The Creation of Postmodern Films Adapted from Isan Tales

Ongart Hanchanawong

Assistant Professor Dr. Niyom Wongpongkham

Assistant Professor Dr. Homhuan Buarabha

Khon Kaen University Thailand

              

The article aimed to study 1) The development and characteristics of films adapted from Isan tales, 2) The approaches of postmodern filmmaking, and 3) The making of postmodern films from Isan tale adaptation. The purposive sampling method was used to select five Isan tales adaptation films; Kong Kao Noi Ka Mae (1980), Thung Kula Ronghai (1981), Mekhong Full Moon (2002), Dynamite Warrior (2006), Nakee 2 (2018), and five postmodern films; Resevoir Dogs (1992), Chungking Express (1994), Romeo +Juliet (1996), Memento (2000), and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). The research tools used were observation and in-depth interviews.

The research result found that: 1) The films had evolved from realism to modernity through consumerism, consumers’ behaviors, and communication technology, with cultural traditions integration. The films consist of the following features 1.1) Main characters were Isan locals, 1.2) Isan region settings, and 1.3) Significant local Isan traditions. 2) The use of anti-popular nature of the moment and conceptual experiments to create a spectacle state, including 2.1) Reinterpretation, 2.2) Multicultural integration, 2.3) Creative experimentation, and 3) The flexibility of boundaries breaking, constant readjustment, and imperfect conditions to challenge the perception of the audience.

Keywords: Film Adaptations, Film Making, Postmodern, Isan Tales, Cultural Tradition