THAI MOVIE

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The movie Siam Renaissance / ทวิภพ was released in year 2004 and lasts 1h57mn. It was released under VCD and DVD format. It is a remake of the 1990 version shot by Cherd Songsri. It was also adapted for TV in 1994 as a Thai TV serie (ละคร) with Saranyu Wongkrachang. It was also adapted as a Musical and a cartoon. It took one year to make the 2004 movie. The director Surapong Pinijkhar was then sick for many years due to a blood vessel issue in the brain and was half paralyzed. It was the first movie for Thai French actress Florence Faivre. The movie had a high budget, but was not a commercial success. The movie takes place in the Rama IV period despite the real story happening in the Rama V period. This version is more elaborated on historical details than the previous versions. This movie was part of the first 25 films heritage list announced on October 4 2011, which is Thai Movies Conservation Day. The director’s cut version lasts 2h23mn. A few sequences were not added to the final movie. In one scene, Manee meets Anna Leonowens, an English schoolteacher in Siam, who became the teacher of King Mongkut's children and wives. In another scene, Anna Leonowens brings Manee to see the King’s harem. Thai lady Manee (Florence Vanida Faivre) is a Paris-based archive specialist. A mysterious French old work 'The Voyageur', written by French author Francois-Xavier, is brought to her for interpretation at the Thai consulate in Paris. Manee is agitated by the record's allusions to Siam's past. Her father (Nirut Sirijanya) is a famous professor in Bangkok. She never got real love from her parents, who were always busy. They are divorced. Her father believes "The Voyageur" is just a tale (นิยาย) as it contains many inaccuracies. When she returns to Thailand, she finds herself going back and forth in time between the present day and the time of Siam's exploitation by French and British colonialists. It started in 1855. Manee finds herself in Doctor Bradley's home, who is the former resident in her own home! Thai people are puzzled by Manee as she can read, write and speak French and English. She meets Francois-Xavier, the French writer. He names her as Marie-Ange. She explains the future to some Thai people, but they doubt and even think she is playing a double game. The British ambassador is coming to negotiate a commercial treaty with Siam. The trade treaty is unfair, but Manee argues it is better to accept instead of providing a good reason for Britain to invade Siam. Siam's secret weapon is a library as only knowledge increase will help Siam to compete with Western powers. Manee learns much about her country's history (Thai Longitude 0 was located in Bangkok at Wat Phra Kaew and set up by King Mongkut) and becomes a fighter alongside her ancestors. One of the highlights of the movie is the true statement that Thai modern people read only six lines a year! She finds valuable lessons in life and love along the way with soldier Thep. Manee wishes to help her fellow Thai friends against greedy French colonialism. She influences the past as she knows the future. Thailand was used as a buffer between English and French possessions. It was seen this way by England but France forced Siam to abandon some of their own possessions such as the Khmer kingdom by threatening to use gunships. The French consul sees Thai people as barbarian people and has no respect for their traditions. Sometimes changes are good and needed. Manee is upset that mistakes in the past cannot be changed such as the failed love between her parents, but people tried their best. 38 years have passed. Thailand is defeated at Paknam by French gunships (14 July 1893 Paknam incident). Siam lost east of the Mekong river banks. Siam has to pay a huge fee amount despite the French only losing three men versus Siam, who lost many lives including Thep. Siam kept its integrity despite losing big parts of territory and Manee lost her love. Manee has stayed in the past and her father is aware of it as he saw some pictures of Manee and Thep together.

ThaiWorldView film database contains 1533 movies.

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