First Love | |
---|---|
Directed by | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn Wasin Pokpong |
Produced by | Somsak Tejcharattanaprasert Panya Nirankol |
Written by | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn Wasin Pokpong Voraluk Klasukon |
Starring | Mario Maurer Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul |
Cinematography | Reungwit Ramasudh |
Distributed by | Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd. Workpoint Entertainment |
| |
118 minutes | |
Country | Thailand |
Language | Thai |
Box office | ฿85,037,300[1] |
First Love, also known as Crazy Little Thing Called Love,[2] (Thai: สิ่งเล็กเล็ก ที่เรียกว่า..รัก, Sing lek lek thi riak wa.. rak Elder scrolls skyrim nexus. , lit. 'A Little Thing Called Love') is a 2010 Thai romantic comedy film and also a 2011 Asian sleeper hit film starring Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul. The story depicts love in the eye of young people who first experience it and how it affects their lives and their inspirations.
Plot[edit]
Nam is a bespectacled, swarthy girl who has a crush on P'Shone (also known as Shone), a popular student in her high school, but she feels that he is too handsome for her. Helped by her three friends, Nam follows the advice of the guidebook Nine Recipes of Love, which supposedly has the magical power to win affection from the boy of choice. The nine steps require Nam to beautify herself by switching her glasses with contacts, wearing teeth braces, and whitening her skin, as well as secretly leaving a chocolate cake inside Shone's motorbike, though all of them seems futile in attracting his attention. Nam also has an additional pursuit of going to the United States, where her father works; he promises to Nam and her sister a plane ticket for whoever gets the top grade in school.
After getting into a fight with the influential Faye, Nam and her friends are unable to enter the Thai dance club and forced to register in the unpopular English drama club for the school fair. Nam is selected to play Snow White in the titular play, while Shone works as a stage painter. Thanks to the drama, Nam instantly becomes a hot issue within the school, and her popularity further explodes when she is chosen as the drum major of the school parade.
During the second year, Shone's childhood friend, Top, transfers to the school. He falls in love at first sight with Nam and declares his love for her. The shocked Nam does not respond for fear of hurting him, so Top thinks that she accepts the confession. Nam is uncomfortable with the situation, especially when Top kisses her suddenly when the two are attending a friend's birthday party, during which Top shares the story about a promise he made with Shone: that they would never like the same girl. Meanwhile, Nam's increasingly close relationship with Top, Shone, and their associates has distanced her from her three old friends; the four barely talk with each other anymore as they enter their third year.
Unable to repress her emotions, Nam breaks up with Top shortly before the finals, in which she ranks first, making her able to settle in the United States. She then has a tearful reconciliation with her old friends, who help her to do the '10th recipe' of the love guidebook: direct confession. However, to her dismay, Shone reveals that he is dating Pin, a mutual friend. That night, Shone comes home to find out that he is accepted into a trainee program in a professional soccer team, and has to leave for the camp the following morning. He goes into his room and takes out a diary containing all of Nam's photos; Shone has always loved Nam, even before her transformation, but never manages to gain the courage to confess. He leaves the diary in front of Nam's house; at the same time, Nam is shown mourning his rejection in her bedroom.
Nine years later, Nam and Shone have become successful fashion designer and photographer, respectively. Nam returns to Thailand to attend a variety show. She gets a surprise visit by Shone, who reveals that he has been waiting for her after all those years.
Cast[edit]
- Mario Maurer as Shone, a 10th grade boy who is a star of the school. He is a son of a retired soccer player of the town who missed his penalty shot which costs the team their national champion title. From that incident, Shone is frequently teased as 'the boy whose father missed the penalty shot'. Shone nevertheless plays soccer at school although he refuses to shoot any penalty shot and thus is not part of the school team despite his high skills. Shone's other interest is photography; he is good enough to win a contest.
- Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul as Nam, a 7th grade girl with dark skin, thick glasses, and a school-conformed haircut. She lives with her mother and a younger sister, and helps her mother manage a B&B while her father is working in the States as a Thai cook to support their family. Nam hangs out with three close friends; they are often considered as an unattractive girl group in the school. Nam places average in her class rank; the only subject she is good at is English.
- Sudarat Butrprom as Teacher Inn, an English teacher in Nam's class who is fighting with Teacher Orn for the heart of Teacher Pon. She is also a caretaker of the school's English drama club, albeit its low popularity among students. She seems to be close to the superintendent that he tasked her to find a replacement drum major, where she chooses Nam. She eventually found love at the end of the story with the new P.E. teacher, after Teacher Pon left the school.
- Tangi Namonto as Teacher Pon, a P.E. teacher and the coach of the school's soccer team. He is pursued by both Teacher Inn and Teacher Orn, although he seems to show no preference between the two.
- Pijitra Siriwerapan as Teacher Orn, a caretaker of the school's Thai dance club, which is very popular among female students and is believed to be the pool of all pretty girls in school. She, like Teacher Inn, seems to be flirting with Teacher Pon although she chooses a more subtle way.
- Acharanat Ariyaritwikol as Top, a new student who enters the school midyear of the 11th grade. He is a childhood friend of Shone. Top instantly replaces Shone as the new star of the school because of his good looks. He is attracted to Nam and decides to ask her out. After Nam breaks up with him, he makes Shone promise not to pursue her.
