Cinema of Siam/Thailand (1895-1990)
"The Land of Smiles"
The royal family took a notice of film when the Lumière Brothers were going around the world showing their work. Early movies in this country were various informational documentaries.
The first true movie with a narrative came out in 1923 called, Miss Suwanna of Siam. This movie has sadly been lost and only some stills remain.
Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness (1927) was an important movie. “Chang” is Thai for “elephant” and the national animal of the country. Before they made King Kong, the American filmmakers, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, came to direct this movie that has a man battling animals. Most things wouldn't fly today since real animals are killed on camera and animals are put in danger. Elephants have a stampede through a house, even. It went on to be one of the most popular movies of the late 1920s and was one of the few Hollywood movies to be shot on location at that time.
After the success of Chang, the country went into its “Golden Age”. Advancements in technology hit Thailand in the 30s and 40s when the “talkies”, color movies, and their love for musicals first hit.
During World War II, The King of the White Elephant (Vasudhara, 1940) had a message that stated that Thailand should be neutral. It is about the old Siam capital city of Ayutthaya being forced to go to war against Burma in the 16th century. Shortly after the movie was released, Japanese forced Thailand to be part of the Axis Powers.
After the war, the “Second Golden Age”, came with further advances in color and film stock. Rattana Pestonji became known as “the father of modern Thai cinema”. He was a cinematographer and director, who made it possible for Thailand to make movies that had the same quality as the big budget movies of the day from other countries.
Country Hotel (1957) was his first breakthrough since it was a thriller that was a hit with audiences. The whole movie takes place in the bar area of the hotel. People sing, fight, and we learn about the main character the more it goes along.
Black Silk (1961) is considered his opus. It was filmed in Cinemascope and revolutionized the way color was used with its vivid hues. Not the first noir from Thailand but the one that made the genre popular there since it deals with a man trying to pay off a loan by doing underhanded deeds and seeing the results of his actions. The movie does take place in Thailand so there are Buddhist elements. Pestonji wrote, directed, produced, edited, composed some of the music, and was the director of photography. It is still a favorite of modern Thai directors, such as, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang. Sadly, Pestonji died in 1970 while giving a speech.
Magical Love in the Countryside (Tassanapuk, 1970) was a substantial hit. Comedy in Thailand is very slap-sticky and this is no exception. Along with the comedy, there is a romance budding with a man who is poor and a woman who is rich. All set within the rural Isan region. This movie is probably most known for its musical segments that made the soundtrack a phenomenon, so much so, that this movie has been remade at least three times.
The Scar (1977) is perhaps the most celebrated Thai movie of the 20th century. The Scar is based on Thai folklore and, also, does resemble the plot of Romeo & Juliet. Set in 1930s, Bangkok, a young couple has to deal with their feuding families. It was shot on location. Cherd Songsri was the director of the movie and was not afraid to move the camera around using dolly shots. Songsri really wanted the audience to feel the hot Thai air and the immense river system that is present in Bangkok.
Butterfly and Flowers (Mukdasanit, 1985) takes place in the south of Thailand where there is a large Muslim population. We follow the children of a Muslim family as they lose their mother and their father is about to lose his job. The children try to help their father, especially, the one son who goes so far as to steal ice. It is a melodrama and a coming-of-age tale.
The Elephant Keeper (Yukol, 1987) is a movie about people destroying forests. As a result of people cutting down trees, the spirits of the elephants are becoming less and less. The elephants can't protect the forests anymore. A man wants to help the elephants and stop the illegal deforesting.
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