THAI SHORT FILMS FOR MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE

THAI SHORT FILMS FOR MAINSTREAM AUDIENCE

A friend asked me to recommend some Thai short films in romantic, thriller, or comedy genres for mainstream audience. So here are my suggestions:

Romantic

1.ฮานาบิ (2010, สุชนา มัดกาฑ์รัน)

HANABI (2010, Sudchana Matkaran, 15 min)

2.เฟรชเฉิ่ม 2 (2007, ณิชภูมิ ชัยอนันต์)

THE INNOCENT FRESHY 2 (2007, Nitchapoom Chaianun, 43 min)

3.สวัสดี (2009, สินจัย พิไรแสงจันทร์)

GOOD MORNING (2009, Sinjai Piraisangjun, 12 min)

4.แอบตะโกน (2008, ธวัชพงศ์ ตั้งสัจจะพจน์)

ABTAKON (2008, Thawatpong Tangsajjapoj, 4 min)

5.INFINITE (2008, ฐิระพร ภู่งาม + วัฒนา ขจัดสารพัดภัย)

INFINITE (2008, Thiraporn Poo-ngarm + Wattana Kajadsarapadpai, 24 min)

อันนี้เป็นหนังสัมภาษณ์ชายหนุ่มและแฟนสาวที่เป็นกะเทยแปลงเพศ

COMEDY

1.ธรรมะ 2 เรื่องควบ (2008, ณัฐชนน จิตวีรภัทร + อิสระ คลล้ำ)

TWO STORY (2008, Natchanon Jitweerapat + Isara Kunlum, 20 min)

หนังเรื่องนี้มีความหยาบโลนเล็กน้อย มีฉากจู๋แข็งตัวใต้ร่มผ้า

2.ผ...สุดที่รัก (2008, ชวการ อ่ำสมคิด)

MY HUSBAND (UNCENSORED) (2008, Chawagarn Amsomkid, 8 min)

3.สวรรค์บันดาล (2009, สถิตย์ คงสุข)

NEVER GONE AGAIN (2009, Satit Khongsuk, 17 min)

You can watch this film here:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150116924959592

4.FOOD & DRINK (2009, ศรายุทธ์ ตั้งจิตแผ้ว)

FOOD & DRINK (2009, Sarayoot Tangjitpaew, 7 min)

5.ผู้ชนะสุดฤทธิ์ (2004, วิชชา สุยะรา)

A GIRL CALLED HERO (2004, Witcha Suyara, 11 min)

THRILLER

1.ไอ สครีม (2008, เจนณรงค์ ศิริมหา)

I SCREAM (2008, Janenarong Sirimaha, 21 min)

2.คลิปเอ็กซ์ เซ็กส์ซ่อนมรณะ (2009, สมศักดิ์ สอนแพง)

CLIP X (2009, Somsak Sonphaeng, 21 min)

3.เมื่อฝนทิ้งช่วง (2009, ทศพร เหรียญทอง)

WHEN FON LEFT CHUANG (2009, Thossaphon Riantong, 27 min)

4.PERFORM (2008, วีระ เข็มเพ็ชร)

PERFORM (2008, Weera Kempetch, 30 min)

5.หยดสีบนผ้าขาว (2008, ธีระ ประชุมของ)

FOULLY (2008, Teera Prachumkong, 16 min)

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM SONTHAYA SUBYEN

Favorite quote from Sonthaya Subyen:
http://twilightvirus.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post.html

"If a Thai filmmaker wants to make a film which relies on extremely talented performers like John Cassavetes' films, the stars of that film should be Dujdao Vadhanapakorn and Ornanong Thaisriwong. Dujdao can give an extremely intense performance like Isabelle Huppert, Isabelle Adjani, Margit Carstensen and Sabine Timoteo."

"Dujdao, Ornanong, and Sumontha Suanpolrat should star in a Thai film adapted from THREE SISTERS by Anton Chekhov."

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEOS 15: DON'T YOU WANT ME – Atomic Tom (2011, Isaac Rentz)

This MV from the film TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT (2011, Michael Dowse) stars the ever-reliable Anna Faris and parodies almost 40 films. But I don't know which movie that this song parodies at the minute 3:03 before FLASHDANCE. Can you tell me?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RULH8dxZZ0

I have heard that this music video parodies

1.ALIENS (1986, James Cameron)

2.SAY ANYTHING (1989, Cameron Crowe)

3.DIRTY DANCING (1987, Emile Ardolino)

4.GHOSTBUSTERS (1984, Ivan Reitman)

5.WEIRD SCIENCE (1985, John Hughes)

6.GHOST (1990, Jerry Zucker)

7.SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984, John Hughes)

8.PEE-WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE (1985, Tim Burton)

9.THE KARATE KID (1984, John G Avildsen)

10.E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982, Steven Spielberg)

11. FATAL ATTRACTION (1987, Adrian Lyne)

12.STAR WARS

13.WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... (1989, Rob Reiner)

14.POLTERGEIST (1982, Tobe Hooper)

15.TOP GUN (1986, Tony Scott)

16.SPLASH (1984, Ron Howard)

17.TEEN WOLF (1985, Rod Daniel)

18.BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985, Robert Zemeckis)

19.RISKY BUSINESS (1983, Paul Brickman)

20.RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981, Steven Spielberg)

21.FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF (1986, John Hughes)

22.THE SHINING (1980, Stanley Kubrick)

23.WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S (1989, Ted Kotcheff)

24.FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982, Amy Heckerling)

25.FIRST BLOOD (1982, Ted Kotcheff)

26.BIG (1988, Penny Marshall)

27.COCKTAIL (1988, Roger Donaldson)

28.??????

