THE TIGER FROM THE RIVER KWAI

 

1974, Italy / Hong Kong / Thailand

Aka… La Tigre venuta dal Fiume Kwai / ‘The Tiger from the River Kwai’ (It),

ข้ามาจากแม่น้ำแคว / Kao ma jak menam Kwai / ‘The Man from the River Kwai’ (Thai),

Ex: O Vingador Karate do Rio Kway / ‘The Karate Avenger of River Kwai’ (Brz), Kwai-joen tiikeri / ‘The River Kwai Tiger’ (Fin), Le Tigre de la Rivière Kwai (Fr), Le Maître de Bangkok / ‘The Bangkok Master’ (Fr vhs), Der Tiger vom Kwai (Ger), Der Regulator (Ger vhs & dvd), O Tigris apo ton potamo Kwai (Grk), O Tigre do Rio Kwai (Por), The Tiger from the River Kwai (US dvd-r)

T: 97m / 84m 59s (UK)

Pc: Cine Fenix Film [Riccardo Billi] (Rom), Yangtze Film [Ban-Yee Yeo] (HK), Mongkul Film Production / Mongol Film Production [Somsak Techaratanaprasert] (Bangkok)

Dist: Mongkul Film Production [Somsak Techaratanaprasert] (12/27/74, Thai), Cine Fenix Film [Riccardo Billi] (09/23/75, It), Astória Filmes (1980, Por), Virginia Distribution (1982 Fr, vhs), Techno Film [Ture Sventon] (07/82, Swd), Techno Film (Fletcher Video) (07/82, UK), Alberto Mila Ortola Film (10/29/84, Sp), VIP Videocassette (1988, Fr, vhs), VideoCiak (1980’s It, vhs), New Pentax Film (1980’s, It), Film Service Holland (1980’s, Netherlands, vhs), Full Contact (Le Maitre de Bangkok, 1990’s, vhs), Kessler Brothers (1990’s, Ger, vhs, #058), Cinemaya Studio (10/23/21, Thai, youtube), Mediacs / Tonpool Medien (11/11/22, Ger, blu)

D: Franco Lattanzi; 2unt D: Pairoi Asawatalet; P: Riccardo Billi, Fu Sheng, Ban-Yee Yeo, Somsak Techaratanaprasert / Som Sakda Charattanapasert; Sc & St: Armando Visconti; Ph: Giovanni Variano; M: Albert Baldan / Alberto Bembo

C: Krung Srivilai (Thai Tiger), George Eastman / Luigi Montefiore (Sheriff Sam), Gordon Mitchell / Charles Pendleton (Jack Mason), Kam Wong Lung [Chakwicha Tungman ?] (Won Lon), Loredana Farnese (Judy/Mary Lon), Nuccia Cardinali [Annunziata Cardinali] (Boarding house nymph), Bruno Arié (Deputy Jim), Mauro Mannatrizio (Deputy Jordan), Maurizio Mannoia (Posse member), Michelle Branca, Luigi Mannoia, Attilio Dottesio & Marcello Meconizzi (Mason henchmen), Nello Palladino / Aniello Palladino (Grandpa Stone), Giovanna Mainardi (Mrs. Stone), Filippo Antonelli (Henry), Luigi Antonio Guerra (Bartender), Giovanna Sanfilippo, Lina Franchi & Dolores Calo (Townswomen), Adriana Bruno (Chinese restaurant patron), Salvatore Biondo (Man sent to fetch Sheriff), Angela Florenciaig, Lello Segatori, Dante Putzu

     Comm: [Filmed in Summer of 1973 at Elios Studios in Rome, Italy and Thailand] THE TIGER FROM THE RIVER KWAI was co-produced by Italian Riccardo Billi, who had line produced Bruce Lee’s “Way of the Dragon” (1972, HK) and Ban-Yee Yeo's Yangtze Film (HK).  While the pair were making each their own separate films: Yangtze made KUNG-FU BROTHER IN THE WILD WEST (Summer, 1973), and Billi cranked out FIGHTING FIST OF SHANGHAI JOE.

     Local man Pairoi Asawatalet shoot the second unit work at a temple in Thailand to help fill in the plot.    

     In December of 1974, on the strength of “Enter the Dragon” (1973), Myron D. Kain of WB screened THE TIGER FROM THE RIVER KWAI with the intention of purchasing world rights (less Italy?). Stronger heads prevailed and WB presumably passed on the film.

 

By Michael Ferguson