I cannot believe that we get horny hours AND Rath Roongrueangtantisook cinematography.
BOTH THINGS.
In one series.
Rath has more talent than more than half the tryhards in Hollywood TV with double (and more) his budget.
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I thought there was an interesting juxtaposition between Ray and Sand's homes. Both use the same color palette (blue/teal, cream, and brown). Both have music as the predominant decor (Sand's posters, Ray's albums).
But these similarities highlight their differences - specifically class differences. Sand's home looks lived in, a bit run down, the floor is scuffed, the paint is chipped. Ray's house is specifically designed to highlight his wealth, it's supposed to be elegant but it's also kind of soulless.
Sand's posters are stuck on the wall haphazardly as a cacophony of color to highlight Sand's favorite bands. Ray uses the records themselves as art, perfectly spaced and symmetrical. Sand's guitar is out and ready to be played. Ray has a full sound system, but how much does he really listen to his record collection, given that he immediately refers to them as his mother's, not his, and so there's probably some sadness attached to them. Ray's home is carefully crafted, but how much does it actually say about Ray's tastes and interests?
This is making me think of Moonlight Chicken, and its contrast between Heart's house and Li Ming's house (Rath Roongrueangtantisook was the cinematographer for both, I'm not sure who else on the production team) but instead of contrasting the locations with different colors, it uses the same colors to highlight the contrast.
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Well that was fascinating and enlightening. I'm still not sold on the pacing of this thing, but the emotional throughline is solid and the characterisations are on point. The theme of this episode is 'escape', as Neung and Palm run away into a whole new emotional minefield. We also meet Palm's mother Mam, yet another woman who tells him to maybe try giving a shit about himself and also puts Neung to work, so I am inherently predisposed to like her despite her being a specific kind of nightmare fuel.
I really wanted to meet Palm's mother to put all the pieces together and now that we have...oy vey. She seems like a fun lady but ain't a mothering bone in this one's body. It may be for the best that Mam didn't raise Palm, but she feels bad enough about it to at least offer him shelter, even if she makes him work for it. Mam's benign self-centred neglect is a stark contrast to Thanya's devotion, and honestly makes me want even more for Palm to be cared for and looked after. At least Mam is appalled by Chanon's use of Palm in this way.
I have to say I'm impressed with Neung. Even totally out of his comfort zone, he manages to find a niche and make himself actually useful. I've never agreed with the takes that Neung is a spoiled brat; all his 'bratty' behaviour has been in reaction to Palm, in an attempt to navigate the now-clear-to-me monster crush he has on him. Neung is a skilled manipulator but Palm isn't really manipulable so to get his attention Neung does try stamping his feet a bit. Sometimes, Palm is annoyed, irritated, even angered by it. But sometimes, like this episode, he is endeared. When Neung calls him a fool again, in Mandarin this time, he can't help but give a small rueful smile.
Because Palm is quickly coming to terms with rather a lot of things this ep. It seems like he's decided that as long as they have to be on the island, away from all the rules and restrictions placed on him by Chanon, he's going to allow himself to enjoy just being with Neung. He flirts with him, he holds his hand, he teases him into hugging him on the motorbike, he takes him on a little date. He never exactly crosses the line, in fact when Neung asks why he kissed him on the roof, he...well...lies. Or rather, he doesn't tell the whole truth. He wanted to make Neung feel better, that much is true. But he lies when he says it didn't come from his feelings about Neung. And when Neung scolds him for it, telling him not to do it again because a kiss is supposed to be meaningful, the look on Palm's face makes it clear that it was absolutely meaningful for him. He's having the time of his life...
But he hasn't forgotten danger is lurking. He keeps telling Neung he's safe there, but that gun is constantly on him. He's trying to get Neung's mind off all the things he can't do anything about in Bangkok, but he brings up the spectre of Thanya himself. The way this episode isolates them completely by showing us nobody except them and Mam, you almost forget that they sped away from the scene of an attempted (?) hit! That they last saw their respective parents shot and bleeding and have no clue what happened and no way of finding out. They've both opted for distraction, and a little affaire de coeur is the best kind. Neung is a tad confused by Palm's new openness, and is trying hard not to read into it, but he can't help but be charmed.
