Chatrichalerm Yukol
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Chatrichalerm Yukol on the set of Suriyothai. |
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| Born: | November 29, 1942 Thailand |
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| Occupation: | Film director, producer, screenwriter |
Chatrichalerm Yukol (Thai: หม่อมเจ้าชาตรีเฉลิม ยุคล, born November 29, 1942) is a Thai film director and screenwriter. A prolific director since the 1970s, he is best known in the West for his 2001 historical epic, The Legend of Suriyothai, the most expensive Thai film ever made. A member of the Thai royal family, his official royal title is Mom Chao, or M.C., the most junior title still considered royalty. He is widely known by his nickname, Than Mui. For Suriyothai as well as his upcoming historical epic, King Naresuan, Chatrichalerm received the support of Queen Sirikit. King Naresuan, about Naresuan the Great, will be even bigger than Suriyothai in terms of budget and scope.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Early life
Chatrichalerm's parents, Prince Anusornmongkolkarn Yukol and Mom Ubon Yuko Na Ayudhya Yukol were filmmakers and co-founders of the Lavo Pappayon Company.
Chatrichalerm was sent to Australia for schooling, and from there he went to UCLA, where he graduated with a degree in geology. His minor was film studies, and he shared classes with Francis Ford Coppola and Roman Polanski. He also worked as an assistant to director and producer Merian C. Cooper. (Chatrichalerm's grandfather had helped King Kong makers Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack with the filming of Chang in 1927.)
He later worked with Coppola on the re-editing of The Legend of Suriyothai, when it was released in the US in 2003.
[edit] Early films
Though he's best known for his work on Suriyothai, Chatrichalerm's filmography stretches back to the 1970s. His first film, 1971's Out of the Darkness, was the first Thai science fiction film.
He was among the first of a new wave of Thai directors to produce films reflecting changes in society. One of these film was his Khao Chue Karn (Dr. Karn), based on a well-known story by Suwannee Sukhontha. Released in the months leading up to the bloody pro-democracy student uprisings of 1973, Dr. Karn dared to address corruption in Thai society.
Even Chatrichalerm's status as a prince didn't rate when the authoritarian government's censor wanted to cut the film. Chatrichalerm personally showed the film to Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn and was able to persuade the dictator to let the film be released uncut.
[edit] Social message films
Most of Chatrichalerm's films have some kind of social message, such as the downside of prostitution (Hotel Angel, 1974), teenage sex and delinquency (Daughter and Daughter 2), protecting the environment (The Elephant Keeper, 1987), or the evils of the drug trade (Powder Road, 1991). His films resist depicting any glamor, focusing on the poor, downtrodden working classes, such as Freedom of Taxi Driver (1984) or Song for Chao Phya and often with gritty action, such as The Gunman (1983), Salween (1993), and The Colonel (1974).
In 2006, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award at the Thailand National Film Awards, though he was not present for the ceremony; actor Sorapong Chatree, a frequent star in Chatrichalerm's films, accepted the award for the director.
[edit] Filmography
- Out of the Darkness (Mun Ma Kub Kwam Mued) (1971)
- Dr. Karn (Khao Chue Karn) (1973)
- The Colonel (Pom Mai Yak Pen Pan To) (1974)
- Hotel Angel (Thep Thida Rong Raem) (1974)
- Last Love (Kaum Rak Krang Suthai) (1975)
- The Violent Breed (Thewada Doen Din)
- Dangerous Modelling (1975)
- Angel Who Walks on the Ground (1976)
- Taxi Driver (Citizen I) (1977)
- Karma (1978)
- The Yellowing of the Sky (Before the Storm) (1980)
- If You Still Love (1982)
- Gunman (Meu Peun) (1983)
- Detective, Section 123 (1984)
- Freedom of Taxi Driver (Citizen II) (1984)
- Somsee (1986)
- The Elephant Keeper (Khon Liang Chang) (1987)
- Song for Chao Phya (1990)
- Powder Road (1991)
- Salween (Gunman II) (1993)
- Daughter (Sia Dia) (1996)
- Daughter 2 (Sia Dia 2) (1997)
- Last Love (remake) (2003)
- The Legend of Suriyothai (2001)
- King Naresuan (2006)
[edit] References
- Richardson, Thomas (1993), Thai Film Timeline: people.cornell.edu/pages/ter3/thaifilm/tftime.html
- Chaiworaporn, Anchalee (2004) The Arrival of New Wave and The First Taste of Freedom, ThaiCinema.org. Retrieved December 24, 2005.
- Fleshman, Erich (2005) A Brief History of Thai Cinema, Notes from Hollywood. Retrieved December 23, 2005.
