Jan Dara

JAN DARA is one of those rare films that succeeds on many levels: the story as adapted from a famous Thai novel 'The Story of Jan Dara' by Utsana Phleungtham is one of intrigue and exploration of lust, revenge, and thwarted passion; the cinematography by Nattawut Kittikhun is incredibly atmospheric while at the same time pausing for some of the most beautiful studies of nature on film; the musical score by Chartchai Pongprapapan and Pakawat Waiwitaya mixes the exotic pentatonic Oriental melodies with quaint excerpts from early recordings of Richard Strauss and Puccini operas; the direction by Nonzee Nimibutr is so sensuously elegant that this film firmly establishes him as an important figure in international film-making.

Simply stated, the story is about Jan Dara, the son of a woman who died giving birth to him, his life as an abused and unwanted child in the house of his 'father' spent searching for the love of his lost mother, his first encounters with passion and love, his adaptation to the realities of surviving in a family fraught with conflicts and bizarrely tangled interrelationships, and the disillusionment that comes with the discovery of his true family history and how the way his life comes full circle. It is a period piece and includes the outside effects of WW II in an otherwise sequestered house of strange isolation.

While JAN DARA includes many sensuous scenes (the 'first memory' of Jan Dara is watching his 'father' in an indiscretion with his beloved aunt), these scenes are photographed so sensitively that they become studies like Kama Sutra paintings rather than being vulgar. The story makes many flashbacks and flash-forwards and keeping the various actors at the different ages of these sequences straight can be problematic. The cast is uniformly excellent and credible, even when they may be too evil to watch! Here is an example of Oriental films that don't rely on choreographic martial arts to sustain interest. In that way it is similar to the beautiful SPRING, SUMER, AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING, and for those who enjoy the subtle arts of Asia this film is a must. Highly recommended. Grady Harp

"Jan Dara" is another beautifully shot picture from Thailand's Nonzee Nimibutr. I liked his 1999 film "Nang nak" but "Jan Dara" is definitely an improvement. The classically beautiful camera work mixed with highly erotic scenes remind one of Annaud's "L'amant" - but "Jan Dara" has a more nostalgic look with lots of sepia colors in it. What strikes me is that there's not a single (important) character in this movie that is ugly. This is a movie full of gorgeous people. In "Nang Nak", the main actor was amazingly well built but had rotten teeth - here, everyone seems to be a model. I found myself especially enchanted by the the one who plays 17-year old Jan. This beauty of the actors and actresses perfectly fits the slightly artificial mood of the movie.

I've talked about style. What about story? Well, that's not as rewarding. There are your typical family drama plots, the hate, the love - basically a soap opera. With lots of sex. Would I recommend it? Definitely, if you lov e lush settings and gorgeous people. I for one found myself having a nice time...

Rating: 6/10

I disagree with the previous comment. The movie is not hard to follow if you have access to English subtitles or you understand Thai. This movie had an enormous budget in comparison to other Thai movies and this is reflected in the higher standards. The story is the story of Jan Dara, a Thai man. As the previous comment said, there is sex, soft-core for Western standards, but very explicit, although not graphic. This was enough to cause an uproar in Thailand when the movie was released. This caused the movie to be censored. Well worth watching if you have any links with Thailand...

The narrator of the film, is left to live with his father after his mother dies while giving birth. The latter despises him and he find comfort in his aunt who is like a mother to him.

As the men in the household seem hardly able to go a day without sex, new characters and children are added to the picture. The relationships and roles of those characters change as the movie progresses, fuelled by strong emotions such as lust and loneliness.

The plot is strong enough to captivate the audience, while the movie itself is eye-candy. Most of the scenes are shot in the house, but they are done beautifully, never getting boring or repetitive. The colours are pale, making the characters even more alive. Finally, the performances are outstanding.

I totally recomend it.

Sad coming of age story about a boy, Jan Dara, and the effect that his father's abuse and sexual depravity eventually has on him. Well written and acted. Beautifully filmed with an exquisite musical score. Very high production values for a Thai film.