Sud pralad (2004)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Writer:

Apichatpong Weerasethakul (writer)

Release Date:

24 November 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

A gay-themed romance between a soldier (Lomnoi) and a country boy Tong, wrapped around a Thai folk legend involving a shaman with shapeshifting abilities.

Plot Keywords:

Shapeshifting | Jungle | Movie Theater | Gay Soldier | Tiger

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Banlop Lomnoi	...	Keng
Sakda Kaewbuadee	...	Tong
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Huai Dessom
Sirivech Jareonchon
Udom Promma

Directed by
Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Apichatpong Weerasethakul		writer

Produced by
Paiboon Damrongchaitham	....	co-producer
Charles de Meaux	....	producer
Axel Möbius	....	co-producer
Alex Moebius	....	producer
Marco Mueller	....	co-producer
Christoph Thoke	....	co-producer
Pantham Thongsangl	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Jarin Pengpanitch
Vichit Tanapanitch
Jean-Louis Vialard

Film Editing by
Lee Chatametikool
Jacopo Quadri

Production Design by
Akekarat Homlaor

Costume Design by
Pilaitip Jamniam

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sompot Chidgasornpongse	....	second assistant director
Suchada Sirithanawuddhi	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Lee Chatametikool	....	sound editor
Thitipant Chongcharoen-choke-skul	....	sound designer
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	location sound (as Akrit Chaya-ngam)
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	sound designer
Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr	....	sound
Boom Suvagondha	....	assistant sound mixer
Narathip Tungkaseranee	....	boom operator
Narathip Tungkaseranee	....	foley editor
Jasmin Vorabutr	....	sound editor
Teekadet Vucharadhanin	....	foley artist
Traithep Wongpaiboon	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Manfred Büttner	....	visual effects producer
Markus Degen	....	lead compositor
Markus Degen	....	visual effects supervisor
Florian Gellinger	....	digital compositor
Caterina Schiffers	....	digital compositor: postproduction, TVT

Editorial Department
Jacopo Quadri	....	editing advisor

Production Companies

• Backup Films (in association with)
• Anna Sanders Films (co-production)
• Downtown Pictures
• Kick the Machine (co-production)
• TIFA
• Thoke Moebius Film Company (co-production)

Distributors

• Ad Vitam Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Istituto Luce (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Strand Releasing (2004) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Sagrera TV (2006) (Spain) (all media)
• Second Run (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Slovenska Kinoteka (2005) (Slovenia) (all media)

Special Effects

• tvt. postproduction

Other Companies

• Houdini Studio  post-production facilities (Final Cut Pro suite)
• Valve  thanks

Also Known As:

Tropical Malady (International: English title)
Tropical Malady - Liebe kennt nur den Moment... (Germany)

Runtime:

118 min | France:120 min | Argentina:120 min (Buenos Aires Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente)

Country:

Thailand | France | Germany | Italy

Language:

Thai

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | Dolby SR

Certification:

Spain:13 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:M18 | UK:12A | USA:Not Rated

Company:

Backup Films

Trivia:

The original title in Thai means in English: "Beast" or "Monster". The director translates the original Thai title into English as "Strange Animal". This is the literal, word-for-word translation (Sud = Animal, Pralad = Strange).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 2006 Glitter Awards (2006) (V)

dark, intoxicating and life inspiring

This film is a masterpiece.

It's form is so effortless that it's difficult not to feel like you're not watching a movie at all -- or at least -- in it's ultimate experience is more kin to cinema at it's purest.

One does not need to understand television to view this work -- or pop culture or magazines -- it is so heartfelt, detailed and organic with the celluloid acting as a cipher for ghosts to wander, lost and found.

One can not replicate this kind of experience by discussing it's genre..and certainly script doctors would have mild heart attacks trying to replicate its beauty and substantial finality as a work of great cinema.