SKIN TRADE (Ekachai Uekrongtham, 2014)

[Dida]

Makes me think of Showdown In Little Tokyo.

Jox, do you know something about the budget for the movie?

[Tom]

Jox, do you know something about the budget for the movie?

$100 million.

What?

I can dream can't I?

[Tom]

Here's a revised plot posted on IMDB:

A tough NY cop, Nick (Dolph Lundgren), runs afoul of the Russian mob engaged in human trafficking, and they end up killing his wife and daughter for revenge. Determined to make them pay, he follows the kingpin to Bangkok, the hub of their activities. He teams up w/ a Thai detective, Tony Jaa, and they decide to wipe out the entire organization and terminate their business entirely.

Sounds good. Would like to see him bring back a Mechanik vibe (and style). It's unlikely, but I'd love them to shoot on film too.

[Jox]

$100 million.

What?

I can dream can't I?

Not only it would be way too much for this project (unless it was made as James Bond) but then the money wouldn't be spent for the screen if you know what I mean.

Plus in Thailand you don't need much either, even Refn's ONLY GOD FORGIVES was made for less than $5 million apparently, about the same as A MAN WILL RISE (considered a big budget for a Thai production) I think, and baxk in the day MNE OF WAR was made for about than $1.8 million below the line (without DL's fee nor producers, director, and development costs)...

What I know that is important (stop thinking about money guys!) is that they should be able to shoot longer than on most DTV productions.

[bomaz]

You're exactely right. I guess shooting in Thailand involves a lot of "guerilla / commando filmamking" which is quite cheap, and the money is not a great matter there (salary are not expensive, and renting props or other stuff must be cheap as well), and if they can shoot longer, with less money, and more creative control, well, I'm 200% in it !

[Tom]

You'd hope for some cheap and crazy stunt guys in Thailand too. Hopefully we'll get a good amount of kickass action.

[Jox]

I'm not sure Dolph wants to go in that direction (we know how he feels about crazy stunts) but rather something dark and racy (as the subject matter and as attest his choice for the director), possibly as you said a bit in the vein of THE MECHANIK.

[Jox]

There you go people! Here's Dolph with his director of SKIN TRADE, Ekachai Uekrongtham, notably praised and awarded in the West for his film BEAUTIFUL BOXER (2004).

First time meeting #EkachaiUekrongtham #beautifulboxer 2004 He's directing me in the action thriller Skin Trade #Skintrade early next year. I'm on the left in the red T-shirt

As I said I think it's welcomed bold choice to pick a Thai director from a little more artsy background but still a love for the genre and a racy edge to tackle the "skin trade" theme of the film. (Plus Lundgren is producing so he still has the reigns over his baby.)

[Tom]

Very interested by this. It's a bold choice. This could be something very good indeed. I'm curious as to what the approach will be toward the action, particularly with Jaa's character. He's an amazing athlete and on screen fighter. You would definitely need to utilise his fighting abilities because he's not the strongest of actors. But that said some of his most brilliant fight scenes had a real gritty, brutality that would work for the tone Dolph seems to be going for.

[Tom]

Incidentally the guys film, Beautiful Boxer is available to watch on Youtube. Easy to find if you're looking.

[Tom]

A sequence like this would be great.

[Nathan]

Plus in Thailand you don't need much either, even Refn's ONLY GOD FORGIVES was made for less than $5 million apparently.

And the film looks like one of the freshest and most beautifully filmed in years. Brad Krevoy and all those hack producers Dolph, JC and Seagal get landed with should be nothing but embarrassed, aside from perhaps in awe that someone has managed to take $5 million, shoot in a stunning country and make a film that doesn't look like a turd that's been thrown into a DVD case and wrapped in cellophane. And if they need any more proof, it's got a big name in it and won't be going straight to DVD. Meanwhile they spent $200 million on World War Z and it looks like something Seagal has done after a bad curry marathon. Just saying.

