Bangkok Loco
Encyclopedia
Bangkok Loco is a 2004
Thai
comedy
-musical
-fantasy film
directed by Pornchai Hongrattanaporn, written by Sompope Vejchapipat and starring Krissada Terrence
. The story involves a gifted young rock
drummer
named Bay who commits a grisly murder and becomes a fugitive from the law. Trained by a monk in a style of drumming called the Drums of the Gods, which treats drumming as a martial art
for the forces of good, he must face his opposite drummer from the dark side. The story is set in the 1970s and in a Forrest Gump
fashion, the protagonist Bay is seen having an influence on present-day Thai popular culture. Internationally, the movie has gained a cult following because of its fantastically stylized and colorful production design and pop-culture references. The film was chosen for the "Midnight Madness" program at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival
.
drummer
in Thailand in the 1970s. One day, he is practicing on his drum set in his apartment and is in a trance
, but he suddenly notices that everything is covered in blood and that his drumsticks are actually knives. Apparently, he has killed his landlady, Mrs. Victoria. Panicked, he runs out his door, through the streets and alleys to his friend, Ton, who is also a drummer and is in a band called The PC
with Meow and Ooh. Despite Bay's circuitous flight to Ton's apartment, she only lives next door to him.
Ton is a long-time childhood friend of Bay, as the two were classmates at Buddhist
temple where they were instructed by an old monk in the Drums of the Gods.
Meanwhile, the police have arrived at Bay's apartment, led by Inspector Black Ears. The inspector has a habit of trying to kick in doors that open to the outside. Whenever the inspector yells "Damn!" (Batsop! in Thai), a man named Sombat appears and leans his head on the inspector's shoulder (sop means to lean on shoulder). The inspector also has a smart dog named Dumbass to sniff for clues.
Through his drumming, Bay is able to convince Meow and Ooh that he is innocent. Had he actually killed Mrs. Victoria, Bay would have broken one of the Buddhist precepts and his Drums of the Gods skills would no longer be effective. So they all go on the run and hide out from the cops.
Bay and The PC make their way to a village fair, where The PC has been booked to play. Meow and Ooh sit around and make Bay do all the work to set up the stage. When he's finished, they plan to call the cops on him anyway. Soon the cops do show up and a chase around the village fair ensues, with the inspector pursuing Bay on the various carnival rides. Just as it looks like Bay will escape, the inspector is given a rifle and proves that he is an expert marksman. Bay, however, manages to catch one of the bullets with his drumsticks, but another finds its mark in Bay's shoulder. Bay ends up getting away and finds himself on a dam overlooking a reservoir. On the dam, he meets a man who is going to commit suicide, but Bay talks him out of it. Bay is then picked up by a passing truck and makes his escape just as the inspector and his men have caught up. The inspector witnesses the drowning of his dog Dumbass and also meets a polite boy in a red shirt (meant to resemble tennis pro Paradorn Srichaphan
).
Bay has been picked up by a truck hauling films to the village fair, and so he joins the film company and works as a dubber
on the film. His performance is a hit, causing the audience to laugh their heads off. Afterward, Bay gives the man, who looks like Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra
an idea to start a new political party called Thais Love Thais
.
Bay is eventually caught and jailed. However, Ton and The PC are in jail, too. After Bay sings a sad song that makes everyone cry, Meow and Ooh decide to help Bay escape. They are able to rig up an explosion and Bay runs away with Ton. She sees that Bay is under stress and guesses it must be because of the upcoming battle of the Drums of the Gods vs the Devil's Drums. Bay's and Ton's teacher, Professor Tuengpo, faced the dark side drummer Ringo Starr
in the last competition 10 years ago. He defeated Ringo but also died in the aftermath of the duel, before he could reveal to Bay and Don the secret of the crucial 10th level of the Drums of the Gods. In order to overcome the forces of evil, Bay or Ton must somehow achieve the elusive 10th level, and neither of them feel they are ready. Thinking perhaps that sex will help them achieve the level, they check into a shabby guesthouse and hole up in a room.
While in the guesthouse, which is very dirty, Bay complains to the owner, Mr. Chuwit
, and tells him that the rooms should all have bathtubs so guests can clean up. This apparently gives Chuwit the idea to start a chain of massage parlors
, all with bathtubs in the massage rooms.
The police again catch up with Bay who is knocked unconscious. When he comes to, the medical examiner tells him that the body of the person Bay is suspected of killing is not Mrs. Victoria, but the police won't consider the evidence. However, the ME lets Bay leave the room.
Bay finds the drumming duel and sees that it is Ton who will face the new Devil's Drums master, who is named Mr. Davis. Bay then realizes that the secret to the 10th level of drumming was the double-sexed
technique, which means his penis was cut off and attached to Ton, giving her the power.
There is a climactic drumming duel in a boxing ring, in which all styles of drumming are explored, and the result is that the Drums of the Gods are victorious.
films and cultural icons, including Star Wars
, Bruce Lee
, Marilyn Monroe
and Ringo Starr
. It also has many cultural references that are specific to Thailand. These include:
2004 in film
The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol...
