I think the first time I saw Southeast Asia in a film was in the James Bond film The Man With A Golden Gun.
Scaramanga’s secret lair. Photo: Stuart McDonald.
Filmed in part in Southern Thailand, and released in 1974, I wouldn’t say it was my favourite flick featuring the region, but thinking back, it was probably the first notch that put the region in my mind. What is your all–time favourite film featuring somewhere in Southeast Asia? Why?
Apocalypse Now! and The Killing Fields were the first. Not fully grasping the context, I'd be watching and thinking, "I want to go on a river like that. I want to wander through rice paddies like that." Also, as mentioned, The Year of Living Dangerously. On my first night on Bali I settled into a losman in Denpasar. An old black and white tv across the garden was on. I could see its glow and hear Suharto's voice drifting through the evening. Hot and humid, flowers, geckos, Suharto. I felt like I'd been transported into the movie.
Cyclo, directed by Tran Anh Hung, who made Scent of Green Papaya, is a gritty portrayal of street life in Ho Chi Minh City in the early nineties. I saw it after my first postwar trip back to Vietnam in 1992, and it has always stuck with me. The Lover, based on Marguerite Duras’ novel that I had read in translation in the 80s, and also saw after returning from Vietnam in 1992. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, an absolutely awful film, but with awesome background footage of Angkor, especially Ta Prohm.
Un Soir Apres La Guerre (Rithy Pann 1998). Beautifully filmed, haunting soundtrack, great acting and a poignant story line. (The opening sequence of the train from Battambang is a masterpiece!)
As a teenager I fell in love with James Bond's "The man with..." and it remains my favorite 007 to this day simply because of the incredible beauty and exoticism of the landscapes. Since you named it I will say "Indochine" from 1992 which takes place in the last years of French colonialism in Vietnam and probably gives an idea of how awful those times have been for so many peoples of this planet; its views of the bay of Ha Long are certainly better than what I was shown on a bad 2 days cruise. And I do not dare look at "The killing fields" after crying enough through my visit there 6 years ago listening to witnesses recounting the tale on the recorded self guided tour. For another take at what happened in Cambodia and incredibly moving: "First they killed my father" (still on Net...). Sorry I named 3, can't help it guys.
The Deer Hunter. I saw it when it came out in theatres. I was probably 16. Very moving movie but probably my first exposure to SE Asia. I think the Viet Nam scenes were actually filmed in Thailand.
The Killing Fields is still great. Scent of Green Papaya was amazing, and so different at the time. Such a fantastic aesthetic to it, but in hindsight maybe the characters and plot are a bit lacking? More recently, I saw Owl and the Sparrow - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0971162/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 - and really enjoyed it. Simple tale about an orphan, well told, a little romantic and escapist, but it took my right back to the streets of Saigon. Also, I'm not sure if it quite works geographically, but In the Mood for Love has to be one of the greatest films ever made.
Berbagi Suami. The film is 15 years old now. At the time, the subject matter being discussed was controversial in Indonesian mainstream culture and still is today. The reason I pick this movie is because of the complicated dynamics behind the interconnected relationships of the characters, at various socioeconomic levels. Highly recommended.
Not the best one........ BUT definitely different........Netflix “Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner........ episode Phnom Penh with Kate McKinnon ....... from Saturday night live?? 😂😂
The first one I remember was Love is Forever (I had to do quite a bit of googling to even find what the title was) - I must have been in primary school when I saw it (and it was old already then). It was about the Aussie journalist John Everingham who got his wife out of Laos after the communist takeover, by scuba diving under the Mekong. I don't know why it stuck in my memory so much - probably because it was both exciting and romantic! I certainly remembered it about 20 years later when I stood on the banks of the Mekong in Vientiane, looking across to Thailand!
City of Ghosts for sure! Captured the atmosphere of Cambodia in the early 2000s very well. Also Apocalypse Now obviously (though filmed in the Philippines). And The Quiet American (well cast, but the book is better)
Hands down “The Rocket”, (2013) written and directed by Australian Kim Mordaunt. Set in Northern Laos, this is laugh out loud funny, but treats a true subject - the displacement of Lao villagers for the building of a dam and the efforts of the government to shut them up.
I also like “The Scent of Green Papaya” and “Cyclo”. Plus many more seen only at the annual Luang Prabang FilmFestival which mover make it to our shores.
The Killing Fields, The Lover and Year of Living Dangerously. I've stayed at the Old Railway Hotel (Centara Grand) in Hua Hin because the French embassy scenes and other scenes were filmed there for the Killing Fields. Great way to soak up old SEA atmosphere at less cost than the Oriental in BKK.
The Year of Living Dangerously really did capture some atmosphere of traditional Indonesia ("you're in old Java now"). I saw an all night Wayang Puppet performance in Malang a few years ago, outside of my hotel. Made me think of the movie.
On my next visit to Vietnam I plan to visit Sadec. I'm not expecting to be impressed, but still want to visit because of the book the Lover.
A difficult film to find, but Diamond Island, (Dir. Day Chou), about poor young construction workers in a developing Phnom Penh, is really different. Maybe a bit slow, but it does give a real sense of a different side of Cambodia.
