Giants in Film: The Legend of Tha Tien
The legend of the giant in films, particularly in the “Tha Tien” narrative, stems from the battles of giants. This legend became the inspiration for the 35 mm film titled “Tha Tien,” released in 1973. Those aged 50 and above might remember or have seen this film, which featured the giants of Wat Jaeng and Wat Pho. At that time, the film utilised world-class filming techniques. The director, Somsak Sangdeuanchai, drew inspiration from his experiences on the set of the “Godzilla” series and the “Ultraman” series in Japan, adapting the concept of monster films into Thai cinema for the first time. He selected the giants from Wat Jaeng and Wat Pho along with the well-known legend of Tha Tien, making it engaging for the Thai audience. The film received very positive feedback and was a significant success. However, it is noteworthy that the giant from Wat Pho in the film was not portrayed as the “Thai giant” guarding the entrance of the sacred pavilion but rather as a Chinese stone giant. This misunderstanding may stem from the perception that the Wat Pho giant was a “Chinese giant,” as Chinese giants are typically much larger than Thai giants. Hence, it is unsurprising that many people believe the Chinese giant to be the Wat Pho giant.
Source: https://www.exoticquixotic.com/stories/wat-pho-wat-jaeng-giants
Image: Tha Tien Film (Source: [Thai Film Database](http://www.thaifilmdb.com))
There is also a movie soundtrack sung by a famous singer from the past, Khun Misak Nakrath. You can still find it to listen to at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRM5vFZbl8g