Thai
Cinema of Thailand
The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
-musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
-fantasy film
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
directed by Pornchai Hongrattanaporn, written by Sompope Vejchapipat and starring Krissada Terrence
Krissada Terrence
Krissada Terrence. is a Thai-American pop singer and actor. He is member of the Thai pop band Pru...
. The story involves a gifted young rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
named Bay who commits a grisly murder and becomes a fugitive from the law. Trained by a monk in a style of drumming called the Drums of the Gods, which treats drumming as a martial art
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
for the forces of good, he must face his opposite drummer from the dark side. The story is set in the 1970s and in a Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise...
fashion, the protagonist Bay is seen having an influence on present-day Thai popular culture. Internationally, the movie has gained a cult following because of its fantastically stylized and colorful production design and pop-culture references. The film was chosen for the "Midnight Madness" program at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival
2005 Toronto International Film Festival
The 2005 Toronto International Film Festival ran from September 8–17 and screened 335 films from 52 countries - 109 of these films were world premieres, and 78 were North American premieres.- Awards:Awards presented during the film festival included:...
.
Plot
Bay is a talented young rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
in Thailand in the 1970s. One day, he is practicing on his drum set in his apartment and is in a trance
Trance
Trance denotes a variety of processes, ecstasy, techniques, modalities and states of mind, awareness and consciousness. Trance states may occur involuntarily and unbidden.The term trance may be associated with meditation, magic, flow, and prayer...
, but he suddenly notices that everything is covered in blood and that his drumsticks are actually knives. Apparently, he has killed his landlady, Mrs. Victoria. Panicked, he runs out his door, through the streets and alleys to his friend, Ton, who is also a drummer and is in a band called The PC
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
with Meow and Ooh. Despite Bay's circuitous flight to Ton's apartment, she only lives next door to him.
Ton is a long-time childhood friend of Bay, as the two were classmates at Buddhist
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
temple where they were instructed by an old monk in the Drums of the Gods.
Meanwhile, the police have arrived at Bay's apartment, led by Inspector Black Ears. The inspector has a habit of trying to kick in doors that open to the outside. Whenever the inspector yells "Damn!" (Batsop! in Thai), a man named Sombat appears and leans his head on the inspector's shoulder (sop means to lean on shoulder). The inspector also has a smart dog named Dumbass to sniff for clues.
Through his drumming, Bay is able to convince Meow and Ooh that he is innocent. Had he actually killed Mrs. Victoria, Bay would have broken one of the Buddhist precepts and his Drums of the Gods skills would no longer be effective. So they all go on the run and hide out from the cops.
Bay and The PC make their way to a village fair, where The PC has been booked to play. Meow and Ooh sit around and make Bay do all the work to set up the stage. When he's finished, they plan to call the cops on him anyway. Soon the cops do show up and a chase around the village fair ensues, with the inspector pursuing Bay on the various carnival rides. Just as it looks like Bay will escape, the inspector is given a rifle and proves that he is an expert marksman. Bay, however, manages to catch one of the bullets with his drumsticks, but another finds its mark in Bay's shoulder. Bay ends up getting away and finds himself on a dam overlooking a reservoir. On the dam, he meets a man who is going to commit suicide, but Bay talks him out of it. Bay is then picked up by a passing truck and makes his escape just as the inspector and his men have caught up. The inspector witnesses the drowning of his dog Dumbass and also meets a polite boy in a red shirt (meant to resemble tennis pro Paradorn Srichaphan
Paradorn Srichaphan
Paradorn Srichaphan is a retired professional tennis player from Thailand. He is the highest ranked men's singles player from Thailand and Asia in history, reaching a career high World No. 9. His nickname is "Ball".-Career:...
).
Bay has been picked up by a truck hauling films to the village fair, and so he joins the film company and works as a dubber
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
on the film. His performance is a hit, causing the audience to laugh their heads off. Afterward, Bay gives the man, who looks like Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Thailand
The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
an idea to start a new political party called Thais Love Thais
Thai Rak Thai
The Thai Rak Thai Party was a Thai political party that was officially banned on May 30, 2007, by the Constitutional Court of Thailand due to violations of electoral laws during the 2006 legislative elections. From 2001 to 2006, it was the ruling party under Prime Minister and its founder Thaksin...
.
Bay is eventually caught and jailed. However, Ton and The PC are in jail, too. After Bay sings a sad song that makes everyone cry, Meow and Ooh decide to help Bay escape. They are able to rig up an explosion and Bay runs away with Ton. She sees that Bay is under stress and guesses it must be because of the upcoming battle of the Drums of the Gods vs the Devil's Drums. Bay's and Ton's teacher, Professor Tuengpo, faced the dark side drummer Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
in the last competition 10 years ago. He defeated Ringo but also died in the aftermath of the duel, before he could reveal to Bay and Don the secret of the crucial 10th level of the Drums of the Gods. In order to overcome the forces of evil, Bay or Ton must somehow achieve the elusive 10th level, and neither of them feel they are ready. Thinking perhaps that sex will help them achieve the level, they check into a shabby guesthouse and hole up in a room.