Apocalypse Now! and The Killing Fields were the first. Not fully grasping the context, I'd be watching and thinking, "I want to go on a river like that. I want to wander through rice paddies like that." Also, as mentioned, The Year of Living Dangerously. On my first night on Bali I settled into a losman in Denpasar. An old black and white tv across the garden was on. I could see its glow and hear Suharto's voice drifting through the evening. Hot and humid, flowers, geckos, Suharto. I felt like I'd been transported into the movie.
Wish You Were Here.
Cyclo, directed by Tran Anh Hung, who made Scent of Green Papaya, is a gritty portrayal of street life in Ho Chi Minh City in the early nineties. I saw it after my first postwar trip back to Vietnam in 1992, and it has always stuck with me. The Lover, based on Marguerite Duras’ novel that I had read in translation in the 80s, and also saw after returning from Vietnam in 1992. Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, an absolutely awful film, but with awesome background footage of Angkor, especially Ta Prohm.
Un Soir Apres La Guerre (Rithy Pann 1998). Beautifully filmed, haunting soundtrack, great acting and a poignant story line. (The opening sequence of the train from Battambang is a masterpiece!)
Great question Stuart.
As a teenager I fell in love with James Bond's "The man with..." and it remains my favorite 007 to this day simply because of the incredible beauty and exoticism of the landscapes. Since you named it I will say "Indochine" from 1992 which takes place in the last years of French colonialism in Vietnam and probably gives an idea of how awful those times have been for so many peoples of this planet; its views of the bay of Ha Long are certainly better than what I was shown on a bad 2 days cruise. And I do not dare look at "The killing fields" after crying enough through my visit there 6 years ago listening to witnesses recounting the tale on the recorded self guided tour. For another take at what happened in Cambodia and incredibly moving: "First they killed my father" (still on Net...). Sorry I named 3, can't help it guys.
The Deer Hunter. I saw it when it came out in theatres. I was probably 16. Very moving movie but probably my first exposure to SE Asia. I think the Viet Nam scenes were actually filmed in Thailand.
The Killing Fields is still great. Scent of Green Papaya was amazing, and so different at the time. Such a fantastic aesthetic to it, but in hindsight maybe the characters and plot are a bit lacking? More recently, I saw Owl and the Sparrow - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0971162/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 - and really enjoyed it. Simple tale about an orphan, well told, a little romantic and escapist, but it took my right back to the streets of Saigon. Also, I'm not sure if it quite works geographically, but In the Mood for Love has to be one of the greatest films ever made.
TV not film but don't miss The Serpent, filmed last year by the BBC
Berbagi Suami. The film is 15 years old now. At the time, the subject matter being discussed was controversial in Indonesian mainstream culture and still is today. The reason I pick this movie is because of the complicated dynamics behind the interconnected relationships of the characters, at various socioeconomic levels. Highly recommended.
Not the best one........ BUT definitely different........Netflix “Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner........ episode Phnom Penh with Kate McKinnon ....... from Saturday night live?? 😂😂
Has to be The Killing Fields. Another great one is The Year of Living Dangerously.
The first one I remember was Love is Forever (I had to do quite a bit of googling to even find what the title was) - I must have been in primary school when I saw it (and it was old already then). It was about the Aussie journalist John Everingham who got his wife out of Laos after the communist takeover, by scuba diving under the Mekong. I don't know why it stuck in my memory so much - probably because it was both exciting and romantic! I certainly remembered it about 20 years later when I stood on the banks of the Mekong in Vientiane, looking across to Thailand!
City of Ghosts for sure! Captured the atmosphere of Cambodia in the early 2000s very well. Also Apocalypse Now obviously (though filmed in the Philippines). And The Quiet American (well cast, but the book is better)
Stuart, I read you are living in Bali. Are you here currently?
Hands down “The Rocket”, (2013) written and directed by Australian Kim Mordaunt. Set in Northern Laos, this is laugh out loud funny, but treats a true subject - the displacement of Lao villagers for the building of a dam and the efforts of the government to shut them up.
I also like “The Scent of Green Papaya” and “Cyclo”. Plus many more seen only at the annual Luang Prabang FilmFestival which mover make it to our shores.
The Killing Fields, The Lover and Year of Living Dangerously. I've stayed at the Old Railway Hotel (Centara Grand) in Hua Hin because the French embassy scenes and other scenes were filmed there for the Killing Fields. Great way to soak up old SEA atmosphere at less cost than the Oriental in BKK.
The Year of Living Dangerously really did capture some atmosphere of traditional Indonesia ("you're in old Java now"). I saw an all night Wayang Puppet performance in Malang a few years ago, outside of my hotel. Made me think of the movie.
On my next visit to Vietnam I plan to visit Sadec. I'm not expecting to be impressed, but still want to visit because of the book the Lover.
A difficult film to find, but Diamond Island, (Dir. Day Chou), about poor young construction workers in a developing Phnom Penh, is really different. Maybe a bit slow, but it does give a real sense of a different side of Cambodia.