29.FLASHDANCE (1983, Adrian Lyne)

30.A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (1984, Wes Craven)

31. FREDDY VS. JASON (2003, Ronny Vu)

32.CAN'T BUY ME LOVE (1987, Steve Rash)

33.TWINS (1988, Ivan Reitman)

34.CADDYSHACK (1980, Harold Ramis)

35. THE TERMINATOR (1984, James Cameron)

36.NORMA RAE (1979, Martin Ritt)

37.LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (1986, Frank Oz)

38. THE BLUES BROTHERS (1980, John Landis)

39.THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1984, John Hughes)

ARTISTS SICK (2009, Prapat Jiwarangsan, A+)

ARTISTS SICK (2009, Prapat Jiwarangsan, A+) and RECONSIDERING "THE NEW INDUSTRIAL PARKS NEAR IRVINE, CALIFORNIA" BY LEWIS BALTZ, 1974 (2009, Mario Pfeiffer, A+) will be shown in the IMAGES FESTIVAL IN TORONTO.

You can watch ARTISTS SICK here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7LtjtYa8kM

You can download the festival catalogue here:
http://www.imagesfestival.com/images/festival/images_catalogue_2010.pdf

RECONSIDERING "THE NEW INDUSTRIAL PARKS NEAR IRVINE, CALIFORNIA" BY LEWIS BALTZ, 1974 is one of my most favorite films I saw in 2009.
http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2010/feature-articles/2009-world-poll/#70

As for films shown in IMAGES FESTIVAL this year, I also saw WARAMUTSEHO! (2008, Bernard Auguste Kouemo Yanghu, A+) and ATLANTIQUES (2010, Mati Diop, Senegal, A+).

FILM WISH LIST 1-100/2011

1. ABOUT FAME AND GRASS (1985, Peter Solan, Czechoslovakia, 65 min)

2.AGE AND BEAUTY (2009, Michael Klier, Germany, 95 min)

3.ALIKI (2009, Richard Wiebe, 5 min)

4.AMERICANS AT THE BLACK SEA (2007, Kartal Tibet, Turkey, 100 min)

5.AMORE, AMORE (1968, Alfredo Leonardi, Italy, 80 min)

6.ANNA (1975, Alberto Grifi + Massimo Sarchielli, Italy, documentary, 225 min)

7.THE BALLAD OF GENESIS AND LADY JAYE (2011, Marie Losier, USA, documentary, 65 min)

8.THE BANDIT (1996, Yavuz Turgul, Turkey)

9.A BLONDE DREAM (1932, André Daven + Paul Martin, Germany, 95 min)

10.THE BONE MAN (2009, Wolfgang Murnberger, Austria, 117 min) starring Birgit Minichmayr

11.BRIDAL QUARTER (2010, Teng Mangansakan, Philippines)

12.BULLHEAD (2011, Michael R. Roskam, Belgium, 124 min)

13.BY NOW MY RETURN TO KNOSSOS IS CERTAIN – ALREADY THE SHAPE OF IDEAS (1967, Franco Brocani, Italy)

14.CARNET FILMÉ C 32: DÉLICES LOINTAINS (2005, Gérard Courant, 125 min)

15.CLODIA-FRAGMENTA (1982, Franco Brocani, Italy)

16.CONFESSIONI DI UN BORGATARO (2005, Paolo Brunatto, Italy, documentary, 70 min)

17.CONGRESS DANCES (1931, Erik Charell, Germany, 92 min)

18.A DARKNESS SWALLOWED (2006, Betzy Bromberg, USA, 78 min)

19.DIAMONDS (2010, Rustam Khamdanov, Russia, 26 min)

20.DINING CARS (2009, Arianne Olthaar, Netherlands, 15 min)

21.DISSONANT (2010, Manon de Boer, Belgium, 11 min)

22.DISTANCE (2010, Julie Murray, USA, 12 min)

23.DONOR (2010, Mark Meily, Philippines)

24.DOT (2008, Dervis Zaim, Turkey, 85 min)

25.THE DREAM OF ELEUTERIA (2010, Remton Zuasola, Philippines)

26.DRY SUMMER (1963, Metin Erksan, Turkey)

27.DUEL AT DIABLO (1966, Ralph Nelson)

28.Durs Grünbein liest die dritte Satire des Juvenal (2009, Klaus Wyborny, 25 min)

29.EAGLE (2009, Laura Garbštiené, Lithuania, 15 min)

