Author Topic: Thai movie: ONG BAK  (Read 12358 times)

Stickgrappler

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 500
  • "...grappling happens. It just does." - Top Dog
    • View Profile
    • Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillon Steps
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« on: September 23, 2003, 09:29:28 AM »
i watched this last night. i think this movie has been out on vcd and dvd for a few months already.

*WOW* this movie harkens back to the 80's Hong Kong action/martial arts movies. it is very evident that the star is talented. his stunts remind the viewer of a young jackie chan. the sheer energy and reckless abandon that he puts himself through as well as the other stuntmen were awesome. there did not seem to be any wirework (although a few scenes there had to have some wirework - the star literally runs on some guys who chase him), the star really runs and jumps over cars, jumps through a small hoop, cartwheels between 2 guys moving big glass panes without breaking the glass, runs and slides into a split to go underneath a truck, etc. the philosophy of filming this movie was very much in the vein of the 80's Hong Kong action movies - there seems to be an abandon of reason and care for life of the stuntmen - the movie is the most important thing. the director and/or martial arts choreographer (or stunt director) literally has the stuntmen do stunts which even i think even HK has not done in some time.

i heard some of the buzz about this movie about its bringing on authentic thai bareknuckle master for the fight sequences. although they are flashy on film (spinning and/or flying knees and elbows) it really was choreographed well and the fights had me on the edge of my seat. there was a brief fight scene in which i believe krabi krabong was used (thai weapons system). i particularly liked the staff fight. it was a 6' staff used double-ended and ended up with a baseball grip. there were the mai sowks which were huge compared to the thin ones i've seen before. the mai sowks look like tonfas.

initially i wanted to check out only the fight scenes and i'm glad i watched the whole movie. although i watched an unsubtitled, undubbed version on vcd, it was easy to understand the plot. 1 hr 44 min total running time.

a cursory google search turned up the following:

you can get it here:

http://www.ethaicd.com/show.php?pid=9599&asso=1083

alternate reviews:

http://www.nixflix.com/reviews/ongbak.htm

http://www.talkingpix.co.uk/ReviewsOng-Bak.html
"A good stickgrappler has good stick skills, good grappling, and good stickgrappling and can keep track of all three simultaneously. This is a good trick and can be quite effective." - Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny

lynda

  • Guest
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #1 on: September 23, 2003, 09:58:26 AM »
Yeah.  It pretty much rocked.  Also check out the Making of Ong Bak.  It comes on VCD, but that was good fun too.  I got mine on eThai, but I've also seen it on eBay.

Stickgrappler

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 500
  • "...grappling happens. It just does." - Top Dog
    • View Profile
    • Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillon Steps
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #2 on: September 23, 2003, 10:23:34 AM »
will be watching the making of soon.
"A good stickgrappler has good stick skills, good grappling, and good stickgrappling and can keep track of all three simultaneously. This is a good trick and can be quite effective." - Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny

Mike

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • Real Contact Stick Fighting
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2003, 02:17:35 PM »
Hy there,

i've seen the movie a few weeks ago. Here's another related link:

http://www.ong-bak.fr.st

Best regards, Mike

Stickgrappler

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 500
  • "...grappling happens. It just does." - Top Dog
    • View Profile
    • Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillon Steps
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2003, 02:44:49 PM »
very cool!

thank you!!
"A good stickgrappler has good stick skills, good grappling, and good stickgrappling and can keep track of all three simultaneously. This is a good trick and can be quite effective." - Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny

Stickgrappler

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 500
  • "...grappling happens. It just does." - Top Dog
    • View Profile
    • Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillon Steps
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2003, 02:49:23 PM »
here's the official site

http://www.ongbak.com
"A good stickgrappler has good stick skills, good grappling, and good stickgrappling and can keep track of all three simultaneously. This is a good trick and can be quite effective." - Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny

bjung

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 155
    • View Profile
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2003, 05:52:01 PM »
I love this movie. I hope it gets distributed on the big screen here in the US.

Stickgrappler

  • Power User
  • ***
  • Posts: 500
  • "...grappling happens. It just does." - Top Dog
    • View Profile
    • Stickgrappler's Sojourn of Septillon Steps
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2003, 10:01:58 PM »
just found out that there's a Ong Bak 2 in the works. also, read somewhere about Luc Besson acquiring all rights to Ong Bak.
"A good stickgrappler has good stick skills, good grappling, and good stickgrappling and can keep track of all three simultaneously. This is a good trick and can be quite effective." - Marc "Crafty Dog" Denny

Mike

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 31
    • View Profile
    • Real Contact Stick Fighting
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2003, 05:29:57 AM »
Hi @ll,

my Muay Thai, Muay Boran and krabi krabong teacher, Kru Guido Reimann knows Phanom Yeeram (Star actor in Ong Bak) and he speaks very highly from him. His skill is very high and he's the thai version of Jackie Chan and Bruce Lee.

Hope there will be a ong bak 2 soon :)

Best wishes from germany, Mike

Anonymous

  • Guest
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2003, 07:32:36 AM »
hey guys,

     i ordered the movie, but it was in pal. does anyone know where i can get it in u.s. format?
                                                                     thanx, rob

John H. Myers CST, RKC

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
    • View Profile
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #10 on: October 30, 2003, 05:37:15 AM »
Hi Rob:

There are ways to covert Tape formats, a local production company might have a converter, they are also cheap to buy.

Jack.

Crafty_Dog

  • Administrator
  • Power User
  • *****
  • Posts: 53332
    • View Profile
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2004, 05:42:25 AM »
I just saw part of this movie while in Europe and enjoyed it a lot.

jolly_roger

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 2
    • View Profile
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2004, 10:30:36 PM »
This movie is incredible...
Did he use a kind of tonfas in the underground fight?

Crafty_Dog

  • Administrator
  • Power User
  • *****
  • Posts: 53332
    • View Profile
Thai movie: ONG BAK
« Reply #13 on: May 27, 2004, 06:30:47 AM »
I didn't see that part of the movie, but given the KK in the movie I'm guessing that those would be "mai sowks" (pronounced "my socks" I think, but the knowledgeable should please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong).  

In contrast to the one post of tonfas, the MS have two, with the second post protecting the fingers, and a loop which goes around the forearm.  Thus the spinning technique of the tonfa is not applicable.  The loop allows for releasing the post for a surprise extension of the weapon.  

Muay Thai descends from KK and it is my understanding that the elbow techniques of MT descend from this weapon.