Hollywood film “The Railway Man,” starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, was the subject of a bit of he-said she-said media controversy over its recent shooting in Bangkok.
The always accurate Daily Mail reported that there was somewhat of a “mutiny on the set” at the Bang Sue Railway location when extras walked off en masse, complaining of long hours in the heat with little in the way of wages or sustenance. Producers of the film denied anything of the sort in a Hollywood Reporter story, saying that “conditions included two meals, sunscreen, chilled water, tents, luxury coaches and shade between takes” in an “extremely friendly” atmosphere. Shooting reportedly ended in Thailand in mid-June and moved on to Australia.
Whatever happened, it’s always good news for Thailand when a big budget film chooses to shoot here – as has been happening more this year. Revenue from foreign film projects has totaled USD46.5 million in the first five months of 2012, up 17.5% from the same period last year, the Thailand Film Office revealed recently.
Readers of the this website will know that Muay Thai action flick “Only God Forgives,” starring superstar Ryan Gosling, shot in Bangkok earlier this year to the delight of many females in the Thai capital.
“The Railway Man” is based on a true story about a British World War II POW who worked on the “Death Railway” in Thailand and Burma.
For Coconuts Bangkok’s feature story from last year on the growing number of foreign films shooting in Thailand click here.
