Beyond Rangoon
| Beyond Rangoon | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | John Boorman |
| Produced by | Executive Producer: Sean Ryerson |
| Written by | Alex Lasker Bill Rubenstein |
| Starring | Patricia Arquette Frances McDormand U Aung Ko Johnny Cheah Adelle Lutz |
| Music by | Hans Zimmer |
| Cinematography | John Seale |
| Editing by | Ron Davis |
| Studio | Castle Rock Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | August 25, 1995 |
| Running time | 100 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $23,000,000 |
| Box office |
$5,750,110 (USA) $14,700,000 (Worldwide) |
Beyond Rangoon is a 1995 drama film directed by John Boorman about Laura Bowman (played by Patricia Arquette), an American tourist who vacations in Burma (Myanmar) in 1988, the year in which the 8888 Uprising takes place. The film was mostly filmed in Malaysia, and, though a work of fiction, was inspired by real people and real events.
Bowman joins, albeit initially unintentionally, political rallies with university students protesting for democracy, and travels with the student leader U Aung Ko throughout Burma. There, they see the brutality of the military dictators of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), and attempt to escape to Thailand.
The film was an official selection at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival, where it was one of the popular hits of the event.[1]
Critical reaction was mixed. Time, Rolling Stone, and Entertainment Weekly wrote negative reviews, while the critic for The New Yorker called the film a "fearless masterpiece" and Andrew Sarris declared himself "awestruck" by the film.[citation needed] The film was a financial success only in France (where it opened number one and gained 442,793 visitors), though it was screened in many European countries. Film critic Tullio Kezich compared the film to Rossellini's classic, Paisà, regretting that it was marred by certain directorial touches.[citation needed]
The film may have had an impact beyond movie screens, however. Only weeks into its European run, the Burmese military junta freed Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi (depicted in the film) after several years under strict house arrest.[2] The celebrated democracy leader thanked the filmmakers in her first interview with the BBC.[citation needed] Suu Kyi was re-arrested a few years later, but Beyond Rangoon had already helped raise world attention on a previously "invisible" tragedy: the massacres of 1988 and the cruelty of her country's military rulers.[3]
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[edit] Plot
A distraught Laura Bowman travels to Burma with her sister after her son and husband are brutally murdered by burglars. There she discovers the brutal suppression of democracy under General Ne Win and receives her first glimpse of Aung San Suu Kyi, the embodiment of hope for a peaceful future in Burma.
When Laura loses her passport at a rally, she gets detained in Burma. While doing last minute sightseeing, she meets a former university professor and pro-democracy students, monks and others. This puts her on the junta's enemies list.
She spends most of the film evading soldiers while attempting to make her way out of the country with her group, which they eventually do. Laura, who is a doctor, decides to remain in Thailand treating refugees fleeing oppression.
[edit] Cast
- Patricia Arquette - Laura Bowman
- U Aung Ko - U Aung Ko
- Frances McDormand - Andy Bowman
- Spalding Gray - Jeremy Watt
- Tiara Jacquelina - San San, Hotel Desk Clerk
- Kuswadinath Bujang - Colonel at Hotel
- Victor Slezak - Mr. Scott
- Jit Murad - Sein Htoo
- Ye Myint - Zaw Win
- Cho Cho Myint - Zabai
- Johnny Cheah - Min Han
- Haji Mohd Rajoli - Karen Father
- Azmi Hassan - Older Karen Boy
- Ahmad Fithi - Younger Karen Boy
- Adelle Lutz - Aung San Suu Kyi
[edit] Soundtrack
Beyond Rangoon is also an original soundtrack music album that features in the film of Beyond Rangoon. The majority of the soundtrack was composed by the German composer Hans Zimmer and the album was released in 1999.
[edit] References
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Beyond Rangoon". festival-cannes.com. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/3356/year/1995.html. Retrieved 2009-09-02.
- ^ James, Caryn (25 August 1995) "Film Review: Sad Tourist Trapped In Burma" The New York Times
- ^ Bailie, Stuart (15 November 2010) "The Rangoon Show" BBC News
[edit] External links
- Beyond Rangoon at the Internet Movie Database
- Beyond Rangoon at AllRovi
- Beyond Rangoon at Rotten Tomatoes
- Beyond Rangoon at Box Office Mojo
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