Bangkok Love Story
Encyclopedia
Bangkok Love Story is a 2007 Thai film
written and directed by Poj Arnon
. A gay romantic crime action drama, it is the story of a man who falls in love with a gunman assigned to kill him.
In fact, Maek is also attracted to Iht, but keeps it hidden, while Iht cares for his former would-be killer with great tenderness.
While giving Maek a bath one day, Iht kisses him on the mouth. Maek reciprocates and the two men engage in a passionate sexual experience. The next day, however, a conflicted Maek demands that Iht go away and leave him alone. Iht returns home to his fiancee, Sai, but is no longer interested in continuing a relationship with her. Iht spends his days pining over Maek, and tracks down Maek's brother, Mhok, and their mother. Mhok is HIV
positive, as the result of sexual abuse by his and Maek's stepfather, and their mother is dying of AIDS
.
Maek remains elusive, hiding from Iht when he visits the hideout, but leaving signs that he's there so Iht will return.
Though Maek avoids making contact with Iht, eventually he goes to visit his mother and brother, and Iht corners him at the entrance to the building, declaring his love for Maek and stressing how much he misses him. They kiss passionately. They are unfortunately covertly observed by Sai, Iht's live-in fiancee.
Maek's dream is to take his mother and brother away from Bangkok to the mountains of Mae Hong Son Province
. But after Maek's mother overhears that Mhok has prostituted himself to survive after contracting AIDS from his stepfather, she commits suicide
by hanging herself. The brothers take her down, and as they are rushing her from the apartment, she is killed by a gunshot fired by an unseen sniper. The bullet is presumably intended for Maek.
Maek's former mobster employers are gunning for him and Iht. Maek decides to hunt them down first, and he succeeds in killing them. After Mohk informs Iht what Maek is doing, Iht goes to the capo's house to try and stop Maek, but he is too late and misses Maek by a second. Iht is injured when the capo's wife shoots at a clock that shatters in Iht's face.
Maek, meanwhile meets his brother at the railway station to leave Bangkok for good. But before he can board the train, he is apprehended by the police and taken away. Mhok breaks down. He's the sole witness to his brother being apprehended.
Years pass by. Iht visits Maek in prison and reveals that he was left blind
in the final gunbattle with Maek's ex-boss. Mhok commits suicide while at a Hospice of Watphrabahtnamphu in Lopburi
because he no longer has the energy to fight his disease. Eventually, Maek is released from prison, and Iht meets him. But before the two men can leave to start their life together, Maek is shot dead by a single bullet fired by an unseen assassin. A bewildered, blind Iht collapses over his lover's corpse, swearing his love for him again and again.
Iht eventually regains his sight, and is finally able to view on his mobile phone a video recorded by Maek himself many years before, admitting that all along, he had loved Iht and that he would love him to his last breath.
raised objections to the script, which originally depicted a policeman (Iht) falling in love with the assassin Maek. The character Iht's exact connection to the police department was then made ambiguous so that the film would be passed by the Board of Censors
, which includes members of the Royal Thai Police.
Both lead actors, Chaiwat Thongsang (Iht) and Ratanabanrang Tosawat (Maek) are heterosexual
, according to a profile of the two actors in BK Magazine. Chaiwat said he took the role because he wanted the "challenge" and to "become famous". Ratanabanrang simply stated playing a gay man "is an honor."
Chaiwat said he had hoped camera angles could be used so he could avoid having to kiss his co-star, but director Poj Arnon
insisted the kiss
es must be real. "It was totally disgusting at first, but we kind of got used to it after a while," Chaiwat said. Ratanabanrang said he had to imagine he was kissing his girlfriend. "Actually, we acted so well, that my girlfriend got paranoid.
Both actors acknowledged that the film would be compared to Brokeback Mountain, but Ratanabanrang noted that Poj Arnon had the idea for Bangkok Love Story long before Brokeback had been adapted into a film.
stating it was “the movie everybody has been talking about". The film earned US$325,000 in its Thailand theatrical run.
Critical reception was mixed. The weekly BK Magazine stated that the film suffered from being overly melodrama
tic, but praised the cinematography by Tiwa Moeithaisong, which "turns Bangkok into a character in its own right."
Reviews from the Bangkok English-language daily The Nation
were characterised as "dismissive".
LGBT-related website Fridae
praised Bangkok Love Story as "the boldest Thai gay movie to date." It additionally praised the film for being a departure from the Thai LGBT genre, which generally features coarsely stereotype
d kathoey
transvestite
caricatures.
Gay Thai independent film producer Vitaya Saeng-aroon similarly praised the film, saying director Poj Arnon
was "brave enough to shake society up".
Bangkok Love Story was screened at the 34th Brussels International Independent Film Festival
, where it won the top prize, the Grand Award in all Categories. It was also the Opening Night selection for the 2007 Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and played at the 2008 London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
.
