Pioneering Thai filmmaker Rattana Pestonji was born in Bangkok in 1908 and died in 1970 as he was giving a speech to Thai government officials to urge support for the Thai film industry.

Rattana Pestonji (1908-August 17, 1970) was a Thai film director, screen writer and cinematographer and is regarded as the father of modern Thai film. Although his filmography was brief, his films placed Thai cinema on the world stage. He also pushed for innovations, and was one of the first Thai directors to use 35-mm film. He died just as he was giving a speech to government officials to call for support of a domestic industry he saw as coming under threat from Hollywood films. Image File history File linksMetadata Pestonji. ... The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, whilst filming a costume drama on location in London. ... Screenwriters, or script writers, are authors who write the screenplays from which movies are made. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Cinematography. ... Simulated 35 mm film with soundtracks - The outermost strips (on either side) contain the SDDS soundtrack as an image of a digital signal. ... ...

Early life

Rattana Pestonji was born in Bangkok to a family of Persian descent. He is sometimes referred to as R.D. Pestonji or Ratt Pestonji. Bangkok from the Chao Phraya River at sunset, July 2004 The Wat Phra Kaew temple Bangkok Metropolitan Administration building Bangkok, known in Thai as Krung Thep (กรุงเทพฯ), or Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (กรุงเทพมหานคร, IPA: ), is the capital and largest city of Thailand, with an official 1990 population of 8,538,610. ... Persian may refer to more than one article: the Western name for Iranian (see Iran/Persia naming controversy) Persian, an Iranian language the Persians, an ethnic group a Persian, a breed of cat Persian, a Pokémon character Etymology English Persian < Old English, < Latin *Persianus, < Latin Persia, < ancient Greek Persis...

At an early age, he showed an avid interest in photography. He was so adept at dismantling and reassembling his camera, that it was decided he should study engineering at London University. Lens and mounting of a large format camera Wikibooks has more about this subject: Photography Photography is the process of making pictures by means of the action of light. ... Senate House, designed by Charles Holden home to the universitys central administration offices and its library The University of London, founded in 1836, is a federation of colleges which together constitute one of the worlds largest universities. ...

Between studies in London, he was able to take photos and he picked up several awards in photographic competitions.

He returned to Thailand with an engineering degree, but continued to pursue his interest in photography and found a job as a film salesman. It was then he began to explore an art form that was still in its infancy – cinematography. Films are produced by recording actual people and objects with cameras, or by creating them using animation techniques and/or special effects. ... Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel, AFC, meters Audrey Tautou on the set of A Very Long Engagement. ...

In 1937, he shot his first film, a short called Tang, about a young Thai girl. Tang won the Amateur Cine Competition in Glasgow, Scotland and Rattana was handed an award by Alfred Hitchcock. He made another short called White Boat in 1939 and it was shown at the New York World Festival. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation) George Square and Glasgows City Chambers Glasgow is Scotlands largest city, located on the River Clyde in West Central Scotland. ... Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980) was a British-born film director and producer, closely associated with the suspense thriller genre. ...

Rattana continued his work in film sales, but he was given his big break into filmmaking in 1949 when he was asked by Prince Bhanu Yukol to act as a cameraman on the film Phanthaay Norasingh (Oarsman Norasingh). He showed great talent as a cinematographer.

Around this time, Rattana formed his own studio, Hanuman Films Company. He directed his first feature film, Dear Dolly in 1951.

Pushing for innovations

In each of his films, he sought to experiment and raise the standard of production. At a time when post-dubbed 16-mm films were the industry standard in Thailand, Rattana wanted to use 35-mm stock, which was more expensive and technically difficult to work with, but it allowed for the sound to be recorded along with the image. 16 mm film was initially created in the 1920s as an inexpensive amateur alternative to the conventional 35 mm film format. ...

Rattana's first 35-mm film was the drama, Santi-Weena, on which he worked as cinematographer only. It was directed by Khru Marut with a screenplay by Vichit Kounavudhi. Vichit Kounavudhi (Thai วิจิตร คุณาวุฒิ , 1922-1997, born in Chachoengsao, Thailand) was a Thai film director and screen writer. ...

Santi-Weena was among the first Thai films to be sent to an overseas competition, the 1955 Southeast Asia Film Festival (also called the Asia Film Festival and then the Asia-Pacific Film Festival) in Tokyo. It was a sensation, sweeping the awards for best cinematography, art direction and the Golden Harvest Award for best Asian cultural presentation.

Still, Rattana would run afoul of the Thai government, and upon his return from the festival, he was charged $5,000 tax for the $16,000 Mitchell movie camera he won, and was fined 1,000 baht for failing to clear his film with the Thai censor. Thai banknotes and coins. ...

Career as director

Undaunted, he continued his work, working as cinematographer on Chuafah Din Salai (Dying Forever) and then taking the director's chair for Rongraem Nark.

For Rongraem Nark, (literally hotel from hell, but titled Country Hotel in English), he employed the use of one camera on a single set, similar to Hitchcock's 1948 film, Rope. The film had a bit of everything – rustic comedy, music (including a full ballad by a Filipina singer), rough-and-tumble action and dark, thrilling drama. Coils of rope used for long-line fishing A rope is a length of fibers, twisted or braided together to improve strength, for pulling and connecting. ...

His first color film was 1958's Sawan Mued (Dark Heaven), which featured songs and some dramatic battlefield scenes.

