Bang Rajan (film)

Infobox Film
name = Bang Rajan


caption =
director = Tanit Jitnukul
producer = Nonzee Nimibutr Adirek Wattaleela
Brian L. Marcar Prasarn Maleenont
writer = Tanit Jitnukul Kongkiat Khomsiri Patikarn Phejmunee Buinthin Thuaykaew
narrator =
starring = Winai Kraibutr Jaran Ngamdee Bongkoj Khongmalai
music = Carabao
cinematography = Wichian Ruangwijchayakul
editing = Sunij Asavinikul
distributor = Film Bangkok Magnolia Pictures
released = flagicon|Thailand December 29, 2000 flagicon|United States August 27, 2004
runtime = 127 min.
country = Thailand
language = Thai
budget = 50 million baht
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:248894
imdb_id = 0284880

"Bang Rajan" ( _th. บางระจัน) is a 2000 Thai historical drama film depicting the battles of the Siamese village of Bang Rajan against Burmese invaders in 1767. The film was directed and co-written by Thanit Jitnukul.

In 2004, the film was "presented" by Oliver Stone in a limited release in US cinemas.

Plot

The Burmese army is seeking to invade Ayutthaya, the capital of Siam. Seeking to block the invasion is a small band of villagers in Bang Rajan. The forces are at first led by Nai Taen, who is injured in an early battle. The villagers then turn to an outsider, Nai Chan Nuad Kheo, a moustachioed, veteran warrior. He brings along a handful of other men, who with the remaining men and women of Bang Rajan vow to put up a fight. They use all their resources to prepare the village for a siege, including melting down all available metal farming implements into a crudely constructed cannon. Lacking horses, the village drunkard, Nai Thongmen, mounts an old water buffalo and rides the draft animal into battle.

Cast

* Winai Kraibutr as Nai In
* Bin Binluerit as Nai Thongmen
* Jaran Ngamdee as Nai Chan Nuad Kheo
* Chumphorn Thepphithak as Nai Taen
* Bongkoj Khongmalai as E Sa
* Teerayut Pratchbamroon as Luang Por Dhammachote
* Suntri Maila-or as Nang Tang On

Production and reception

"Bang Rajan" was made on a budget of around 50 million baht, which is about four times the cost of other Thai productions being made at the time. It was a box-office hit in Thailand, earning more than 300 million baht.

The film was screened at several film festivals in 2001, including the Seattle International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, the Vancouver International Film Festival and the Hawaii International Film Festival. At the Asia Pacific Film Festival, it won for best art direction. It was screen at the Fantasia Festival in Montreal in 2003, where it won second prize for Best Asian Film.

Trivia

* The Battle of Bang Rajan was also depicted in a 1966 Thai film, starring Sombat Metanee in a role that won him a best actor honors at the "Golden Doll" Awards. The award was personally handed to Sombat by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
* The long-horned water buffalo featured in the film died of old age shortly after the film was released and was feted in a lavish funeral ceremony.

External links

*imdb title|id=0284880|title=Bang Rajan
*amg movie|id=1:248894|title=Bang Rajan
*rotten-tomatoes|id=bang_rajan|title=Bang Rajan
*metacritic film|id=bangrajan|title=Bang Rajan
* [http://www.movieseer.com/movieprofilebil.asp?moID=253&Channel=2 Synopsis and review at MovieSeer]