TLA Releasing
acquired theatrical, home video, television and video on demand
rights for North America and the United Kingdom. The company plans to release the film in those territories in summer 2008.
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...
written and directed by Poj Arnon
Poj Arnon
-Career:Poj began his career in the 1980s as an advertising sales manager for Ter-Kab-Chan Magazine, eventually becoming the magazine's chief editor. His work on the magazine enabled him to scout out and groom many of the Thai teen movie stars of the era....
. A gay romantic crime action drama, it is the story of a man who falls in love with a gunman assigned to kill him.
Plot
A loner gunman named Maek is assigned to kidnap a police informant named Iht, but Maek has a change of heart when he takes Iht to the 'hit house'. Maek is ordered to kill Iht, but because he only kills scum and has discovered that Iht isn't bad, he refuses, turning the gun on the enforcers who had hired him to murder Iht. A gun battle ensues during which Maek is wounded, but Iht grabs Maek's gun and shoots their way out of the mobsters' headquarters. The two men then escape on Maek's motorcycle. Maek tells Iht to leave at gun point but he won't and takes Maek back to his rooftop hide-out. There, over a period of time, Iht tends to Maek's wound and finds himself attracted to him.In fact, Maek is also attracted to Iht, but keeps it hidden, while Iht cares for his former would-be killer with great tenderness.
While giving Maek a bath one day, Iht kisses him on the mouth. Maek reciprocates and the two men engage in a passionate sexual experience. The next day, however, a conflicted Maek demands that Iht go away and leave him alone. Iht returns home to his fiancee, Sai, but is no longer interested in continuing a relationship with her. Iht spends his days pining over Maek, and tracks down Maek's brother, Mhok, and their mother. Mhok is HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
positive, as the result of sexual abuse by his and Maek's stepfather, and their mother is dying of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Maek remains elusive, hiding from Iht when he visits the hideout, but leaving signs that he's there so Iht will return.
Though Maek avoids making contact with Iht, eventually he goes to visit his mother and brother, and Iht corners him at the entrance to the building, declaring his love for Maek and stressing how much he misses him. They kiss passionately. They are unfortunately covertly observed by Sai, Iht's live-in fiancee.
Maek's dream is to take his mother and brother away from Bangkok to the mountains of Mae Hong Son Province
Mae Hong Son Province
Most of the areas of Mae Hong Son Province are complex mountain ranges and likely still pristine virgin forest. Of the approximately 6,976,650 rai of national forest reserves, 88.02% is thought to be pristine virgin forest...
. But after Maek's mother overhears that Mhok has prostituted himself to survive after contracting AIDS from his stepfather, she commits suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
by hanging herself. The brothers take her down, and as they are rushing her from the apartment, she is killed by a gunshot fired by an unseen sniper. The bullet is presumably intended for Maek.
Maek's former mobster employers are gunning for him and Iht. Maek decides to hunt them down first, and he succeeds in killing them. After Mohk informs Iht what Maek is doing, Iht goes to the capo's house to try and stop Maek, but he is too late and misses Maek by a second. Iht is injured when the capo's wife shoots at a clock that shatters in Iht's face.
Maek, meanwhile meets his brother at the railway station to leave Bangkok for good. But before he can board the train, he is apprehended by the police and taken away. Mhok breaks down. He's the sole witness to his brother being apprehended.
Years pass by. Iht visits Maek in prison and reveals that he was left blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
in the final gunbattle with Maek's ex-boss. Mhok commits suicide while at a Hospice of Watphrabahtnamphu in Lopburi
Lopburi
Lopburi ) is the capital city of Lopburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 150 km north-east of Bangkok. As of 2006 it has a population of 26,500...
because he no longer has the energy to fight his disease. Eventually, Maek is released from prison, and Iht meets him. But before the two men can leave to start their life together, Maek is shot dead by a single bullet fired by an unseen assassin. A bewildered, blind Iht collapses over his lover's corpse, swearing his love for him again and again.
Iht eventually regains his sight, and is finally able to view on his mobile phone a video recorded by Maek himself many years before, admitting that all along, he had loved Iht and that he would love him to his last breath.
Cast
- Rattaballung Tohssawat as Maek (Cloud)
- Chaiwat Tongseang as Iht (Rock)
- Weeradit Srimalai as Mhok (Fog)
- Chatcha Rujinanon as Sai (Sand)
Production
When Bangkok Love Story was in pre-production in 2006, the Royal Thai PoliceRoyal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police are the national police of Thailand.-About:Primary responsibility for the maintenance of public order through enforcement of the kingdom's laws was exercised by the Thailand National Police Department , a subdivision of the Ministry of Interior...
raised objections to the script, which originally depicted a policeman (Iht) falling in love with the assassin Maek. The character Iht's exact connection to the police department was then made ambiguous so that the film would be passed by the Board of Censors
Censorship in Thailand
Freedom of speech in Thailand was guaranteed in the articles 39, 40, 41 in the 1997 Constitution.According to those articles, censorship may be imposed to preserve national security, maintain public order, preserve the rights of others, protect public morals, and prevent criticism of the royal...
