The Letter: Jod Mai Rak
Encyclopedia
The Letter is a 2004 romance-drama film directed by Pa-oon Chantarasiri. It is a remake of Pyeon ji, a 1997
South Korean
film by director Lee Jeong-Kuk.
during her distant cousin's funeral. They immediately become attracted to each other and start to date each other over the phone.
Back in Bangkok
on Valentine's Day, Dew refuses to accompany her best friend, Ked, to a blind date because she is anxiously waiting for Ton's phone call. The consequence of this breaks Dew's heart as her friend is murdered by the blind date.
Dew immediately leaves for Chiang Mai and finds comfort in Ton. The two start a serious relationship and marry soon after. However, their new-found happiness is cut short when Ton dies of a brain tumor. Dew is again left alone.
Before leaving for Bangkok, she receives a mysterious letter, seemingly from her dead husband. As it turns out, Ton had written a series of letter prior to his death and arranged for them to be sent after his death to his widow. The letters help Dew through her grief. She finally is able to live without the love of her life and continues to live in Chiang Mai with their son, born after the death of his father.
Starring popular Thai soap opera
actress Anne Thongprasom, the film was a hit at the local box office. Facial tissues were handed out in front of cinemas for free in anticipation of the audiences' reactions to the final scenes.
"It's an effective melodrama, a movie of well-executed cliches and retro sensibilities," wrote Bangkok Post
film critic King Rithdee. "But only Anne's performance – especially her ability to switch on a fountain of tears – conceals the insubstantial nature of the film's build-up and its banal, I-love-you-forever kind of dialogue. Don't forget to bring a handkerchief. Or better still, a towel."
Variety
critic Russell Edwards called the film "slow-moving" and "glossy". "[It] doesn't just tug on the heartstrings but uses them to drop anchor in a sea of schmaltz."
. The film also won for Best Original Song, "Mai Mee Chai Mai", by Chartchai Pongprapapan.
The Letter was screened at the 2004 Pusan International Film Festival
.
1997 in film
-Events:* The original Star Wars trilogy's Special Editions are released.* Production begins on Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.* Titanic becomes the first film to gross US$1,000,000,000 at the box office making it the highest grossing film in history until Avatar broke the record in 2010.*...
South Korean
Cinema of Korea
Korean cinema encompasses the motion picture industries of North and South Korea. As with all aspects of Korean life during the past century, the film industry has often been at the mercy of political events, from the late Joseon dynasty to the Korean War to domestic governmental interference...
film by director Lee Jeong-Kuk.
Plot
Dew (Anne Thongprasom) is a young computer programmer who meets Ton (Attaporn Teemakorn) in Chiang MaiChiang Mai
Chiang Mai sometimes written as "Chiengmai" or "Chiangmai", is the largest and most culturally significant city in northern Thailand. It is the capital of Chiang Mai Province , a former capital of the Kingdom of Lanna and was the tributary Kingdom of Chiang Mai from 1774 until 1939. It is...
during her distant cousin's funeral. They immediately become attracted to each other and start to date each other over the phone.
Back in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
on Valentine's Day, Dew refuses to accompany her best friend, Ked, to a blind date because she is anxiously waiting for Ton's phone call. The consequence of this breaks Dew's heart as her friend is murdered by the blind date.
Dew immediately leaves for Chiang Mai and finds comfort in Ton. The two start a serious relationship and marry soon after. However, their new-found happiness is cut short when Ton dies of a brain tumor. Dew is again left alone.
Before leaving for Bangkok, she receives a mysterious letter, seemingly from her dead husband. As it turns out, Ton had written a series of letter prior to his death and arranged for them to be sent after his death to his widow. The letters help Dew through her grief. She finally is able to live without the love of her life and continues to live in Chiang Mai with their son, born after the death of his father.
Production and release
The Letter was the last film produced by Duangkamol Limcharoen before she died on December 8, 2003, at age 39. Director Pa-oon Chantarasiri, making her first feature film, agreed to take on the project, as a favor to her producer-friend.Starring popular Thai soap opera
Lakorn
Lakorn , while usually meaning play in the Thai language, is also the term for dramatic television serials . Lakorns are usually shown every night at primetime on Thai television channels and start at 20:30. An episode of a prime-time drama is usually two hours long...
actress Anne Thongprasom, the film was a hit at the local box office. Facial tissues were handed out in front of cinemas for free in anticipation of the audiences' reactions to the final scenes.
"It's an effective melodrama, a movie of well-executed cliches and retro sensibilities," wrote Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
film critic King Rithdee. "But only Anne's performance – especially her ability to switch on a fountain of tears – conceals the insubstantial nature of the film's build-up and its banal, I-love-you-forever kind of dialogue. Don't forget to bring a handkerchief. Or better still, a towel."
Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
critic Russell Edwards called the film "slow-moving" and "glossy". "[It] doesn't just tug on the heartstrings but uses them to drop anchor in a sea of schmaltz."
Festivals and awards
Anne Thongprasom won for Best Actress at the Thailand National Film Association AwardsThailand National Film Association Awards
The Thailand National Film Association Awards is a Thai film industry ceremony held annually by the Federation of National Film Associations of Thailand...
. The film also won for Best Original Song, "Mai Mee Chai Mai", by Chartchai Pongprapapan.
The Letter was screened at the 2004 Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
.