Last Life in the Universe (2003) Ruang rak noi nid mahasan (original title)

Director:

Pen-Ek Ratanaruang

Writers:

Pen-Ek Ratanaruang (writer)
Prabda Yoon

Release Date:

8 August 2003 (Thailand)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A suicidal, obsessive-compulsive Japanese librarian is forced to hide out with a pot-smoking Thai woman at her shabby beachside home.

Plot Keywords:

Japanese | Thai | Librarian | Thailand | Bangkok Thailand

Awards:

7 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Tadanobu Asano	...	Kenji
Sinitta Boonyasak	...	Noi
Laila Boonyasak	...	Nid
Yutaka Matsushige	...	Yukio
Riki Takeuchi	...	Takashi
Takashi Miike	...	Yakuza
Yôji Tanaka	...	Yakuza (as Yohji Tanaka)
Sakichi Satô	...	Yakuza
Thiti Rhumorn	...	Jon
Junko Nakazawa	...	Librarian
Akiko Anraku	...	Japanese Housewife
Nortioshi Urano	...	Salaryman
Phimchanok Nala Dube	...	Girl in Jon's Apartment
Ampon Rattanawong	...	Jon's Underling
Jakrarin Sanitti	...	Jon's Underling
Songsith Visunee	...	Old Man on the Bus
Prayoon Tiancharoenwong	...	Old Man at the Outdoor Bar
Jakrapan Ruttajak	...	Security Guard
Tittiwat Kuldilok	...	Security Guard
Sungwon Jermpan	...	Security Guard
Yuki Tsudoi	...	Grand Hostess

Directed by
Pen-Ek Ratanaruang

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pen-Ek Ratanaruang		writer
Prabda Yoon

Produced by
Hiromi Aihara	....	associate producer (as Aihara Hiromi)
Yoshikiyo Arai	....	executive producer (as Arai Yoshikiyo)
Wouter Barendrecht	....	producer
Pawadee Chantanom	....	executive producer
Meileen Choo	....	executive producer
Charoen Iamphungporn	....	executive producer
Fran Rubel Kuzui	....	executive producer
Kaz Kuzui	....	executive producer
Duangkamol Limcharoen	....	producer
Tatsuya Mukai	....	line producer: Osaka
Nonzee Nimibutr	....	producer
Michael J. Werner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hualampong Riddim
Small Room

Cinematography by
Christopher Doyle

Film Editing by
Patamanadda Yukol

Casting by
Sukumapon Suthisrisinlpa

Production Design by
Saksiri Chantarangsri

Art Direction by
Wittaya Chaimongkol
Monchai Tongsrisuebasakul
James David Goldmark		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Sombatsara Teerasaroch

Makeup Department
Sittiporn Rujiwongsathaporn	....	makeup artist
Miho Shimizu	....	makeup artist: Osaka
Montri Wadia-Iad	....	makeup consultant
Thanakorn Yimngam	....	hair stylist (as Tanakorn Yimngam)

Production Management
Orathai Kitinirunkul	....	assistant production manager
Ratchana Nimchareonpong	....	assistant production manager
Chatchai Phutsorn	....	assistant production manager
Phalathon Siraksha	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chedpong Laoyant	....	first assistant director
Piraphan Laoyont	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kanyarat Buddhasas	....	art department coordinator
Manop Chakklang	....	prop man
Satit Chutiwatpongsatorn	....	prop man
Chatupoom Losiri	....	artist
Anusorn Pinyopojanee	....	property master
Papong Sakweeradetkul	....	prop man
Rewat Sikemngam	....	artist
Padet Sritapanya	....	artist
Nipon Subsri	....	assistant property master
Surasak Sukwiset	....	assistant art director
Taweep Tuakunta	....	stand-by prop man

Sound Department
Sunij Asavinikul	....	sound designer (as Sunit Asvinikul)
Sunij Asavinikul	....	sound mixing engineer (as Sunit Asvinikul)
Peamsak Asvinikul	....	foley artist
Vanchal Boonprasert	....	foley artist
Thanapong Boonyachai	....	assistant mixing engineer
Sanya Chalyapetch	....	boom operator
Somchai Chansook	....	adr recordist
Preeda Gunbutr	....	sound effects editor
Phannipha Kabillikavanich	....	sound mixing engineer
Nakorn Kositpaisain	....	assistant sound designer
Amornbhong Methakunavudh	....	sound designer
Ariya Naslongkla	....	sound designer (as Ariya Na Slongkla)
Ariya Naslongkla	....	sound effects (as Ayria Na Slongkla)
Ariya Naslongkla	....	sound mixing engineer (as Ariya Na Slongkla)
Noriaki Nishimura	....	sound mixer: Osaka
Todsavorn Noorasedbuniaeo	....	assistant mixing engineer
Toshio Okazaki	....	sound mixer: Osaka
Utid Phromma	....	sound effects editor
Niwat Sumneangsanor	....	sound recordist (as Nipat Sumneangsanor)
Tanin Tienkaew	....	sound editor
Mirai Ueno	....	dubbing mixer
Masaaki Yamamori	....	sound mixer: Osaka

