Sick Nurses
Encyclopedia
Sick Nurses is a 2007 Thai
horror
film, written and directed by Piraphan Laoyont and Thodsapol Siriwiwat.
hospital, young Dr. Tar (Wichan Jarujinda) and seven nurses have been running a scheme to sell dead bodies on the black market. However, one nurse, Tahwaan (Chol Wachananont), has found out that her boyfriend, Dr. Tar, has been having an affair with her sister, Nook (Chidjun Rujiphan). Growing tired of the body-selling scam and enraged by her sister and boyfriend's betrayal, Tahwaan threatens to call the police.
However, before Tahwaan can take action, the doctor and six resident nurses at the hospital, strap Tahwaan to an operating table, kill her and then wrap her in a black plastic garbage bag. They then dump her in the trunk of the doctor’s car, where her corpse will be kept on dry ice until it can be sold.
All the women have their own obsessions and weaknesses. The spirit of Tahwaan uses these obsessions to torment and ultimately kill the other six nurses. Scenes shown toward the end of the film indicate that many of these obsessions were in part encouraged by Dr. Tar, or in some cases, used by him to seduce some of the women. For example, Aeh (Kanya Rattanapetch) seems unhealthily attracted to material possession such as jewelry, dresses, and handbags. One brief scene shows Dr. Tar giving Aeh a handbag that was shown sewn to her head and neck earlier in such a manner that when Nook tries to undo the stitching, Aeh is left decapitated.
It is eventually revealed that Tahwaan was actually a homosexual male who had undergone a sex change so that he could marry Dr. Tar. He finally kills his own sister by being literally reborn through her and as he stares at Tar, he mutters "marriage" and the screen goes black.
Bangkok Post
film critic Kong Rithdee characterized the film as exploitive and complained that the film's general release was allowed by the same Board of Censors
that had earlier in the year banned director Apichatpong Weerasethakul
's drama film, Syndromes and a Century
, because of what the board said were objectionable portrayals of medical professionals. "What's more saddening than seeing bad exploitation movies is the double standards of the people who have power. Unfortunately we have both of them right here in Thailand," he wrote.
In July 2007, at a workshop discussion on censorship in Thailand, producer Prachya Pinkaew
revealed that the Board of Censors had in fact called for cuts to be made in the film, asking that a scene in which a medical cross symbol falls off the hospital building and kills a character be altered to eliminate the killing, because the censors believed that was a bad association for the symbol.
The film was shown at the 2007 Hawaii International Film Festival
in the "Extreme Asia" section, where it received a positive review from Variety
, which called the film "slickly executed".
As of 2008, the film has been released on DVD in Thailand with no English subs and in America with English and Spanish subs.
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...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
film, written and directed by Piraphan Laoyont and Thodsapol Siriwiwat.
Plot
In a run-down, suburban BangkokBangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
hospital, young Dr. Tar (Wichan Jarujinda) and seven nurses have been running a scheme to sell dead bodies on the black market. However, one nurse, Tahwaan (Chol Wachananont), has found out that her boyfriend, Dr. Tar, has been having an affair with her sister, Nook (Chidjun Rujiphan). Growing tired of the body-selling scam and enraged by her sister and boyfriend's betrayal, Tahwaan threatens to call the police.
However, before Tahwaan can take action, the doctor and six resident nurses at the hospital, strap Tahwaan to an operating table, kill her and then wrap her in a black plastic garbage bag. They then dump her in the trunk of the doctor’s car, where her corpse will be kept on dry ice until it can be sold.
All the women have their own obsessions and weaknesses. The spirit of Tahwaan uses these obsessions to torment and ultimately kill the other six nurses. Scenes shown toward the end of the film indicate that many of these obsessions were in part encouraged by Dr. Tar, or in some cases, used by him to seduce some of the women. For example, Aeh (Kanya Rattanapetch) seems unhealthily attracted to material possession such as jewelry, dresses, and handbags. One brief scene shows Dr. Tar giving Aeh a handbag that was shown sewn to her head and neck earlier in such a manner that when Nook tries to undo the stitching, Aeh is left decapitated.
It is eventually revealed that Tahwaan was actually a homosexual male who had undergone a sex change so that he could marry Dr. Tar. He finally kills his own sister by being literally reborn through her and as he stares at Tar, he mutters "marriage" and the screen goes black.
Cast
- Chol Wachananont as Tahwaan
- Wichan Jarujinda as Dr. Tar
- Chidjan Rujiphun as Nook
- Kanya Rattanapetch as Ae
- Dollaros Dachapratumwan as Jo
- Ocha Wang as Yim
- Ampairat Techapoowapat as Orn
- Ampaiwan Techapoowapat as Am
Release and reception
Sick Nurses was released in Thailand cinemas on June 14, 2007, where critical and box-office response was muted and maybe due to less cinema release of 50 and runs only for 2 weeks. According to Box-officeMojo.com its total gross to date is $335,399 excluding the DVD sales worldwide.Bangkok Post
Bangkok 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....
film critic Kong Rithdee characterized the film as exploitive and complained that the film's general release was allowed by the same 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...
that had earlier in the year banned director Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Apichatpong "Joe" Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. His feature films include Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, winner of the prestigious 2010 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or prize; Tropical Malady, which won a jury prize at the 2004...
's drama film, Syndromes and a Century
Syndromes and a Century
Syndromes and a Century is a 2006 Thai drama film written and directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul. The film was among the works commissioned for Peter Sellars' New Crowned Hope festival in Vienna to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart...
, because of what the board said were objectionable portrayals of medical professionals. "What's more saddening than seeing bad exploitation movies is the double standards of the people who have power. Unfortunately we have both of them right here in Thailand," he wrote.
In July 2007, at a workshop discussion on censorship in Thailand, producer Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew
Prachya Pinkaew is a Thai film director, film producer and screenwriter. His films include Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior and Tom-Yum-Goong, both martial arts films starring Tony Jaa.-Biography:...
revealed that the Board of Censors had in fact called for cuts to be made in the film, asking that a scene in which a medical cross symbol falls off the hospital building and kills a character be altered to eliminate the killing, because the censors believed that was a bad association for the symbol.
The film was shown at the 2007 Hawaii International Film Festival
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawaii International Film Festival is a film festival held in the U.S. state of Hawaii. It was started in 1981 by Jeannette Paulson Hereniko and has been held annually in the fall for two weeks...
in the "Extreme Asia" section, where it received a positive review from Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, which called the film "slickly executed".
As of 2008, the film has been released on DVD in Thailand with no English subs and in America with English and Spanish subs.