IMAGES OF MALE CHARACTERS IN THE THAI FILM, XIAN RANG THE MOVIE

Abstract

Directed and written by Phuwanet Seechomphu, Xian Rang The Movie (2023), or in English, Nice Guy Rang, The Movie, tells the life story of a group of young male friends living together in northeastern Thailand. They face many difficulties in their everyday lives such as irregular incomes and strange desires for a fantasy world where gratification can go unfulfilled. This article aims to explore and analyze the images of the male protagonists portrayed in the film. The main data is gathered from this motion picture. Textual analysis is the key method in this study. The concept of representation and semiotics are applied to data analysis. The study shows that these young male characters are fundamentally restrained within their identities as Thai northeasterners, who damage their lives with alcohol and sleep deprivation and on numerous occasions, their bizarre upcountry antics make them careless. This is a sentimental cult movie where the filmmaker explores the male protagonists’ struggle with their own teen masculinity crises.