- Kachamat Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn as Pin, Shone's female classmate and in the same circle of friends. She is appointed as a makeup artist for the English drama club, where she successfully beautify Nam for the school play, Snow White. She once helps prevent Nam from Faye's fish sauce-infused Coca-Cola trap. Pin remains close friend with Shone after high school: he helps her take care of her baby son.
- Yanika Thongprayoon as Faye, Nam's archenemy. She considered herself a pretty girl and is also pursuing Shone based on the fact that he is a star of the school. However, Pin told Shone about her scheme on Nam and she later pursues Top instead.
- Front Montgomery as Shone's mother, a soccer mother, married to her husband played by the director of the movie. She encourages her son to play real soccer, and later supports her husband (Former soccer star) through grieving.
Releases[edit]
Opening on Thailand's Queen's Birthday/Mother's Day holiday weekend of August 12–15, First Love was in third place behind the slapstick monastic comedy Luangphee Teng 3 and Toy Story 3, but rose to second place the following weekend. At last count, First Love had earned around $2.6 million (70+ million baht), higher than expected.[according to whom?]
It was initially televised on ABS-CBN, dubbed in Filipino (Tagalog) on June 5, 2011, and was replayed on June 20 and October 28. The movie re-aired on its movie cable network during the thanksgiving season due to viewers requests at 8pm. It was shown again on March 30, 2012 and June 9, 2012 under free movie block Kapamilya Blockbusters. The full and uncut scenes are aired on its subsidiary network and Filipino-Asian Blockbuster Movie Network on Cable Cinema One.
The movie was released in Shanghai for the 2011 Shanghai International Film Festivals.
Soundtracks[edit]
- 'Someday', sung by Marisa Sukosol Numphakdi
- 'A Little Thing Called Love', sung by Wan Thanakrit
- 'Because of My Heart', sung by Chick Whantana
- 'Someday I'll Be Good Enough', sung by Bodyslam
- 'The Star', sung by Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul
- 'Day, Month, Year (DMY)', sung by Kachamat Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn
Reception[edit]
The film received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, despite the average budget.[citation needed] In Thailand, the film placed in 3rd place from its weekend gross in almost a hundred cinemas in Thailand, and then up to 2nd place on the next weekend behind Kuan Mun Ho.[citation needed] The other two movies (including Toy Story 3) simultaneously released with First Love dropped to 3rd and 4th respectively.[citation needed] The film managed to maintain its position in 3rd place the following weekends and stayed inside the top 5 for six consecutive weeks.[citation needed] The film was shown in cinemas for nearly ten weeks (until October 2010), making it one of the longest running movies in the history of Thai cinema.[citation needed] The film grossed a total of $2,659,443, becoming the second highest grossing locally produced film in Thailand.[citation needed]
By early 2011, copies of the film were uploaded on the Internet, with several other countries applying for screening rights.[citation needed]
In the Philippines, the movie made an impact to viewers after it was dubbed in Filipino and shown on free TV on June 5, 2011 on ABS-CBN. It dominated the daytime viewership ratings,[3][4] Just 2 weeks after it was first shown on free TV, on June 20, the film repeated in an afternoon slot. The movie block time slot got the highest rating compared to other programs.[citation needed]
Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, the main stars of the movie, arrived in the Philippines together on August 3, 2013 for their fan conferences on the following day for their endorsement of a local clothing brand.[citation needed]
Due to the film's success in the Philippines, Star Cinema produced and released the Filipino romantic comedy film Suddenly It's Magic which starred Erich Gonzales, Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul.[citation needed]
Accolades[edit]
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Top Awards | Best Movie of the Year | First Love | Won |
Best Film Director | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn & Wasin Pokpong | Nominated | ||
Favorite Film Actor | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
Favorite Film Rising Star Female | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
Best Supporting Actress | Sudarat Budtporm | Won | ||
8th Starpics Thai Film Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
19th Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Best-Looking Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
Star Entertainment Awards | Best Actress | Sudarat Budtporm | Won | |
Favorite Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
2011 | 8th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Actress Excellent (Movie) | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated |
3rd Okinawa International Movie Festival | Laugh Category Uminchu Prize Grand Prix | First Love | Won | |
Thailand Film Festival Awards | Film of the Year | Won | ||
Actress in a Leading Role | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
Music Field from the Motion Picture of the Year | First Love | Nominated | ||
20th Supanahongsa Awards | Best Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | |
Outstanding Music Composition Award | Ground Music | Nominated | ||
Music Excellence Award | First Love | Nominated | ||
MThai Top Talk Awards | Top Talk-About Movie | Won | ||
Star Couple for 2011 | Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
21st Thailand National Film Association Awards | Best Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | |
Best Original Song | First Love | Nominated | ||
13th Udine Far East Film Festival | Technicolor Asia Award | Won | ||
Siam Dara Star Awards | Best Film | Nominated | ||
Best Director | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn & Wasin Pokpong | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Film Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | ||
Rising Star Award for Best Woman Actress | Nominated | |||
Seventeen Choice Awards | Hottest Man | Mario Maurer | Nominated |
Thailand Beach Wedding
Sequel[edit]
In 2012, it has been announced that First Love will have its sequel and will be produced by the same team however, there are no further announcements yet regarding about the said sequel.
References[edit]
- ^'Box office by Country: First LoveBox Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04
- ^According to film credits.