30.END OF ANIMAL (2010, Jo Sunghee, South Korea)

31.ENSEMBLE (2009, Eva Könnemann, Germany, documentary, 60 min)

32.EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE DISEASE (2010, Maximilian Le Cain, Ireland)

33.FATHER (José María de Orbe, Spain)

34.FILM ABOUT AN UNKNOWN ARTIST (2009, Laura Garbštiené, Lithuania, 11 min)

35.THE FOREST (2009, Piotr Dumała)

36.THE FORGOTTEN SPACE (2010, Allan Sekula + Noël Burch, 112 min)

37.FREE LAND (2009, Minda Martin, USA, documentary, 63 min)

38.FREE RADICALS: A (HI)STORY OF EXPERIMENTAL FILM (2010, Pip Chodorov, France, 80 min)

39.FRONTIER (Harriet McDougall, 13 min)

40.GASTROSOPHY (1974, Franco Brocani, Italy)

41.GENEVIEVE (1953, Henry Cornelius, 86 min)

42.GERMINAL (1913, Albert Capellani, France, 150 min)

43.GET OUT OF THE CAR (2010, Thom Andersen, USA, 34 min)

44.GOLDEN SLUMBER (2010, Yoshihiro Nakamura)

45.GOOD MORNING TO THE WORLD! (2010, Hirohara Satoru, Japan)

46.HERE COMES THE BRIDE (2010, Chris Martinez, Philippines)

47.HILARIOUS (2010, Roee Rosen, 22 min)

48.ICARUS UNDER THE SUN (2010, Abe Saori + Takahashi Nazuki, Japan)

49.I’M NOT YOUR FRIEND (2010, György Pálfi, Hungary)

50.INSTRUCTION (2009, Wendelien van Oldenborgh, Netherlands, 30 min)

51.INTERNATIONAL (2006, Sirri Süreyya Onder + Muharrem Gülmez, Turkey)

52.IN THE BAR (2006, Serdar Akar, Turkey)

53.IN THE FUTURE (2010, Mauro Andrizzi, Argentina, 62 min)

54.INVENTORY (2010, Paweł Łoziński, Poland, 9 min, documentary)

55.IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (1947, Robert Hamer)

56.JAZZCLUB – THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM (2004, Helge Schneider, Germany, 84 min)

57.KANO: AN AMERICAN AND HIS HAREM (2010, Monster Jimenez, Philippines)

58.KIMU: THE STRANGE DANCE (2010, Park Donghyun, South Korea)

59.LOUTRON (2009, Barbara Meter, Netherlands, 17 min)

60.LULLABY (2009, Robert Todd, USA, 9 min)

61.MAGLUP EDILEMEYENLER (1976, Atif Yilmaz, Turkey)

62.THE MAN WHO SAVES THE WORLD (1982, Çetin Inanç, Turkey)

63.LA MODERNA POESIA (2000, Birgit Hein, Germany)

64.MONDOMANILA (2010, Khavn de la Cruz, Philippines)

65.MY AMNESIA GIRL (2010, Cathy Garcia-Molina, Philippines)

66.MY FATHER AND MY SON (2005, Çağan Irmak, Turkey)

67.NECROPOLIS (1970, Franco Brocani, Italy)

68.THE NIGHTCLEANERS (1975, Marc Karlin + James Scott, UK, documentary)

69.NIGHTMARE (1981, Romano Scavolini, USA, 97 min)

70.NOBODY OR ALL (1975, Silvano Agosti, Marco Bellocchio, Sandro Petraglia, Stefano Rulli)

71.OFFSIDE (2006, Serdar Akar, Turkey)

72.ONE HUNDRED MORNINGS (2009, Conor Horgan, Ireland)

73.ON BOARD (1998, Serdar Akar, Turkey)

74.LE OPERE E I GIORNI (2006, Franco Brocani, Italy, 115 min)

75.POINT LINE PLANE (2010, Simon Payne, UK, 8 min)

76.POLICE (1988, Serif Gören, Turkey)

77.PROPAGANDA (1999, Sinan Çetin, Tureky)

78.PULL (2010, Donal Foreman, Ireland, 21 min)

79.LE RAPPORT KARSKI (2010, Claude Lanzmann, France, 48 min, documentary)

80.RAT LIFE AND DIET IN NORTH AMERICA (1968, Joyce Wieland, Canada, 14 min)

81.RPG METANOIA (2010, Luis Suarez, Philippines, animation)

82.RUMINATION (2010, Xu Raotao, China)

83.SA’YO LAMANG (2010, Laurice Guillen, Philippines)

84.A SEASON IN HAKKARI (1983, Erdan Kiral, Turkey)

85.SENIOR YEAR (2010, Jerrold Tarog, Philippines)

86.SONG OF THE YOUTH (2009, Andree Korpys + Markus Löffler, 14 min)

87.SON OF GOD (2010, Khavn de la Cruz + Michael Noer, Philippines)

88.STREET OF SHADOWS (1953, Richard Vernon)

89.STRIKE THE WHORE (1949, Lütfi Ömer Akad,Turkey)

