Saturday, January 24, 2009

Thai Movie - Bang Rajan

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The year is 1765 and Burma is out for blood to avenge Thai support for cross-border insurgents. Bang Rajan village is the only obstacle to the invading Burmese army's assault on then Thai capital Ayuttaya. The Burmese army leaders may love luxury, but their 200,000 turbaned and saronged foot soldiers are many and fierce. It doesn't take long to realize that for all their solidarity, the villagers are completely outnumbered. Residents of most villages fled in terror from the brutal Burmese invaders, but Bang Rajan seems to have been blessed with a strong leader, Po Tan (Chumporn Taephitak), who inspired his people to resist. Po Tan also lined up a strong support team, many of whom had come from abandoned villages to cast their lot with Bang Rajan.

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Chan Inn (Winaj Kraibutr) is an ace archer with a devoted young wife, Sa (Bongkod Kongmalai, a 15-year-old newcomer). When Po Tan is wounded, he shifts his leadership to Nai Jan Nuad Kiew (Jaran Ngamdee), a fiercely mustached and muscular expert at wielding an ax. Another key refugee joining the cause is the hard-drinking but fearless Tong Menn (Bin Banleurit).

Sensing the need for spiritual leadership in the oncoming battles, Po Tan persuades Venerable Father Dhammachote (Teerayuth Pratyabamrung) to leave his temple and move to Bang Rajan to counsel and comfort the villagers. Among the key locals are Po Tan's headstrong daughter, Taeng Onn (Soontree Maila-or), and young Meuang (Atthakorn Suwannaraj), who saves her from rape.

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Jitnukul defines these individuals plus several others so sharply that the characters remain remarkably distinct and involving, even through a thicket of plot developments and complicated military maneuvers.
Not for a second does Jitnukul lose control of his complex and captivating epic, dynamically photographed by Vichien Ruangvichayakul and scored with a bold eclectic flair by composer Chatchai Pongprapaphan.

From one adroitly staged sequence to another, the vigorous "Bang Rajan" moves with a sure sense of direction and authority to its major culminating battle, a singularly savage and wrenching encounter that for all its bloodshed is never exploitative and concludes the film on a resounding note of tragic grandeur.

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An Oliver Stone presentation of a Magnolia Pictures release. Director Thanit Jitnukul. Producer Adirek (Uncle) Watleela. Screenplay by Konget Komsiri, Boontin Tuaykaew, Patikarn Petchmunee, Thanit Jitnukul, Sittpong Mattanavee. Cinematographer Vichien Ruangvichayakul. Editors Sunit Asvinikul, Thanin Tienkaew. Music Chatchai Pongprapaphan. Costumes Thiraphan Chancharoen. Production designer Boontin Tuaykaew. In Thai, with English subtitles. Running time: 1 hour, 59 minutes.

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