- Communications and New Media, Media Communications, Independent Film Thailand, Modern History, Early Modern History, Film History, and 15 moreFilm and History, Film Theory, Languages and Linguistics, Thai Studies, Thai Cinema, Media and Communications, Documentary Film, Film Studies, Thailand in Westerns Films and Novels, Literature and cinema, Cinema, Literature, Cultural Studies, Communication, and Film and Media Studiesedit
- PhD in Media and Communications ÷÷÷ Asst. Prof. ÷÷÷ Executive Director, Southeast Asian Media Studies Association ÷÷÷... morePhD in Media and Communications ÷÷÷ Asst. Prof. ÷÷÷ Executive Director, Southeast Asian Media Studies Association ÷÷÷ Managing Editor-in-Chief, Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal.edit
Alonzo dela Cruz, Alexander J. Klemm, and Jason P. Telles
Research Interests:
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 2., 2023
Research Interests: Media Studies, New Media, Media and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, Digital Media, and 15 moreMedia Education, Southeast Asia, Media Literacy, Digital Media & Learning, Social Media, Media, Southeast Asian Politics, Southeast Asian history, Social Media Marketing, Mass media, Media Research, Media and Communications, Media Impact and Effects and Usages, Communication and media Studies, and Alternate Media
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1., 2023
Research Interests: Media Sociology, Gender Studies, Media Studies, New Media, Media and Cultural Studies, and 15 moreSoutheast Asian Studies, Film Studies, Digital Media, Media Education, Southeast Asia, Media Literacy, Digital Media & Learning, Social Media, Media, Philippine Studies, Social Media Marketing, Mass media, Media Research, Online Media, and PERANAN MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 4, No. 2., 2022
Research Interests:
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 4, No. 1., 2022
Research Interests: Gender Studies, Media Studies, New Media, Media and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, and 15 moreFilm Studies, Film Theory, Digital Media, Film Analysis, Southeast Asia, Digital Media & Learning, Indonesia, Social Media, Film History, Media, Philippine Studies, Southeast Asian history, Mass media, Media and Communications, and Vietnamese studies
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No. 3., 2021
Research Interests: Media Studies, New Media, Southeast Asian Studies, Film Studies, Digital Media, and 11 moreMass Communication, Southeast Asia, Digital Media & Learning, Social Media, Media, East Asian Cinema, Mass media, Social Media and Higher Education, Journalism And Mass communication, Communication and media Studies, and PERANAN MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN
Editor-in-Chief of Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No. 2., 2021
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Media Sociology, Media Studies, New Media, Media and Cultural Studies, Southeast Asian Studies, and 13 moreDigital Media, Southeast Asia, Media Ethics, Digital Media & Learning, Social Media, Media, East Asian Cinema, Southeast Asian Cinema, Southeast Asian Politics, Southeast Asian history, Social Media Marketing, Mass media, and Communication and media Studies
In August 2022, editors of 20 Asian journals in the humanities and social sciences met virtually for the 1 st Asian Journals Network Conference. Among the attendees was the editor of the Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal (SEAMSJ). The... more
In August 2022, editors of 20 Asian journals in the humanities and social sciences met virtually for the 1 st Asian Journals Network Conference. Among the attendees was the editor of the Southeast Asian Media Studies Journal (SEAMSJ). The Asian Journals Network (AJN) had been initiated by Kritika Kultura of Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas' Unitas. These two academic journals based in the Philippines were also the main organizers of the conference. The editors discussed several issues, including the identity, scope, and limitations of the AJN, as well as the state of academic journal publishing in Asia, as it is influenced by a Western neoliberal publication culture that favors metrics, impact factors, and publishing in the English language. Since this academic culture puts many Asian scholars at a disadvantage, the AJN seeks to foster new ways of knowledge production and dissemination. The conference established a strong sense of community among the participating journal editors and energized the network. On 15 November 2022, the editors of 20 Asian journals formalized their partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. Thus, legitimizing the existence of the AJN and pledged long-term collaboration and knowledge exchange among the member journals. This essay introduces the Asian Journals Network to a wider audience, outlines its possible future role in the humanities and social sciences in Asia, reviews and assesses salient issues and outcomes of the conference, and discusses the possible impact the membership in the network might have on the SEAMSJ.
Research Interests:
This is a thoroughly revised and updated article published previously in the ACMC Conference proceedings 2018. Rising Cold War tensions between the United States, the USSR, and China, the fear of an unstoppable expansion of Communism in... more
This is a thoroughly revised and updated article published previously in the ACMC Conference proceedings 2018.
Rising Cold War tensions between the United States, the USSR, and China, the fear of an unstoppable expansion of Communism in Southeast Asia, and France’s withdrawal from Vietnam in 1954 resulted in the foundation of SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) and led to a rapid increase in U.S. military presence in Thailand. From 1955 to 1967 U.S. Army documentaries, British Pathé newsreels, and various television reports sought to acquaint viewers in the West with Thai demographics and culture and the airbases from which the U.S. military was operating. They were vehicles to rationalize U.S. military activity in Southeast Asia, economic aid to Thailand, and the necessity to stop communist insurgence in Vietnam, Laos, and the northeastern provinces of Thailand. The films can be grouped according to phases of the Cold War and particular events: 1954-59: SEATO and the U.S.-Thai alliance; 1960: The Thai royal couple in the U.S.; 1961-1963: U.S. military buildup in Thailand; and 1964-67: Conflict escalation. The article discusses the films within their historic contexts and explores their representations of Thailand. An awareness of their underlying messages leads to a deeper understanding of the dynamic U.S.-Thai alliance, Thailand’s complex role during the Vietnam War, and the international effort to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.
