Drama on drugs
By Suwitcha Chaiyong
Samchuk teaches teens in trouble
Veteran director Thanit Jitnukul (Pued) is probably best known for his epic blockbuster Bang Rajan: The Legend of the Village's Warriors.
But his new big-screen drama, Samchuk, is based on a true story that takes place in an ordinary community in Suphan Buri.
Samchuk is about seven school students who get hooked on methamphetamine, commonly known as ya ba. After a tragic accident, their teacher, Kru Pinit Puthiwas (Poramet Noium), helps the teens to kick the habit.
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• Did you know •
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 Kru Pinit has retired, but he still works as a casual teacher at Samchu-kratanapo-karam School.
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In the film, Pued also explores neighbourhood relationships and the role that communities need to play to stop chronic drug abuse.
Student Weekly recently met up with the 52-year-old filmmaker to talk about Samchuk, which is due to hit theatres on August 6.
STUDENT WEEKLY: What was working with seven inexperienced actors like?
Pued: They were always cheerful. I was the only person on the set who kept complaining! I felt stressed because I'd never worked on a serious drama like this before.
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STUDENT WEEKLY: Samchuk has a serious script and no celebrities. Are you worried that the movie might have trouble attracting viewers?
Pued: The movie doesn't follow a successful formula, but I have faith in the script. All of the main actors are kids from Suphan Buri. They're very convincing in the film because they're not famous stars. I think that moviegoers will enjoy hearing their local accents, too.
STUDENT WEEKLY: Did the actors have to actually take ya ba for any of the scenes?
Pued: No, but they had to smoke cigarettes in one scene. We asked permission from their parents. We also showed them exactly how to act for the scene so that they could do it in one take.
STUDENT WEEKLY: Do you have a favourite scene in the film?
Pued: I like the turning point in the movie, when the main characters take too much ya ba. It's a moving and tragic scene. We wanted to show viewers that people who take ya ba are taking their lives in their hands. We tried to make the scene realistic to warn people about the dangers of drugs.
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STUDENT WEEKLY: Your movies have ranged from blockbusters to flops. Do you feel that the standard of your work changes from film to film?
Pued: Yes. It depends on the conditions and the crew that I work with. Sometimes I get a vigorous crew who are great to work with. Other times, I become too inactive, and my crew gets bored. We all have our ups and downs. But I love making films and I always look forward to making more.
STUDENT WEEKLY: What are your hopes for Samchuk?
Pued: When I asked the real Kru Pinit why he helped students who were abusing drugs, he simply told me that it was because he was their teacher. I found that very moving. It was a simple answer, but it showed that he has the soul of a real teacher. I hope that Samchuk can arouse this kind of feeling in other teachers.
I also hope that my movie is welcomed by viewers. It's an informative and entertaining film. It's worth paying to see.
Special thanks to http://www.student-weekly.com/thisweek/entertain1.html
1. Comprehension check
Direction: Write ‘T’ if the statement is true,
and write ‘F’ if the statement is false.
1. ___ Thanit Jitnukul is a veteran director who used to make King Naresuan the Movie.
2. ___ Samchuk is based on the true story that takes place in the center of Suphan Buri.
3. ___ Samchuk is about seven school students who get hooked on methamphetamine, commonly knows as ya ba.
4. ___ Kru Pinit still works as a casual teacher at Samchuk Ratanapokaram School.
5. ___ Samchuk has a serious script with many celebrities.
6. ___ All of the main actors are kids from Suphan Buri.
7. ___ The actors have to actually take ya ba for some of the scenes.
8. ___ Samchuk is an informative and entertaining film.
9. ___ Movies maker, Pued, tries to make the scene realistic to warn people about the danger of drug.
10. ___ The director, Thanit Jitnukul, likes the turning point in the movie, when the main characters take too much ya ba. It’s a moving and joyfulness scene.
2. Vocabulary check
Direction: Read the following statements and choose the underlined part that is grammatically wrong.
A.
B.
____ 1. chronic (adj)
____ 2. abuse (n)
____ 3. inexperienced (adj)
____ 4. faith (n)
____ 5. turning point (n)
____ 6. moving (adj)
____ 7. flop (n)
____ 8. vigorous (adj)
____ 9. arouse (v)
____ 10. kick the habit (Idioms)
A. trust in the ability of something or somebody
B. very active, determined and full of energy
C. causing you to have deep feelings of sadness or sympathy
D. very bad
E. to stop doing something harmful that you have done for a long time take your life in
F. to make somebody have a particular feeling or attitude
G. having little knowledge or experience of something
H. the use of something in a way that is wrong or harmful
I. the time when an important change takes place, usually with the result that a situation improves
J. a movie, play, etc. that is not successful
ช่วยกันโพสเฉลยด้วยนะค่ะ ข้อ 1 ใหญ่ ก็ช่วยกันบอกเหตุผลสำหรับข้อที่ผิดด้วยแล้วกันค่ะ
ขอบคุณค่ะ ^^"