Thai Cinema: The Complete Guide

284 Pages·2018·7.814 MB·English

by  Mary J. Ainslie

Mary J. Ainslie is Assistant Professor of Film and Media at the University
of Nottingham; she is based at the university’s Ningbo campus in China.
Her research interests include Southeast Asian culture and media, in par-
ticular relating to Th ailand and Malaysia. She is the editor of a special
edition of the Horror Studies journal, as well as the collection Th e Korean
Wave in Southeast Asia: Consumption and Cultural Production (2015). She
is currently working on a project on the Southeast Asian gothic.
Katarzyna Ancuta is a lecturer at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, King
Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) in Th ailand. Her
research focuses on the multidisciplinary, contemporary gothic and horror
genre, currently with a strong Asian focus. Her recent publications include
chapters in A New Companion to the Gothic (2012), Globalgothic (2013),
Th e Cambridge Companion to the Modern Gothic (2014) and G host Movies
in Southeast Asia and Beyond (2016), as well as two co-edited special jour-
nal issues on Th ai (2014) and Southeast Asian (2015) horror fi lm.
‘ At last! A much-needed book of essays on contemporary Th ai cinema and
auteurs has arrived! Within, you’ll discover many fantastic and oft en polit-
ically subversive fi lms. Anyone with an interest in digital and cinematic
screen culture will fi nd these pages historically informative, imaginative
and thought-provoking.’
– Boreth Ly, University of California, Santa Cruz
Series Editors:
Lúcia Nagib, Professor of Film at the University of Reading
Julian Ross, Research Fellow at the University of Westminster
Advisory Board: Laura Mulvey (UK), Robert Stam (USA), Ismail Xavier
(Brazil), Dudley Andrew (USA)
Th e Tauris World Cinema Series aims to reveal and celebrate the richness and com-
plexity of fi lm art across the globe, exploring a wide variety of cinemas set within
their own cultures and as they interconnect in a global context. Th e books in the
series will represent innovative scholarship, in tune with the multicultural character
of contemporary audiences. Drawing upon an international authorship, they will
challenge outdated conceptions of world cinema, and provide new ways of under-
standing a fi eld at the centre of fi lm studies in an era of transnational networks.
Published and forthcoming in the World Th e Battle Lines of Beauty: Th e Politics, Aesthetics
Cinema series: and Erotics of West African Cinema
By James Stuart Williams
Allegory in Iranian Cinema: Th e Aesthetics
of Poetry and Resistance Brazil on Screen: Cinema Novo,
By Michelle Langford New Cinema, Utopia
By Lúcia Nagib
Animation in the Middle East: Practice
and Aesthetics from Baghdad to Th e Cinema of Jia Zhangke: Realism and
Casablanca Memory in Chinese Film
Edited by Stefanie Van de Peer By Cecília Mello
Basque Cinema: A Cultural and Political Th e Cinema of Sri Lanka: South Asian Film
History in Texts and Contexts
By Rob Stone and María Pilar Rodriguez By Ian Conrich and Vilasnee Tampoe-Hautin
Contemporary New Zealand Cinema: From On Cinema
New Wave to Blockbuster By Glauber Rocha
Edited by Ian Conrich and Stuart Murray Edited by Ismail Xavier
Contemporary Portuguese Cinema: Palestinian Filmmaking in Israel:
Globalising the Nation Narratives of Place and Identity
Edited by Mariana Liz By Yael Freidman
Cosmopolitan Cinema: Cross-cultural Performing Authorship: Self-inscription
Encounters in East Asian Film and Corporeality in the Cinema
By Felicia Chan By Cecilia Sayad
Documentary Cinema: Contemporary Queer Masculinities in Latin American
Non-fi ction Film and Video Worldwide Cinema: Male Bodies and Narrative
By Keith Beattie Representations
By Gustavo Subero
Documentary Cinema of Chile: Confronting
History, Memory, Trauma Realism in Greek Cinema: From the
By Antonio Traverso Post-war Period to the Present
By Vrasidas Karalis
East Asian Cinemas: Exploring
Transnational Connections on Film Realism of the Senses in World Cinema:
Edited by Leon Hunt and Leung Wing-Fai Th e Experience of Physical Reality
By Tiago de Luca
East Asian Film Noir: Transnational
Encounters and Intercultural Dialogue Th e Spanish Fantastic: Contemporary
Edited by Chi-Yun Shin and Mark Gallagher Filmmaking in Horror, Fantasy and Sci-fi
By Shelagh-Rowan Legg
Film Genres and African Cinema:
Postcolonial Encounters Stars in World Cinema: Screen Icons and
By Rachael Langford Star Systems Across Cultures
Edited by Andrea Bandhauer and
Impure Cinema: Intermedial and
Michelle Royer
Intercultural Approaches to Film