While in the guesthouse, which is very dirty, Bay complains to the owner, Mr. Chuwit
Chuwit Kamolvisit
Chuwit Kamolvisit is a controversial Thai politician who was once the country's biggest massage parlor owner. After an arrest in 2003, he went public with his claims of having paid large bribes to hundreds of police officers. He then sold some of his massage parlors, formed his own political...
, and tells him that the rooms should all have bathtubs so guests can clean up. This apparently gives Chuwit the idea to start a chain of massage parlors
Prostitution in Thailand
Prostitution in Thailand is illegal, although in practice it is tolerated and partly regulated. Prostitution is practised openly throughout the country. Local officials with commercial interests in prostitution often protect the practice. The precise number of prostitutes is difficult to assess;...
, all with bathtubs in the massage rooms.
The police again catch up with Bay who is knocked unconscious. When he comes to, the medical examiner tells him that the body of the person Bay is suspected of killing is not Mrs. Victoria, but the police won't consider the evidence. However, the ME lets Bay leave the room.
Bay finds the drumming duel and sees that it is Ton who will face the new Devil's Drums master, who is named Mr. Davis. Bay then realizes that the secret to the 10th level of drumming was the double-sexed
Hermaphrodite
In biology, a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes.Many taxonomic groups of animals do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction in which both...
technique, which means his penis was cut off and attached to Ton, giving her the power.
There is a climactic drumming duel in a boxing ring, in which all styles of drumming are explored, and the result is that the Drums of the Gods are victorious.
Cast
- Krissada TerrenceKrissada TerrenceKrissada Terrence. is a Thai-American pop singer and actor. He is member of the Thai pop band Pru...
as Bay - Nountaka Warawanitchanoun as Ton
- Nimponth Chaisirikul as Inspector Black Ears
- Nophadal Tavitumnusin as Meow
- Pakapat Bunsomtom as Ooh
- Pranee Keebut as Professor Tuengpo
- Kiradej Ketakinta as Ringo StarrRingo StarrRichard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
- Rang Sabian as Mr. Davis
- Sumontha Suanpholaat as Mrs. Victoria
- Sombat MetaneeSombat MetaneeSombat Metanee is a Thai actor and film director. At one time he held the Guinness World Record for most film appearances . By his own count, he's made more than 2,000 films and television shows, including lakorns...
as Sombat
Cultural references
Bangkok Loco references several WesternWestern world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
films and cultural icons, including Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
, Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
and Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
. It also has many cultural references that are specific to Thailand. These include:
- Prime MinisterPrime Minister of ThailandThe Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin ShinawatraThaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
– He is first introduced as a film voice-over actor and then is later seen selling second-hand televisions. While making a call from a phone booth, he is struck by lightning and then gets the idea to start a mobile phoneMobile phoneA mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
company. - Chuwit KamolvisitChuwit KamolvisitChuwit Kamolvisit is a controversial Thai politician who was once the country's biggest massage parlor owner. After an arrest in 2003, he went public with his claims of having paid large bribes to hundreds of police officers. He then sold some of his massage parlors, formed his own political...
– The former massage parlor tycoon turned maverick politician is seen getting the idea to open massage parlors from Bay. - Paradorn SrichaphanParadorn SrichaphanParadorn Srichaphan is a retired professional tennis player from Thailand. He is the highest ranked men's singles player from Thailand and Asia in history, reaching a career high World No. 9. His nickname is "Ball".-Career:...
– A boy portraying the red-shirted Thai professional tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
star is seen receiving a ball and tennis racket from Inspector Black Ears, and then bowing and giving a polite waiThai greetingThe Thai greeting referred to as the wai consists of a slight bow, with the palms pressed together in a prayer-like fashion. It has its origin in the Indic Añjali Mudrā, like the Indian namasté and the Cambodian sampeah...
, similar to the ritual Paradorn performs before crowds at matches. - The OvertureThe OvertureThe Overture is a 2004 Thai musical-drama film. A fictionalised account based on the life story of Thai palace musician Luang Pradit Phairoh , it follows the life of a Thai classical musician from the late 19th century to the 1940s...
– Narongrit Tosa-nga, a well-known piphatPiphatA piphat is a kind of ensemble in the classical music of Thailand, which features wind and percussion instruments. It is considered the primary form of ensemble for the interpretation of the most sacred and "high-class" compositions of the Thai classical repertoire, including the Buddhist...
musician is seen at the beginning rehearsing on his ranad-ek (Thai xylophoneXylophoneThe xylophone is a musical instrument in the percussion family that consists of wooden bars struck by mallets...
). He portrayed Khun In, a rival musician, in The Overture, which was a hit Thai film in 2004. - Ornnapa Krissadee – A celebrity transsexual makeup artist, actress and presenter in Thailand, she plays a pivotal role in a guest appearance at the end of the film.