Stray Bullets
Those loan sharks harassing Mam concern me. I don't think she'd sell her own son out to save her own ass, but I'm not sure she wouldn't.
All the cinematography in this episode is gorgeous. A big hand for the D.P. Rath Roongrueangtantisook.
The cowherd and the weaver girl get another mention. Once is notable, twice is foreshadowing.
Pond's body is CRAZY. Phuwin is no slouch, but Pond...chisos.
Neung declaring he wants to buy the beach so tourists can't ruin it...oh baby, you've not grasped certain things yet huh.
The way Neung was handling that gun made me nervous as hell.
I've noticed Jojo's use of English language music lately, first in The Warp Effect and now in this and it only strikes me because I don't usually get English language music in Thai dramas.
That scene where they change out of their uniforms stuck out like a sore thumb to me. Like...why is it there?
Seeing characters like a bus tout really make Thai dramas feel so homey to me. We're all more alike in the global south than you'd think.
Did Palm raise himself? Who the hell took care of this kid?
You can't tell me that Ai'Neung from Palm didn't thrill Neung down to his toes.
Palm curled up on the tiniest corner of the bed as far away from Neung as possible is so gay panic it's delicious.
Having Phuwin deliver that 'ben dan' pretty much straight to camera was a nice touch.
Looks like we'll be on the island for 3-4 eps, and I like giving them that time to breathe, but next week we check back in with the mess in Bangkok.
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Okay, so MDL tells me the cinematographer of Moonlight Chicken is Rath Roongrueangtantisook, and he's worked with P'Aof on quite a number of shows I see!
He's the cinematographer for (among others) :
Never let me go
A tale of a thousand stars
Still together
Dark blue kiss
3 will be free
He's coming to me
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Do you have any thoughts on colors in Only Friends? I was just struck by Mew's shirt and bedding being red-yellow-green stripes
Anon, it's only been one episode, so . . .
TLWR: Mew is the rebel.
Although I shouldn't have any thoughts on colors in Only Friends -
Rath Roongrueangtantisook is the cinematographer.
If that means nothing to you, just know he is behind all of your faves like Moonlight Chicken, Never Let Me Go, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Dark Blue Kiss, and many more.
The reason this matters is all of the shows he is in charge of have some level of coding. Dark Blue Kiss was color coded, Never Let Me Go was clothing coded, A Tale of Thousand Stars was lighting coded, and Moonlight Chicken was a combo, so I'm expecting something in Only Friends as well, but what exactly, I'll have to see.
However, I found the color of the phones interesting.
Everyone has a black phone, except for Mew.
But Mew having a red phone when everyone else has a black phone could mean nothing. Not every phone can be a color-coded phone. Some phones are just phones!
But then @wen-kexing-apologist popped into my ask box with this banger of an observation.
Well, I'm feeling euphoric because stripes signify a rebel. Someone who doesn't exist in one solid color, but instead straddles the lines of several colors simultaneously. They stand out. They are the outlier.
Mew isn't the only person to wear stripes, but he is the only one to consistently wear them. For example, in the trailer - stripes.
And in the first episode - stripes.
Even when Top practically proposes to him in front of the entire bar - tight stripes.
However, he does switch it up and wears boxes, yet those boxes are still multiple colors. He still isn't picking one solid color.
Since Rath is in charge here, and we are possibly seeing clothing coding, looking back at his previous works with clothing coding show us this idea of a rebel could be correct. In Never Let Me Go, Palm had patterned tops while Nueng had dark solid colors.
As their relationships progressed, Nueng picked up brighter colors, then also Palm's patterns.
In Moonlight Chicken, a sun and a moon motif was shown using red and blue, but also, the stripes (noted by @wen-kexing-apologist in this excellent post) because they were rebelling against the system that kept them oppressed and imprisoned.
Because of this, I don't think the striped outfits on Mew are a mere wardrobe coincidence. This feels intentional. Rath and his team are always intentional and his previous works support that.
The only known time Mew won't wear stripes is when he has that huge barrier between Boston and him with his friends by his side.
And when he is smirking as Top is suffering.
Both times he is wearing a solid white. Innocent. Purity. Clarity.
Harmless. Cold. Empty.
