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, obsessively compulsive Japanese librarian is forced to lie low in Thailand with a pot-smoking woman coping with the recent loss of her sister.

Plot Keywords:

Japanese | Librarian | Thai | Book | Death

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:NC-16 (cut) | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Hong Kong:IIB | 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

Filming Locations:

Bangkok International Airport, Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Bohemian Films

Trivia:

In the library, you can see a poster of "Ichi the Killer", Asano Tadanobu's earlier film, for a few seconds. It's his character, Kakihara.

Movie Connections:

References Annie Hall (1977)

Best Meet "Cute"/Opposites Attract Film in Years

"Last Life in the Universe (Ruang rak noi nid mahasan)" is a testimonial to opening up films to new voices around the world, as Thai director/co-writer Pen-Ek Ratanaruang completely re-invents the worn-out Hollywood genre of opposites meeting cute and attracting (viz. "Laws of Attraction" or "Forces of Nature") that even the French could barely resuscitate in "Jet Lag (Décalage horaire)."

If I hadn't read a promotional flyer after the movie identifying the star Tadanobu Asano as also having been in "Zatôichi: The Blind Swordsman" I wouldn't have realized that the charismatic ronin there was the still, isolated, seriously depressed obsessive-compulsive here, but now I see why he's a big star in Japan and I will catch up on his films (oh, he's married to a pop star, directing her music videos, and in his own rock band, too, but I digress, sigh).

"Kenji" meets up with "Noi" a live wire, profane wreck of a Thai escort in tragic-comic circumstances brought on by their siblings that insert startling, balletic violence into the dream-like cinematography by Australian Christopher Doyle, reinforced by the mesmerizing music of Hualongpong Riddim.

But it took me as a monolingual American awhile to figure out that their communication difficulties were based on their limited language commonality as I couldn't tell when a character was speaking in Thai or Japanese (perhaps the annoying white-on-white subtitles could have included some coded indicators) until they ended up struggling in pidgin English. I'm sure I missed many other cultural clues (though I did pick up the telltale yakuza back tattoos that complicate their odd idyll outside Bangkok).

They contradict each other's expectations- he's allergic to sushi, she's surrounded in Western accoutrements; he's mysteriously left Japan, she's determined to emigrate there, and so on.

Slapsticky comedy and a sweet children's book continually lull us to the dangers they trip over. The lovely magic realism leaves the resolution up to interpretation, but I don't think I've ever seen such a moving courtship over the use of an ashtray or as sexy a hopeful line as "Tomorrow we'll do the laundry."

This has to be the offbeat romance of the year.