, which includes members of the Royal Thai Police.
Both lead actors, Chaiwat Thongsang (Iht) and Ratanabanrang Tosawat (Maek) are heterosexual
Heterosexuality
Heterosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, physical or romantic attractions to persons of the opposite sex";...
, according to a profile of the two actors in BK Magazine. Chaiwat said he took the role because he wanted the "challenge" and to "become famous". Ratanabanrang simply stated playing a gay man "is an honor."
Chaiwat said he had hoped camera angles could be used so he could avoid having to kiss his co-star, but director Poj Arnon
Poj Arnon
-Career:Poj began his career in the 1980s as an advertising sales manager for Ter-Kab-Chan Magazine, eventually becoming the magazine's chief editor. His work on the magazine enabled him to scout out and groom many of the Thai teen movie stars of the era....
insisted the kiss
Kiss
A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another person or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good...
es must be real. "It was totally disgusting at first, but we kind of got used to it after a while," Chaiwat said. Ratanabanrang said he had to imagine he was kissing his girlfriend. "Actually, we acted so well, that my girlfriend got paranoid.
Both actors acknowledged that the film would be compared to Brokeback Mountain, but Ratanabanrang noted that Poj Arnon had the idea for Bangkok Love Story long before Brokeback had been adapted into a film.
Release and reception
Bangkok Love Story was released in Thailand cinemas on August 13, 2007. The film proved popular, with the Bangkok PostBangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
stating it was “the movie everybody has been talking about". The film earned US$325,000 in its Thailand theatrical run.
Critical reception was mixed. The weekly BK Magazine stated that the film suffered from being overly melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
tic, but praised the cinematography by Tiwa Moeithaisong, which "turns Bangkok into a character in its own right."
Reviews from the Bangkok English-language daily The Nation
The Nation (Thailand)
The Nation is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper founded in 1971 and published in Bangkok, Thailand, and is owned by the Nation Multimedia Group.The Nation is a member of the Asia News Network...
were characterised as "dismissive".
LGBT-related website Fridae
Fridae
Fridae is a diversified media and services company that caters to the gay and lesbian community of Asia. Its strategy covers the Internet, Broadcasting, Publishing and Events. Its slogan is "Empowering Gay Asia"....
praised Bangkok Love Story as "the boldest Thai gay movie to date." It additionally praised the film for being a departure from the Thai LGBT genre, which generally features coarsely stereotype
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
d kathoey
Kathoey
Kathoey or katoey is a male-to-female transgender person or an effeminate gay male in Thailand. Related phrases include sao praphet song , or phet thi sam . The word kathoey is thought to be of Khmer origin...
transvestite
Transvestism
Transvestism is the practice of cross-dressing, which is wearing clothing traditionally associated with the opposite sex. Transvestite refers to a person who cross-dresses; however, the word often has additional connotations. -History:Although the word transvestism was coined as late as the 1910s,...
caricatures.
Gay Thai independent film producer Vitaya Saeng-aroon similarly praised the film, saying director Poj Arnon
Poj Arnon
-Career:Poj began his career in the 1980s as an advertising sales manager for Ter-Kab-Chan Magazine, eventually becoming the magazine's chief editor. His work on the magazine enabled him to scout out and groom many of the Thai teen movie stars of the era....
was "brave enough to shake society up".
Bangkok Love Story was screened at the 34th Brussels International Independent Film Festival
Brussels International Independent Film Festival
The Brussels International Independent Film Festival, or le Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bruxelles, has taken place since 1974. It originally focused on Super 8 films and today is a showcase for all kind of independent films....
, where it won the top prize, the Grand Award in all Categories. It was also the Opening Night selection for the 2007 Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, and played at the 2008 London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival
The London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival takes place every spring in London, England. It began as a season of gay and lesbian films at the National Film Theatre in 1986 and 1987 under the title "Gay's Own Pictures", curated by Peter Packer of the Tyneside Cinema, and was renamed the London...
.
TLA Releasing
TLA Releasing
TLA Releasing is a US film distribution company owned by TLA Entertainment Group. In March 2011, a new LLC was formed for the operation. Its primary output is LGBT-related films from all over the world under the "TLA Releasing" label, as well as horror films under the label "Danger After Dark"...
acquired theatrical, home video, television and video on demand
Video on demand
Video on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
rights for North America and the United Kingdom. The company plans to release the film in those territories in summer 2008.
External links
- Bangkok Love Story at Pantip.comPantip.comPantip.com is a popular Thai-language website and discussion forum. As of April 2008, Pantip.com was one of the top 10 websites in Thailand, along with rival Thai portal Sanook.com...
- Bangkok Love Story at SiamZone