90.THE SUN AND THE MOON (2008, Stephen Dwoskin, UK, 60 min)

91.THE SUPPLIANT (2010, Robert Beavers, 5 min)

92.TOL’ABLE DAVID (1921, Henry King)

93.UMANO NON UMANO (1972, Mario Schifano, documentary, Italy, 95 min)

94.VENICE PIER (1976, Gary Beydler, USA, 16 min)

95.VIVA RIVA! (2010, Djo Tunda Wa Munga, Congo, 96 min)

96.VIZONTELE (2001, Yilmaz Erdoğan, Turkey)

97.VOYAGE SURPRISE (1947, Pierre Prévert, France)

98.WALKING A TIGHTROPE (1992, Nikos Papatakis, 120 min)

99.WIDE ANGLE SAXON (1975, Owen Land, 25 min)

100.YOU ARE HERE (2010, Daniel Cockburn, Canada)

FILM WISH LIST 2010
http://celinejulie.blogspot.com/2010/08/film-wish-list-2010.html

LIVING WITH THE TIGER

LIVING WITH THE TIGER (2011, Mike Thomas, documentary) will be shown at Patravadi Theatre for free this Thursday, but you have to book the ticket in advance. I think this film might be an unintentional sequel to HEAVEN'S MEADOW (2005, Detlev F. Neufert, A+), which also talks about the same subject (AIDS patients at Baan Gerda). One main difference between these two films is that the main boy in LIVING WITH THE TIGER is older than the main boy in HEAVEN'S MEADOW. I wonder if they are the same boy.

Trailer of LIVING WITH THE TIGER
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC3F55XiG9w

Details about the showing of LIVING WITH THE TIGER
http://www.patravaditheatre.com/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=158&year=2011&month=03&day=17&Itemid=0

You can buy its DVD for 500 baht
http://www.livingwiththetiger.com/buy

HEAVEN'S MEADOW
http://www.german-films.de/film-archive/browse-archive/?film_id=1449&tx_moviedb_pi2[view]=detail&cHash=b4f070def97cf987f8674ed17e94ee94

PROPAGANDA FILMS

A friend asked me about propaganda films. Though I don't know exactly what propaganda films are, I think I should make a list about them for my friend.

FAVORITE PROPAGANDA FILMS (OR FILMS THAT I'M NOT SURE WHAT I SHOULD THINK ABOUT THEIR POLITICAL MESSAGES)

1.THE FOUNDING OF A REPUBLIC (2009, Han Sanping, Huang Jianxin, China, A-)
This pro-Mao film should be screened together with an anti-Mao film such as TIBET: CRY OF THE SNOW LION (2002, Tom Peosay, A+/A).

2.I AM CUBA (1964, Mikhail Kalatozov, A+)
This pro-Castro film should be screened together with an anti-Castro film such as THE LOST CITY (2005, Andy Garcia, A+).

3.KHAN KLUAY (2006, Kompin Kemgumnerd, animation, Thailand, B+)

4.THE MOST BEAUTIFUL (1944, Akira Kurosawa, Japan, A-)
This pro-Japanese military film should be screened together with an anti-Japanese military film such as DON'T CRY NANKING (1996, Wu Ziniu, China, A+).

5.A NEW ADVENTURE OF HANUMAN (1957, Payut Ngaokrachan, animation, Thailand, A)
This is an anti-Communist film.

6.SINGH SUM OIL (สิงห์สำออย) (1977, Dokdin Gunyamarn, Thailand, A+/A)
An anti-Communist film.

7.SIYAMA (2008, Preecha Songsakul, A-, Thailand)

8.STORM OVER ASIA (1928, Vsevolod Pudovkin, Soviet Union, A+/A)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjdP2UfmG0I

9.TEN GIRLS FROM DONG LOC (1997, Trong Ninh Luu, Vietnam, B+)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63dq7vzMzQY&feature=related


FAVORITE FILMS ABOUT PROPAGANDA
1. A FILM UNFINISHED (2010, Yael Hersonski, Israel, A+)

2.INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (2009, Quentin Tarantino, A+)
The film-within-a-film that Daniel Brühl stars in is a propaganda film.

3.STARSHIP TROOPERS (1997, Paul Verhoeven, A+)



PROPAGANDA FILM WISH LIST
หนังเกี่ยวกับกษัตริย์เฟรเดอริกที่สองมหาราช หนังชุดนี้ได้รับความนิยมอย่างมากในยุคที่นาซีเรืองอำนาจในเยอรมนี

THE FRIDERICUS FILM SERIES

This German film series were made before and during the time of Hitler. These films tell the stories of King Frederick II, the Great. This king resembles Hitler in many ways.

