From tomorrow until Sunday, enjoy free outdoor screenings in the majestic setting of the National Museum as the Ministry of Culture and the Thai Film Archive present five curated films that showcase diverse aspects of Bangkok, its history, culture and inhabitants, as part of celebrations of the 243rd anniversary of its founding.
The main courtyard of the National Museum near Sanam Luang will become the backdrop of films ranging from a war saga, an urban thriller, historical reminiscences and a horror film set in the outskirts of Bangkok. All screenings are free of charge, starting at 7pm.
The programme starts tomorrow with See Siam Through The State Railway Film Collection, a collage of silent historical recordings set to a newly composed piece of instrumental music. The film, completed in 2024, presents some of the rarest and most valuable visual records of Siam in the 1920s to early 1930s, from palace ceremonies to quotidian life and scenery of a bygone era. The Thai Film Archive curated the footage from the collection of the State Railway of Thailand, which ran the country's first film production unit during the reign of King Rama VII. This is a perfect opening film befitting the grand setting of the National Museum.
On Thursday is Lued Suphan (Suphan Blood, 1979), a patriotic film adapted from Luang Wichitwathakan's novel. It's a vintage war movie with a twist on the usual Thai-Burmese conflict by having a Thai village woman fall in love with a Burmese warrior leading the charge through the town of Suphan Buri. The film has retained its popularity throughout the years.
On Friday, Dan Sab (The Cursed Land, 2024) will recount the little-known chapter of a Muslim community in the eastern suburbs of Bangkok. The psychological horror tells the story of a father and daughter who move to Nong Chok, a Muslim area on the edge of the capital, and encounter a vengeful djinn locked up since early days of the Rattanakosin period. The film stars Ananda Everingham, Jennis Oprasert and Malaysian actor Bront Palarae.
On Saturday is Tawiphop (1990), a historical drama adapted from a beloved novel among Thai readers. This version was directed by the late Cherd Songsri and stars Janjira Jujaeng as a woman who time-travels to the early 1900s during the reign of King Rama V and witnesses a tumultuous period of colonial threat. The novel by Thommayanti has been adapted into movies and TV series many times. The trope of a modern woman who zips back to the past has lately enjoyed a resurgence.
The last film in the programme on Sunday is Luk Bah Tiew La Sood (Crazy Me, 1993), a supernatural drama about a salaryman who strikes a deal with the Lord of Death to extend his life for another day. The film captures white-collar frustration during the economic boom of the 1990s and also the images of Bangkok and its rapid expansion.
The outdoor screenings will take place at the National Museum from tomorrow until Sunday. Only See Siam and The Cursed Land have English subtitles.