- ^Santiago, Erwin (7 June 2011). 'AGB Nielsen Mega Manila People Ratings (June 3–6): Mara Clara ends on top; Amaya prevails over Guns and Roses'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^Santiago, Erwin (7 June 2011). 'Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (June 3–6): Mara Clara posts its highest rating ever; Guns and Roses debuts strongly'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
External links[edit]
- First Love (A Little Thing Called Love) on IMDb
- A Little Thing Called Love (Sing lek lek tee reak wa rak) at Rotten Tomatoes
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Love_(2010_Thai_film)&oldid=874987261'
First Love | |
---|---|
Directed by | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn Wasin Pokpong |
Produced by | Somsak Tejcharattanaprasert Panya Nirankol |
Written by | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn Wasin Pokpong Voraluk Klasukon |
Starring | Mario Maurer Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul |
Cinematography | Reungwit Ramasudh |
Distributed by | Sahamongkol Film International Co. Ltd. Workpoint Entertainment |
| |
118 minutes | |
Country | Thailand |
Language | Thai |
Box office | ฿85,037,300[1] |
First Love, also known as Crazy Little Thing Called Love,[2] (Thai: สิ่งเล็กเล็ก ที่เรียกว่า..รัก, Sing lek lek thi riak wa.. rak, lit. 'A Little Thing Called Love') is a 2010 Thai romantic comedy film and also a 2011 Asian sleeper hit film starring Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul. The story depicts love in the eye of young people who first experience it and how it affects their lives and their inspirations.
Plot[edit]
Nam is a bespectacled, swarthy girl who has a crush on P'Shone (also known as Shone), a popular student in her high school, but she feels that he is too handsome for her. Helped by her three friends, Nam follows the advice of the guidebook Nine Recipes of Love, which supposedly has the magical power to win affection from the boy of choice. The nine steps require Nam to beautify herself by switching her glasses with contacts, wearing teeth braces, and whitening her skin, as well as secretly leaving a chocolate cake inside Shone's motorbike, though all of them seems futile in attracting his attention. Nam also has an additional pursuit of going to the United States, where her father works; he promises to Nam and her sister a plane ticket for whoever gets the top grade in school.
After getting into a fight with the influential Faye, Nam and her friends are unable to enter the Thai dance club and forced to register in the unpopular English drama club for the school fair. Nam is selected to play Snow White in the titular play, while Shone works as a stage painter. Thanks to the drama, Nam instantly becomes a hot issue within the school, and her popularity further explodes when she is chosen as the drum major of the school parade.
Thailand Wedding Ceremony
During the second year, Shone's childhood friend, Top, transfers to the school. He falls in love at first sight with Nam and declares his love for her. The shocked Nam does not respond for fear of hurting him, so Top thinks that she accepts the confession. Nam is uncomfortable with the situation, especially when Top kisses her suddenly when the two are attending a friend's birthday party, during which Top shares the story about a promise he made with Shone: that they would never like the same girl. Meanwhile, Nam's increasingly close relationship with Top, Shone, and their associates has distanced her from her three old friends; the four barely talk with each other anymore as they enter their third year.
Unable to repress her emotions, Nam breaks up with Top shortly before the finals, in which she ranks first, making her able to settle in the United States. She then has a tearful reconciliation with her old friends, who help her to do the '10th recipe' of the love guidebook: direct confession. However, to her dismay, Shone reveals that he is dating Pin, a mutual friend. That night, Shone comes home to find out that he is accepted into a trainee program in a professional soccer team, and has to leave for the camp the following morning. He goes into his room and takes out a diary containing all of Nam's photos; Shone has always loved Nam, even before her transformation, but never manages to gain the courage to confess. He leaves the diary in front of Nam's house; at the same time, Nam is shown mourning his rejection in her bedroom.
Nine years later, Nam and Shone have become successful fashion designer and photographer, respectively. Nam returns to Thailand to attend a variety show. She gets a surprise visit by Shone, who reveals that he has been waiting for her after all those years.
Cast[edit]
- Mario Maurer as Shone, a 10th grade boy who is a star of the school. He is a son of a retired soccer player of the town who missed his penalty shot which costs the team their national champion title. From that incident, Shone is frequently teased as 'the boy whose father missed the penalty shot'. Shone nevertheless plays soccer at school although he refuses to shoot any penalty shot and thus is not part of the school team despite his high skills. Shone's other interest is photography; he is good enough to win a contest.
- Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul as Nam, a 7th grade girl with dark skin, thick glasses, and a school-conformed haircut. She lives with her mother and a younger sister, and helps her mother manage a B&B while her father is working in the States as a Thai cook to support their family. Nam hangs out with three close friends; they are often considered as an unattractive girl group in the school. Nam places average in her class rank; the only subject she is good at is English.
- Sudarat Butrprom as Teacher Inn, an English teacher in Nam's class who is fighting with Teacher Orn for the heart of Teacher Pon. She is also a caretaker of the school's English drama club, albeit its low popularity among students. She seems to be close to the superintendent that he tasked her to find a replacement drum major, where she chooses Nam. She eventually found love at the end of the story with the new P.E. teacher, after Teacher Pon left the school.
- Tangi Namonto as Teacher Pon, a P.E. teacher and the coach of the school's soccer team. He is pursued by both Teacher Inn and Teacher Orn, although he seems to show no preference between the two.
- Pijitra Siriwerapan as Teacher Orn, a caretaker of the school's Thai dance club, which is very popular among female students and is believed to be the pool of all pretty girls in school. She, like Teacher Inn, seems to be flirting with Teacher Pon although she chooses a more subtle way.