Just like those little white lies.
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The Warp Effect: Cinematographer - Joy Maneerat Srinakarin (I Told Sunset About You, KinnPorsche, Great Men Academy)
Never Let Me Go: Cinematographer - Rath Roongrueangtantisook (Mama Gogo, He's Coming To Me, A Tale of Thousand Stars, 3 Will Be Free)
Director of both - Jojo Tichakorn (all of your future favorite series)
Producer of both - Aof Noppharnach (all of your future favorite series)
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@thelonelyweavergirl, I want you to know you win 2023 for your user name alone. This is the year of that damn weaver girl and her cow header in BL City. Congratulations.
Also, thanks for reblogging my Rath Roongrueangtantisook appreciation post with this comment. I've done smaller posts for other cinematographers as well and plan to do more for others.
Finally, glad I could help you see the colors, but the real appreciation goes out to the artists like Rath who work on these shows and give us amazing art like this every week.
We're in a museum filled with beautiful pieces, yet you're thanking the guide. It's very kind, but I'm just here to appreciate the artwork with you.
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I just wanted to post and say: Thank you got appreciating Mix! I don’t feel I see enough love for Mix, perhaps I’m looking in the wrong places. But I could read a full Book of Mix and why he is the Top tier Minx Mix!
Anon, even though Mix has only been in our faces for TWO YEARS, he has made his mark being in TWO Aof pieces, so he is a winner in my book.
And it doesn't hurt that I think he is gorgeous (Hidden Agenda's Nita! Is that you, player?!), so I appreciate him every time he is on my screen because he can act and looks like this. *bites knuckles*
ALL of GMMTV's actors are aesthetically pleasing. There is something for everyone in that bunch, but Minx Mix is part of the Pretty Boy Trinity.
Dunk & Phuwin are the other two members in case you were wondering.
You would think the only requirement for being in this group is to be pretty, but that's not it because, once again, that's all of GMMTV's roster. They are all pretty people.
The true standard for the Pretty Boy Trinity is to be so breathtakingly beautiful in a moment that catches the audience off guard hence leaving them in awe to wonder why they never realized until that moment just how fucking pretty that man truly is.
Like, for example, when someone is crying over his lifeless body in Cupid's Last Wish after trying to give him CPR to no avail, yet somehow, my brain can only see how pretty that lifeless body looks (in a non-creepy way). I'm sitting there just mesmerized by this man doing absolutely nothing but being pretty.
This isn't even about attraction. It's more of "now I understand why marble statues were made to capture *THIS*"
Which is why I think so many people are hoping to see him be the guy all the guys want in Only Friends, especially because those guys are being played by Force and First, so the Mix fans are loud and numerous, Anon.
And I'm among them. If you have to cast a guy whose characters has slept with both of those actors' characters, HE GOTTA BE PRETTY! But he can't just be normal pretty. No! He has to be so pretty that it makes it believable when all those characters' relationships after him are fucked because this one really pretty boy screwed them up so badly that they haven't been right since.
^This is THAT pretty boy^
If it can't be who I want (Fluke Gawin), then let it be someone we already know will compliment Cinematographer Rath's bomb ass lighting.
Let it be a Pretty Boy.
Let it be Minx Mix.
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A throw back ask if I may. I myself have only just fallen down the BL rabbit hole ( what was life before this?) and currently watching 1000 stars with Earth and Mix. ( Mix is adorable, is that adorableness even legal?)
And I wanted to know if you did a Color theory for this show? Because I know Tian seems to be a Blue boy but the others are confusing me ALOT! and I know there is something very telling with these torches and fire lanterns but I’m sure you have/can put it into much better wording than I ever could!
Yours faithfully,
A watcher who could watch any show in peace before I found your tumblr and color knowledge!!!
Dear a watcher who could watch any show in peace before you found my tumblr,
Short answer - I got nothing for ya!
Long answer - I got something for ya!
Let me start with some of my nothing-to-do-with-colors items:
Tian's growing heart is on full display when the waitress spills red wine on his suit right where his new heart is beating.
