an interview article wif mr bangjong-p while in sg in jun13
Biggest winner yet for Pee Mak makers
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Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun (third from left) with several members of the cast for his movie Pee Mak, comprising (from left) actors Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Davika Hoorne and Pongsatorn Jongwilas. They were in Singapore recently to promote the Thai horror-comedy film. -- FILE PHOTO: SPH
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Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun (third from left) with several members of the cast for his movie Pee Mak, comprising (from left) actors Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Davika Hoorne and Pongsatorn Jongwilas. They were in Singapore recently to promote the Thai horror-comedy film. -- FILE PHOTO: SPH
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Thai director Banjong Pisanthanakun (third from left) with several members of the cast for his movie Pee Mak, comprising (from left) actors Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk, Davika Hoorne and Pongsatorn Jongwilas. They were in Singapore recently to promote the Thai horror-comedy film. -- FILE PHOTO: SPH
ST-MOVIES
BY DYLAN TAN
A BIG screen adaptation of a familiar Thai horror legend has been scaring audiences back home in the Land of Smiles and its makers are laughing their way to the bank.
The film, Pee Mak, is based on the popular Mae Nak folklore about a woman who dies during childbirth and becomes a ghost. It has been adapted into numerous movies, TV series and stage plays over the years but none as successful as this new one which has raked in US$33 million (S$41.3 million) since opening in Thailand in March to become the country's all-time highest grossing domestic film.
The film, which has also made over US$1 million (S$1.25 million) in Hong Kong – impressive for a foreign film – opened in Singapore yesterday.
Pee Mak's director Banjong Pisanthanakun says the movie's box office performance has far exceeded anybody's expectations and attributes the success to the new spin that has been put on the familiar legend.
“The title actually refers to Mae Nak's husband so there's a new perspective and direction,” he explains, while dropping by Singapore for a promotional tour and red carpet gala last week. “We were not following the traditional story; we had a different idea.”
The boyish 34-year-old filmmaker is no stranger to making hit films and the horror genre, having previously helmed Shutter (2004), Alone (2007), 4bia (2008) and its sequel Phobia 2 (2009).
For Pee Mak, he's brought back a quartet of comedians – Nuttapong Chartpong, Pongsatorn Jongwilas, Attharut Kongrasri, Kantapat Permpoonpatcharasuk – whom he worked with on the Phobia duology and have since gone on to cultivate their own cult following in Thai cinema.
“The four of them have become well-known after 4bia so cinema audiences keep looking forward to their next adventure; in a way, this movie is also about four friends meeting Mae Nak,” explains Yongyoot Thongkongtoon, senior director of international business at GTH, the major Thai studio behind Pee Mak. He’s a successful filmmaker himself who shot to fame with the transgender comedy The Iron Ladies (2000).
Besides the familiar cast and storyline, Mr Banjong says comedy is also a good universal way to connect with movie-goers. “The reaction and feedback we've received so far has been crazy; I've been told people are clapping and jumping up from their seats not because they're scared but because they are laughing too hard!” he says.
Mr Yongyoot adds that despite the success of the film, GTH is not looking to replicate the formula. “This has been a dream and we are still trying to get our feet back on the ground; we know Thai audiences love horror films from experience and past box office statistics ... but not every one ends up a box office hit,” he notes, before adding that a slew of copycats can be expected to cash in on Pee Mak's popularity.
The same sentiment is shared by Mr Banjong, when asked about his follow-up project as he expresses a wish to take a break from the horror genre – something he did three years ago when he made the smash romantic comedy Hello Stranger.
“I am still looking for an inspiration but I'd like to make a pure romantic drama next time – not a romantic comedy like Hello Stranger,” he reveals, with Mr Yongyoot looking on in mock horror.
This article was first published in The Business Times on June 14, 2013
ps : sorry i dun know how 2 remove da extra pics