Films in this series include:

1. THE FLUTE CONCERT AT SANS SOUCI (1930, Gustav Ucicky)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020893/

2. TRENCK (1932, Ernst Neubach + Heinz Paul)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023619/

3. THE KING’S DANCER (1932, Friedrich Zelnik)

4. THE ANTHEM OF LEUTHEN (1933, Carl Froelich + Arzen von Cserepy)

5. FRIDERICUS (1937, Johannes Meyer)http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0136208/

6. PRETTY MISS SCHRAGG (1937, Hans Deppe)

7. THE GREAT KING (1942, Veit Harlan)

Siegfried Kracauer wrote about the Fridericus Film Series in his book: FROM CALIGARI TO HITLER: A PSYCHOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE GERMAN FILM (1947). Here is an excerpt from the book:

“The whole series was a thorough attempt to familiarize the masses with the idea of a Fuehrer. None other than Voltaire is called upon to recommend him. When in TRENCK, Frederick advocates sovereignty of the law, Voltaire replies that good sovereigns are preferable to good laws—enlightened reason paying homage to the absolute ruler. The King justifies this flattering opinion by playing, as before, the part of the people’s father. His patriarchal regime is a mixture of old-Prussian feudalism and Nazi sham socialism. He promises oppressed farmers to punish the Governor of their province for partially favoring the big-estate owner (TRENCK); he cancels all victory celebrations, urging that the money provided for them be given to the war victims (KING’S DANCER); he thinks of allotting funds for cultural purposes on the eve of a decisive battle (ANTHEM OF LEUTHEN). Everybody will have to admit that the security Frederick’s subjects enjoy is inaccessible to the citizens of a democracy, for in his protective zeal the King generously helps lovers (KING’S DANCER) and even goes so far as to prevent the wife of an absent major from committing adultery (FLUTE CONCERT). This model King is a veritable genius.”

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL LONSDALE

My comment in Filmsick's Facebook:

I can't remember many details in ONCE UPON A TOMORROW, but I remember that I like Michael Lonsdale in this film very much.

I just learned that Michael Lonsdale just won César Award for the first time from OF GODS AND MEN (2010, Xavier Beauvois), though he is about 80 years old now. He should have won an award long time ago. I like his films very much, including INDIA SONG (1975, Marguerite Duras), THE BRIDE WORE BLACK (1968, François Truffaut), STAVISKY (1974, Alain Resnais), THE DEVIL IN THE BOX (1977, Pierre Lary), and THE LEFT-HANDED WOMAN (1978, Peter Handke). Unfortunately, his roles may be too small in many films, so I can't remember him in many films that I saw.

FAVORITE FRENCH FILMS/MINI-SERIES ABOUT FEMALE COPS

เพิ่งสังเกตว่าฝรั่งเศสมีการผลิตหนังที่ฉายทางโทรทัศน์/มินิซีรีส์หลายเรื่องเกี่ยวกับตำรวจหญิง เราก็เลยไม่แน่ใจว่าเป็นเพราะผู้ชมทีวีส่วนใหญ่เป็นผู้หญิงหรือเปล่า ก็เลยมีมินิซีรีส์ดีๆเกี่ยวกับตำรวจหญิงออกมาเยอะมาก ในขณะที่หนังโรงส่วนใหญ่จะเป็นเรื่องของตำรวจชาย

นอกจาก CETTE FEMME-LÀ (2003, Guillaume Nicloux, A+/A) แล้ว หนังที่เราชอบมากๆในกลุ่มนี้ก็มีเรื่อง

FAVORITE FRENCH FILMS/MINI-SERIES ABOUT FEMALE COPS

1.MARION MAZZANO (2010, Marc Angelo, A++++++++++)
นางเอกเป็นตำรวจหญิงที่ถูกลอบสังหารและเพื่อนร่วมงานถูกฆ่าตาย เธอก็เลยย้ายอาชีพไปทำงานเป็นพัศดีในคุก และเจอกับนักโทษหลากหลายรูปแบบ นับตั้งแต่กลุ่มสาวคลั่งศาสนาที่จับคนมาตรึงกางเขนและเผาคนทั้งเป็น, ยายแก่ที่เชี่ยวชาญการวางยาพิษ, คุณหมอหญิงที่ชอบหลอกคนไข้ว่าต้องผ่าตัดจนคนไข้ต้องตายไป, หญิงสาวที่เป็นโรคจิตเภทและจินตนาการว่าตัวเองมีเพื่อนร่วมห้อง และฝาแฝดที่ปลอมตัวมารับโทษในคุกแทนกัน

2.THREE WOMEN...ONE SUMMER NIGHT (2005, Sébastien Grall, A++++++++++)

เกิดการฆาตกรรมต่อเนื่องขึ้นในเมืองเล็กๆเมืองหนึ่ง ตำรวจสาวก็เลยต้องสืบว่าใครคือฆาตกร นำแสดงโดย Stéphane Audran ซึ่งชอบอาศัยอยู่ในเมืองที่เกิดเหตุฆาตกรรม ไม่ว่าจะใน LES BONNES FEMMES (1960, Claude Chabrol, A+), LE BOUCHER (1970, Claude Chabrol, A+) และ POULET AU VINAIGRE (1985, Claude Chabrol, A+) แต่นักแสดงที่ฝากฝีมือทางการแสดงไว้อย่างสุดยอดในเรื่องนี้คือ Nathalie Richard

3.COUP DE CHALEUR (2010, Christophe Barraud, A+)
A female cop has to handle a town in panic, while the water runs dry, the electricity goes out, the nuclear power plant has problems, her brother is going to jail, and some characters must undergo some surgery in a hospital (Yes, it's a cliche for "disaster movies". Hahaha.)