Rising Cold War tensions between the United States, the USSR, and China, the fear of an unstoppable expansion of Communism in Southeast Asia, and France’s withdrawal from Vietnam in 1954 resulted in the foundation of SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) and led to a rapid increase in U.S. military presence in Thailand. From 1955 to 1967 U.S. Army documentaries, British Pathé newsreels, and various television reports sought to acquaint viewers in the West with Thai demographics and culture and the airbases from which the U.S. military was operating. They were vehicles to rationalize U.S. military activity in Southeast Asia, economic aid to Thailand, and the necessity to stop communist insurgence in Vietnam, Laos, and the northeastern provinces of Thailand. The films can be grouped according to phases of the Cold War and particular events: 1954-59: SEATO and the U.S.-Thai alliance; 1960: The Thai royal couple in the U.S.; 1961-1963: U.S. military buildup in Thailand; and 1964-67: Conflict escalation. The article discusses the films within their historic contexts and explores their representations of Thailand. An awareness of their underlying messages leads to a deeper understanding of the dynamic U.S.-Thai alliance, Thailand’s complex role during the Vietnam War, and the international effort to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.
Research Interests:
Foreign film production is a vital source of revenue for Thailand, a job creator and a stimulator of tourism. This article seeks to outline and assess the developments and challenges of Thailand as a foreign film production destination... more
Foreign film production is a vital source of revenue for Thailand, a job creator and a stimulator of tourism. This article seeks to outline and assess the developments and challenges of Thailand as a foreign film production destination from 2016 to 2018. To this end, it analyzes statistics of annual revenue, production types and the nationalities connected to foreign film projects and
discusses the Thailand Film Office’s marketing strategy and activities. Within the context of film-induced tourism, the article also contextualizes the temporary closure of Maya Bay. The results show that (1) the TFO’s promotional strategy is effective as it includes the dissemination of marketing materials and the organization of an annual film festival, competitions and other events that foster international cooperation; (2) Japanese, Indian and continental European productions are the most numerous; (3) the intensity of foreign filmmaking activity in Thailand fluctuates year by year but has stabilized at a high level during the 2016-2018-period; and (4) the high 2018-revenue figures can be attributed in part to the new tax incentives.
discusses the Thailand Film Office’s marketing strategy and activities. Within the context of film-induced tourism, the article also contextualizes the temporary closure of Maya Bay. The results show that (1) the TFO’s promotional strategy is effective as it includes the dissemination of marketing materials and the organization of an annual film festival, competitions and other events that foster international cooperation; (2) Japanese, Indian and continental European productions are the most numerous; (3) the intensity of foreign filmmaking activity in Thailand fluctuates year by year but has stabilized at a high level during the 2016-2018-period; and (4) the high 2018-revenue figures can be attributed in part to the new tax incentives.
Research Interests:
Movie markets in Europe and the United States saw a considerable increase in the number of erotic films in the first half of the 1970s, followed by a transition to predominantly X-rated films in the second half. The development and rapid... more
Movie markets in Europe and the United States saw a considerable increase in the number of erotic films in the first half of the 1970s, followed by a transition to predominantly X-rated films in the second half. The development and rapid proliferation of the soft- and hardcore film genres can be attributed to the Sexual Liberation Movement of the 1960s, changed viewer expectations, the liberalization of film exhibition laws, and the development of new film technologies. A substantial number of European erotic and pornographic films were made in Thailand. The film Emmanuelle (Fr 1974, dir. Just Jaeckin) marked the beginning and became an international box-office hit, followed by several French, Italian, Swiss, German, and Danish productions that sought to ride on the wave of Emmanuelle’s success. This article seeks to give a concise overview of Emmanuelle’s legacy, that is, European adult-oriented films made from 1974 to 1980 because they shaped western representations and popular perceptions of Thailand for many years. It seeks to explore the cinematic portrayals of Thailand in selected films to determine the extent to which the country plays a significant role as a setting, and it explores the relevance of western interracial desires as well as the films’ appropriation of the enduring allure of the East felt by many Europeans.
