Poj lines up another romp for his monks of mirth

DIRECTOR POJ ANON is back with a new film, neither a crossdressing comedy nor a teen horror this time but instead a follow-up to “Luang Phee Teng” (“The Holy Man”), the long-running comedy franchise about a kindly monk at a small-town temple.
“Luang Phee Jazz 4G”, which hits theatres on April 6, promises more unholy hijinks – and more of those instantly recognisable scenes of village life. But the yokels go urban in this one.
Initiated in 2005 by director Note Chernyim, the original Monk Teng was comedian Pongsak “Theng Terdterng” Pongsuwan. A parade of other leading men followed in the sequels in 2008 and 2010, with rapper Joey Boy and actor-musician Krissada Sukosol Clapp taking turns as the serene saffron-clad figure.
For the new entry, the choice is back to a comic, Phadung “Jazz Chuanchuen” Songsang, taking a star turn as a monk ordained at a remote mountaintop temple. He’s sent to Bangkok with a pair of his friends. Much mirth ensues in the big city.
What’s now a funny-monk franchise marks Poj’s first time working with the Major Cineplex group. He and his company Guru Films had previously been attached to Phranakorn Film Studios.
Major has now added Guru to a roster of studio labels that already includes M-Thirtynine, Transformation, Talent 1 and Raluek Films. Rerkchai Puangpetch runs Raluek, having jumped over to Major after a long association with M-Thirtynine.
At a recent press conference unveiling the formidable stable of talent at Major, Poj said he was delighted to have the chance to work for Major. He promised to produce movies that suit its market, which is the massive upcountry audience patronising its hundreds of cinemas across the country.
That shouldn’t be too much of a stretch for Poj, who’s always been enormously successful at the box office, as well as being Thailand’s most prolific director, churning out at least two or three pictures every year.
To the suggestion that he might trip up his track record by making movies about monks – a rather sensitive subject at times – Poj said he’s not worried because never seems to stir up controversy. “The way some monks behave in real life is far worse than anything I present on film,” he chuckled.
“Luang Phee Jazz 4G” does cover some of the controversial monk territory, he said, but it’s done in a hilarious way that will appeal to viewers of all ages. It has, for instance, a monk carrying a posh Balenciaga bag, as seen on TV last month when real-life monks got in a punch-up with soldiers at Wat Buddhamonthon. And Jazz, of course, got into hot water with his latest music video, “Mae Yab”.
Poj was actually the editor of the teen magazine Ther Kab Chan before getting into show business, first as a talent scout. He gets much of the credit for the emergence of teen idols such as Somchai Khemklad, Patiparn Pattaweekarn, Ratthapoom Tokongsab and Andrew Gregson.
Eventually settling into the director’s chair, he made his first movie, “Sati Taek Suk Khua Loke”, in 1995. In recent years he’s come out with at least two releases per annum, including the franchises “Hor Taew Taek” (shrieking crossdressing comedians) and “Mor 6/5” (shirtless screaming teen boys).
He’ll never win an Oscar with this stuff, perhaps not even a Subhanahongsa, the Thai Oscar, but audiences love it and the movies earn a bundle. Investors line up to give him cash to make more of the same.
What’s the secret of his success, apart from decent scripts and a trusted reputation? Poj says he “tries not to be old”. He keeps an eye on whatever interests young people and just puts that into his films.