4.NOTRE DAME DES BARJOTS (2010, Arnaud Sélignac, A+)
"Véra (Zabou Breitman) is an emergency psychiatrist. One evening, her boss Russel pays her a visit having found his son delirious alongside the butchered body of a young girl. He wants Véra to certify him as being insane to help him avoid prison. Véra refuses. Lieutenant Sanchez (Catherine Jacob) begins her investigation."

5.MURKY PASTS (PASSÉS TROUBLES) (2006, Serge Meynard, A+/A)
A female cop and her male partner investigate something. What is interesting in this mini-series is its haunting quality. Some parts of it are as haunting as TWIN PEAKS, though I think MURKY PASTS doesn't have to be as haunting as that. The other interesting thing is the shift in the narrative. The first half of this mini-series focuses on a main character, but that main character is suddenly killed in the middle of the story, so the second half of this mini-series shifts its focus to the other main character. This shift reminds of PSYCHO.

6.QUAND VIENT LA PEUR (2010, Élisabeth Rappeneau)
A female cop investigates a serial killer who is killing many women with brunette hair in a small town filled with prejudice for the Algerian immigrants. I have watched only the first half of this mini-series and I give this first half A+++++.

FAVORITE OLD SONGS 109: HOLD ON ME (1987) – Kahoru Kohiruimaki

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD1u4h3RQvk

Thanks to a friend for telling me about this song.

WHAT DID JONAS MEKAS DO ON FEB 26?

Chaloemkiat Saeyong sent me the link below on the occasion of my birthday. It's a clip by Jonas Mekas on February 26, 2007.
http://jonasmekasfilms.com/365/day.php?month=2&day=26

TEN FAVORITE LESBIAN FILMS

A friend asked me to recommend ten lesbian films. So here is my reply:

My favorite lesbian films

(in alphabetical order)

1.CACHE (1998, Carolyn Coal, USA, short film)

2.GOGO (ลงสนาม) (2010, Jurarak Kongpol, Thailand, 3 min)
I think this film is made by a 14-year-old girl.

3.HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (2000, Frank Mosvold, Norway, short film)

4.JE TU IL ELLE (1974, Chantal Akerman, Belgium)

5.MADAME X: AN ABSOLUTE RULER (1978, Ulrike Ottinger, West Germany)

6.MAHJONG (2009, Napha Sasalak, Thailand, 15 min)

7.MONSTER (2003, Patty Jenkins, USA)

8.1977 (2007, Peque Varela, UK, short film)

9.PEPI, LUCI, BOM (1980, Pedro Almodovar, Spain)

10.YES OR NO (2010, Sarasawadee Wongsompetch, Thailand)

THE EXTERNAL WORLD (2010, David OReilly, Ireland/Germany, A+++++++++++++++)

http://vimeo.com/19723116

There's a classic scene in every five seconds in this film. The scene in the minute 12:00-12:25 reminds me of Thailand.

I wish to screen this film together with such crazy films as AT THE HEART OF A SPARROW (2006, Barry Doupé, animation), LOOK OF LOVE (2006, Yoshiharu Ueoka), WHAT HAPPENED TO MAGDALENA JUNG? (1983, Christoph Schlingensief), THE FAMILY THAT EATS SOIL (2005, Khavn de la Cruz), and THE PHANTOM OF LIBERTY (1974, Luis Buñuel).

AFTERNOON LANDSCAPE (2011, Chaloemkiat Saeyong, A+)

FILMS I SAW IN THE POSTCARD CINEMA PROJECT

6.AFTERNOON LANDSCAPE (2011, Chaloemkiat Saeyong, A+)

The images in this film are shown via three small screens, like the film ABC (2006, Sompot Chidgasornpongse + Nika Shek).
http://www.sompotboat.com/works.html

The left screen shows three persons standing on a rocky beach, the middle screen shows a close-up shot of grass blowing in the wind and a sign telling the name of the place, while the right screen shows a long shot of an upcountry road under the blue sky. After a while, the middle screen turns black and then starts showing the film credits and texts about a woman who wakes up in the morning, trying to forget something. The right screen turns black later. We also hear a voiceover of a woman saying something which I don't understand, but her voice turns into a small laughter at the end of the film.

This is one of the easiest films made by Chaloemkiat, as easy as BAIYOK (2010, A+).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTNATCVTsdA

Things I like in this film include:

1.It is really like a postcard from a tourist place. While a postcard can show a still image of a beautiful beach and some texts, this film can show moving images of a beach, images of grasses and leaves blowing in the wind, texts, and voices.

2.The characteristics of the voice. I like the small laughter at the end of the film very much. It makes me feel good. It also reminds me that I also like the screaming female voice in CHAY, GAYVAH-RAR 'N' THE MACHUPICCHU (2009, A++++++++++) very much.