Research Interests: Thai Studies, French Cinema, Documentary (Film Studies), Thailand, Eroticism, and 14 moreGerman Cinema, Erotic art, Pornography, InterCultural Studies, Thai Cinema, Documentary Filmmaking, Danish Cinema, Pornography Studies, Orientalism, Politics in Thailand, Independent Film Thailand, Pan-Asian Cinema, Thai Cinema, Korean Cinema, Swiss Cinema, and Emmanuelle Arsan
In 1908 the Danish company Nordisk Film sent cinematographer Ludvig Lippert on a journey to the East. His itinerary included Siam, where he shot impressions of Bangkok and the celebration of the 40-year jubilee of the reign of King... more
In 1908 the Danish company Nordisk Film sent cinematographer Ludvig Lippert on a journey to the East. His itinerary included Siam, where he shot impressions of Bangkok and the celebration of the 40-year jubilee of the reign of King Chulalongkorn. European photographers had been coming to Siam since the 1860s, documenting people, places, and culture, but Lippert’s visit marked the first time that a European filmmaker came to Siam on a mission to make scenic films, commonly known as ‘scenics’, meant for distribution in Europe. Between 1910 and 1913 the French company Pathé Frères also produced its first scenics in Siam. Thus, before the outbreak of World War I, film productions by Nordisk Film and Pathé Frères constituted the first cinematic representations of Siam. Most of these scenics have been lost because of the brittleness of early celluloid and the turmoil of history. As a consequence, no in-depth academic discussion about them has taken place. This paper seeks to close this research gap. By way of contextualizing the Nordisk Film and Pathé Frères productions, outlining relevant film-historic circumstances, and drawing connections to 19th-century representations of Siam in photography, the paper offers insights into the beginnings of European filmmaking in Siam and makes an original contribution to the study of western portrayals of this Southeast Asian nation.
Research Interests: Film Studies, French Cinema, Thailand, Early Cinema, Documentary Photography, and 12 moreDocumentary Film, Swedish Cinema, Documentary Filmmaking, Film and Media Studies, Representation, Travelogue, Cinema Studies, Travelogue Film, Kingdom of Siam, Travel and travelogues, Pathé Frères, and Nordisk Film
Rising Cold War tensions between the United States, USSR and China, fear of an unstoppable expansion of Communism in Southeast Asia, and France’s withdrawal from Vietnam in 1954 resulted in the foundation of SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty... more
Rising Cold War tensions between the United States, USSR and China, fear of an unstoppable expansion of Communism in Southeast Asia, and France’s withdrawal from Vietnam in 1954 resulted in the foundation of
SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) and a rapid increase in U.S. military presence in Thailand. From 1955 to 1967 U.S. Army documentaries, British Pathé newsreels, and various television reports sought to acquaint viewers in the West with Thai demographics and culture, and the air bases from which the U.S. military was operating. They were vehicles to rationalize U.S. military activity in Southeast Asia, economic aid to Thailand, and the necessity to stop communist insurgence in Vietnam, Laos, and the northeast provinces of Thailand. The films can be grouped according to phases of the Cold War and particular events:1955-59: SEATO and the U.S.-Thai alliance; 1960: The Thai royal couple in the U.S.; 1961-1963: U.S. military buildup in
Thailand; and 1964-67: Conflict escalation. The paper discusses the films within their historic contexts and explores their representations of Thailand. An awareness of their underlying messages leads to a deeper
understanding of the dynamic U.S.-Thai alliance, Thailand’s complex role during the Vietnam War, and the international effort to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.
SEATO (Southeast Asian Treaty Organization) and a rapid increase in U.S. military presence in Thailand. From 1955 to 1967 U.S. Army documentaries, British Pathé newsreels, and various television reports sought to acquaint viewers in the West with Thai demographics and culture, and the air bases from which the U.S. military was operating. They were vehicles to rationalize U.S. military activity in Southeast Asia, economic aid to Thailand, and the necessity to stop communist insurgence in Vietnam, Laos, and the northeast provinces of Thailand. The films can be grouped according to phases of the Cold War and particular events:1955-59: SEATO and the U.S.-Thai alliance; 1960: The Thai royal couple in the U.S.; 1961-1963: U.S. military buildup in
Thailand; and 1964-67: Conflict escalation. The paper discusses the films within their historic contexts and explores their representations of Thailand. An awareness of their underlying messages leads to a deeper
understanding of the dynamic U.S.-Thai alliance, Thailand’s complex role during the Vietnam War, and the international effort to prevent the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia.
Research Interests:
After the success of their directorial debut Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life (USA 1925), the American directors Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper ventured to Nan province in Siam to shoot Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness. A... more
After the success of their directorial debut Grass: A Nation’s Battle for Life (USA 1925), the American directors Ernest B. Schoedsack and Merian C. Cooper ventured to Nan province in Siam to shoot Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness. A hybrid of drama, documentary and ethnographic study, Chang was critically well received and a box-office triumph. As the first full-length Hollywood film made in Siam, it holds a special place in film history. Getting wild animals such as tigers, leopards, elephants, and monkeys very close in front of the camera, Chang took wildlife photography to a new level and won an Oscar for “Unique and Artistic Production”. Nevertheless, Chang has been studied too little because Schoedsack and Cooper’s now iconic King Kong (USA 1933) has garnered the main share of academic attention. This paper seeks to locate Chang in the history of Western photography and filmmaking activity in Siam in order to appreciate its representation of the nation. The paper’s second objective is to deconstruct Schoedsack and Cooper’s deliberate crossing of genres and staging of events to make them look authentic. An investigation into audience expectations, Chang’s narrative structure, the role of intertitles, as well as the portrayal of the jungle, the natives, and wild animals help in reaching these goals.