- Acharanat Ariyaritwikol as Top, a new student who enters the school midyear of the 11th grade. He is a childhood friend of Shone. Top instantly replaces Shone as the new star of the school because of his good looks. He is attracted to Nam and decides to ask her out. After Nam breaks up with him, he makes Shone promise not to pursue her.
- Kachamat Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn as Pin, Shone's female classmate and in the same circle of friends. She is appointed as a makeup artist for the English drama club, where she successfully beautify Nam for the school play, Snow White. She once helps prevent Nam from Faye's fish sauce-infused Coca-Cola trap. Pin remains close friend with Shone after high school: he helps her take care of her baby son.
- Yanika Thongprayoon as Faye, Nam's archenemy. She considered herself a pretty girl and is also pursuing Shone based on the fact that he is a star of the school. However, Pin told Shone about her scheme on Nam and she later pursues Top instead.
- Front Montgomery as Shone's mother, a soccer mother, married to her husband played by the director of the movie. She encourages her son to play real soccer, and later supports her husband (Former soccer star) through grieving.
Releases[edit]
Opening on Thailand's Queen's Birthday/Mother's Day holiday weekend of August 12–15, First Love was in third place behind the slapstick monastic comedy Luangphee Teng 3 and Toy Story 3, but rose to second place the following weekend. At last count, First Love had earned around $2.6 million (70+ million baht), higher than expected.[according to whom?]
It was initially televised on ABS-CBN, dubbed in Filipino (Tagalog) on June 5, 2011, and was replayed on June 20 and October 28. The movie re-aired on its movie cable network during the thanksgiving season due to viewers requests at 8pm. It was shown again on March 30, 2012 and June 9, 2012 under free movie block Kapamilya Blockbusters. The full and uncut scenes are aired on its subsidiary network and Filipino-Asian Blockbuster Movie Network on Cable Cinema One.
The movie was released in Shanghai for the 2011 Shanghai International Film Festivals.
Soundtracks[edit]
- 'Someday', sung by Marisa Sukosol Numphakdi
- 'A Little Thing Called Love', sung by Wan Thanakrit
- 'Because of My Heart', sung by Chick Whantana
- 'Someday I'll Be Good Enough', sung by Bodyslam
- 'The Star', sung by Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul
- 'Day, Month, Year (DMY)', sung by Kachamat Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn
Reception[edit]
The film received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences, despite the average budget.[citation needed] In Thailand, the film placed in 3rd place from its weekend gross in almost a hundred cinemas in Thailand, and then up to 2nd place on the next weekend behind Kuan Mun Ho.[citation needed] The other two movies (including Toy Story 3) simultaneously released with First Love dropped to 3rd and 4th respectively.[citation needed] The film managed to maintain its position in 3rd place the following weekends and stayed inside the top 5 for six consecutive weeks.[citation needed] The film was shown in cinemas for nearly ten weeks (until October 2010), making it one of the longest running movies in the history of Thai cinema.[citation needed] The film grossed a total of $2,659,443, becoming the second highest grossing locally produced film in Thailand.[citation needed]
By early 2011, copies of the film were uploaded on the Internet, with several other countries applying for screening rights.[citation needed]
In the Philippines, the movie made an impact to viewers after it was dubbed in Filipino and shown on free TV on June 5, 2011 on ABS-CBN. It dominated the daytime viewership ratings,[3][4] Just 2 weeks after it was first shown on free TV, on June 20, the film repeated in an afternoon slot. The movie block time slot got the highest rating compared to other programs.[citation needed]
Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul, the main stars of the movie, arrived in the Philippines together on August 3, 2013 for their fan conferences on the following day for their endorsement of a local clothing brand.[citation needed]
Due to the film's success in the Philippines, Star Cinema produced and released the Filipino romantic comedy film Suddenly It's Magic which starred Erich Gonzales, Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul.[citation needed]
Accolades[edit]
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Top Awards | Best Movie of the Year | First Love | Won |
Best Film Director | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn & Wasin Pokpong | Nominated | ||
Favorite Film Actor | Mario Maurer | Won | ||
Favorite Film Rising Star Female | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
Best Supporting Actress | Sudarat Budtporm | Won | ||
8th Starpics Thai Film Awards | Best Actress | Won | ||
19th Bangkok Critics Assembly Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Won | ||
Best-Looking Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
Star Entertainment Awards | Best Actress | Sudarat Budtporm | Won | |
Favorite Actor | Mario Maurer | Nominated | ||
2011 | 8th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Actress Excellent (Movie) | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated |
3rd Okinawa International Movie Festival | Laugh Category Uminchu Prize Grand Prix | First Love | Won | |
Thailand Film Festival Awards | Film of the Year | Won | ||
Actress in a Leading Role | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
Music Field from the Motion Picture of the Year | First Love | Nominated | ||
20th Supanahongsa Awards | Best Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | |
Outstanding Music Composition Award | Ground Music | Nominated | ||
Music Excellence Award | First Love | Nominated | ||
MThai Top Talk Awards | Top Talk-About Movie | Won | ||
Star Couple for 2011 | Mario Maurer and Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Won | ||
21st Thailand National Film Association Awards | Best Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | |
Best Original Song | First Love | Nominated | ||
13th Udine Far East Film Festival | Technicolor Asia Award | Won | ||
Siam Dara Star Awards | Best Film | Nominated | ||
Best Director | Puttipong Pormsaka Na-Sakonnakorn & Wasin Pokpong | Nominated | ||
Outstanding Film Actress | Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul | Nominated | ||
Rising Star Award for Best Woman Actress | Nominated | |||
Seventeen Choice Awards | Hottest Man | Mario Maurer | Nominated |
Sequel[edit]
In 2012, it has been announced that First Love will have its sequel and will be produced by the same team however, there are no further announcements yet regarding about the said sequel.
