Despite the current GLOBAL economic upheavals, mindless wars and political furore, THAILAND is still very much THAILAND - land of wonders.
Putting aside the plastic people, the advertising tagline AMAZING THAILAND is still so apt.
You just can't keep curious people away - the tourists come in droves, millions of them each year, recession or not, for budget scenic charms, the ready sex and massages - on the cheap.
SEX and the CITY? Yes, plenty.
In THAILAND, you can get cheap thrills without having to burn a hole in your pockets.
You name it, THAILAND has it.
What of the THAI CINEMA?
Well, there are gems and there are forgettable disasters, just like in every other country.
The THAIS are proud of preening their craft. They are indoctrinated to self-proclamation that they are the best around.
TRUE?
CERTAINLY NOT, industry insiders beg to digress.
CREATIVITY is always subjective, and to each his own.
There's always a ready pool out there in the rest of ASIA, waiting to be tapped.
Unlike SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA and the PHILIPINES where most films are being shot on the HD format to curtail production costs, THAILAND is quick to differentiate that their features (mostly) are still produced on 35 mm film.
In the last 18 months, there were notable THAI films such as the first ever THAI investment of 200 million baht- ONG BAK 2 which garnered mixed reviews - great bone-crunching fight scenes - but a weak storyline.
TONY JAA the action star has a darkish complexion, lacks screen charisma and has only a stoned one-dimensional look.
His acting clearly lacks emotive depth, unlike the current HONG KONG rage DONNIE YEN who has wowed us with his vivid performance in IP MAN.
Now, let is talk about the LOVE OF SIAM, produced at less than one-tenth of the ONG BAK 2 budget but is still raking in news and money.
It's the most memorable film-to-date and has touched the hearts of most everybody who has seen it.
Now, who is saying that only colossal budget features carry the best weight?
You need a great storyteller gura like CHOOKIAT who's master-of-the-art at rendering beautiful treatments.
LOVE OF SIAM scored for MARIO MAURER and WITWISIT HIRANYAWONGKUL who went on to become teenage icons even long after all the brouhaha has died down.
Never before has a THAI movie carried so much "steam".
It's one that you have to watch with your eyes, see with your heart and experience the remarkable tenderness of LOVE OF SIAM.
Even I was amazed.
The audience's response was unpredicted and unprecedented as the film was originally slated to be "just a simple love story" to tug at your heartstrings.
LOVE OF SIAM did more than just that.
It brings home a message that:
IF IT'S LOVE or IF YOU ARE IN LOVE,
JUST FOLLOW YOUR DREAM.
LIFE HAS NO FINER MOMENT.
The film's signature song KAN LAE KAN or translated as "JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE" sums up the many facets of love.
Love can lift you up, and let you down sometimes.
Love is agony, hurt and longing all rolled into one.
But what is life without love?
KUDOS to WITWISIT and MARIO for their superb sensitive acting in their debut feature.
The scene whereby WITWISIT sings to MARIO, you can almost feel the intensity of their love. The exchange of adoring glances between them speaks a thousand words.
It's like embarking together on a journey of life and hope.
NOW, here's the condensed version of the lyrics of "JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE" that I have translated personally as a befitting tribute to this wonderful film LOVE OF SIAM by CHOOKIAT SAKVEERAKUL:
"IF I had told you that this SONG was penned specially with YOU in mind,
You may not have believed,
It might not have been as lovey-dovey as the other ballads,
Yet love songs cannot be written
without true feelings from the heart,
As it was for you,
The words just flow freely......
You could have listened to a thousand ballads,
Some may touch you deep inside
And mean nothing more
But the moment you hear this song,
You'd know at once that the lyrics are dedicated to you only,
We have this beautiful memory that we should cherish.
It's as though we are embarking on life's journey
by listening to the pitter-patter of our own heartbeats,
Wasn't I there for you?
And I know you'll always be there for me too,
Having you by my side,
I believe there's no obstacle I cannot overcome,
I see our world as .......
JUST YOU AND ME, MY LOVE."
REALLY SAPPY, isn't it?
As I have said, if you believe in LOVE,
JUST FOLLOW YOUR DREAM,
BECAUSE LIFE HAS NO FINER MOMENT.
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