The Unseeable
Encyclopedia
The Unseeable is a 2006
Thai
horror film
directed by Wisit Sasanatieng
. The first film of another writer's screenplay by the director, the writer is Kongkiat Khomsiri
, one of the "Ronin Team" credited with directing the 2005 Thai horror film Art of the Devil 2
.
, the story involves a young pregnant
woman named Nualjan who's searching for her missing husband
. She comes to stay in the spooky rural mansion of a widow
, Runjuan. The overgrown property is managed by the stern caretaker Somchit and inhabited by a number of other people, including another young woman, Choy, who becomes Nualjin's friend, as well as an old woman, a little girl and a man who is seen at the back of the property, digging a hole. At the near end of the movie she discovers that all people in the mansion are dead. And she also is one of them.
, who made his mark with the colourful western
, Tears of the Black Tiger
and the romantic-comedy, Citizen Dog
. With his third film, Wisit was restrained by budgetary concerns from the stylizations of his first two films, but in doing so he was able to make it an homage to films of the 1930s and the stars of that era, including Bette Davis
and Joan Crawford
. Thai pop culture influences come from illustrator Hem Vejakorn
, who wrote a series of 10-satang graphic novel
ghost stories in the 1930s and '40s. The reference was so striking that the Barom Khru Foundation, which claims to supervise Hem's works, issued a statement warning Five Star Production
to not violate the copyright of Hem's work. However, Wisit said the film was not an adaptation
of any of Hem's works but was generally inspired by Hem's style.
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
Thai
Cinema of Thailand
The cinema of Thailand dates back to the early days of filmmaking, when King Chulalongkorn's 1897 visit to Bern, Switzerland was recorded by Francois-Henri Lavancy-Clarke. The film was then brought to Bangkok, where it was exhibited...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
directed by Wisit Sasanatieng
Wisit Sasanatieng
Wisit Sasanatieng is a Thai film director and screenwriter of Chinese descent...
. The first film of another writer's screenplay by the director, the writer is Kongkiat Khomsiri
Kongkiat Khomsiri
-Film career:He graduated from the Faculty of Mass Communications at Bangkok University and started his career as a crew member on Mysterious Object at Noon, the first feature film by Apichatpong Weerasethakul...
, one of the "Ronin Team" credited with directing the 2005 Thai horror film Art of the Devil 2
Art of the Devil 2
Art of the Devil 2 is a 2005 Thai horror film directed by Kongkiat Khomsiri, Art Thamthrakul, Yosapong Polsap, Putipong Saisikaew, Isara Nadee, Pasith Buranajan and Seree Pongniti...
.
Plot
Set in 1934 SiamHistory of Thailand (1932-1973)
The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by military dictatorships which were in power for much of the period. The main personalities of the period were the dictator Luang Phibunsongkhram , who allied the country with Japan during the Second World War, and the civilian politician...
, the story involves a young pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
woman named Nualjan who's searching for her missing husband
Husband
A husband is a male participant in a marriage. The rights and obligations of the husband regarding his spouse and others, and his status in the community and in law, vary between cultures and has varied over time...
. She comes to stay in the spooky rural mansion of a widow
Widow
A widow is a woman whose spouse has died, while a widower is a man whose spouse has died. The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed widowhood or occasionally viduity. The adjective form is widowed...
, Runjuan. The overgrown property is managed by the stern caretaker Somchit and inhabited by a number of other people, including another young woman, Choy, who becomes Nualjin's friend, as well as an old woman, a little girl and a man who is seen at the back of the property, digging a hole. At the near end of the movie she discovers that all people in the mansion are dead. And she also is one of them.
Cast
- Supornthip Choungrangsee as Runjuan
- Siraphun Wattanajinda as Nualjan
- Tassawan Seneewongse as Somchit
- Sombatsara Teerasaroch as Choy
Origins
The Unseeable marks a change for Wisit SasanatiengWisit Sasanatieng
Wisit Sasanatieng is a Thai film director and screenwriter of Chinese descent...
, who made his mark with the colourful western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, Tears of the Black Tiger
Tears of the Black Tiger
Tears of the Black Tiger is a 2000 Thai western film written and directed by Wisit Sasanatieng. The story of a tragic romance between Dum, a fatalistic, working-class hero, who has become an outlaw, and Rumpoey, the upper-class daughter of a provincial governor, it is equal parts homage to and...
and the romantic-comedy, Citizen Dog
Mah Nakorn
Citizen Dog is a 2004 Thai romance film, directed by Wisit Sasanatieng and based on a story by Wisit's wife, Koynuch , which was illustrated by him...
. With his third film, Wisit was restrained by budgetary concerns from the stylizations of his first two films, but in doing so he was able to make it an homage to films of the 1930s and the stars of that era, including Bette Davis
Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
and Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford , born Lucille Fay LeSueur, was an American actress in film, television and theatre....
. Thai pop culture influences come from illustrator Hem Vejakorn
Hem Vejakorn
Hem Vejakorn |Thon Buri]], Bangkok) was a Thai artist and writer. He is best known for his illustrations for the covers of 10-satang pulp novels, which have in turn influenced subsequent generations of Thai artists and illustrators. It is estimated that he produced more than 50,000 pieces of art,...
, who wrote a series of 10-satang graphic novel
Graphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
ghost stories in the 1930s and '40s. The reference was so striking that the Barom Khru Foundation, which claims to supervise Hem's works, issued a statement warning Five Star Production
Five Star Production
Five Star Production Co. Ltd. is a Thai film production company. It was founded in 1973 by Kiat Iamphungphorn and is today headed by his younger brother, Charoen Iamphungporn, and Kiat's children, Aphiradee and her younger brothers Kiatkamon and Kiattikul...
to not violate the copyright of Hem's work. However, Wisit said the film was not an adaptation
Adaptation
An adaptation in biology is a trait with a current functional role in the life history of an organism that is maintained and evolved by means of natural selection. An adaptation refers to both the current state of being adapted and to the dynamic evolutionary process that leads to the adaptation....
of any of Hem's works but was generally inspired by Hem's style.
Festivals and awards
- 2007 Brussels International Festival of Fantasy FilmBrussels International Festival of Fantasy FilmThe Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival , previously named Brussels International Festival of Fantastic Film was created in 1983 as a venue for horror, thriller and science fiction films. It takes place in Brussels, every year in March...
- 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival2007 Bangkok International Film FestivalThe 2007 Bangkok International Film Festival was held from July 19 to July 29, 2007, at SF Group's SF World Cinema at CentralWorld. The fifth consecutive year for the festival, organizers planned a program of about 100 films, with an emphasis on Asian cinema....
(ASEAN competition) - 2007 Cinemanila International Film FestivalCinemanila International Film FestivalThe Cinemanila International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Manila, the Philippines. It was founded by Filipino filmmaker Amable "Tikoy" Aguiluz in 1999....