Tropical Malady

Sud pralad

Thailand, Germany, France, Italy

2004

118 Min

Color

1.85:1

Thai

Currently 4.1/5 Stars.
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1,402 Views

PROD Charles de Meaux, Alex Möbius, Paiboon Damrongchaitham, Marco Müller, Christoph Thoke, Pantham Thongsang

DP Jarin Pengpanitch, Vichit Tanapanitch, Jean-Louis Vialard

CAST Banlop Lomnoi, Sakda Kaewbuadee, Huai Dessom, Sirivech Jareonchon, Udom Promma

ED Lee Chatametikool, Jacopo Quadri

SOUND Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr

Cannes (In Competition): Jury Prize, Toronto (Visions), New York, São Paulo: Critics Award, Outfest (Features), Queer Lisboa (Digital Cinema Cycle), Rotterdam (S.E.A. Eyes), Melbourne (Thai Breakers), Vancouver (Dragons & Tigers), Chicago, London, BAFICI

Synopsis

Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival and an Official Selection of the New York Film Festival, Tropical Malady is a lyrical and mysterious film by maverick Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Blissfully Yours, Syndromes and a Century), one of the most prominent young directors of the Thai New Wave. Tropical Malady chronicles the mystical love affair between a young soldier and the country boy he seduces, soon to be disrupted by the boy’s sudden disappearance. Local legends claim the boy was transformed into a mythic wild beast, and the soldier journeys alone into the heart of the Thai jungle in search of him.

Director

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Apichatpong “Joe” Weerasethakul (Thai: อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล; born July 16, 1970) 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 Cannes Film Festival; Blissfully Yours, which won the top prize in the Un Certain Regard program at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival; and Syndromes and a Century, which premiered at the 63rd Venice Film Festival and was the first Thai film to be entered in competition there.

Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Weerasethakul has directed several features and dozens of short films. Themes reflected in his films (frequently discussed in interviews) include dreams, nature, sexuality (including his own homosexuality), and Western perceptions of Thailand and Asia, and his films… read more

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affasf

6Apr13

The morphing shaman's fabula as the desire to defeat self-righteous conservatism, accomplished in a harmonized unicum formed by man and spirit, was the best possible realization of the original text premise.

xrystyna

22Dec12

my housemate summarised this very aptly: how the tiger becomes the hunted. a very convincing story of getting trapped in the feeling one thinks s/he is in control of. a delight of absorbing and atmospheric cinematography. the humour and diversity of the everyday life and the frightening, uncanny metaphoric tale of intense feelings and emotions: perfect juxaposition that makes the impact of the two pasrts oh so strong

Aaron Garrett likes this

DT

14Dec12

It’s taken some viewings to realise the dichotomy of Tropical Malady: the warmth of its first half’s urban portrait - fleeting connections; quotidian, like Tsai, or Ozu - and its second: descent into naturalist euphoria, dialogue-free, of man finding his bestiality. Intact is the juxtaposition of old and new: folklore tale appended with game show anecdote, singing deity statue as makeshift shrine in ancient cave, relaxed social norms. A snug canonical entry, between its heady predecessor, Syndromes’ cities and Boonmee’s myth; rich, plentiful bounty.

Christofer Pierson and 2 others like this

Aflwydd, eric