With interest in Thai films, particularly Thai action films, soaring the spirit of capitalism has prevailed to bring about the first ever DVD release of several films starring 1970's Thai action star Sombat Methanee, familiar in these parts for his role in Wisit Sasanatieng's Tears of the Black Tiger. While the DVD releases are of fairly low quality – the prints have aged badly, subtitles are sufficient but clumsy and littered with grammatical errors, and despite the assurances otherwise on the cover these are not anamorphic releases – the simple fact that they've been brought back to life at all is cause for celebration. In a country not known for preserving their film history, where very few old titles are available at all and those that are are generally available only on very low grade VCDs, these films were at serious risk of being lost entirely – a circumstance that would have been entirely criminal. Methanee is simply a magnetic presence, a classic seventies anti-hero in the vein of Bronson, McQueen or Eastwood.
Methanee stars here as Pherg, the stylish and reknowned leader of a famous gang of armed thieves, returning to his home town on a quest for revenge. Years earlier Pherg's father was killed by Sergeant Tom, a corrupt former cop turned arms dealer, extortionist and all around Mafioso and Pherg was forced to flee for his life but he's back now to set things right. Also in the mix are captain Chaiyo, the strictly by the book cop in love with Tom's daughter, Pherg's irascible Uncle Ploy, and a rival gang hoping to capitalize on the strife between Pherg and Tom.
From the moment Pherg steps off the bus that brings him to Chumpae and wipes the dust from his shoes, from the moment the Morricone inspired soundtrack kicks in, it is clear that Chumpae is every bit a spaghetti western. Pherg is as hard boiled as they come, an unrepentant villain who nonetheless takes up the cause of the common people, leading the pressed upon masses in a revolt against Tom and masterfully playing the opposing forces of the town against each other. He is a fighter and a lover, always looking for his own and yet guided by a strict moral code. And while never afraid to use his fists and feet he never seems to exert himself, never raises his voice, never shows any emotions to his enemies beyond his ironic smirk. The film dives into the moral murk that marked so much great seventies film. This isn't good versus evil, this is bad versus worse, pulled off with every bit as much style as the western films it has so clearly modeled itself upon.
With a sprawling two and a half hour run time Chumpae aims to be epic and, despite a clunky translation that sometimes leaves you wondering what just happened and a tendency for the plot to make significant leaps from time to time, it generally delivers on that aim. While there is an obvious talent drop off from the core cast to the secondary performers that core cast is solid across the board, delivering a range of interesting characters and scenarios. The plentiful action scenes are staged well, taking the conventional seventies knock down, drag out approach and infusing it with enough distinctly Thai moments – watch for the extended bus top fight – to make everything old seem new again.
While the presentation here is definitely sub-standard it is more that good enough to demonstrate why Chumpae is considered an absolute classic in Thai film. Methanee is the real deal, striking the same tone of rebellion, moral outrage and raw masculinity that made massive stars of Eastwood and McQueen. If you're a fan of the era, if you've seen The Good The Bad and The Ugly more times than you care to admit, then give this a look before it disappears again.