• supalak
  • ranking : Nation Staff
  • email : supalak@nationgroup.com
  • created : 2007-07-10
  • entry : 20
  • visitors : 18798
  • votes : 19
  • send msg :
All about Mekong basin
Supalak Ganjanakhundee keeps you updated all about the Mekong basin
Permalink : http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/supalak
Friday , September 14 , 2007
Red Lotus: A Lao movie
Posted by supalak , Reader : 1981 , 11:08:31   | Category : Laos  
Print

Got this piece from Lao National Film Archive. An 80 minute movie was produced more than 30 years ago when the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party newly took the power. It is the first movie making in Laos during the new regime.

Buadaeng, (Red Lotus), is a story of Lao girl fighting for freedom of love along with national liberation. The girl, Buadaeng, is in love with Kham Man a member of Naew Lao Hak Xat (Lao Patriotic Front) before the parent forces her to engage with another rich man.

 Her love story is more complicated than what we have seen in Thai soap opera screened on television every night these days as it emerges during political struggle between the communist movement and Lao royalist government in the 1970s.

Her lover Kham Man needed to fled to join underground movement in the jungle after a huge raid to her village but they maintain contact. Buadaeng and many other young villagers become main supporters doing logistic job supplying food and medicines for the communists.

The plot is that her step father Som, Lao Royal Army’s secret agent, is spying on her over movement of the Patriotic Front and notably the most wanted comrade Kham Man her lover.

Som forced Buadaeng to engage with the rich man Xiang On to trick Kham Man and his fighters into the royal army’s trap. Buadeang put her bet on the communist to liberate her village as well as her love. Only victory of the communist would allow her to reunite with her lover.

At the happy ending, her step father Som and Xiang On were shot dead during the battle when Naew Lao armed forces come out to liberate the village.

 The main theme of the movie might be just a propaganda piece during the early time of the communist regime but the producer put a lot of cultural angle into the movie for the benefit of audience who might dislike political aspect of the film.

Lao film production is far from development. After this black and white film, Laos rarely produces movie. Many Thai producers, including famous Surasi Patham, also failed to form any joint movie projects over the past years. Most of Lao people now enjoy foreign film, notably Thai movie and soap opera.   

Please enjoy.....

Part I

Part II

Part III

 

Read comment

comment 9
supalak date : 18/09/2007 time : 21.17
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/supalak

Dear all,
for "Louk Isan" please wait for a few weeks. I have a copy but don't have enough time to convert into a web-friendly one. Coming soon!!!
comment 8
PasaNINJA2499 date : 17/09/2007 time : 20.43
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/PasaNINJA2499
Keep walking forward. Don't give up. Don't fed up.

Jiwamol, you talk about Lok Isan, right? Where is the movie? I never have seen it before.
comment 7
Jiwamol date : 17/09/2007 time : 17.59
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/Jiwamol
XXX

PasaNINJA, you should have watched the movie. It's great. I watched it long time ago. But still remember some scenes, very touching.
comment 6
PasaNINJA2499 date : 16/09/2007 time : 20.47
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/PasaNINJA2499
Keep walking forward. Don't give up. Don't fed up.

Jiwamol, very long ago, I used to read "Look Isan" also. It is very nice book describe the north east life.
comment 5
PasaNINJA2499 date : 16/09/2007 time : 20.43
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/PasaNINJA2499
Keep walking forward. Don't give up. Don't fed up.

Oh, nice film, I learn about Lao more from it. Thanks Supaluk!!
comment 4
supalak date : 15/09/2007 time : 19.27
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/supalak

Jee,
I appreciate the way you capture the story and regard it as an art piece.
comment 3
Jeerawat date : 15/09/2007 time : 18.28
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/Jeerawat

Dear Supalak,
This movie is supercool from the start. We saw the cameraman and behind the scene shot. And the message from this movie is clear and sincere. The plot is about the fight beween the ideology and materialism. The movie opened with the peaceful atmosphere of the rural area and how their lives were disrupted by the violence shown by the soliders. A young girl who didn't even want to kill a fish had to see her dad being arrested before her eyes. Bua Daeang's niece gives the clarity to the film through her innocent eyes.

Well, the film may be seen as a propaganda piece. But the plot is well-written and the audience don't feel they were forced to be sympathy with the characters. It's about love but not overly sentimental. When Bua Daeng's boyfried had to leave her and went into hiding, no words were spoken, except for the music score. And then, in the next scene, the message of the film was spoken by Buadeang. Don't waste time asking why life is unfair. But we have to fight for the freedom. Yeaah..

I love the way the director and cameraman try to capture the atmosphere of the people living in rural area. And it contrasts to the scene when Bua Daeang's stepdad came to Vientiene where the ladies drank and danced with men in the nightclub. (I was thinking of the music "bad girls" as the soundtrack but Donna Summers might not be existed then).

They show that Bua Daeng, unlike the ladies in many Thai soap and films, is not a lady waiting for the prince charming, She is productive, working on the yarn spinning machine, milling rice while reflecting about what's going on in her country. She's ideally good girl who is facing dilemma whether to follow her heart or being gratitude to her parents. The most sensual scene in the film is when the film shows her bared upper back while she's taking a shower. I was biting my nail hoping that her stepdad would not do sth bad to her. (cann't tell more because I would spoil the plot).

I can go on and on but afraid I would give away too much of the film. But I am impressed by the way Lao managed to preseve the old film. The score and the black and white scenes reminds me of the old classic. Pity that in THailand, we should have better film archives to preseve Thai classics. We should have shown good classic Thai films such as the works of the masterpieces like Vichit Kunavudh, the director of Look Isan, or Cherd Songsri, the director of Phae Khao (old wounds).

Bua Deang shows us that we can always make good films regardless of the budget or the political regime. It simply requires good direction and good script.

PS: I am thinking of joining "Naew Lao" too because it should be very Muan Lai.
Jeerawat
comment 2
supalak date : 14/09/2007 time : 20.35
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/supalak

So do I Jiwamol. Beside its political message and plot, I feel as if watching "Look Isan".
comment 1
Jiwamol date : 14/09/2007 time : 17.29
http://blog.nationmultimedia.com/Jiwamol
XXX

This movie remind me of "Look Isan" (The Northeast kid) of Kampoon Boonthawee. It's so old but the sound is still good. thank you.
Comment

  "If you are not member, please register to comment.
It take only a few steps."

  |  
name :  
email :  
website :  
comment :  
   
   

back top