Next was Prae Dum (Black Silk), which is regarded as Thailand’s first film noir and Rattana's best work. He performed almost all the major tasks himself, acting as writer, producer, director, cinematographer and editor. For his efforts, Prae Dum was included in competition at the 1961 Berlin Film Festival. This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the Berlinale, is one of the most important film festivals in Europe and the World. ...

His final film was made in 1964, Nahmtaan Mai Waan (Sugar is Not Sweet). A romantic farce, it is a vibrant film that takes visual cues from the pop-art style of Western films of the time.

Retirement and death

While Rattana was artistically respected, his films – featuring unhappy endings – were mostly commercial failures.

Frustrated, he retired from filmmaking. However, he continued to be involved with the industry and was a tireless lobbyist. He co-founded and headed the Thai Film Producers Association.

On the night of August 17, 1970, at the Montien Hotel in Bangkok, Rattana was set to address film producers and Thai government officials in a meeting called to discuss ways of supporting the film industry. August 17 is the 229th day of the year (230th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Finally, at 9 pm, after an address by Economics Minister Bunchana Atthakorn and speeches by numerous other filmmakers and officials, Rattana's time to speak came. Film scholar Anchalee Chaiworaporn offers the following account:

"When I first started out in the movie business," he began, "Sadet Ong Chai Yai (Prince Bhanu Yukol) had just hired me as a cameraman for a film he wanted to shoot called Phanthaay Norasingh. I've spent every baht I ever earned on my productions and now I have to make adverts just to survive. The foreign film distributors have been preying on Thai cinemas ..."

Rattana faltered then collapsed to the floor. He was rushed to nearby Chulalongkorn Hospital, but he died three hours later of a massive coronary.

It was the first of two tough blows for the burgeoning Thai industry, for later in the year, it would lose its biggest star, Mitr Chaibancha, in a fatal accidental during the filming of a stunt. Mitr Chaibancha (Thai มิตร ชัยบัญชา, born January 28, 1934 in Phetchaburi, Thailand) was a Thai film actor who made 266 films from 1956 to 1970. ...

His legacy

A few days after Rattana's death, the government did decide to set up the Thai Film Promotion Board, which would be responsible for promoting and encouraging investment in Thai films. But to this day there is still no direct government support for the Thai film industry and foreign films continue to dominate the domestic cinema landscape and have a pervading influence on Thai culture. Studio-backed Thai movies, such as Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior fare better in local cinemas, while indie directors such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul are left to seek funding from overseas backers in order to make films. Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior (2003) is an action film from Thailand in the mold of old school Jackie Chan-styled kung-fu flicks. ... An Independent film (or indie film) is a film initially produced without financing or distribution from a major movie studio. ... Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Thai อภิชาติพงศ์ วีระเศรษฐกุล, born 16 July 1970 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai film director. ...

Still, Rattana's legacy is recognizable. His films are cited as a major influence by Wisit Sasanatieng, a Thai film director whose acclaimed Fah Talai Jone (Tears of the Black Tiger) was shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2000. Wisit Sasanatieng (Thai วิศิษฏ์ ศาสนเที่ยง, born April 25, 1964 in Bangkok, Thailand) is a Thai film director and screenwriter. ... The Palais des Festivals (2000) The Cannes Film Festival (French: le Festival international du film de Cannes or simply le Festival de Cannes) is the worlds most prestigious film festival, first held from September 20 to October 5, 1946 in the resort town of Cannes, in the south of...

The studio that Rattana started, Hanuman Films Company, is still operated by his family. It is now called Santa International Film Productions and it provides technical support and equipment to foreign film productions. Santa Pestonji directed a remake of Santi-Weena in 1976.

Rattana's films are shown in retrospectives at festivals around Asia, most recently at the 10th Pusan International Film Festival, which screened Sugar Is Not Sweet, Black Silk, Country Hotel and Dark Heaven. Pusan International Film Festival(PIFF, 부산국제영화제), taking place in Busan, South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia. ...

Additionally, Country Hotel is available on DVD with English subtitles from the Thai Film Foundation.

Cover from the DVD of Rattana's 1957 film, Country Hotel, which is available from the Thai Film Foundation.

Image File history File linksMetadata Countryhotel. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Countryhotel. ...

Filmography

• Namtarn Mai Warn (Sugar Is Not Sweet). (1964)
• Phrae Dam (Black Silk) (1961)
• Sawan Mued (Dark Heaven) (1958)
• Rongraem Nark (Country Hotel) (1957)
• Chuafah Din Salai (Dying Forever) (cinematographer) (1955)
• Santi-Weena (cinematographer) (1954)
• Tukkata Jaa (Dear Dolly) (1951)
• Phanthaay Norasingh (Oarman Norasingh) (cinematographer) (1949)
• White Boat (short) (1939)
• Tang (short) (1937)

References

• Chaiworaporn, Anchalee (2005). The Man Who Died for his Art, ThaiCinema.org. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Uabumrungjit, Chalida (2005). Special Programs in Focus, Pusan International Film Festival. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
• Sukwong, Dome and Suwannapak, Sawasdi. A Century of Thai Cinema, Thames and Hudson, 2001. ISBN 0-500-97603-1

External links

• Rattana Pestonji at the Internet Movie Database
• Santa International Film Productions
• Thai Film Foundation review of Black Silk
• Thai Film Foundation DVD of Country Hotel
• Thai Film Journal review of Country Hotel at Rotten Tomatoes.