Research Interests:
This is the thoroughly revised version of my article Foreign Film Production in Thailand: Past, Present and Future (published in 2015)
Research Interests:
Movie markets in Europe and the U.S. saw a considerable increase in the number of erotic films in the first half of the 1970s, followed by a transition to X-rated films in the second half. The development and rapid proliferation of the... more
Movie markets in Europe and the U.S. saw a considerable increase in the number of erotic films in the first half of the 1970s, followed by a transition to X-rated films in the second half. The development and rapid proliferation of the soft- and hardcore film genres can be attributed to the so-called “Sexual Liberation Movement” of the 1960s, changed viewer expectations, the liberalization of film contents, and the development of new film technology. A substantial number of European erotic films were made in Thailand. The film Emmanuelle (Fr 1974, dir. Just Jaeckin) marked the beginning and became an international box-office hit, followed by several French, Italian, Swiss, German, and Danish productions that sought to ride on the wave of Emmanuelle’s success. This paper seeks to give a concise overview of Emmanuelle’s legacy, i.e. European adult-oriented films made from 1974 to 1980 because they shaped Western representations and popular perceptions of Thailand for many years. It seeks to explore the cinematic portrayals of Thailand in selected films in order to determine the extent to which the country plays a significant role as a setting, and it explores the relevance of western interracial desires as well as the films’ appropriation of the enduring allure of the East felt by many Europeans. The analyses are supported by theories of the erotic and exploitation film genres and discusses Western tendencies to mystify, sensualize and exoticize Thailand.
Research Interests:
In late 1908 the Danish company Nordisk Film sent cinematographer Ludvig Lippert to Siam (Thailand’s official name until 1939) in order to shoot impressions of Bangkok and the royal festivities in celebration of the 40-year jubilee of the... more
In late 1908 the Danish company Nordisk Film sent cinematographer Ludvig Lippert to Siam (Thailand’s official name until 1939) in order to shoot impressions of Bangkok and the royal festivities in celebration of the 40-year jubilee of the reign of King Chulalongkorn. Lippert’s visit marked the first time that a Westerner made documentaries in Siam intended for distribution in Europe, and around 1911 to 1913 the French company Pathé Frères also produced its first films in Siam. The outbreak of World War I, however, brought a temporary end to European filmmaking activity in Siam. These films by Nordisk Film and Pathé Frères offer important insights into the beginnings of Western filmmaking activity in Siam and early cinematic representations of this Southeast Asian nation. Most of these early films have been lost, which may be the reason why there has been a lack of academic engagement with them as well as their film-historic contexts. This paper seeks to close this research gap. To this end, it gives a detailed overview of the films shot by Nordisk Film and Pathé Frères. By way of analyzing relevant historic and film-industrial circumstances and drawing connections to 19th-century representations of Siam in Western photography, the paper makes an original contribution to the study of Western portrayals of Siam during the early silent film period.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Since the 1960s Thailand has succeeded in positioning itself as the leading Southeast Asian country for foreign film-related projects. Every year hundreds of foreign feature films, documentaries, commercials, TV programs, music videos,... more
Since the 1960s Thailand has succeeded in positioning itself as the leading Southeast Asian country for foreign film-related projects. Every year hundreds of foreign feature films, documentaries, commercials, TV programs, music videos, etc. are shot everywhere in Thailand. Thus, foreign film production is a crucial factor in the condition of the Thai film
industry and an important generator of revenue. With various marketing tools the Thailand Film Office promotes the country as an attractive location for foreign talent and film production companies. Furthermore, an increasing number of Thai screen talents and crews play key roles in foreign film-related productions. The foreign film production companies
usually collaborate with domestic ones that have specialized in providing services needed by their international counterparts. This paper seeks to take stock of the last twelve years and the current situation of foreign film production in Thailand and to explore the support international filmmakers receive. To this end, the paper reviews the following: statistics about foreign film productions and generated revenue, the role of the Thailand Film Office, rules and regulations of foreign filmmaking in Thailand, and the role of Thailand-based film
production service companies. Furthermore, based on a SWOT analysis the paper makes predictions about the future of foreign filmmaking in Thailand. Results of the analyses show the following: The increase in the number of foreign productions and the generated revenue have increased significantly since 2003. The Thailand Film Office is very active in promoting Thailand as a film location destination and greatly facilitates the application process for shooting permits. The rules and regulations for foreign filmmakers are straightforward. Thai film production service companies are vital to the success of foreign film-related productions in Thailand. Moreover, the outlook for the number of foreign film productions in Thailand and the revenue generated by this industry is positive due to the country‘s established
reputation as a film destination hub, modern film equipment, and a new financial incentive scheme to be implemented in 2017.
