The Overture (โหมโรง)

I'm quite a fan to Thai movies because they are really amaze me in all aspects. I got full hilarious scenes through the whole movie. Got touch with some sad and romantic moments. Getting chills through your spine and got scared to hell even you mute the video and close your eyes and ears. It's hard to find this genuine feelings and most of the movies end with bad endings or unsolved mysteries.

So, Thai movies attract international movie awards like Cannes Film Festival. Although some of the movies aren't getting any awards back in Thai, eventually they will get it internationally. Most of the Thai movies, we can view them via by parts in Youtube and other video hosting sites. I don't think they will ban the links because they need to rely international views to boost their videos.

I would like to share a 2004 movie called "The Overture". I've seen the title before and can't view the whole story because Youtube is damn slow. Can't ask Youtube to take the blame but also my sucky internet service. Gonna curse the service everyday! The movie is for those who takes music as a life and loves traditional instruments only so don't get bored with it.
The story is actually happened on a real person called Sorn Silpabanleng (Luang Pradit Phairoh). He was a famous Thai traditional royal musicians who played Ranad-ek, a Thai treble xylophone.
His talent was discovered by his father and old brother since he was about 5 years old. His father got shocked and questioned himself how did he play such notes without references. When he entered childhood period, Sorn lost his brother. Since then, his father kept the ranad-ek away and nobody can't touch that. Sorn tried to sneak out the instrument with his best friend's help to a abandoned temple. He did it until his father discovered that he is desperated and bonded to the ranad-ek.
Sorn's father became is mentor to teach not just only ranad-ek but other instruments and let him to join the ensemble. I'm not going to tell you here about the whole story so be patient if your internet is slow and see all the parts below! All videos were subbed with English. If you can't see them, enable the CC feature on the youtube panel.

So, what's your comment about this movie? I love it at the first site. Combining the musical melodies with the dramatic life, it's superb. I was really touch in the end of the story when Sorn died. Before he passed away, he still move his fingers as if he's still playing ranad-ek. Hope he's playing his ranad-ek in heaven to please the god.
If you like the musics in the movie, you can get it from here for free.

1. "Assajun" ("อัศจรรย์", or "Miracle", composed by Petch Marr and Pijika) – 4:40
2. "Kaek bor-ra-tes" ("แขกบรเทศ") – 0:53
3. "Ton worrachet" ("ต้นวรเชษฐ์") – 1:35
4. "Kum warn" ("คำหวาน") – 1:34
5. "Kra-tai ten" ("กระต่ายเต้น") – 1:18
6. "Lao duang duen" ("ลาวดวงเดือน") – 1:10
7. "Hom rong pra-derm chai" ("โหมโรงประเดิมชัย") – 1:39
8. "Hom rong um-ma-baht" ("โหมโรงอัฐมบาท") – 1:37
9. "Hom rong chor paka" ("โหมโรงช่อผกา") – 1:22
10. "Home rong jeen dok mai" ("โหมโรงจีนดอกไม้") – 1:55
11. "Saen kum-nueng" ("แสนคำนึง") – 3:11
    • Tracks 2-11 traditional Thai music performed by Chaibhuk Bhutrachinda, Korphai and Narongrit Tosa-nga
12. "Raek phob" ("แรกพบ") – 2:12
13. "Terd toh" ("เติบโต") – 2:38
14. "Berk barn" ("เบิกบาน") – 0:50
15. "Sum nuek" ("สำนึก") – 1:10
16. "Chai-cha-na" ("ชัยชนะ") – 2:10
17. "Kwam wung" ("ความหวัง") – 2:23
    • Tracks 12-17 are cues from the original score by Chatchai Pongrapaphan

A bientot!