References[edit]
- ^'Box office by Country: First LoveBox Office Mojo. Retrieved 2012-06-04
- ^According to film credits.
- ^Santiago, Erwin (7 June 2011). 'AGB Nielsen Mega Manila People Ratings (June 3–6): Mara Clara ends on top; Amaya prevails over Guns and Roses'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
- ^Santiago, Erwin (7 June 2011). 'Kantar Media-TNS National Household Ratings (June 3–6): Mara Clara posts its highest rating ever; Guns and Roses debuts strongly'. Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
External links[edit]
- First Love (A Little Thing Called Love) on IMDb
- A Little Thing Called Love (Sing lek lek tee reak wa rak) at Rotten Tomatoes
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=First_Love_(2010_Thai_film)&oldid=874987261'
Cinema of Thailand |
---|
List of Thai films |
Actors |
Actresses |
Film directors |
Cinemas in Thailand |
Films shot in Thailand |
'James Bond Island', in Phang Nga Bay, featured in The Man with the Golden Gun.
- This is a list of foreign films shot in Thailand. See also: List of Thai films
Dozens of foreign films have been shot in Thailand, with the kingdom either playing itself or standing in for a neighboring country, such as Vietnam or Cambodia.
The availability of elephants, exotic jungle and beach settings, relatively low production costs, and a mature domestic film industry that provides a legion of experienced crew members, have made Thailand an attractive location for many Hollywood films and other foreign productions.
Films set in Thailand include Around the World in 80 Days, The Big Boss, The Man with the Golden Gun and The Beach. And Thailand has been used as a stand-in setting for such Vietnam War-era films as The Deer Hunter, Good Morning, Vietnam, Casualties of War and The Killing Fields.
In addition to providing work for Thai film crews and extras (including the Royal Thai Army), films that use Thailand as a location help Thailand promote itself as a tourist destination. As a result, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is keenly interested in attracting production companies to make films in the Kingdom.
However, over the months, the locations of some films have been criticized as being harmful to the environment. The island used to depict villain's hideout in The Man with the Golden Gun is now a major draw for tourism operators in Phuket's Phang Nga Bay. Environmentalists also protested the filming of The Beach, in which the film crew made alterations to the location that were viewed as damaging.
- 2List of foreign films shot in Thailand
History[edit]
Hollywood has played an important role in the development of Thailand's film industry. One of the first feature films made in Thailand, 1923's Miss Suwanna of Siam, was a Hollywood co-production, made with the royal assistance of King Vajiravudh, who gave the production free use of his 52 automobiles, 600 horses, use of the Royal Thai Navy, the Grand Palace, the railways, the rice mills, rice fields, coconut groves, canals and elephants.
The 1927 documentary, Chang, by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, was made in Thailand.
In recent years, even the Bollywood film industry has chosen Thailand as location.
For 2005, the Thailand Film Office reported that 497 films and productions earned 1.14 billion baht, a jump from the 441 films and productions that earned 1.13 billion baht in 2004. The line-up in 2005 included 248 documentaries, 188 commercials, 21 feature films, 13 TV series and 27 music videos. The leading foreign films made on location were Japanese, with 161 productions, followed by Europe with 105, the US with 23 and Australia with 20.[1]
List of foreign films shot in Thailand[edit]
1920s–1970s[edit]
- Nangsao Suwan (Suvarna of Siam) (1922-US): Directed by Henry MacRae. A love story with a Thai cast. The film has been lost; only a few stills survive.[2]
- Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness (1927-US) – Directors Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack were assisted by Prince Yugala Dighambara in the production of their silent docudrama about a family of subsistence farmers living in the jungle, battling elephants, tigers and other animals. Among the cast is a gibbon named Bimbo.
- A Handful of Rice (1940-Sweden): Portrays Thailand's rural life in docudrama form.[2]
- Yutthana Siriporn (1963-Germany): Depicts urban life in Bangkok in the early-1960s and examines a Buddhist rite.[2]
- Around the World in Eighty Days (1956) – Director Michael Todd was able to borrow one of the royal barges of King Bhumibol Adulyadej when the production was in Bangkok.
- The Ugly American (1963) – Thai statesman Kukrit Pramoj appeared on screen with Marlon Brando, portraying the prime minister of the fictional Southeast Asian country of Sarkhan. He was later elected Prime Minister of Thailand, serving in office in 1975-1976.
- The Big Boss (1971) – Chinese American martial artist and Jeet Kune Do founder Bruce Lee portrays Cheng Chao-An, a young fighter from Guangdong who emigrates to Thailand to be with his expatriate family and finds a job working in an ice factory; it soon turns out that said factory is actually a disguise for a drug operation, and Cheng soon finds himself having to fight for his life. After the original 1971 premiere, Hong Kong censors demanded that some of the footage be trimmed, including more graphic violence, and an entire sequence in which Cheng visits a whorehouse and makes love to a Thai prostitute (also featuring Lee's only implied nude scene in his career). The missing footage has been rumored to still exist.
