Hom rong

An excellent biographical representation of a great musician. It is important to note some of the quotes that relate to the importance of keeping traditional music if a culture considers itself civilized. This may be a hint for we Americans to remember. I knew nothing of the instruments played in the movie. However, it surely held my interest and has encouraged me to do some research on them. Some of the scenery is so beautiful that it makes you want to make travel plans. More information on the musicians in the movie would be of interest. It is easy to understand why this movie won awards and nominations for awards. More movies showing the cultural side of Thailand will be welcomed in my home.

Some people have compared this movie with Amadeus. I would instead compare it to Karate Kid, which is more similar in spirit. This movie is a shallow and predictable movie. I couldn't sense any personal influences from the maker of this movie. As some other reviewers have written, the acting is pretty bad. And as for the music in the movie... the players didn't think about the music, but to play as fast as freaking possible. It was pretty interesting the first few tunes, but after a while I realized how mechanical and monotonous they were playing. It was like listening to someone practice scales. I felt cheated when I left the cinema... cheated of nearly 2 hours. One more thing... the movie lacked coherence and was pretty flat altogether.

By the way... Even though Karate Kid isn't a very deep movie, I think its a whole lot more convincing than this one.

3/10

Actually i am not interested in Thai Traditional music.I was born in the north of Thailand and the music similar to my ear is the performance in funeral (through Cassette tape !!).Thai traditional music seemed to me very boring staff , like the new generation who then was crazy in Bon Jovi , Skid Row ,Mettalica and so on.But when i grow up , i come to realize its beauty and profoundness through (sorry not this movie) the classical music.Thai traditional music has its own complexity and the liveliness , similar to classical music.

Could we compare Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with Luang Pradit ?- Perhaps.Mozart was the child prodigy and could create the music that was too brand new for his generation in Vienna (actually he was not quite successful in his career), while Luang Pradit (in the movie) was groundbreaking , intolerable for the conservative -minded.

Both of two men were similar in characters when they were young ; bold and arrogant ,but when Luang pradit grew old , he was the prudent sage.Some says this is the weakest point of the movie that fails to connect the self of young and old Luang Pradit.

Both of these men were under the threats which were different : Mozart's life collapsed because of his own indiscretion and the overridden debt , eventually leading to the decline of his health and death when he was just 36 years old.Old Luangpradit was threatened by the decree of Nationalism of Field Marshal Phibul ,who wanted to civilize his country during world war 2.

I can not compare this movie to Amadeus.The latter conveys the audience with the historical error and boldly accused Salieri of the guilty that he had never made.But Amadeus was very strong and charming in every aspect of the production.Hom rong tried to be honest to historical fact but weak in the acting and especially the choreography.The director of Hom rong was inspired by many movies.The first scene was of his childhood stumbling upon Ranart just because of innocently chasing the butterfly (which appeared again after his death) , it seemed like he combined the last emperor and Forrest Gumps together.Many people would say that the influence of the legend of 1900 emerged when the duel between Luang pradit and Khun-In.But i think it was nearly the sort of plagiarism.

While Amadeus could meticulously imply the political idea , Homrong fails to do it.Hom rong uses the flat conversation to criticize so-called Nationalism but Amadeus wittingly resorted the political idea to drive the plot(the emperor Joseph 2 was blank-minded and pretended to be musical snob or the conflict between the Archibshop and the emperor).

The tragedy happening to Luang Pradit's follower who was deprived of the right to be professional in Thai music and eventually committed suicide , combining with the death of Luang Pradit himself could not depress the audience as much as when Mozart learnt about the death of his father and put this into (almost) final scene of Don Giovanni (as the commendatore's statue burst the wall in to pieces and dragged Giovanni in to the hell).

After all Hom rong is the groundbreaking movie , thrashing its rival Thawiphob (spending 100 million bath in production)into the crap. It could draw the new generation's interest to their oblivious legacy of the past.However one point i think that exactly similar to Amadues is the one- sided accusation against Luang Phibul of the forever villain like Amadeus cursed Antonio Salieri to hell.

For international interpret ability. I want to know how they think about but not a words such as "why he deserves Mozart?". It's not the point. The main point is to show "How strong of native social is very important, to cope with an alien culture attack". This kind of point do hardly found in Thai movies. It is true that you can not compare a goodness in music of one culture to another. Same to Luang Pradit Phairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng) is not Amadeus. You have to consider how much it serves the target listeners. Thai culture is very different to the West. The movie itself maybe less understandable by the way of culture interpretation, a simple fact. But it's not mean that those movies is not good enough.

I am proud that the new generation has produced a great movie like Hom Rong. Thai people should be glad that there is at least a group of people who celebrate our beautiful culture and our unique way of life that is calm, beautiful, contemplative, and modest. The movie brings out the distinct character of Thai civilization. Hom Rong has romance but is not dirty, Thai history that is both real and engaging, music that is both original and creative, and actors and actress who portray appropriately the unique Thai spirit and temperament that are hard to find in the present.

It is sad that there are still so many Thai people who have never had an opportunity to touch the beauty of the lifestyle of past Thai generations. Many have ignored being Thai and appreciate only Western art without learning both before judging them.