industry and an important generator of revenue. With various marketing tools the Thailand Film Office promotes the country as an attractive location for foreign talent and film production companies. Furthermore, an increasing number of Thai screen talents and crews play key roles in foreign film-related productions. The foreign film production companies
usually collaborate with domestic ones that have specialized in providing services needed by their international counterparts. This paper seeks to take stock of the last twelve years and the current situation of foreign film production in Thailand and to explore the support international filmmakers receive. To this end, the paper reviews the following: statistics about foreign film productions and generated revenue, the role of the Thailand Film Office, rules and regulations of foreign filmmaking in Thailand, and the role of Thailand-based film
production service companies. Furthermore, based on a SWOT analysis the paper makes predictions about the future of foreign filmmaking in Thailand. Results of the analyses show the following: The increase in the number of foreign productions and the generated revenue have increased significantly since 2003. The Thailand Film Office is very active in promoting Thailand as a film location destination and greatly facilitates the application process for shooting permits. The rules and regulations for foreign filmmakers are straightforward. Thai film production service companies are vital to the success of foreign film-related productions in Thailand. Moreover, the outlook for the number of foreign film productions in Thailand and the revenue generated by this industry is positive due to the country‘s established
reputation as a film destination hub, modern film equipment, and a new financial incentive scheme to be implemented in 2017.
Research Interests:
Representations of Thailand in western films have received little attention by film scholars, notable exceptions being widely popular films such as "Anna and the King of Siam" (USA 1946), "The King and I" (USA 1956), and "The Beach" (USA... more
Representations of Thailand in western films have received little attention by film scholars, notable exceptions being widely popular films such as "Anna and the King of Siam" (USA 1946), "The King and I" (USA 1956), and "The Beach" (USA & UK 2000). This gap in research is astonishing, given the fact that the first western films made in Thailand date back to the emergence of the travelogue film genre in the 1910s. Travelogues are documentary-style scenic films engaging with cultures and peoples around the globe. During the silent film period (1895-1927), western films depicting Siam were almost exclusively travelogues. They sought to entertain and ‘educate’ western audiences about this ostensibly ‘exotic’ Asian nation. The 1930s marked the first decade of the sound film period and coincided with the beginning of Hollywood’s Golden Era, when travelogues became more sophisticated and voiceover narration took on a central role. This paper seeks to make an original contribution to the study of western visual representations of Siam in the 1930s. To this end, its objects of interest are western films made in Siam during that decade. The paper focuses on two travelogues in particular: "Siam to Korea" (USA 1931) and "Serene Siam" (USA 1937). Both films were made by James A. FitzPatrick, aka ‘The Voice of the Globe’. The paper discusses and contextualizes these two films’ representations of Bangkok, Siamese society and culture, focusing especially on their chosen subjects and FitzPatrick’s guiding voiceover commentaries.
Research Interests:
Due to the iconic status of the 1960s James Bond thrillers, other spy films made in that decade have largely been forgotten. However, over a hundred spy and action adventure films were produced in Europe at the height of the 1960s... more
Due to the iconic status of the 1960s James Bond thrillers, other spy films made in that decade have largely been forgotten. However, over a hundred spy and action adventure films were produced in Europe at the height of the 1960s spy-mania, six of which were co-produced by West Germany, France and/or Italy and shot and set in Thailand, among them Thirteen Days to Die (WG, It, Fr 1965) and Island of Lost Girls (WG, It 1969). They are the products of a prolific period of internationalization and diversification in European cinema. This paper seeks to explore the representations of Thailand in these films. To this end, it will engage with the landscape of European co-productions in the 1960s, popular fears of an escalating Cold War, the influence of the Bond film series on an entire genre, and the treatment of Thailand in western travel literature as it extended to film.
Keywords: Eurospy, James Bond, representations of Thailand, Cold War
Keywords: Eurospy, James Bond, representations of Thailand, Cold War
Research Interests:
Thailand's great variety of panoramas, its thriving domestic film industry and the country's well-developed infrastructure, have been attracting western filmmakers for over one hundred years. Hence, the number of western-produced films in... more
Thailand's great variety of panoramas, its thriving domestic film industry and the country's well-developed infrastructure, have been attracting western filmmakers for over one hundred years. Hence, the number of western-produced films in Thailand in the 20 th century is substantial. However, only little research about selected films made after the Second World War has been conducted. And studies of relevant films made prior, when Thailand was still named Siam, are virtually non-existent. This apparent lack of academic interest in these films may be attributed to the difficulty of actually finding them or because they were not preserved and are therefore lost forever. Incomplete and misleading information in particular about early films also poses a considerable problem. Nevertheless, a film-historical investigation into the corpus of western-produced films shot and set in Siam is called for because they were shaped by colonial and imperial worldviews of the West in the 19th century and by the modern interest in travelling. Therefore, they presented Siam, Siamese people and cultures to western viewers in very specific ways. These representations of Siam lasted well into the second half of the 20th century. The films that meet the necessary criteria ‒ made by westerners, in Siam, to show Siam ‒ are either travelogues, i.e. travel documentaries with a strong interest in the exploration of foreign cultures, or semi-documentaries/semi-narratives associated with the travelogue genre. The corpus of travelogues set in Siam can be divided into films of the silent period, which officially ended in 1927, and films of the sound period. In order to limit the scope, this paper gives an overview of travelogues made during the silent film period only, and provides an in-depth analysis of "In Siamese Society" (USA 1919, Burton Holmes Travel Pictures) as a case study of Siam’s depiction in western travelogues.