- Duel of Fists (1971) – David Chiang travels to Bangkok looking for his long-lost brother (Ti Lung), who's a muay Thai boxer in this Shaw Brothers Studio film by Chang Cheh. Pawana Chanachit co-starred as a love interest for Chiang's character. Locations include the Dusit Thani Hotel on Rama IV Road, long before overpass bridges and the Bangkok Skytrain were built, as well as the Siam Intercontinental, since razed to make way for Siam Paragon.
- Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973)Produced and Directed by MGR, a Tamil movie released in 1973 has scenes in Bangkok and especially in Dusit Thani Hotel, Bangkok.
- Emmanuelle (1974) – Filmed around Bangkok
- The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) – Filmed around Bangkok and Phang Nga Bay near Phuket. Bond attended a boxing match at Ratchadamnoen Boxing Stadium in Pom Prap Sattru Phai District. One of the islands seen in the film is known as Nail Island. It is the hideout of Scaramanga (Christopher Lee) and is now known as 'James Bond Island'.
- The Deer Hunter (1978) – The Russian roulette bar scene was shot in Patpong, while the POW camp was in Sai Yok, Kanchanaburi Province.
1980s[edit]
- Uncommon Valor (1983) - set in Laos but filmed partly in Bangkok - Laos scenery was filmed in Hawaii.
- The Killing Fields (1984) – Locations in Hua Hin and Phuket stood in for Khmer Rouge-era Cambodia. Actor Spalding Gray recounts the film's shoot in his monologue, Swimming to Cambodia.
- Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) – Sylvester Stallone's super soldier goes to Vietnam (actually Thailand) looking for his POW buddies. Followed by Rambo III', set in Afghanistan but partially shot in Thailand.
- Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) – Thai actressJintara Sukapat portrayed the love interest for Robin Williams' character. Filmed on location in Bangkok (standing in for pre-1975 Saigon).
- Off Limits (1988) – Christopher Crowe's Vietnam War crime thriller featured Willem Dafoe and Gregory Hines. The film is also known as Saigon.
- Casualties of War (1989) – Brian De Palma's Vietnam War saga was filmed around Phuket and Kanchanaburi.
- Kickboxer (1989): Jean-Claude Van Damme Movie about a Westerner who learns muay Thai.
1990s[edit]
- Air America (1990) – Mae Hong Son Province in northern Thailand stands in for Secret War-era Laos. The film later attracted tourism to the region and was featured on the cover of Conde Nast Traveller in May 1993.
- Heaven & Earth (1993) – Oliver Stone's Vietnam War-era drama was made in Thailand.
- Operation Dumbo Drop (1995) – Walt Disney Pictures' Vietnam War comedy-drama features Thai elephants.
- Cutthroat Island (1995) – Renny Harlin's swashbuckler was filmed on location in Maya Bay, which would later be used for The Beach.
- Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) – Tony Jaa worked as a stunt double and went on to become a major Thai action star. Filming was in historic old Ayutthaya, where a minor stir was caused when scantily-clad foreign women were filmed dancing on top of some sacred ruins. Mortal Kombat (1995) also was made in Thailand, around Sukhothai historical park. The opening and closing scenes in Mortal Kombat are also filmed in Ayutthaya.
- Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) – Another Bond film and another Bond. Michelle Yeoh co-stars, as Bangkok stands in for Ho Chi Minh City. Scaramanga's island is seen, as Phang Nga Bay substitutes for Halong Bay, Vietnam. Production crew originally were destined to film in Vietnam but were denied where Thailand was chosen as an alternate location.
- 'Brokedown Palace' (1999) -Clair Danes and Kate Beckinsale are arrested for smuggling while visiting Thailand, parts shot in Bangkok and the Bangkok airport.
2000-2003[edit]
- The Beach (2000) – Environmentalists protested the film because the production crew altered the beach of Ko Phi Phi Leh. A 2006 court ruling held that 20th Century Fox was among the parties responsible for damages.[3]
- In the Mood for Love (2000) – Wong Kar-wai's love story starring Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu Wai is set in 1960s Hong Kong but exterior scenes were filmed in Bangkok.
![Film thailand wedding love songs Film thailand wedding love songs](/uploads/1/2/3/7/123719730/683080851.jpg)
- City of Ghosts (2002) – Matt Dillon's noirish thriller was set in Cambodia and mostly filmed there, but some scenes were shot in Thailand, and many of the crew were Thai people.
- The Medallion (2003) – Jackie Chan's action picture was filmed in Thailand under the working title, Highbinders.
- Belly of the Beast (2003) – Steven Seagal portrays a former CIA agent who searches in Thailand for his kidnapped daughter. Co-stars Thai actors Sarah Malakul, Pongpat Wachirabanjong and Chakrit Yamnam.[4]
2004[edit]
- 2046 – Wong Kar-wai's follow-up to In the Mood for Love was filmed partially in Bangkok, and the film underwent post-production processing at Bangkok's Kantana Group labs, where the director made last-minute edits to the film before delivering it late to the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
- Two Brothers – This family-friendly story about two tigers had some scenes made in Samut Prakan Province, at a tourist site called Mueang Boran (Ancient City), which has scaled-down replicas of many of Thailand's important structures. The tigers used in the film were from the Si Racha Tiger Zoo near Pattaya. The film was set in neighboring Cambodia, and many locations were used there was well.