Edited by Lúcia Nagib and Anne Jerslev Th ai Cinema: Th e Complete Guide
Edited by Mary J. Ainslie and Katarzyna
Latin American Women Filmmakers:
Ancuta
Production, Politics, Poetics
Edited by Deborah Martin and Th eorizing World Cinema
Deborah Shaw Edited by Lúcia Nagib, Chris Perriam and
Rajinder Dudrah
Lebanese Cinema: Imagining the Civil War
and Beyond Viewing Film
By Lina Khatib By Donald Richie
New Argentine Cinema Queries, ideas and submissions to:
By Jens Andermann
Series Editor: Professor Lúcia Nagib –
New Directions in German Cinema [email protected]
Edited by Paul Cooke and Chris
Homewood Series Editor: Dr. Julian Ross –
[email protected]
New Turkish Cinema: Belonging, Identity
and Memory Cinema Editor at I.B.Tauris, Maddy Hamey-
By Asuman Suner Th omas – [email protected]
Thai Cinema
The Complete Guide
EDITED BY
MARY J. AINSLIE AND
KATARZYNA ANCUTA
Published in 2018 by
I.B.Tauris & Co. Ltd
London • New York
www.ibtauris.com
Copyright editorial selection © 2018 Mary J. Ainslie and Katarzyna Ancuta
Copyright individual chapters © Mary J. Ainslie, Katarzyna Ancuta, Patipat
Auprasert, Benjamin Baumann, Brian Bernards, Linnie Blake, Natalie Boehler,
Peter Braeunlein, Anchalee Chaiworaporn, Graiwoot Chulphongsathorn, Palita
Chunsaengchan, Chanokporn Chutikamoltham, Yossapol Chutipanyabut, Rayna
Denison, Brett Farmer, Arnika Fuhrmann, Jelka Günther, Andrew Hock Soon Ng,
Dredge Kang, Liew Kai Khiun, Adam Knee, Bogna M. Konior, Mikel J. Koven,
Kom Kunyosying, Pasoot Lasuka, Philippa Lovatt, Daniel Martin, Jovan Maud,
Natthanai Prasannam, Wikanda Promkhuntong, Raphael Raphael, Jesse Sessoms,
Sophia Siddique, Lalita Singhasri, Patsorn Sungsri, Rebecca Townsend,
Noah Viernes
Th e right of Mary J. Ainslie and Katarzyna Ancuta to be identifi ed as the editors
of this work has been asserted by the editors in accordance with the Copyright,
Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part
thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Every attempt has been made to gain permission for the use of the images in
this book. Any omissions will be rectifi ed in future editions.
References to websites were correct at the time of writing.
Tauris World Cinema Series
ISBN: 978 1 78831 141 0
eISBN: 978 1 83860 925 2
ePDF: 978 1 83860 926 9
A full CIP record for this book is available from the British Library
A full CIP record is available from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: available
Contents
List of Illustrations xiii
List of Contributors xv
Introduction 1
1 Key Directors 7
Nonzee Nimibutr 7
Ratana Pestonji 9
Prachya Pinkaew 11
Banjong Pisanthanakun 13
Pen- Ek Ratanaruang 14
Wisit Sasanatieng 16
Yuthlert Sippapak 17
Cherd Songsri 19
Apichatpong Weerasethakul 20
Chatrichalerm Yukol 23
2 Key Early Productions 27
Miss Suwanna of Siam / Nang Sao Suwan (1923) 29
Double Luck / Chok Song Chan (1927) 31
A Fable from an Uncle: Th e Magical Ring / Nithan
Khong Lung Rueang Waen Wiset (1929) 32
Th e King of the White Elephant / Phrachao
Changphueak (1940) 33
Santi- Vina (1954) 35
Country Hotel / Rong Raem Narok (1957) 37
Mae Nak Phra Khanong (1959) 38
Black Silk / Phrae Dam (1961) 39
Money Money Money / Ngoen Ngoen Ngoen (1965) 41
Sugar Is Not Sweet / Namtan Mai Wan (1965) 42
Ngu Phi (1966) 44
Pisat Saneha (1969) 45
vii
Contents
Monrak Lukthung (1970) 47
Golden Eagle / Insi Th ong (1970) 49
Tone (1970) 51
Ghost of Guts Eater / Krasue Sao (1973) 52
His Name Is Khan / Khao Chue Kan (1973) 54
Th e Scar / Phaenkao (1977) 55
Mountain People / Khon Phukao (1979) 56
Th e Adventure of Sudsakorn / Sudsakorn (1979) 58
Son of the Northeast / Luk Isan (1982) 59
Butterfl y and Flowers / Phisuea Lae Dokmai (1985) 60
Th e Elephant Keeper / Khon Liang Chang (1987) 62
Boonchu Phu Narak (1988) 63
Ban Phi Pop (1989) 64
Song of Chaophraya / Nong Mia (1990) 66
Somsri #422R (1992) 67
A Couple in Two Worlds / Khu Th ae Song Lok (1994) 68
Muen and Rid / Amdaeng Muean Kap Nai Rit (1994) 70
Red Bike Story / Chakkrayan Si Daeng (1997) 71
3 New Th ai Cinema 75
Fun Bar Karaoke / Fan Ba Karaoke (1997) 77
6ixtynin9 / Rueang Talok 69 (1999) 78
Tears of the Black Tiger / Fa Th alai Chon (2000) 80
Transistor Love Story / Monrak Transistor (2001) 81
Mekhong Full Moon Party / Sip Ha Kham Duean
Sip Et (2002) 83
Last Life in the Universe / Rueang Rak Noi Nit
Mahasan (2003) 85
Citizen Dog / Ma Nakhon (2004) 86
Invisible Waves / Khamphiphaksa Khong
Mahasamut (2006) 88
Ploy (2007) 89
4 Heritage / Nostalgia 93
Dang Bireley’s and Young Gangsters / 2499 Anthaphan
Khrong Mueang (1997) 94
Bang Rajan: Th e Legend of the Village Warriors /
Bang Rajan (2000) 95
Behind the Painting / Khanglang Phap (2001) 97
viii