony Jaa” to the world -earned US$8 million (Bt320 million) from international sales before it even premiered here, more than recouping its Bt300million investment.

That’s not to say it was a brilliant movie. Critics panned the poor script and shallow acting, but audiences loved the action scenes, especially the spectacular stunts.

“I was confused too,” says Prachya. “On the one hand we had happy viewers, and on the other people complained about the script and other elements. But I believe we were successful.”

Another box-office smash was Phranakon Film’s “Luang Phee Theng” (“The Holy Man”), starring comedian Teng Therd-toeng. This simple but entertaining comedy was the second-biggest-grossing movie of the year with a cool Bt141 million in ticket revenues, and received similar feedback to RS Film’s “Phayak Rai Sai Naa” (“Dumber Heroes”), which earned more than Bt75 million.

In these stressed-out times, perhaps filmgoers really do prefer to be entertained by easy-to-understand plots, gags and escapism.

Miracle ‘Mum’

Also among the hit funny flicks was the first movie with an Isaan-dialect soundtrack, “Yam Yasothorn”, directed by and starring comedian Phetthai Wongkamlao, better known to his fans as Mum Jokmok.

Mum made his directorial debut last year with “Bodyguard Naa Liam” (“The Bodyguard”), in which he also starred, and “Yam Yasothorn” was even better received, raking in Bt100 million.

Mum was backed up by an experienced production team from Sahamongkol Film subsidiary Baa-Ram-Ewe, headed by Prachya.

Mum’s magic also rescued “Cherm” (“Midnight My Love”), a drama by Kongdet Jaturanrasmi produced by Sahamongkol. The slow-paced romantic drama did much better than expected, earning Bt35 million.

Mum’s obvious love and talent for directing has made him a favourite in the Sahamongkol movie empire, and head honcho Somsak Techarattanaprasert is apparently willing to approve any project he proposes.

Does Mum have the Midas touch? We’ll find out when the sequel to “Bodyguard Naa Liam” comes out next year.

Bittersweet Feelings

While a few filmmakers are rejoicing, many others are wondering where they went wrong.

The fact that movies made on low budgets and with loose scripts, among them “Suea Phookhao” (“In the Name of the Tiger”) and “Khon Horn Khee Ruean Nai Khuen Duean Siaw” (“Werewolf in Bangkok”), failed to attract today’s more sophisticated audiences seems to indicate that the industry is slowly becoming healthier.

“Film buffs can make a statement about what they want to see by being selective,” says director Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, who co-produced the hit romantic comedy “Puen Sanit”. “It’s up to the filmmakers to make it clear what kind of film they’re offering. A film can be successful if there’s a specific target audience and it communicates with that audience. Marketing is all-important.”

While it may not prove conclusively that Thai filmgoers are now more advanced in their preferences, the unexpected success of romantic comedy “Puen Sanit” (“Dear Dakanda”) certainly drives home the potential for more “feel-good” films - it grossed Bt81 million.

The movie not only smashed the record for Thai romantic comedies, it dispensed with the myth that Thai films of this genre always die at the box office. In fact, “Puen Sanit” did more than just set a new record: It also demonstrated that a critically acclaimed film doesn’t necessarily flop. For studio GTH, the success was a relief after the failure of this year’s big-budget releases, “Maha’Lai Muang Rae” (“The Tin Mine”) and “Wai Onlawon 4:Tum+Oh Returns” (“30 Years Later”).

Both were expected to do well - and both received glowing reviews.

“The Tin Mine”, by acclaimed director Jira Malikool and based on “Muang Rae”, a series of classic short stories by Ajin Panchabhan, was praised for its superb production and moral message.

“30 Years Later” was supposed to do well because it reunited the stars of a 1976 hit movie. Together, the two movies grossed less than half the money made by “Puen Sanit”.

Yet GTH didn’t suffer as badly as newcomer Matching Motion Pictures. Last year, its debut “Zee Oui” failed to make waves. This year its romantic comedy “Kor Koei Sanya” (“Promise Me Not”) did so badly that the studio was forced to temporarily close.

Room For Alternatives

While mainstream cinema saw modest growth of around Bt1.3 billion in total gross, alternative movies took a significant step forward. In a first for Thai cinema, Sahamongkol footed the bill for the documentary “Suea Ronghai” (“Crying Tiger”) to go on commercial release.

Despite flopping at the box office, the addition of documentaries to the cinema menu is encouraging to alternative filmmakers as well as fans.

GTH is currently making a documentary called “Final Score”, which covers 12 months in the life of a high-schooler as he prepares for his university entrance exams.

Doors have also opened for independent filmmakers outside the studio system. The documentary “Dek Toh” (“Innocence”) and the gay flick “Rainbow Boy the Movie” found viewers at House and Lido, respectively, as these two theatres became established venues for fans of alternative films.

“Movies like ‘Suea Ronghai’ and ‘Dek Toh’ may not have made money, but they did reach their target audiences,” says Yongyoot.

Director Pimpaka Towira agrees that alternative films face better prospects than they did even a year ago, but says there is still a major obstacle.

“These films need to be screened in the theatres. Without that channel, there is little chance.”

According to Pimpaka, far too many films fail to reach the cinemas. “The ones that are released in the theatres must have some special force behind them. For example, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s ‘Tropical Malady’ won an award at Cannes, so theatre operators and audiences were willing to paid attention to it.”

Looking Ahead

One of the most exciting films coming up next year is a Thai animation.

Kantana Animation plans to release “Kankluay” in March, more than 20 years after the success of Thailand’s first animation, Prayut Ngao-krachang’s “Sud Sakon”.

Animated by a team led by Komphin Kemkamnerd, whose portfolio includes Hollywood’s “Tarzan” and “The Ice Age”, the Bt100-million “Kankluay” is top quality.

Also in March, fans of critically celebrated director Pen-ek Ratanaruang will see his new “Invisible Wave”. The Pan Asian product is awaited eagerly at international festivals.

Four titles lined up for next year were rescheduled from 2005 by major studios: “Dek Hor” (“Dorm”) and “Mac Te” (“Lucky Loser”) from GTH and “13” and “Mee Joo” from Sahamongkol.

And Nonzee Nimibutr is scheduled to start work on his two episode mega-movie, the Bt200-million “Jone Salad Andaman” (“Queens of Pattani”).

Well-known producer-director Rachen Limtrakul, who made waves a decade ago with his directorial debut “Loke Thung Bai Hai Nai Khon Diaw” (“Romantic Blues”) recently called it quits with RS Film.

He’s now signed up Sahamongkol for his second movie, the Bt300-million epic “Hanuman”.

Last but not least, Tony Jaa and director Prachya are already in the production phase on their next potential blockbuster, “Daab Atamas”. The budget is projected to top the Bt300 million spent on “Tom Yam Goong”, and Prachya is taking no chances on the script.

He’s approached writer Prapas Chonsalanont for help with the project.

Parinyaporn Pajee,

Veena Thoopkrajae

The Nation