FilmNerd3

Grape Farcicle

Posted by: ThirteenDamnDollars, September 14, 2005 11:56 PM

Pornchai Hongrattanaporn
Monday September 12, 11:59PM
Ryerson Theater

This movie is ridiculous. It's a rolling roaring slap-stick comedy pun-tastic musical pop-culture blender.

It's Thailand, 1982. Bay is wrongly (probably) accused of killing his land lady and he's on the run from the law. At the same time, he must prepare for a drumming duel with the demon drummer by completing his training and reach "level 10" so he can avenge his master's death. All this and musical numbers too.

This movie is packed with puns, visual and language and sly references to western and Thai cluture. I'm sure at least half of this movie went right over my head due to translation, but it was none the less hilarious.

During the Q&A after the movie, the director had a translator, and I think maybe she didn't see the whole movie. So when someone asked why the master was covered in plates when he died, she was very confused, possibly thinking it was some English idiom she didn't understand.

Thai Camp!

Posted by: Task, September 13, 2005 11:44 AM

Monday, September 12 11:59 PM RYERSON

Literally filled to overflowing with clever Thai language puns, Thai culture of 20 years ago (a lot like our 60s by the looks of it), Thai celebrities, and references to Thai movies, you'd think that this movie would be wholly uncomprehensible to those of us who aren't, well, Thai. Luckily, this movie is also in another language, one that many of us are quite fluent in: Camp. One note here: While I definitely Enjoyed the movie, there was a group of about a dozen Thai in the back right corner of the theatre that were definitely Having The Time Of Their Lives.

So what's it about then? Well, do you, perchance, remember a film from last year called The Overture? Imagine a spoof of that, but with drums (drum kits though, not much in the way of hand drums) and engineered for ridiculousnessnessnessness. Ness.

I could go on now about some of the clever scenes (that were either explained to us or I got because I've seen a fair amount of Thai cinema), but you're never going to see this movie. A producer would have to be insane to take this 100% Thai movie out of Thailand. So this is one of those movies that you can enjoy at the festival, or never. Colin Geddes, you are a crazy man for bringing it, but you were right: we did enjoy it.