HKMania Interview

Interview by Tavantzis Nicolas ( Ryô Saeba ), September 28, 2005.

Tony Jaa , who's real name is Panom Yeerum , was born on February 5, 1976 near Surin, Thailand. His first steps in the film industry would be as a stuntman in the Panna Rittikrai 's movies. Then in 2003, Tony Jaa finally had his opportunity to appear in front of the camera - as a stuntman in various martial arts films while collaborating with Rittikrai and director Prachya Pinkaew on a "new" kind of martial arts film, one that did not rely on wires or camera tricks. The result was Ong Bak , launching Jaa 's international stardom as a genuine master in his own right. Without the use of special effects, Jaa recaptures the visceral energy and excitement of the old-fahionsed genre - with actual flying leaps and death defying acts caught on camera. Tony Jaa 's second film with Rittikrai and Pinkaew , Tom Yum Goong , was released in Asia in August 2005 followed by the production of Jaa 's next star vehicle in Sword, scheduled for release in 2006.

 

- You were injured during the movie production I heard?

No, nothing too serious, only flesh wounds which have forced me to take one or two days off but which required no hospitalization.


- Today "Tom Yum Goong" aims at the International Market. In a near future, will you make films in Hollywood or Hong Kong for instance? I also would like to know if the rumor that your contract obliges you to shoot in Thailand for many years is true.

It's true that I like a lot Hong Kong films and I really would like to work with them. Hong Kong films, you know, are one of my direct influences. And regarding the rumor, it's not exactly true; I want to introduce the Thai way of life and Thai cinema for the rest of the world to see, that's one thing I want to do. Right now I stay in Thailand after I will see.


- And always in the perspective to shoot abroad, do you plan to learn English?

I began to learn English but I don't really have time. If I learn English it's not to shoot abroad but to be able to communicate with the press or my fans.

- " Ong Bak " talks about Thai culture through Buddhist art robbery, and "Tom Yum Goong" through animal traffic. Is it a cause you take to heart and that you defend?

I didn't make the film to defend this cause; I come from a "Cornak" family and we always had elephants in our family. The director knew that and he wanted to include this relationship between elephants and me in the film. In Thailand, Elephant is a sacred animal and he has his place as member of the family. This relation underlies the screenplay but the film was not done to wrestle against animal traffic. However if someone asks me to do it I will.


- In the film when you arrive at Sydney airport you bumped into a person who is the double of Jackie Chan, Why did you not ask directly to him to make an appearance?

(Laughs) I would like he comes (laughs) but we can't pay for the plane and all expenses just for an appearance of few seconds. It's just a gag, we did it to surprise the spectator and most of people when they watch the film think that he is the real Jackie Chan (laughs) [ Tony Jaa imitate a spectator ] "Oh Jackie Chan!!" (Laughs)


- Often in Hong Kong action films Choreographers direct entirely action scenes and sometimes without the director. Was it the case in "Tom Yum Goong"?

First I performed action scenes and then I proposed them to my master Panna Ritthikrai and he positioned all stuntmen and put everything in place on the set. But we couldn't do without the director and we didn't want it, we regularly discussed with him also.



- In " Tom Yum Goong", in the scene of the warehouse you make a backflip where you take out a guy on a motorcycle catching his helmet underneath, it's the exact replica of Yuen Biao's stunt [ Tony Jaa hears the name of Yuen Biao and shouts out "Yuen Biao!!" all smiling ] in the end of "Dragons Forever". I would like to know if it was one of your influences.

Indeed, well seen, this stunt inspired me but I adapted it to be more spectacular. I was inspired by actors like Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Yuen Biao or Yuen Wah. I love to watch their old films shoot in Hong Kong.


- In the making of we can see that it took a huge work to complete the notorious sequence in the restaurant. How long it took to prepare and shoot this scene?

We prepared it for one month and then filmed in five days with at least 8 takes a day. It's very difficult to shoot this scene, I had to physically prepare myself just for this scene and during the climb of the 4 floors everybody has to be exactly in place. It was really hard. Once, I was arrived on the 3rd floor and all was perfect, I made my fight against a stuntman and I was about to throw him in the abyss but the security staff was not ready, so Director shouted "Cut!" and we had to start over from the beginning (laughs). Another time, I was arrived at the 4th floor; everything happened as planned and as I should begin my dialogue, the film spool was finished (laughs) because each roll is 4 minutes long so again we have to do it from the beginning. It was really difficult but I am very happy to make it because it has never been done before.


- In your films the Muay Thai vision is nonetheless violent; in "Tom Yum Goong" for instance you broke nearly 50 arms in a few minutes. What are you thinking about films as "Beautiful Bowers" which reflect another image of the Thai boxing?

I like this Muay Thai vision but this is for the ring not for street as in my films. There are two very different visions; one is a sport and the other fighting. But I like this film.



- In " Ong Bak " you execute Pure Muay Thai, but in "Tum Yum Goong" we can see an evolution, you also use Aikido grips or other moves, did you have other martial trainings between these two films?

In reality, I had already the bases of gymnastics and others martial sports, but in " Ong Bak " I wanted to point up Muay Thai. I really learnt a lot of martial arts as well as gymnastics and I even made dance. I must learn constantly, in a film in opposition to reality we are free to do what we want and we have to mix different martial arts to have the most aesthetic action. Each time we prepare an action scene with my master we ask the question: what should we do to give the most impressive action to the spectator.


- The most successful fight in the film is the one in the temple against a capoeira fighter. It seems that apparently it's also the one that creates the biggest problem for you in the film.

(Laughs) It's because we had great fun during the shoot, the actor was very voluntary, and when he saw "Ong bak" he was so impressed that he came to see us to know if he could shoot in the film. So he gave the best of himself. For him, even if the blows hit, it was not a problem (laughs)


- Why did you not shoot in " Born To Fight " that have nearly the same crew?

Just because I was been shooting " Tom Yum Goong ". But I know really well the actor who plays the lead role of "Born to Fight", we was in the same university.



- Currently you are at the top of the form but it will not be always the case, one day you will not be able to do all these stunting, will you become choreographer or director for instance?

Currently, be sure that I am still lithe and in very good form (laughs), but to answer at your question, I think as I like movies, I would like to continue in this area. When my body will not follow I will perhaps become choreographer, director or I will train young people to give them the good bases so they could follow my way and succeed to me.


- If one day you have the choice between shooting with Pen-ek Ratanaruang or Tanit Jitnukul who would you choose?

Pen-ek Ratanaruang. Of course before I will take a look at the ideas and screenplay but between the two directors I will choose Pen-ek.

- Soon you will begin shooting your next film " Dab Thai ", Can you tell us more about this film?

Right now it's just a project and I can't tell you more about it yet.


Our warmest thanks go to Tony Jaa for answering our questions.

 

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