Fah talai jone (2000)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Wisit Sasanatieng

Writer:

Wisit Sasanatieng (writer)

Release Date:

9 August 2001 (Singapore)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Romance

Plot:

With its loud acting style, exuberant sets and stunning shots in pastel colours, this Thai cult film is as much a parody as an homage to the Western and the romantic tearjerker.

Plot Keywords:

Shootout | Outlaw | Gun | Thailand | Blood

Awards:

3 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Chartchai Ngamsan	...	Black Tiger
Suwinit Panjamawat	...	Dum (Black Tiger Youth)
Stella Malucchi	...	Rumpoey
Supakorn Kitsuwon	...	Mahesuan
Arawat Ruangvuth	...	Police Captain Kumjorn
Sombat Metanee	...	Fai
Pairoj Jaisingha	...	Phya Prasit
Naiyana Sheewanun	...	Rumpoey's maid
Kanchit Kwanpracha	...	Kamnan Dua
Chamloen Sridang	...	Sergeant Yam
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Philip Hersh	...	Dum (voice: English version)

Also Known As:

Tears of the Black Tiger (International: English title)

Runtime:

110 min | UK:101 min

Country:

Thailand

Language:

Thai

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Germany:16 | Finland:K-15 | USA:Unrated | Australia:MA | France:U | Netherlands:16 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Italy:T

Company:

Aichi Arts Center

Trivia:

The meaning of the title of this movie is "The Prince of the Bunch of Robbers" (Fáa (short for Jâo Fáa) "Prince"; Thálaay - "Bunch", "Cluster" (mostly used for bunches of are-ca nuts or coconuts; Wisit Sasanatieng's joke. "Thálaay" written slightly different, without "sàrà' à'", but with the same pronunciation, means "destroy"); "Jone" - "Robber", "Bandit". The title of the movie is meant to be a little out of the ordinary, as Wisit has mentioned in several interviews on TV.

Quotes:

Mahesuan: By everything sacred in this world, I, Mahesuan, swear, with the Buddha as my witness, I'll always be true and loyal to my blood brother, Dom, the Black Tiger who saved my life. If I break this oath, may his gun take my life.

Movie Connections:

References Per qualche dollaro in più (1965)

Engaging Thai movie...unusual but worth watching.

Tears of the Black Tiger is certainly a unique cinematic experience; part western, part comedy and part tragic melodrama, this Thai movie is perfect for those looking for an alternative to predictable Hollywood pap.

Dum is the handsome hero of the film, a member of the notorious Black Tiger bandits and a crack shot with a six shooter. Rumpoey is the love of his life, who has agreed to marry Dum; despite their class differences, she has arranged to elope with him. When Dum misses his rendezvous with Rumpoey (due to being caught in a gun battle), she is heartbroken and, under pressure from her father, accepts a proposal of marriage from Police Captain Kumjorn.

In a battle between the police and the bandits, Captain Kumjorn is taken prisoner; Dum is given the job of killing the policeman. As a last request, Kumjorn asks that Dum informs his fiancée of his fate and produces a photograph of his wife-to-be. On recognising Rumpoey's picture, Dum frees Kumjorn, but in doing so, he puts his own life on the line...

Stylish, funny and occasionally completely off-the-wall, Tears of the Black Tiger is an affectionate homage to Thai movies of yesteryear and Hollywood westerns. It is a strange mix, but it works. Only an occasional lull in pace stops this from being a wholly successful film, but don't let that put you off from watching it—the positives far outweigh the negatives.

Heavily stylised scenes and surreal imagery combine with over-saturated hues to produce a most aesthetically pleasing film; the look is reminiscent of musicals from the 50s whilst the occasional moments of graphic ultra-violence could be straight out of a Tarantino movie. Each character is perfectly cast and the comic-book approach taken by the actors in the realisation of their roles complements the overall style of the film.

Tears of the Black Tiger is a fun film that is destined to become a cult favourite amongst fans of bizarre cinema (and may even improve on repeat viewings, as with most cult movies).