I am confident this one will be above Dolph's recent fare because he's actually on-board for this one. Sure he was there for films like Blood of Redemption but I'm sure mentally his mind was somewhere else. I'm glad he has stepped back from directing too because this way he still gets to call the shots but also focus on his acting performance which should be very dramatic here and hopefully very violent - for a while I have wanted to see Dolph play a role like Liam Neeson in Taken. US4 is violent but Dolph's character is not a vengeful father, he is a killer cyborg.

I expect to see some elegant shootouts in this, probably quite bloody. Maybe a little bit like The Man from Nowhere and I pray that we finally get to see Dolph show some martial arts skills in decent length fights. I know this is not a fighting film but you can't go to Thailand and have an extended shooting schedule and Tony Jaa under your black belt without pulling some moves. I will be grossly disappointed if there is not some classic MA in this along with The Departed style shootouts. I may be jumping the gun here, but if there is one film that Dolph is in lead, that has the best chance of a limited theatrical, it is this one. His most promising project in ages.

[Jox]

Indeed.

Dolph Lundgren Taps BEAUTIFUL BOXER Director For SKIN TRADE

Upcoming Dolph Lundgren / Tony Jaa star vehicle Skin Trade has its director and according to a post on Lundgren's Instagram account the job is going to Beautiful Boxer helmer Ekachai Uekrongtham.

It's an interesting choice for while Uekrongtham has showcased action chops and an interest in broader genre film in his past work he's still primarily viewed as an arthouse director and it's a safe bet that he'll push both Lundgren and co-star Tony Jaa harder on the performance side of the equation than normal, which could be a very good thing.

Skin Trade is an international action picture set against the backdrop of the sex trade in Bangkok. Lundgren wrote the initial draft - since worked on further by Universal Soldier veteran John Hyams - with Lundgren producing and starring as an ex cop. Jaa will co-star as Lundgren's Bangkok based counterpart. Beautiful Boxer premiered at the 2004 Berlin film festival before going on a lengthy run that included stops at top tier events in Hong Kong and Locarno.

http://twitchfilm.com/2013/06/dolph-lun ... trade.html

[Tom]

Plus in Thailand you don't need much either, even Refn's ONLY GOD FORGIVES was made for less than $5 million apparently.

And the film looks like one of the freshest and most beautifully filmed in years. Brad Krevoy and all those hack producers Dolph, JC and Seagal get landed with should be nothing but embarrassed, aside from perhaps in awe that someone has managed to take $5 million, shoot in a stunning country and make a film that doesn't look like a turd that's been thrown into a DVD case and wrapped in cellophane. And if they need any more proof, it's got a big name in it and won't be going straight to DVD. Meanwhile they spent $200 million on World War Z and it looks like something Seagal has done after a bad curry marathon. Just saying.

I am confident this one will be above Dolph's recent fare because he's actually on-board for this one. Sure he was there for films like Blood of Redemption but I'm sure mentally his mind was somewhere else. I'm glad he has stepped back from directing too because this way he still gets to call the shots but also focus on his acting performance which should be very dramatic here and hopefully very violent - for a while I have wanted to see Dolph play a role like Liam Neeson in Taken. US4 is violent but Dolph's character is not a vengeful father, he is a killer cyborg.

I expect to see some elegant shootouts in this, probably quite bloody. Maybe a little bit like The Man from Nowhere and I pray that we finally get to see Dolph show some martial arts skills in decent length fights. I know this is not a fighting film but you can't go to Thailand and have an extended shooting schedule and Tony Jaa under your black belt without pulling some moves. I will be grossly disappointed if there is not some classic MA in this along with The Departed style shootouts. I may be jumping the gun here, but if there is one film that Dolph is in lead, that has the best chance of a limited theatrical, it is this one. His most promising project in ages.

Couldn't agree more. The choice of director is really ambitious and different too.

[bomaz]

Now i'm kinda curious to see who will land the part of the "kingpin" (a thaï actor ? a russian or european dude [or gal, as OGF show a woman can be a cruel crimelord ]).
Vithaya Pansringarm, Mario Maurer, Tamer Hassan ... But i don't have a russian or european name popping in my mind.