And while filming the scene where Phupha gives Tian his heart (the ring), Mix actually passed out from stress and the weather. In the BTS for the episode, Earth, in character, yells at Tian to stop counting the stars, then Mix's body goes limp, and immediately Earth begins to yell Mix's name. Aof, the director, called cut, and everyone rushed to Mix, while people had to console Earth because he was upset and crying.
So in the sake of transparency, it was hard to focus on the colors in A Tale of Thousand Stars knowing the issues the crew faced working during a pandemic to bring us such a masterpiece.
But also, the cinematographer for the series was Rath Roongrueangtantisook who tends to rely more on lighting the situation rather than wardrobe to color code the characters (although the colors still mean something on the clothing).
For example, the distance (coldness) Jim and Wen had at the beginning of Moonlight Chicken versus the love (warmth) they had at the end, which was seen with the other characters as well.
Or how angry and pained Nueng was until Palm showed up and subdued his color in Never Let Me Go
It even happened when Nueng left Palm in the hotel. He stepped back into red from the purple.
Rath documents some of these instances on his Instagram and usually writes about trying to catch the natural light for the perfect effect.
The most color coding he has done based on a characters' personality rather than the situation was in Dark Blue Kiss.
But even then he still used lighting to reflect the merging of feelings.
So what *I* noticed more in A Tale of Thousand Stars was the lighting of situations which was reinforced by the fire from the torches and lanterns (you're about to get a lot of innuendos).
Like in episode three, when the heat starts rising between Tian and Phupha
Only for Tian to turn away, so both end up awkward and distant in the blue, with some heat coming from Phupha and most of the coldness coming from Tian (notice their shirts' colors)
The clothing supported the narrative, so Tian putting a red blanket over both of them in an attempt to "warm up" (to) Phupha reinforced the situation
And we immediately get an exterior shot of the house lit up
The more we see Tian warm up to Phupha, the more we see him in warm colors compared to his normal cool colors, while Phupha was always a solid earth boy with greens and browns due to his uniform.
Like when Phupha outs Tian to the entire village, we see Tian back in his blues as he returns Torfun's orange journal (the source of his heartbeat and a wearer of warm colors) to Phupha
I'm not claiming Tian and Phupha were the reason for the school going down in flames, but Tian asking Phupha if he wanted Tian to stay longer all while EarthMix eye-fucked each other in that specific way they can only do which concluded with Tian giving Phupha his pouch did make the temperature rise in my house, so I can't imagine what it did to that little wooden school.
But look at the difference in the lighting and clothing between Tian realizing his feelings for Phupha versus Phupha denying his feelings for Tian:
Even when Tian leaves to go home in the same shirt he arrived in, instead of seeing the blue sleeves, they are covered by Phupha's green.
However Tian returns, and this time, Phupha literally and figuratively steps up and admits his feelings for Tian by asking him to stay.
And Phupha and Tian's world is once again lit up as Phupha begs Tian to sleep in the bed with Tian.
But they get "blue-balled" by Yod
So we just have to remember the moments that brought the 🔥🔥🔥
And the moments when their love for each other lit up the screen
Team Let EarthMix Kiss Before the Finale!
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Dark Blue (and Red) Kisses
Did a rewatch of Dark Blue Kiss because seeing New in The Warp Effect and watching Rath's cinematography on Never Let Me Go, who was also the cinematographer for Dark Blue Kiss, had me thinking thoughts and lo and behold,
Dark Blue Kiss has color-coded boys:
Kao and Sun are blue boys who are intelligent, loyal, and conservative:
Pete and Mork are red rascals who are passionate, spontaneous, and aggressive:
But before we get into the colors, I'm still salty we didn't get a Neo and Phuwin spin-off since they were clearly colored to be the next pair of destined lovers arguing with each other like that for everyone to see and hear!
Back to the point - Pete and Kao are a blue boy and a red rascal in love when the show begins
They exchange colors often because that's what color-coded boys do when they are in love
But a major issue of the show is Pete's growing suspicion that Kao doesn't love him as much as he loves Kao. Kao is a blue boy through and through and afraid to publicly admit he is in love with a red rascal
And the only time he wears Pete's red (or hues of it) are when he is trying to make up for hiding that he is tutoring Non from Pete
Non is also a red rascal, but he carries all of the negative traits - dominant, dangerous, and impulsive
Since Pete, a fellow red rascal, knows red flags when he sees them, he makes sure to establish that Kao is his blue boy by wearing Kao's blue
Non, being the huge red flag he is, tries to be incorporate Kao's blue too without Kao reciprocating
Which causes a huge fight between Kao and Pete, and they are devoid of color for at least three episodes because of it
But, by the end, Non is kicked to the curb, and Pete and Kao are fine and exchanging colors again like the lovebirds they are! Pete's in love, I promise.