- Alexander – Oliver Stone's epic starring Colin Farrell as Alexander the Great was filmed along the Mekong in northeastern Ubon Ratchathani Province and in Saraburi Province. Royal Thai Army soldiers were used as extras. Thai actors Bin Bunluerit and Jaran Ngamdee portrayed an Indian king and an Indian prince respectively.
- Around the World in 80 Days – This Jackie Chan/Steve Coogan remake of the 1956 film was also filmed in Thailand, with scenes shot in Krabi that were meant to take place in a rural village in China. Sammo Hung makes an appearance as Wong Fei Hung.
- Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason – Made in Bangkok and Phuket, including Bangkok's Soi Cowboy. Tabloid reports that Hugh Grant was chased by bargirls were false.
2005[edit]
- Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005): The approach to Kashyyyk, the Wookiee homeworld, was filmed around Krabi Province by Santa Film International.[5]
- Stealth (2005): Jamie Foxx, Jessica Biel, and Josh Lucas portray high-tech US Navy aviators. Rest and relaxation scenes are set in Thailand and were filmed on The Beach island, Ko Phi Phi Leh. Neighboring Myanmar is the setting for a missile target, but those scenes were filmed in Australia.
- Blackbeard (2005): With Angus Macfadyen, Stacy Keach, Richard Chamberlain, and Rachel Ward, was filmed in Surat Thani and Nakorn Si Thammarat by Living Films. The story depicts the exploits of English pirate Edward Teach, better known as Captain Blackbeard. Blackbeard roamed the Caribbean in the 18th century. The swashbuckling adventure story appears to take place primarily in the Caribbean city of New Providence in 1717.
2006[edit]
- Journey from the Fall: Unable to make his film at home, Vietnamese director Ham Tran came to Thailand to make his drama about Vietnam's re-education camps and the experience of boat people.
- Tsunami: The Aftermath (2006): The HBO-BBC joint production came to Phuket in April–June 2006 to film a mini-series about the 26 December 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the resulting tsunami that hit Thailand's Andaman coastline.
2007[edit]
- American Gangster (2007-US): Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe, the story of an American heroinsmuggler was filmed in November 2006 in Chiang Mai.[6][7]
- Croc (2007): This Thai Occidental Productions movie about a large man-eating crocodile, was filmed in Thailand in 2006. Michael Madsen, who plays a crocodile hunter in the film, was in Thailand for the filming. The movie has played on Sky One in the UK, the Sci Fi Channel (United States) channel in the US, and Star Movies in Asia.
- Rambo (2007-US): Sylvester Stallone returned to Thailand to make the fourth installment in his Rambo franchise, directing and starring as the Vietnam War veteran who takes on a mission to protect Christian missionaries delivering aid to the Karen people in Myanmar. Filming was due to start in January 2007.[8][9]
- Rescue Dawn (2007): Werner Herzog came to Thailand in August 2005 to direct this true story of US pilot Dieter Dengler and his escape from a POW camp during the Vietnam War. It stars Christian Bale and Steve Zahn.
![Thailand Thailand](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5e/26/8d/5e268d38016c36f0b645ca13f6781992.jpg)
2008[edit]
- Bangkok Dangerous (also called Big Hit in Bangkok or Time to Kill) (2008): A remake of Bangkok Dangerous by the Pang Brothers, it stars Nicolas Cage and Charlie Yeung and began shooting in Bangkok in August 2006. Production was delayed by the coup d'état.[10]
2009[edit]
- Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li: The second live-action film based on the Street Fighter series of video games. Set in Bangkok.
2010[edit]
- The Prince and Me 4: The Elephant Adventure: It is a sequel to The Prince and Me 3: A Royal Honeymoon.
- Shanghai 2008 film: Completed filming in 2008. Released theatrically in China 2010.[11]
Film Drama Thailand Wedding Love
2011[edit]
- The Hangover Part II (US): Two years after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding.
2012[edit]
- The Impossible: The story of a tourist family vacationing in Khao Lak caught up in the destruction and chaotic aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
- Lost in Thailand: Chinese comedy about a tourist and two competitive scientists searching for their boss.
2013[edit]
- Only God Forgives (France-Denmark):[2]: Nicolas Winding Refn film starring Ryan Gosling and Kristin Scott Thomas. Set in Bangkok.
- The Railway Man: British–Australian drama film, based on the memoirs of Eric Lomax, a British officer captured by the Japanese and forced to work on the railway. The film was partly filmed around Kanchanaburi Province.
2014[edit]
- Siam–Burma Death Railway (film) (film): This is a documentary film about the Asian labourers (Indian Tamils, Burmese, and Javanese) who worked like slaves on the Siam (Thailand) – Burma death railway line during World War II.
2015[edit]
- No Escape (US): An action movie filmed in Thailand released by the Weinstein Co. The film is based on a fictional story of an American family trying to escape a fictitious coup in an unidentified country in Southeast Asia. Principal actors include Pierce Brosnan, Lake Bell, and Owen Wilson.
List of films set in Thailand[edit]
Several films have been set in Thailand, but were made elsewhere. These include:
- Anna and the King of Siam (1946) – The first film adaptation of stories written by Anna Leonowens. The film is banned in Thailand for historical inaccuracies and because Thai authorities feel its depiction of King Mongkut denigrates and trivializes the monarch and the royal family. It was filmed in California.
- The King and I (1956) – The film of the musical, it is banned in Thailand for the same reasons as Anna and the King of Siam.