Special Effects by
Thamrong Prinyaknit	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Sornrop Chankeewong	....	optical effects & subtitling
Sannucha Dhisayabutr	....	optical effects & subtitling
Suchart Hongsmut	....	optical effects & subtitling
Pravit Jaivijit	....	optical effects & subtitling

Camera and Electrical Department
Ekachai Chalyen	....	best boy
Chankit Chamnivikaipong	....	camera operator: second unit (as Chankit Chamniwikaipong)
Chankit Chamnivikaipong	....	underwater camera operator (as Chankit Chamniwikaipong)
Pramett Chankrasse	....	still photographer
Naruepol Chokkanapitaks	....	assistant camera: second unit (as Naruepol Chokkanapitak)
Toshinori Ekawa	....	lighting: Osaka
Sombat Imrattanarak	....	best boy
Kei Katsuma	....	lighting: Osaka
Prompop Lee	....	assistant underwater camera operator
Rittikorn Manonom	....	focus puller (as Rittikom Manonom)
Narong Nakwatchara	....	second assistant camera
Suntharika Nguanhom	....	second assistant camera
Masamichi Ohmachi	....	lighting: Osaka
Mitsumasa Okamoto	....	lighting: Osaka
Chalerm Paipad	....	lighting department head (as Chaloem Phaiphad)
Waranon Phaiphad	....	second assistant camera
Kultida Piriyaphan	....	still photographer
Rewat Prelert	....	assistant camera: second unit (as Rewat Preelert)
Sittichoke Sae-Kuay	....	best boy
Mongkoi Saengow	....	assistant underwater camera operator
Ekachai Suwanprateep	....	best boy
Sittchai Suwanprateep	....	best boy
Wanchai Yuboonchoo	....	best boy

Animation Department
Kompin Kemgumnird	....	animator

Casting Department
Maneeya Herman	....	casting crew

Editorial Department
Uthit Netwong	....	negative cutter
Sakchai Nuengsawad	....	negative cutter
Manop Petchiu	....	negative cutter (as Manop Petchyu)
Supamol Pleumchusak	....	color timer
Passakorn Yaisiri	....	color timer

Other crew
Howard Frumes	....	counsel: USA
Pison Santawanpas	....	lab consultant
Chuck Stephens	....	subtitler: English
Nattakarn Thongwan	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Bohemian Films
• Cinemasia

Distributors

• Triangelfilm (Sweden)
• Artificial Eye (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Filmhouse (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Klock Worx Company, The (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Palm Pictures (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Asia Video Publishing Co. Ltd. (2005) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Geneon Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• Notro Films (2005) (Spain) (all media)
• Océan Films (France)
• With Cinema (Korea)

Special Effects

• Leng Special Effect (on-set special effects)

Other Companies

• Aoi Studio  dubbing studio
• Final Cut Co.  off-line editing
• Fuji Photofilm  film stock
• Hualampong Riddim Co. Ltd.  original music
• Kantana Animation Co. Ltd.  film lab
• Kantana Animation Co. Ltd.  prints
• Moonbeam Equipment Co.  camera equipment
• Oriental Post Co. Ltd.  telecine
• Promma Transport  transportation
• Ramindra Sound Recording Studios  post-production sound studio
• V.S. Services  lighting & grip equipment

Also Known As:

"Ruang rak noi nid mahasan" - Thailand (original title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and drug use

Runtime:

112 min | UK:109 min

Country:

Thailand | Japan

Language:

Thai | Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Malaysia:18PL (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Germany:12 | Ireland:15 (IFCO) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB

Filming Locations:

Bangkok International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Bohemian Films

Trivia:

Was Thailand's official submission for the Oscar in 2003.

Movie Connections:

References Ichi the Killer (2001)

A South East Asian Beauty!!

This the first film I've seen by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang and without a doubt its one of the most accomplished and satisfying I've seen all year.

Two polar opposite characters - a quiet and meticulous Japanese librarian with a shady past and designs on ending his life (Asano Tadanobu) and a feisty, straight-talking thai female escort (Sinitta Boonyasak) - have one thing in common and not much else it seems. They are both utterly lonely, albeit for different reasons - she is recently bereaved of her sister, he for a reason never fully disclosed is distanced from the world, an introverted outsider with no good reason to go on. Thrown together by a sequence of events (chance or fate?) they take solace from each others presence. From this, lets face it, not original germ grows an enchanting, touching and idiosyncratic movie.One that's not concerned with characterisation, an intricate plot or histrionic's but with how two troubled, contradictory people growcloser and in the process rediscover a reason for being, for going on in the universe. Due to the language barrier (they flit from talking Thai, Japanese and English to understand one another) they may not have meaningful discourse, but here the meaning is hidden behind the formalities, the pedestrian, the everyday.

I'm not going to launch into an extended essay or spew to many superlatives but believe me when I say its a strange delight. Assured, amusing and touching, this multi-lingual film is replete with a dry wit, a surreal element that leaves a lot to interpretation and a deft ability to prick the emotions. There are laudable performances from the two central characters, and a third from Christopher Doyle's shifting oblique camera-work and composition. And despite its clear East Asian cinematic influences (in tone it reminds me of Kitano's Dolls - the lingering pace and melancholy signature theme music– and it features a yakuza based subplot) Last Life evokes modern day Thailand in all its chaotic ramshackle splendour brilliantly.