Killer Elephants (1976)

[DrNgor]

Killer Elephants (Thailand, 1976)
Original Title: ไผ่กำเพลิง
Aka: Rumble the Elephant; Bionic Heroes; Kill for the Truth

Starring: Sombat Methanee, Yodchai Meksuwan, Kanchit Kwanpracha, Pipop Pupinyo, Dam Datsakorn, Sayan Chantaraviboon, Kom Akadej, Aranya Namwong, Naiyana Shewanan, Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej
Director: Kom Akkadej

Thomas Weisser's Asian Cult Cinema has an entry for this in its traditional kung fu movie section, which is misleading. This movie is more of a general action film, with a few brawling-style fights complementing the other types of action. It is a Thai production, one of few that seemed to get picked up for international distribution the way it was, instead of chopped up and spliced with footage of Caucasian actors doing things, as Filmark often did. That said, some of alternate titles suggest that it did get picked up by IFD or Filmark at one point, which the website Thai World View confirms that it was IFD who had it dubbed and exported. I watched this via the Wu Tang Collection on Youtube, although viewers who do not wish to support that channel can find it as a double feature on the Brooklyn Zu Collection disc of Dragon Snake Fist. 

The film starts off with a bang, in the form of a policeman, Chow Ming (Yodchai Meksuwan), getting cut off on the highway by a bunch of hooligans in a truck. He tries to flag them down, but it quickly escalates into a gunfight(!), complete with the truck guys throwing barrels of gasoline into the road and blowing them up with shotgun blasts. Three gas explosions are enough to stop Chow Ming, who is visited on the side of the road by an old friend, Kau Fei (Sombat Methanee). Kau Fei tells them that these truck ruffians are working for The Boss, whom Kau Fei would like to eliminate. Chow Ming tells Kau Fei to stay out of police business, and Kau Fei directs his pal to the local lumberyard. Chow Ming goes there and a fight breaks out, with Kau Fei showing up at the last moment to save his friend's kiester.

From there on out, there is a semblance of a plot. The story is something like an old west film about rival cattle barons, except the good baron has a herd of elephants at his disposal. This is actually a great intimidation tool, although the dialog never clarifies whether it has to do with their size and durability, or if even Thai hoodlums are afraid to attack a sacred animal. The evil cattle baron--the Boss--does wicked things like burn down the local village and steal Kau Fei's girlfriend, Shu (Aranya Namwong). The movie never explains why his men burn down the village, I guess that is just something bad guys do. This leads to protracted gunfights in the sticks between the two sets of characters. Kau Fei eventually steals back Shu and gets her pregnant. When she has her baby, the police show up at the hospital to take her and bring her back to her "real" husband, the Boss. But Kau Fei has an elephant attack the hospital and get her to safety. The Boss is eventually killed by Evil Mustache Guy, Mau Tien (Dam Datsakorn), and he kidnaps Shu and the other village women.

All of this leads up to a climax on the border of Thailand and...another country (Vietnam? Malaysia?). The finale feels like two Jackie Chan movie setpieces squashed together, those being the monster truck destruction derby of Mr. Nice Guy and the Thai village shootout of Police Story III: Supercop. There are lots of thatched huts being blown up with grenades and shots being fired on both ends. Meanwhile, the titular elephants are also knocking over huts and causing general mayhem as well.

It is a little hard to talk about the story because it doesn't make a lot of sense. Chow Ming at one point is charged with arresting Kau Fei, partly because the police is corrupt, but also because he...uh....kidnapped(?) Shu. That part wasn't well explained. I'm guessing that Kau Fei had dated Shu, but she was forced to marry the Boss. And that would make her the boss's property. So, that would mean that when Kau Fei snatches her from the boss's mansion, that would be a form of kidnapping? Maybe it made more sense in Thai. The dubbing also doesn't explain the power dynamic between The Boss and the evil Mau Tien.

There are a few fight scenes, but they are staged more like a lively Western brawl (with a few kicks thrown in) than a martial arts film. There are lots of explosions, burning buildings to save people from, and lots and lots of firefights. You have villains who ride into action on horses and heroes who ride into action atop elephants while brandishing M-16s. The gunplay isn't John Woo, but it's more along the lines of the shooting in, say, Eastern Condors. 

The whole thing is just mediocre in the end.

