FILM: Thongchai 'Bird' McIntyre on his way to Cannes with a starring role in Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai's new production
When award-winning Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai was researching Thai talent to star in his new movie 2064 which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in March 2000, his scouts reported back to him with only one name, "Bird." After meeting Thongchai "Bird" McIntyre, he agreed his scouts were right in choosing Thailand's most popular singer/actor.
Forty-one year old Mr Wong, winner of the best director award at Cannes in 1997 for Happy Together, is planning to put Asia on themotion picture map next year as his new ensemble cast reads like who's who of Asian talent.
Joining Bird as his love interest is Hong Kong's Faye Wong who will be teaming up again with Tony Leung (Fallen Angels) and Japan's TV heart-throb Takuya Kimura, leader of the Japanese rock band Smap.
Christopher Doyle, who collaborated with Wong on Happy Together and his other movies (Days of Being Wild 1991, Ashes of Time 1994, Fallen Angels 1995), will once again be director of photography. Mr Doyle's earlier work with Mr Wong resulted in the director's critically acclaimed "French new wave" style, emphasing humans "waiting for love, being loved, and loneliness across time."
The new movie has yet to be picked up for regional or worldwide distribution but a major investor is reportedly a Japanese distribution company.
Bird is excited about the challenge of starring as "the bad guy" in an international production.
"While I am thrilled about the opportunity, I am more excited for my fans," said Bird in an interview with the Bangkok Post. "This film is very special. I don't just represent Thailand, I represent Asia."
Already busy through the end of the year with a schedule that has him performing in several concerts in honour of His Majesty the King's 6th Cycle Birthday, Bird is looking forward to Cannes next year.
"I'd love to see the film become a commercial success," he said. "But everyone knows Wong Kar-Wei is an art film director. It doesn't matter since the experience of going to Cannes is exciting."
In addition to his concert dates, Bird is planning to release a new album in November. His last album, Bird Love Hits was released in June this year and, like everything Bird does, was an instant hit.
"'I'm not sure yet if we will have any of the music from the movie on my new album," Bird said shyly.
"But we have negotiated so that I will have a song in the movie."
Bird is also preparing for another Babb Bird, Bird (BBB) concert in April next year.
"We don't know how many performers we will have this time but sure it will be more than the 35 we had at the last BBB three years ago," he said.
The plot of 2046 (working title) is still being developed, however Grammy Entertainment's Duangkamol "Aom" Limcharoen, acting as Thai consultant for Mr Wong's production company Jet Tone, says the film will be an action adventure that takes place as Hong Kong losses its status as a Special Administrative Region in the Peoples Republic of China in the year 2046.
Mr Wong admits that his inability to remember names was another incentive for the 2046 title.
"Because I am very lazy to find names. I thought of using numbers. After all, Kafka [called] all his hero's 'K,"' said Wong Kar-Wai in a recent interview.
Ms Duangkamol could not say much about the production other than working with Wong Kar-Wai was a pleasant challenge.
"He is a genius, I really respect him but he is the one calling all the shots. Everything comes from him and most of the time things seem a bit unorganised," Ms Duangkamol admitted.
Working with Mr Wong will also be a challenge for Bird as not only will his dialogue be in English but Mr Wong also has a reputation for changing the script on the spur of the moment. And what about his yet to be scripted love scene with Faye Wong?
"I don't know what the big deal is," Bird said. "A love scene is human. I just play human feeling. The question is will the director ask me to [really] do it," he added, warily.
Mr Wong has already begun location scouting in Thailand where about five percent of the film will be shot.
"The Film Board has really been a very big help to the production," said Ms Duangkamol. "They can see the advantage of having some of the movie filmed here."
With such a high profile film shot in Thailand, the country's image as a favourable location for motion picture shoots should benefit, especiallyafter the bad experience with Twentieth Century Fox's The Beach last year.
"With a more coordinated permit system and a one-stop shop for film production, Thailand can gain not only economically but a positive image of our beautiful beaches, pastoral villages and other destinations on worldwide movie screens will really boost tourism," said Juthamas Siriwan, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
However for now, Bird is leaving things in the hands of Mr Wong.
"I am fortunate to be working with him and his team, some of which have been with him for over 10 years," Bird said.
"I don't know about the future, but maybe this [film] will help eastern culture, Asian Art excel in the new century."
BY SCOTT ROSENBERG
(Scott Rosenberg is the Asia Pacific editor of Film Journal
International and Thailand correspondent for Variety)
*thank you Thongchai Online for information*
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