Sunday, November 1, 2009

Where's the sense in that?

The Red Sense will be shown next Saturday in Dandenong, Australia
A few months ago I hosted the feature film The Red Sense at Meta House for its first showing in Phnom Penh. Director Tim Pek's drama-thriller will now get another showing, next Saturday in Dandenong in Australia, for a charity event that will also include live performances from Jimi Lundy, who sang 'Cambodia' in the film, and the movie's composer Robert John Sedky. The music by the way is excellent and stands alone as a soundtrack worth getting. Amongst the projects on Tim Pek's future agenda is a film about the greatest king in Khmer history, Jayavarman VII, and strange as it may seem, posters (see below) for the film appeared recently in Sorya Market and other cd shops around Phnom Penh. The film is still very much on the drawing board and in Tim's head so to publicise it with an old poster that he made up a couple of years ago, is a bit weird. Nobody seems to know where the posters came from. Nevertheless, there's talk of a 10-minute promo film being made early next year, so watch this space.
The 7th Jayavarman film is still on the drawing board

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10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't want to sound offending but to my knowledge no one Khmer person calling themselves filmmakers today makes a film at par with the international standard in my book except for Mr. Rithy Panh. Making a film about the greatest Khmer king should be left to people with years of experience in the craft and able of making Khmer people proud after seeing the film about the legendary Khmer king and not left saying "it was alright." because it is sub-par to the hollywood or international standards. The director of the red sense should focus on developing his filmmaking skills first on small indie projects. A project like this would require million of dollars and industry professionals. The last thing I want to see is someone making a film about the greatest Khmer king with the quality of every other Khmer films I've seen on the market today.

I'm a film student. I know it is fine making your indie little short or features length while you're trying to perfect your craft but movie about Javaraman 7 should be made at the scale of a hollywood project if it was to be amazing and no one Khmer calling himself or herself director today would be able to pull that off. That is why i suggest not doing things out of one's capability. I'm sure the director of the red sense can make the film but I'm dead sure it won't make everyone that sees the film go wow.

I like to be honest even if it means offending some people. Maybe I'm wrong and I hope some Khmer person steps up the plate and proves to me that I'm wrong on that.

November 2, 2009 12:07 PM  
Blogger Andy Brouwer said...

hey Anon,
its all about opinions and you are as entitled to yours as the director is entitled to believe he could make a fantastic film about the greatest Khmer king that ever lived. Yes Tim Pek is inexperienced if compared to the best Hollywood has to offer or even to someone as good as Rithy Panh, I'm sure he would hold his hand up to that, but he has a dream to make a film about JVII and I would not want to deny him that dream. Certainly if anyone is to make a film about JVII I would personally want it to be by a Cambodian, who has a real sense of history and the magnitude with which JVII is held in awe by the Khmer people.
I understand your point entirely, and I'm sure Tim Pek would too. But it isn't one person who makes a film, its a whole army that goes into the creation of a movie and I for one would welcome any attempt to make a film about JVII. Perhaps a smaller production would give the impetus to a larger production, Hollywood-style, who knows. But don't forget, whilst JVII is known to every Khmer outside the country, relatively few know who he really was, even if they have been to visit Angkor.
I hope Tim Pek achieves his dream, to make a movie about the life of JVII, as its certainly long overdue, a quality production about the greatest of the Khmer kings.
Andy

November 2, 2009 5:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Holy CRAPPPPPPPPPPP!! It's that the Jayavarman VII MOVIE THAT EVERYBODY IS DYING TO WATCH!! FINALYYYYY FINALYYYYYFINALLYYYY!!! Even if it's just 10 minutes it's a masterpiece!

November 3, 2009 10:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No freaking wayyy!! A movie about Jay-7 should be done by hollywood! Your dealing with one of the most important historical figure in human history and Tim better spend at least millions of dollars into making the film come alive! Why start now! We can wait, it's not gonna go no where!

November 3, 2009 10:18 AM  
Blogger Andy Brouwer said...

Just a thought, can you add to the following list of historically famous Khmers who you'd like to see a big production movie made about their lives:

King Jayavarman VII
King Suryavarman II
HM Norodom Sihanouk
Sinn Sisamouth
Ros Sereysothea (though a film about her is in production)
Somaly Mam
King Sisowath Monivong
Hun Sen
Son Ngoc Thanh
Vann Nath
Vann Molyvann
and Pol Pot

November 3, 2009 11:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

cross out Norodom Shihanouke, Hun Sen, they can let the Viet film the life about them how they helped out the Viets! Here's my list


King Jayavarman II- Founder of the Angkor Dynasty and the most important figure in Khmer history!

King Yasovarman I- Founder of Angkor City!

King Rajendravarman II

King Suryavarman I

King Suryavarman II

King Jayavarman VI

King Jayavrman VII

last but not least! Sam Rainsy lolz!!!

November 3, 2009 11:28 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would say let Hollywood do it or Mel Gibson might be interested in filming Angkor! This movie has alot of potential but you need to in alot money and work!

November 3, 2009 1:17 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello Andy! There are alot myths and legends about King Jayavarman VII! Some say that when his son dies the crown prince and his 4 loved generals he went crazy and exhausted all of the resources that the kingdom has and over engineered his empire! Some say that he killed a khmer king for the throne! If you are going to make a movie about one of the greatest historical human figure in history make sure you do it right or don't doing it at all!

November 3, 2009 1:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

is it me.. or is it only one anon in the room pretending to be 7 other anons? lol

November 4, 2009 4:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is a moving i'm dying to see, it's been maybe a year now that i've heard or seen the cover. Ofc I am expecting it to be incredible. Since it's also being made by in a group including foreigner helps. Ofc i am expecting a hollywood standard. The Movie "300" amaze me, so as i'm khmer and also proud of my old generation king, I am expecting a high standard movie. Don't matter how much the ticket to go watch, i'm willing to go and own a dvd of it. IT"S AN AMAZING HISTORY

Bross La (myspace.com/brossla)

November 21, 2009 2:00 AM  

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