Sud pralad (2004)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Writer:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul (writer)

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

A gay-themed romance between a soldier (Lomnoi) and a country boy Tong, wrapped around a Thai folk legend involving a shaman with shapeshifting abilities.

Plot Keywords:

Shapeshifting | Jungle | Movie Theater | Gay Soldier | Tiger

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Banlop Lomnoi	...	Keng
Sakda Kaewbuadee	...	Tong
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Huai Dessom
Sirivech Jareonchon
Udom Promma

Directed by
Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul		writer

Produced by
Paiboon Damrongchaitham	....	co-producer
Charles de Meaux	....	producer
Axel Möbius	....	co-producer
Alex Moebius	....	producer
Marco Mueller	....	co-producer
Christoph Thoke	....	co-producer
Pantham Thongsangl	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Jarin Pengpanitch
Vichit Tanapanitch
Jean-Louis Vialard

Film Editing by
Lee Chatametikool
Jacopo Quadri

Production Design by
Akekarat Homlaor

Costume Design by
Pilaitip Jamniam

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sompot Chidgasornpongse	....	second assistant director
Suchada Sirithanawuddhi	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Lee Chatametikool	....	sound editor
Thitipant Chongcharoen-choke-skul	....	sound designer
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	location sound (as Akrit Chaya-ngam)
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	sound designer
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	sound
Boom Suvagondha	....	assistant sound mixer
Narathip Tungkaseranee	....	boom operator
Narathip Tungkaseranee	....	foley editor
Jasmin Vorabutr	....	sound editor
Teekadet Vucharadhanin	....	foley artist
Traithep Wongpaiboon	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Manfred Büttner	....	visual effects producer
Markus Degen	....	lead compositor
Markus Degen	....	visual effects supervisor
Florian Gellinger	....	digital compositor
Caterina Schiffers	....	digital compositor: postproduction, TVT

Editorial Department
Jacopo Quadri	....	editing advisor

Production Companies

• Backup Films (in association with)
• Anna Sanders Films (co-production)
• Downtown Pictures
• Kick the Machine (co-production)
• TIFA
• Thoke Moebius Film Company (co-production)

Distributors

• Ad Vitam Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Istituto Luce (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Sagrera TV (2006) (Spain) (all media)
• Second Run (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Slovenska Kinoteka (2005) (Slovenia) (all media)

Special Effects

• tvt. postproduction

Other Companies

• Houdini Studio  post-production facilities (Final Cut Pro suite)
• Valve  thanks

Also Known As:

Tropical Malady (International: English title)
Tropical Malady - Liebe kennt nur den Moment... (Germany)

Runtime:

118 min | France:120 min | Argentina:120 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Thailand | France | Germany | Italy

Language:

Thai

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR

Certification:

Spain:13 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:M18 | UK:12A | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Backup Films

Trivia:

Chosen by the French film journal "Cahiers du cinéma" as the best film of 2004.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006) (V)

I Need to Write This in Order to Move On...

I actually feel bad that I did not connect with this film. For all its perceived depth noted in other comments here (and in the pages of Film Comment magazine), this experimental Thai film left me unmoved and even a bit irritated. Perhaps I was not "viewing with my heart," as another commenter suggested was necessary.

The one redeeming factor for me was the opportunity for a realistic glimpse of rural Thailand, and some scenes were indeed beautifully photographed.

I am no stranger to experimental and non-narrative structures in film, but found myself fast-forwarding through much of this piece, especially the latter "folkloric" half.

Inscrutable and languidly paced do not always equal a soulful, moving film experience, and I can't help but wonder if some of the praise for this one comes from those willing to be blown away by anything impenetrably arty.

There really is not a lot to this film, not much happens per se, and it is left to the viewer to project one's own sensory or emotional illuminations onto the structure, what little there is. I was unable to make this leap, cold-hearted bastard that I am.