Now the second pair - Sun and Mork are a blue boy and (labeled) red rascal; however, Mork is only a red rascal because the world has branded him such which is why his red tends to be muted
So, surprising no one, the second Sun kisses Mork and gives him love, Mork picks up Sun's blue quicker than cookies baking in a car on a hot summer day in Phoenix
Even when Sun blames Mork for the damage to his coffee shop due to the fight, Mork is still in love with Sun. He is injured, yet mixing their colors together to make pair purple and pair pink, and after he is released, he continues to wear Sun's blue
Thankfully, Mork doesn't easily forgive Sun for not recognizing his true self and makes Sun work for a second chance, but the pay off is sweet, and the boys finally exchange their colors
*This is an actual screenshot with no enhancements (because I don't have the skills to do such things) that shows both boys muted while Sun's arm is highlighted in red and the top of Mork's head and the wall behind it are blue. In case you can't feel it, I'm losing my shit over the subtle color exchange and might actually be building an altar to worship Rath's unbelievable skills. I will be living in this scene for the next seven to ten months. I am not going to be normal about this.*
And because I have reached my picture limit and need to go build this altar to worship Rath, know that all ends well for both of the couples and they continue giving each other Dark Blue (and Red) Kisses.
Does anyone know where I can get a lock of Rath's hair?
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There is something about the show beginning in a restrained purple
And Nueng and Palm mainly existing in the purple...
You know what? Never mind! It's likely nothing! It's probably just the lighting for nighttime. Let's not be excessive.
but...
when Nueng thinks about Ben at night, he is lit by red.
Possibly because Ben brings more of the same normal red Nueng is usually surrounded by to Nueng's life
Well, at least until thoughts of Palm start to creep in
Because Palm gives blue
and takes red
And the purple appeared in the background during the daylight when Nueng was watching Palm while playing piano
Well, until he saw Maggie playing around with Palm. Then, Nueng blocked the purple
And he tried to cover it up with red by drinking into the night
While Palm remained highlighted by blue
The whole time Nueng was yelling at Palm, the purple was stifled, and the purple wouldn't appear again
Until Nueng called out for Palm
And it began to creep onto Nueng as he reached out to Palm
After the fight, Nueng woke up in the blue
And his mother showed him love in the purple
Something he has been missing from his mom since his father's death, and only gets from Palm
So he tried to apologize to Palm by buying Palm the shoes he wanted, but Palm was strictly in the muffled blue and not willing to take any red
But after Nueng was bullied at school, and Nueng verbally apologized to him, Palm was willing to give color love
But when they got home, the purple faded (pay attention to the color as they walk in)
As Nueng worried his mom would be disappointed in him as she sat strictly in the red
But, as before, she surrounded him with purple love
So maybe purple is love because we know blue boy + red rascal = pair purple and pink
Why else would the credits be in the spectrum of blues and reds making pink and purple?
Or it could all mean nothing.
Maybe cinematographer Rath Roongrueangtantisook who worked on 3 Will Be Free and A Tale of Thousand Stars just really likes purple. Maybe he likes it so much that hints of it were included in the OST. Maybe...
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An appreciation post for 3 Will Be Free.
It had the Jojo as the director.
It had a composer, Yim Tirit Jitjang.
It had a poly plot.
It had a trans character with a dedicated plot.
It had an elite cast.
Everyone, including people we cared about, died, yet it didn't bury the gays.
It had TWO cinematographers: Pongthorn Thongwattana (55:15 Never Too Late, Cupid's Last Wish, Mama Gogo) and Rath Roongrueangtantisook (He's Coming To Me, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Mama Gogo), which shows.
Did I mention the poly plot?
Because it had it!
Sprinkle a little respect on this show for doing the most in 2019 when it did not need to.
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