3. The unintelligibility of the voice. We hear the voice of a woman, but it is suppressed by the voice of the wind. It reminds me of the voice and sound in NEWS FROM HOME (Chantal Akerman, A+), and its unintelligibility reminds me of the unintelligibility of the texts in PERU TIME (2008, Chaloemkiat Saeyong, 18 min, A++++++++++).

4.The conflicts of the title. The Thai title of this film is VACATION IN SINGAPORE, JAVA, BALI, 11 OCT-31 JULY, 2199 A.D., but the film is like a documentary or a home video shot in Srichang Island in Thailand. The English title of this film is AFTERNOON LANDSCAPE, but the story in the texts happens at dawn.

5.It reminds me of many films I like about sea, such as

5.1 NO ONE AT THE SEA (2005, Tossapol Boonsinsukh, A+++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vB7yCQURj8

5.2 WAKE UP TIME (2009, Chaiwat Wiansantia, A+++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYlE9nS9smM

5.3 PSYCHOHYDROGRAPHY (2010, Peter Bo Rappmund, A+++++++++++++++)

5.4 SCAR (2010, Arthawut Boonyuang, A+++++)

5.5 DREAM OF THE DEATH (2009, Wiwat Lertwiwatwongsa, 25 min, A+)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US6FhjD2gLg

CIVIL WAR FILM WISH LIST

This list is inspired by Graiwoot :-)

1.EZRA (2007, Newton I. Aduaka)
It is inspired by the civil war in Sierra Leone, told through the conflicted testimonies of three witnesses.

2.PRETTY VILLAGE, PRETTY FLAME (1996, Srdjan Dragojevic, Serbia)
"At the Belgrade army hospital, casualties of Bosnian civil war are treated. In the hospital they remember their youth and the war. Two young boys, Halil, a Muslim, and Milan, a Serb, have grown up together near a deserted tunnel linking the Yugoslav cities of Belgrade and Zagreb. They never dare go inside, as they believe an ogre resides there. Twelve years later, during the Bosnian civil war, Milan, who is trapped in the tunnel with his troop, and Halil, find themselves on opposing sides, fatefully heading toward confrontation"

3.THE RED AND THE WHITE (1968, Miklós Jancsó, Hungary)
"In 1919, Hungarian Communists aid the Bolsheviks' defeat of Czarists, the Whites. Near the Volga, a monastery and a field hospital are held by one side then the other. Captives are executed or sent running naked into the woods. Neither side has a plan, and characters the camera picks out soon die. A White Cossack officer kills a Hungarian and is executed by his own superiors when he tries to rape a milkmaid. At the hospital, White officers order nurses into the woods, dressed in finery, to waltz. A nurse aids the Reds, then they accuse her of treason for following White orders. Red soldiers walk willingly, singing, into an overwhelming force. War seems chaotic and arbitrary."

4.RED DAWN (1991, Jorge Fons, Mexico)
"October 2, 1968 in Mexico City. There's only ten days for the Olympic Games and a small student's revolt has turned into a major political turmoil. A meeting will be carry out that day in Tlatelolco (the largest housing complex in the city) and the situation is extremely tense. A typical middle-class mexican family (living in Tlatelolco) will be tragically involved in the events, when the meeting is brutally interrupted by the army and hundreds of people are killed in the square in front of their apartment building"

5.TESTAMENT (1988, John Akomfrah, UK, 88 min)
This experimental film is about Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president who was forced into exile by the military coup d'état of 1966. Reading about this film somehow reminds me of Pridi.

Akomfrah said about TESTAMENT: "We went to Ghana to try to make a film about Kwameh Nkrumah, but also about a movement and a body of ideas that simply don't exist anymore. They'd been swept away not just by the force of historical events but also by the attempts on the part of the successive governments after Nkrumah's to basically bury the man and all he stood for. There is something metaphorically significant in that act because so much of diasporic history rests precisely in that gap between history and myth."


FAVORITE FILMS ABOUT CIVIL WARS

1.THE PHOTOGRAPH (2001, Kazim Öz, Turkey, A+++++++++++++++)

2.THE SARI SOLDIERS (2008, Julie Bridgham, Nepal, A+++++++++++++++)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGmHQUYxYo

3.LABAN: THE MEANING OF THE EDSA REVOLUTION (2007, Sally Jo Bellosillo, Philippines, A++++++++++)

4.THE WIND (1982, Souleymane Cissé, Mali, A+++++)

5.GARAGE OLIMPO (1999, Marco Bechis, Argentina, A+)

FAVORITE THAI SONG 1: KILLER DISHES – Kwanjit Seeprajan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAZ3uaiNSZc&feature=related

I like the lyrics of this song very much. I think it is very surreal. It is about a woman who cook Thai food for her own birthday party, and uses strange food ingredients such as a black cat, an elephant, a langur, toads, house lizards, bombs, bullets, a crowbar, a rod, and a chopping knife. The song is like the mix between BABETTE'S FEAST (1987, Gabriel Axel) and THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE, AND HER LOVER (1989, Peter Greenaway).

