Bang Rajan (film)

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Bang Rajan
The Thai VCD cover.
Directed by	Tanit Jitnukul
Produced by	Laosson Dara Nonzee Nimibutr Adirek Wattaleela Brian L. Marcar Prasarn Maleenont
Written by	Tanit Jitnukul Kongkiat Khomsiri Patikarn Phejmunee Buinthin Thuaykaew
Starring	Winai Kraibutr Jaran Ngamdee Bongkoj Khongmalai
Cinematography	Wichian Ruangwijchayakul
Editing by	Sunij Asavinikul
Distributed by	Film Bangkok Magnolia Pictures
Release date(s)	December 29, 2000 August 27, 2004
Running time	127 min.
Country	Thailand
Language	Thai
Budget	50 million baht
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Bang Rajan (Thai: 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.

1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Production and reception
4 Trivia
5 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

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.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] 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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.