Review #952 - Black Silk (1961)
THE SCOOP
Director: Ratana Pestonji
Cast: Ratanavadi Ratanabhand, Sarinthip Siriwan, Senee Wisaneesarn, Tom Wisawachart
Plot: Prae is a young widow who, still grieving over the death of her husband, refuses to start life anew with her lover. Desperately in need of money to convince Prae to marry him, Thom finds himself in the middle of a murder and an elaborate scandal. Prae is unwillingly dragged in as a victim, and the couple gets entangled in a web of deceit and heartbreak as things spiral out of control.
Genre: Drama
Awards: Nom. for Golden Bear (Berlin)
Runtime: 119min
Rating: PG for some violence.
IN RETROSPECT (Spoilers: NO)
Ratana
Pestonji is an immaculate framer of characters and objects, well that is
judging by his work here in Black Silk,
a Thai crime classic that has been regarded by some as the first ever film noir
produced by the country. His visual
style is simple yet distinctive, with the use of rich colours particularly
yellow, one of the film's strongest features.
Another
memorable aspect of Black Silk that
gives it some kind of cultural specificity is the use of traditional music and
folk songs, both diegetically and non-diegetically, which create an aural mood
that is loosely associated with classic Southeast Asian films and music.
Nominated
for the prestigious Golden Berlin Bear, Black
Silk is a film best appreciated as a cultural lens into 1960s Thailand,
rather than as an art film that meanders in its storytelling. Depending on your capacity for 'slow cinema',
Pestonji's film may or may not work out for you.
It
takes its time, sometimes far too long, to get the narrative running, but at
least the mise-en-scene is superb as Pestonji knows how to foreground
things. The characters are always in
focus, but while they are not always interestingly developed, the camera's
precise staging of what transpires on screen more than makes up for it.
The
premise is straightforward: A woman
named Prae who is in mourning over the death of her late husband is unwillingly
(and unknowingly) dragged by her lover Thom into an elaborate scandal involving
murder. Things spiral out of control and
essentially Black Silk explores the
already rocky relationship between the couple taking a turn for the worst as
fate hands each of them a manipulative wrecking ball.
Pestonji’s
bleak tale is offset by its aforementioned impressive cinematography and
staging of characters, but the acting by the lead cast leaves a lot to be
desired. The dramatic quality (and
power) of their performances is sincerely lacking, and I feel this is the
weakest point of the film.
Despite
its flaws, Black Silk remains to be a
cultural milestone in Thai cinema, with Pestonji often regarded as the highly
influential ‘father’ that has inspired filmmakers like Apichatpong
Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, 2010) and Wisit Sasanatieng (Tears of the Black Tiger, 2000).
It remains well preserved today due to the important efforts by the Thai
Film Archive.
GRADE: B (7.5/10 or 3.5 stars)
Tweet
Follow @Filmnomenon
Click here to go back to Central Station.
Comments