Thanks to Filmsick for making me interested in Kwanjit Seeprajan.

วันนี้เป็นงานวันเกิด
กินเลี้ยงกันเถิด สนุกกันดี
น้องทำอาหาร ต้องการเลี้ยงพี่
กับข้าววันนี้ อร่อยถึงใจ
>เอ๊อ.. เออ.. เออ.. เออ..
เออ.. เอ่อ.. เอ๊ย..
>เรื่องฝีมือทำกับข้าวใครไม่สู้ฉัน
คนเขาเลื่องลือกัน ทั้งเหนือใต้
วันนี้รวมกลุ่ม กันทั้งหนุ่มสาว
ทั้งอาหารหวานคาว ทำไว้
ไม่ต้องลงขันกินกันเถิด
วันนี้เป็นงานวันเกิดฉัน ไม่เป็นไร
ขอเชิญลิ้มรสเข้ามาทดลอง
ว่าฝีมือของน้องเด็ดแค่ไหน
ผัดเผ็ดแมวดำ ต้มยำช้าง
เฮ้ย แกงจืดเนื้อค่าง กับกอไผ่
ฉู่ฉี่คางคก ล่ะทั้งจิ้งจกปิ้ง
ทั้งตุ๊กแกผัดขิง ลิงยัดไส้
ลูกปืนแกงส้มรสกลมกล่อม
เกาเหลาลูกบอมบ์ใส่หอมหัวใหญ่
ฆ้อนผัดพะแนง
ชะแลงเปรี้ยวหวาน
กระบองทอดมัน
หัวขวานชุบไข่ ชุบไข่
ซุปลูกระเบิดใส่ใบบัวบก
สะละหมั่นมีดพก
ห่อหมกปืนใหญ่
ของหวานก็มีรสดีเด่น
คืออีโต้แช่เย็น แสบไส้
ตะพดหวานกรอบ จอบแช่อิ่ม
นะถ้าไม่เชื่อลองชิม จะติดใจ
ทั้งต้นตาลเชื่อม ต้นกล้วยฉาบ
แกงบวดอีดาบ ฉันก็ทำได้
มะพร้าวหรือก็ใส่กันไปทั้งเปลือก
กินแล้วตาเหลือกพากันหลงใหล
เชิญตามสบาย เฮอะ หายห่วง
กินแล้วท้องร่วงกันทุกราย.

CELINE AND JULIE GO DANCING 42: I WROTE THE BOOK – Beth Ditto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mn6PZ0s4Vmk

Thanks to Graiwoot for telling me about this song.

It's great to hear a good song from Deconstruction Records again. I used to love this record label very much about 15 years ago, when it released such classic songs as ONE & ONE (Robert Miles featuring Maria Nayler), DON'T YOU WANT ME (Felix), SIGHT FOR SORE EYES (M People), and CONFIDE IN ME (Kylie Minogue).
http://www.deconstructionrecords.co.uk/releases/

PANYA RENU (2011, Bhin Banluerit, A+++++)

In a scene in PANYA RENU (2011, Bhin Banluerit, A+++++), there's a leech coming out of the penis of a character. I had never known that this thing could happen in real life, so I googled about it and found that this thing really happened in Thailand. Very scary.

http://tnews.teenee.com/crime/4017.html

AN OBSERVATION ON THAI SONGS

This is from an e-mail I sent to a friend:

I guess many Thai songs are about dirty jokes, such as the song SNAKE HEAD by Chutima Naiyana. On the surface, the song is about an insincere guy. But the "snake" in the lyrics of the song has double meaning. It can mean both the insincere guy and the penis.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpoeLWBn9nk

An excerpt from the lyrics of SNAKE HEAD:
"Snake or pig, I must see it.
I'm gonna measure it. I want to see how long your fang is.
I'm gonna be bad, if I can't control myself.
I'm gonna give you my heart one day.
I'm gonna be a slut."

Another song that I like very much is SAO SEE by Janet Khiew. The song is about a woman who "sells combs" in Pattaya. But the word "comb" in Thai is pronounced "we", which is like "he", which means vagina in Thai. So I guess the song is really about a prostitute in Pattaya.

CINEQUEST FILM FESTIVAL

A friend asked me what to see in the Cinequest Film Festival at San Jose, California. So here are my recommendations:

1.22ND OF MAY (Koen Mortier, Belgium)

2.3 BACKYARDS (Eric Mendelsohn, USA)

3.APART TOGETHER (Quan'an Wang, China)

4.EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE (Christoffer Boe, Denmark)

5.KOSMOS (Reha Erdem, Turkey)

6.LITTLE BABY JESUS OF FLANDR (Gust Van den Berghe, Belgium)

7.POTICHE (Francois Ozon, France)

8.RAAVANAN (Mani Ratnam, India)

9.SODANKYLA FOREVER – THE CENTURY OF CINEMA (Peter von Bagh, Finland)

10.TOMORROW WILL BE BETTER (Dorota Kedzierzawska, Poland)