Here is the entry of the film from Thaiworldview(dot)com:

Quote

Ruffians are chased by police officer Ching Ming (Yodchai Meksuwan) but he failed to catch them. He meets his old friend Kau Fei (Sombat Methanee). Ruffians are hiding in a Surin timber yard. A big fight happens as Ching Ming wishes to jail them. Hopefully Kau Fei helps Ching Ming but there is no way to know where is the big boss behind. Local police is trying to catch Kau Fei but elephants prevent police to follow up Kau Fei. He has been accused of murder but he was framed. The head of ruffians (Kanchit Kwanpracha) framed him as Kau Fei refuses to sell his farm land to him. Ruffians burn the houses on the farm land. Ching Ming and Kau Fei help people stuck in their home. Ching Ming likes a lot a local lady Shao Feng (Naiyana Shewanan). Kau Fei decides to take revenge by entering in the boss home. He is not here so he captures madame Shu (Aranya Namwong). Ruffians try to rescue her by entering the farm through the forest but they are welcomed by guns and elephants. Kau Fei still loves Shu despite she was forced to go with the boss. Ching Ming tries to arrest Kau Fei but to no avail. Kau Fei comes to town to make trouble inside the boss’ favorite nightclub. Shu is now pregnant with Kau Fei. As Shu is about to deliver, Ching Ming helps to bring her to hospital. The boss aware of this wants to use her and the baby as a bait. Taking profit of Surin elephant carnival (เทศกาลของเมืองสุรินทร์), Kau Fei sends a few elephants and villagers to pick up Shu. Kau Fei does a rampage in the boss’ house and even injures him but Mau Tien, another ruffian, finishes him. Mau Tien (Dam Datsakorn) becomes the boss and decides to kidnap Shu and two nurses to attract Kau Fei to the plains. Kau Fei and the villagers rescue Shu and the two nurses. Then a crazy rampage of the elephants on the ruffians’ camp happens. They are pushing huts and cars with real people inside. Big explosions and houses in fire happen. Even Ching Ming intervenes and helps Shao Feng. He finally lets Kau Fei go to Cambodia. The Thai movie "Killer Elephants" - ไผ่กำเพลิง was released in Thailand in 1976. Main actors are Sombat Methanee and Aranya Namwong. The movie director was Kom Akadej, who got the “international name of Som Kit in the credits, which is a version of his middle name, Somkit. All the other actors got Chinese style names, probably to cash in on the Hong Kong market and the rest of the worlds wish for more Kung Fu movies. The Killer Elephants cannot be found anymore in Thailand except at the Thai Film Archive, the original Thai version. Joseph Lai and his IFD Arts and Entertainment prepared this international version, which is the most common version outside Thailand. This DVD was released by Swedish company Attackafant Entertainment directed by Fred Anderson, a well known lover of Thai cinema. This DVD is the first official ไผ่กำเพลิง DVD release ever. The "Killer Elephants" movie rights in Thailand belongs to Coliseum film (บริษัท โคลีเซี่ยมฟีล์ม), company from Kom Akadej. Up to now no VCD / DVD was released in Thailand with correct rights according to Thai law. Only a video tape was released long time ago. Coliseum film company would sell the rights for all Kom Akadej’s movies and not only for 'Killers Elephants' movie. Thai Company XxX (Triple X) was only interested in 'Killer Elephants' movie so up to this day Thai people are still waiting for a Thai version of ไผ่กำเพล to be released again. The movie also includes also famous supporting actors such as Yodchai Meksuwan, Naiyana Shewanan, Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej, Kanchit Kwanpracha, Pipop Pupinyo, Dam Datsakorn, Sayan Chantaraviboon. The finest batch of Thai actors during 1970’s! Only Sorapong Chatree and Krung Srivilai are missing. Pipop Pupinyo, Kanchit Kwanpracha and Dam Datsakorn were the regular bad guys in Thai cinema and so of course even in The Killer Elephants! The same story was also released as Thai TV lakorn in 2004.