Research Interests:
This paper analyzes Tokyo’s multifaceted role in "Lost in Translation" (2003), as the film highlights the urban experience in Japan’s capital from a non-Japanese point-of-view. The story follows two Americans, a young and introverted... more
This paper analyzes Tokyo’s multifaceted role in "Lost in Translation" (2003), as the film highlights the urban experience in Japan’s capital from a non-Japanese point-of-view. The story follows two Americans, a young and introverted woman and a seasoned actor, as they meet by chance and go on a journey of (self-)discovery that leads them through various city spaces. These characters serve as flâneur figures that wander through seemingly enigmatic spaces and fill them with astonishment. In order to analyze Tokyo’s function in the film, the paper draws from various sources that explore the visuals, themes and narrative techniques commonly employed in the portrayal of cities in works of fiction. This leads to important questions: In what ways are the characters soul-searching flâneurs on a journey of discovery? How does the relationship between the characters and the city lead to a deeper understanding of our fascination with urban spaces? What are some Western notions and (mis)representations of life and culture in Japan that the film builds on, and how do such allusions contribute to the cinematic rendering of Tokyo? By discussing these and related issues, the paper intends to shed light on the current roles of cities in film, and on the pleasures and potential pitfalls of emphasizing a complex metropolis such as Tokyo as a fictional setting.
Research Interests:
This paper takes a philosophical approach to various occurrences of language in PenEk Ratanaruang’s film "Last Life in the Universe" (Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasan, Thailand, 2003). The story is about the personal development of a renegade... more
This paper takes a philosophical approach to various occurrences of language in PenEk Ratanaruang’s film "Last Life in the Universe" (Ruang Rak Noi Nid Mahasan, Thailand, 2003). The story is about the personal development of a renegade yakuza who lives in Bangkok, searches for the meaning of life and quietly contemplates suicide. Through existential experiences, violent interruptions and an emotional odyssey with a carefree Thai girl, who is the antithesis of his character, he enters a process of self-recognition and discovers his own voice, as well as a new desire to stay in this world. They negotiate meaning through code-switching between English, Thai and Japanese, which provides this paper with the basis for a discussion of various issues, such as the force and fragility of language, the uncertainty of existence, the oscillation between chaos and order, and the redemptive power of personal expression in an intercultural relationship. The paper suggests that the film’s cinematography and the main characters’ ways of communication merge on various levels not only to create narrative unity, but also to demonstrate how language and life necessitate each other.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Germany is one of the most transient European countries, with its ever changing borders and redefinition through conflict and peace, division and unification, migration and exile. With these events in mind, this paper discusses the... more
Germany is one of the most transient European countries, with its ever changing borders and redefinition through conflict and peace, division and unification, migration and exile. With these events in mind, this paper discusses the historic perception of racial others in Germany post World War II and examines how this awareness is paramount in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's construction and study of racist behavior in his narrative film "Angst Essen Seele auf" ("Fear Eats the Soul", Germany 1973).
Keywords: New German Cinema, Racism, Germany
Keywords: New German Cinema, Racism, Germany
Research Interests:
This paper presents an analysis of the novel "The Ninth Directive" (1966) by British author Elleston Trevor (a.k.a. Adam Hall) by focusing on its historical and literary contexts and on the construction of Bangkok as an urban stage of... more
This paper presents an analysis of the novel "The Ninth Directive" (1966) by British author Elleston Trevor (a.k.a. Adam Hall) by focusing on its historical and literary contexts and on the construction of Bangkok as an urban stage of Cold War clashes between British, U.S. American and Chinese interests. The paper seeks to determine exactly how Bangkok is portrayed in the novel and to what ends. The theoretical framework is based on various recent publications that deal with the representation of Bangkok and Thailand in western fiction and non-fiction texts. The results show that The Ninth Directive fits some characteristics of the city novel genre, yet it does not fully develop Bangkok into a character of its own right because the primary purpose is to present Bangkok as a strategic center from where the western and Thai forces succeed at stopping the spread of Chinese Communism. This representation is solely based on the observations of the British agent Quiller, the protagonist. At first, the city is portrayed as an idyllic paradise before it is turned into a city under siege. Moreover, the author's imagined Cold War confrontation reveals his underlying Orientalist, colonial and imperial attitudes, which are most apparent in the portrayal of the antagonist. Named 'Kuo the Mongolian', the Chinese-Communist assassin Kuo embodies western fears of a rising China and the spread of Communism.
Keywords: Bangkok, Cold War, city, fiction, representation, Orientalism
Keywords: Bangkok, Cold War, city, fiction, representation, Orientalism
Research Interests:
The novel "Bangkok Days" (2009) by Lawrence Osborne offers reflections on the identity of Thailand’s capital and its expatriate residents. The novel taps into Westerners’ imagination and misconceptions of Asia and their fascination with... more
The novel "Bangkok Days" (2009) by Lawrence Osborne offers reflections on the identity of Thailand’s capital and its expatriate residents. The novel taps into Westerners’ imagination and misconceptions of Asia and their fascination with Bangkok. Through a semi-fictional narrative where personal experiences of a wandering narrator, subjective impressions and historical facts merge, the novel attempts to disentangle many of Bangkok’s apparent complexities and enigmas. This paper seeks to analyze Bangkok Days’ portrayal of the city and its approach to central themes which include urban loneliness, the interplay between East and West, as well as the city as a stage, chaos and mystery. The objective is to arrive at an in-depth understanding of these concepts and Osborne’s portrait of Bangkok.