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – Based on a novel by Pierre Boulle, David Lean's highly fictionalized account of work on the Death Railway contains many historical inaccuracies. It was actually filmed in Ceylon.
- Uncommon Valor (1983) - a scene depicting the Laotian-Thai border was filmed in Hawaii.
- Missing in Action (1984) and Braddock: Missing in Action III (1988) - Chuck Norris' two films were partially set in Bangkok but filmed in the Philippines.
- Anna and the King (1999) – With a Thai adviser and many Thai actors in the cast, Andy Tennant's remake of the 1946 film went through several rewrites in an effort to win approval by the Thai government so the movie could be made and shown there. However, the screenplay still contained too many inaccuracies, so the production was moved to Malaysia. The film is banned in Thailand, though home-video copies have found their way into the Kingdom and the film has gained a following.[12]
- Brokedown Palace (1999) - Alice and Darlene, best friends, decide to take a trip to Thailand to celebrate high-school graduation. While there, they are befriended by charming Australian rogue Nick Parks. Nick convinces them to take a weekend side trip to Hong Kong, but at the airport, they are busted for smuggling drugs. They are convicted in a show trial and sentenced to 33 years; in desperation, they contact Yankee Hank, an American lawyer based in Thailand who has been reported to be helpful if you've got the cash. Most scenes were filmed in the Philippines.
- Bright Rainbow After the Rain (2010) - is directed by a Filipino teacher from the Philippines. The movie is unique in a sense that it is in English and it could be known as the first English movie in Thailand done by Thai students. The movie was filmed in Phayao Province, Thailand. It is heartwarming drama about two girls who were best friends- น.ส.สิริพร จันทร์เอี่ยม (Siripon Janauem) as Ana and น.ส.ณัฐณิชา ขอนพิกุล (Natnicha Khonpikul) as Sara. The two have a very opposite economic status. Ana was rich and Sara was poor with no father (daddy) around her when she was growing up. Sara's mom was selling vegetables at the market for a living. She also helped her mom make a living by having a part-time job. On the other hand, Sara’s best friend Ana wants to study overseas and so she had searched on the internet to find overseas scholarship available for Thais. Sara also wanted to avail a scholarship overseas but didn't have confidence to apply, feeling she is too poor to apply. She has a very low self-esteem. Finally, Ana found a scholarship abroad in Canada, but seeing her very poor best friend struggling in poverty has brought pain in her heart and has become her turning point. She couldn’t afford to see her best friend having so many difficulties in life while she is enjoying life's comfort. So Ana decided to help Sara escape poverty, but wanted to do it secretly. She has pretended as Sara and apply for a scholarship using Sara's name. Ana did this without Sara's knowledge. She stole Sara's personal information and passport to complete Sara's scholarship application. Ana wanted to study abroad but had sacrificed her dream for the sake of her best friend Sara. At the end, Sara was able to get an overseas scholarship in Canada through Ana's secret help. The 'Bright Rainbow After the Rain' is the first English movie in Thailand with Thai students as the cast. The director Alejandro Cardeinte is an English teacher teaching at Phayao Pittayakhom School (โรงเรียนพะเยาพิทยาคม), the main goal of the movie is to help Thai students learn English. The movie has English subtitle but has no Thai subtitle added to challenge Thai students to try to understand the story of the movie. The movie has very simple day to day English. The main music soundtrack of the movie 'Rain' is original written by the movie director himself. But partly, some music he used is not cleared with copyright yet. The movie is for educational purposes only and not for business. Visit 'Bright Rainbow After the Rain' website to watch the full movie for free. In 2011 Hangover part 2 covers Bangkok overall.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Corben, Ron. 'Thai Empire Strikes Back'Archived 2006-10-16 at the Wayback Machine, Asia Image (retrieved July 17, 2006).
- ^ abcd'Exotic Thailand?'. Bangkok Post. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^The Nation, December 1, 2006. Filming 'damaged beach' (retrieved on December 3, 2006).
- ^Phoborisut, Penchan (April 30, 2003) 'Seagal brings Hollywood to Thailand'Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine, Bangkok Post (retrieved via Steven-Seagal.net, August 10, 2006).
- ^2Bangkok.com, 30 May 2005, 'Krabi: Wookiee home planet'Archived 2006-10-18 at the Wayback Machine(retrieved 27 September 2006)
- ^Thepararat, Chatrudee. October 26, 2006. 'Denzel and Sly head for blockbuster shoots in Thailand', Bangkok Post.
- ^Agence France Press. 26 October 2006. Denzel Washington, Sylvester Stallone to shoot films in Thailand, via The Nation.
- ^Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 'Rambo to rescue Karen - in the movies', via Bangkok Post (retrieved October 11, 2006).
- ^Production Weekly. October 6, 2006. 'Stallone looks 'In the Serpent's Eye'Archived 2006-11-05 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved October 11, 2006).
- ^The Nation, 23 September 2006. 'Bangkok is not dangerous for Cage' (retrieved 24 September 2006).
- ^https://variety.com/2015/film/news/john-cusack-gong-li-shanghai-pushed-1201574962/
- ^Towira, Pimpaka. September 21, 1999. 'Heart of a Patriot'Archived 2008-05-07 at the Wayback Machine, The Nation (retrieved via ThaiStudents.com on October 17, 2006)
External links[edit]
- Titles with locations including Thailand at the Internet Movie Database
- Films Shot In Thailand at the Internet Movie Database
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