 

[ShawAngela]

2 hours ago, DrNgor said:

Killer Elephants (Thailand, 1976)
Original Title: ไผ่กำเพลิง
Aka: Rumble the Elephant; Bionic Heroes; Kill for the Truth

Starring: Sombat Methanee, Yodchai Meksuwan, Kanchit Kwanpracha, Pipop Pupinyo, Dam Datsakorn, Sayan Chantaraviboon, Kom Akadej, Aranya Namwong, Naiyana Shewanan, Mayurachath Muarnprasitivej
Director: Kom Akkadej

Thomas Weisser's Asian Cult Cinema has an entry for this in its traditional kung fu movie section, which is misleading. This movie is more of a general action film, with a few brawling-style fights complementing the other types of action. It is a Thai production, one of few that seemed to get picked up for international distribution the way it was, instead of chopped up and spliced with footage of Caucasian actors doing things, as Filmark often did. That said, some of alternate titles suggest that it did get picked up by IFD or Filmark at one point, which the website Thai World View confirms that it was IFD who had it dubbed and exported. I watched this via the Wu Tang Collection on Youtube, although viewers who do not wish to support that channel can find it as a double feature on the Brooklyn Zu Collection disc of Dragon Snake Fist. 

The film starts off with a bang, in the form of a policeman, Chow Ming (Yodchai Meksuwan), getting cut off on the highway by a bunch of hooligans in a truck. He tries to flag them down, but it quickly escalates into a gunfight(!), complete with the truck guys throwing barrels of gasoline into the road and blowing them up with shotgun blasts. Three gas explosions are enough to stop Chow Ming, who is visited on the side of the road by an old friend, Kau Fei (Sombat Methanee). Kau Fei tells them that these truck ruffians are working for The Boss, whom Kau Fei would like to eliminate. Chow Ming tells Kau Fei to stay out of police business, and Kau Fei directs his pal to the local lumberyard. Chow Ming goes there and a fight breaks out, with Kau Fei showing up at the last moment to save his friend's kiester.

From there on out, there is a semblance of a plot. The story is something like an old west film about rival cattle barons, except the good baron has a herd of elephants at his disposal. This is actually a great intimidation tool, although the dialog never clarifies whether it has to do with their size and durability, or if even Thai hoodlums are afraid to attack a sacred animal. The evil cattle baron--the Boss--does wicked things like burn down the local village and steal Kau Fei's girlfriend, Shu (Aranya Namwong). The movie never explains why his men burn down the village, I guess that is just something bad guys do. This leads to protracted gunfights in the sticks between the two sets of characters. Kau Fei eventually steals back Shu and gets her pregnant. When she has her baby, the police show up at the hospital to take her and bring her back to her "real" husband, the Boss. But Kau Fei has an elephant attack the hospital and get her to safety. The Boss is eventually killed by Evil Mustache Guy, Mau Tien (Dam Datsakorn), and he kidnaps Shu and the other village women.

All of this leads up to a climax on the border of Thailand and...another country (Vietnam? Malaysia?). The finale feels like two Jackie Chan movie setpieces squashed together, those being the monster truck destruction derby of Mr. Nice Guy and the Thai village shootout of Police Story III: Supercop. There are lots of thatched huts being blown up with grenades and shots being fired on both ends. Meanwhile, the titular elephants are also knocking over huts and causing general mayhem as well.

It is a little hard to talk about the story because it doesn't make a lot of sense. Chow Ming at one point is charged with arresting Kau Fei, partly because the police is corrupt, but also because he...uh....kidnapped(?) Shu. That part wasn't well explained. I'm guessing that Kau Fei had dated Shu, but she was forced to marry the Boss. And that would make her the boss's property. So, that would mean that when Kau Fei snatches her from the boss's mansion, that would be a form of kidnapping? Maybe it made more sense in Thai. The dubbing also doesn't explain the power dynamic between The Boss and the evil Mau Tien.

There are a few fight scenes, but they are staged more like a lively Western brawl (with a few kicks thrown in) than a martial arts film. There are lots of explosions, burning buildings to save people from, and lots and lots of firefights. You have villains who ride into action on horses and heroes who ride into action atop elephants while brandishing M-16s. The gunplay isn't John Woo, but it's more along the lines of the shooting in, say, Eastern Condors. 

The whole thing is just mediocre in the end.

Here is the entry of the film from Thaiworldview(dot)com:

 

There is a German Mediabook dvd of this movie, with a 75 mn running time, and an Export English dubbed version with 83 mn running time, plus a bonus movie "mega raptor vs humans". 

I must confess that I wasn't really interested in this movie when I watched it... And I didn't even watched the other one, nor the 83 mn version.