Movie Review : The Overture

Movie poster : The Overture

Homrong or ‘The Overture’ is a story about Sorn who is a ranad musician that gradually grows from being arrogant and rebellious to becoming refined, discovering a new style of playing an old instrument. Directed by Itthi-sunthorn Wichailakis from Thailand, this sentimental tale of musical expression was Thailand's submission for the best-foreign-film Oscar of 2004.

Young Sorn follows a butterfly and it leads to the ranad.

The ranard is a wood or bamboo-keyed traditional Thai instrument, resembling a xylophone with 21 to 22 keys strung together. Four year-old Sorn's musical life starts unexpectedly when the butterfly he is following takes him into his father's music room and lights on the ranard. Young Sorn sees the instrument for the first time, picks up the mallets and creates his first melody. As a child, Sorn is stirred up by all the sounds he hears in nature near his rural home, and eventually replicates them in his innovative music. "The Overture" shifts back and forth to different times in Sorn's life chronicling his musical victories, struggles and the condition from the political climate in Siam.

As he matures into a young man, Sorn's musical gifts win him great regional acclaim, but his adolescent pride

Sorn with his biggest competitior, Khun In.

also leads him to an early defeat when he attempts to challenge Thailand's legendary ranad master, Khun In, during his first visit to the capital city of Bangkok. Returning home haunted by his defeat, Sorn increase his dedication to his music and develops a revolutionary new ranad technique that eventually wins him national respect which also made him as a royal court musician, and gain another chance of battling with his old challenger, Khun In. To me, this one of my favourite scenes since it shows Sorn’s determination and effort in improving himself and his ranad skills. Sorn won the battle and becomes the most celebrated ranard musician in Siam since then.

Thailand's traditional instrument, ranad.

According to the director, it took quite a long time to cast the actors for The Overture mainly because the actor who would play Sorn, the main character of the film, had to be able to play lead xylophone and other kinds of Thai musical instruments as well. Initially, he looked at actors who could really play Thai musical instruments, but could not find anyone appropriate for the role. Then he began to look at actors who had enough time to devote in learning and practicing these musical instruments. The role finally fell to Anuchit Saphanphong, who, although had never played Thai musical instruments before, had enough skill to get a feel for the music's rhythms.

One of the best angle shot for the movie.

In my opinion, the character of Sorn reminds me that we are all created and born into lives so that we can learn, grow, get into what we have passion in and get up when we fell with a particular mission to accomplish.  When one is born with that particular sense of being here to do something specific, there is no denying that it is already there, in one’s heart. Sometimes, one does not choose such destiny but the destiny chooses us instead.

The scene of where Sorn met Khun In for the first time.

I am proud that the new generation has produced a great movie like this. Thai people should be glad that there is at least a group of people who celebrate their beautiful culture and their unique way of life that is calm, beautiful, contemplative, and modest. The movie brings out the distinct character of Thai civilization. The Overture has romance but in their own modest way, Thai history that is both real and engaging, music that is both original and creative, and actors and actress who portray appropriately the unique Thai spirit that are hard to find in the present. It is sad that there are still so many Thai people who have never had an opportunity to touch the beauty of the lifestyle of past Thai generations. Many have ignored being Thai and appreciate only Western art without learning both before judging them.

However, this movie deserves a decent exposure. As I know, the movie received a poor reception during the first week of its showing in Thailand and through word of mouth it grew in popularity and became the biggest movie in 2004. I’m not a Thai but I think every Thai should watch it. The movie is a representation of Thai rich culture and heritage. Although it is set almost a thousand years ago, the message is still relevant today. It tells us to not abandon our roots as we march into the new era. Our culture tells so much about how far we have come from. Nowadays people often take our custom and traditions for granted, we forget the story behind it and the struggle of our ancestors went through to keep it alive.