Keywords: Bangkok, Thailand, city, representation, East-West dichotomy
Keywords: Bangkok, Thailand, city, representation, East-West dichotomy
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Kurzfassung Dieser Text befasst sich mit dem Essayfilm "Bilder der Welt und Inschrift des Krieges" (BRD, 1988) des deutschen Filmemachers Harun Farocki. Es werden die ambivalenten Kräfte von technisch reproduzierten und handgefertigten... more
Kurzfassung Dieser Text befasst sich mit dem Essayfilm "Bilder der Welt und Inschrift des Krieges" (BRD, 1988) des deutschen Filmemachers Harun Farocki. Es werden die ambivalenten Kräfte von technisch reproduzierten und handgefertigten Bildern sowie deren Inhalt analysiert. Von besonderem Interesse sind hierbei die Vormachtstellung des Betrachters und die Ohnmacht des Betrachteten im Angesicht eines Fotoapparates.
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The narrative structure of "The Blair Witch Project" (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, USA, 1999) breaks with the dominant traditions of the classical horror film and mystery thriller by implementing an original form of suspense... more
The narrative structure of "The Blair Witch Project" (Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez, USA, 1999) breaks with the dominant traditions of the classical horror film and mystery thriller by implementing an original form of suspense intensified by an unconventional non-manifestation of the monster. The objective of this article is to probe the filmûs mechanisms of suspense in order to arrive at new insights into the organization of narrative and the formation of viewer-anticipation. To this end, it explores the filmûs sequencing of events, the features and disclosure of the ambivalent monster, and the silent bond between the central characters and the viewer.
Keywords: narrative structure, suspense, horror, monster, witch
Keywords: narrative structure, suspense, horror, monster, witch
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Strangely, in Feb. 2020 my text was removed by academia.edu because of a copyright claim by "Link-Busters Operations B.V." I immediately complained about this to academia.edu. Upon their encouraging response, I have now re-uploaded my... more
Strangely, in Feb. 2020 my text was removed by academia.edu because of a copyright claim by "Link-Busters Operations B.V." I immediately complained about this to academia.edu. Upon their encouraging response, I have now re-uploaded my text. I reconfirm: I am the author and I own the copyright.
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Ryu Murakami’s "Sixty-Nine" (1987) is a semi-autobiographical story about a high school rebel’s path to personal growth in the late 1960s in the small town of Sasebo where Murakami spent the defining years of his youth. Besides being a... more
Ryu Murakami’s "Sixty-Nine" (1987) is a semi-autobiographical story about a high school rebel’s path to personal growth in the late 1960s in the small town of Sasebo where Murakami spent the defining years of his youth. Besides being a humorous narrative about a student’s disillusion with his teachers and his subsequent revenge on them, Sixty-Nine shows Murakami’s consistent interest in the young generation and Japan’s education system. The novel deals with significant issues which this article identifies as the attitudes of young people in 1969 and Western influence on Japanese youth culture – especially the impact of foreign music, movies and philosophy, Japan during a modernization period and a process of redefining national identity after World War II, and an ideological gap between the generations. This article seeks to analyze these key issues and to put them in relation to the narrative of Sixty-Nine with the aim of providing an insight into Murakami’s artistic work.
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This paper discusses the film Enoch Arden (USA, 1911), which was directed by filmmaker David Wark Griffith (1875-1948) during the early stage of American cinema. In the tradition of adaptation analysis, the article highlights differences... more
This paper discusses the film Enoch Arden (USA, 1911), which was directed by filmmaker David Wark Griffith (1875-1948) during the early stage of American cinema. In the tradition of
adaptation analysis, the article highlights differences and commonalities between the film and its
original textual source, the epic poem Enoch Arden (England, 1864) by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, and links it to theatrical performances of the poem. Furthermore, this article examines the adaptation process and demonstrates how the structure of 19th-century literary and theatrical works was paramount in the constitution of narrative film during the first phase of American filmmaking.
Keywords: adaptation, film language, melodrama, Vaudeville Theater, Victorian Age
adaptation analysis, the article highlights differences and commonalities between the film and its
original textual source, the epic poem Enoch Arden (England, 1864) by Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892), the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, and links it to theatrical performances of the poem. Furthermore, this article examines the adaptation process and demonstrates how the structure of 19th-century literary and theatrical works was paramount in the constitution of narrative film during the first phase of American filmmaking.
Keywords: adaptation, film language, melodrama, Vaudeville Theater, Victorian Age
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This article examines ways of effective reading of non-Asian literary texts in Asian contexts, e.g. in a predominantly Thai classroom, among others. It puts forth essential elements of student-centeredness that need to be implemented and... more
This article examines ways of effective reading of non-Asian literary texts in Asian contexts, e.g. in a predominantly Thai classroom, among others. It puts forth essential elements of student-centeredness that need to be implemented and analyzes useful teaching strategies. To this end, "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by African-American novelist Zora Neale Hurston has been selected as a model on which objectives, guidelines, questions, activities and stages of literary analysis are based. The article culminates in a discourse on the issue of identity, which is a comprehension threshold to be crossed in order to gain insights that reach beyond the scope of a novel. Through this process Asian (Thai) students are guided toward expressing their own concepts of identity and constructing unbiased applications of their notions to literary characters.
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Interpersonal communication is hampered by the omnipresence of conflicts, and language is society's key tool to engage in and resolve them. The plays of modern dramatist Harold Pinter utilize a wide variety of crisis situations, and they... more
Interpersonal communication is hampered by the omnipresence of conflicts, and language is society's key tool to engage in and resolve them. The plays of modern dramatist Harold Pinter utilize a wide variety of crisis situations, and they offer profound insights into the state of humanity and the nature of conflict processes. This article analyzes the features of conflicts as they occur in Pinter's play "The Homecoming" (1965) and focuses on the manner by which individual conflicts are ignited, staged, and brought to a close. This presents a novel approach to Pinter's work, sheds new light on his craft, and, in consequence, necessitates a reevaluation of his dramatic style.
Keywords: Modern Drama, Character, Conflict, Communication
Keywords: Modern Drama, Character, Conflict, Communication
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Consistency in writing style and narrative structure, as well as accuracy in the development and treatment of characters and themes, lie at the core of any truly remarkable novel. If irregularities or discrepancies surface, controversy... more
Consistency in writing style and narrative structure, as well as accuracy in the development and treatment of characters and themes, lie at the core of any truly remarkable novel. If irregularities or discrepancies surface, controversy ensues and the novel runs the risk of losing popular and critical acclaim. When at the beginning of the writing process the author has already an ending in mind, the task to structure and to expand the story will result in a more uniform text than if the characters are unleashed. By choosing the latter approach, an author may end up with a dead end, from which finding an adequate continuation and conclusion is a challenging task. In such a case only radical action will suffice, such as the introduction of additional characters or unpredictable events to disentangle the conflicts and to achieve an acceptable resolution.
Such a dead end occurred during the writing process of one of the most celebrated and controversial novels of 19th-century American literature and a symbol of American culture: Mark Twainûs Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). On the surface, the final episode, which resolves all conflicts and concludes the story, seems to provide a satisfactory ending. However, a close reading reveals a layer of flaws and questionable choices made by Twain underneath, as it never reaches the intensity and quality of the preceding build-up. This paper seeks to demonstrate that this great American novel must be critiqued for its inadequate ending, which is the result of a disjointed writing process and several inconsistencies.
Keywords: 19th-century American literature, Reconstruction era, narrative structure, conclusion, satire, humor, writing process
Such a dead end occurred during the writing process of one of the most celebrated and controversial novels of 19th-century American literature and a symbol of American culture: Mark Twainûs Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885). On the surface, the final episode, which resolves all conflicts and concludes the story, seems to provide a satisfactory ending. However, a close reading reveals a layer of flaws and questionable choices made by Twain underneath, as it never reaches the intensity and quality of the preceding build-up. This paper seeks to demonstrate that this great American novel must be critiqued for its inadequate ending, which is the result of a disjointed writing process and several inconsistencies.
Keywords: 19th-century American literature, Reconstruction era, narrative structure, conclusion, satire, humor, writing process
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Die vorliegende Studie hat interdisziplinärer Charakter und beruft sich hauptsächlich auf die Sprachphilosophie, Kontinentalphilosophie und Medienphilosophie. Sie zielt darauf ab, einen Diskurs über das Sich-zeigen von Wahrheit in der... more
Die vorliegende Studie hat interdisziplinärer Charakter und beruft sich hauptsächlich auf die Sprachphilosophie, Kontinentalphilosophie und Medienphilosophie. Sie zielt darauf ab, einen Diskurs über das Sich-zeigen von Wahrheit in der Sprache des Films zu führen. Um dies zu erreichen, werden die Kräfte von sprachlichen und visuellen Zeichen, Schriftzeichen im Besonderen, als Bedeutungs- und Wahrheitsträger in Kommunikationsprozessen erforscht und die Erscheinungsformen dieser Schriftzeichen der Wahrheit, wie wir sie hier nennen, ermittelt. Auch Analogien zwischen einzelnen Schriftzeichen und Filmbildern einerseits sowie zwischen Sequenzen von Schriftzeichen und der Bildmontage im Film andererseits werden deshalb untersucht. Eine Analyse der Phänomene Fiktion, Täuschung und Illusion, die sich zur Wahrheit gegensätzlich verhalten und doch mit ihr verwandt sind, fließt in den Diskurs über die Schriftzeichen der Wahrheit ein. Dadurch wird ersichtlich, inwieweit Film dem Wesen nach eine der Kommunikation dienende Bilderschrift ist, die sich aus einem vielschichtigen und spannenden Zusammenspiel von Zeichen, Wahrheit und Fiktion konstituiert. Auf diese Weise entsteht ein Forschungsbeitrag, der Wahrheit im Film untersucht und zu einer originellen Philosophie der Filmsprache führt.
ISBN-10: 0982530927
ISBN-13: 978-0982530924
ISBN-10: 0982530927
ISBN-13: 978-0982530924