Panna Rittikrai
Encyclopedia
Panna Rittikrai (born 1961 in Khon Kaen Province
, Thailand
) is a Thai
martial arts
action choreographer
, film director
, screenwriter
and actor
. The leader of the Muay Thai Stunt
team, he is best known for his work as martial arts and action choreographer on the 2003
film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
and 2005
's Tom-Yum-Goong
(known as The Protector in the US), which starred Tony Jaa
, whom Panna mentored.
action flicks in Thailand.
"You've probably never heard of my movies," Panna told the Bangkok Post
in a 2004 interview. "They are popular among taxi
drivers and som tam
vendors and security guards and Isan
coolies. My loyalest fans are folk people in the far-out tambon
s, where they lay out mattresses on the ground and drink moonshine
whisky while watching my outdoor movies."
Panna started out in the movie business in 1979 as a physical trainer for actors in Bangkok
. Learning a little about filmmaking and inspired by the movies of Jackie Chan
and Bruce Lee
, as well as stunts seen in James Bond
movies, Panna moved back to Khon Kaen and formed his own stunt team, the Muay Thai Stunt
and set about making films.
His first was Gerd Ma Lui (Born to Fight, 1986), which he remade in 2004. With more than 50 titles in his filmography, which stretches back to the late 1970s, dozens of his movies are available in the inexpensive VCD
format at markets throughout Thailand.
s geared for the international market. Among the films finding new life on the home video market are Spirited Killer, or Puen Hode, co-starring Tony Jaa, as well as Mission Hunter 2, in which Jaa portrays a villain.
Panna's martial-arts choreography work also can be seen in the action-comedy, The Bodyguard
, which starred and was directed by Thai comic actor Petchtai Wongkamlao
. Recent and upcoming projects include Mercury Man
, a Thai superhero film in which he coordinated the martial arts; the sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong Bak 2
; and Chocolate
, a film directed by Prachya Pinkaew starring a female martial artist, Yanin Vismistananda
. He co-starred in Dynamite Warrior
, a 2006 martial-arts action comedy set in 19th century Siam and starring Dan Chupong
from Kerd ma lui
. It was Panna's first acting role in 10 years.
Khon Kaen Province
-History:The first city of the area was established in 1783 when Rajakruluang settled there with 330 people. King Rama I made Rajakruluang the first governor of the area when establishing tighter connections with the Isan area. The main city was moved six times until in 1879 it reached its modern...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
) is a Thai
Thai people
The Thai people, or Siamese, are the main ethnic group of Thailand and are part of the larger Tai ethnolinguistic peoples found in Thailand and adjacent countries in Southeast Asia as well as southern China. Their language is the Thai language, which is classified as part of the Kradai family of...
martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
action choreographer
Stage combat
Stage combat is a specialized technique in theatre designed to create the illusion of physical combat without causing harm to the performers. It is employed in live stage plays as well as operatic and ballet productions. The term is also used informally to describe fight choreography for other...
, film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. The leader of the Muay Thai Stunt
Muay Thai Stunt
Muay Thai Stunt is a Thailand-based group of stunt doubles, formed by Panna Rittikrai to work alongside with him on action films. Members of the stunt team are skilled in acrobatics and gymnastics, weapons-related fighting arts, Muay Thai and other martial arts including Wushu and Tae Kwon Do...
team, he is best known for his work as martial arts and action choreographer on the 2003
2003 in film
The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior , also known in the United States as Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a 2003 Thai action film. It was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, featured stunt choreography by Panna Rittikrai and starred Tony Jaa. Ong-Bak proved to be Jaa's breakout film, with the actor hailed...
and 2005
2005 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
's Tom-Yum-Goong
Tom-Yum-Goong
Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong (Thai: ต้มยำกุ้ง, is a 2005 Thai Martial arts Action film starring Tony Jaa. The film was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, who also directed Jaa's prior breakout film Ong-Bak. As with Ong-Bak, the fights were choreographed by Jaa and his mentor, Panna Rittikrai...
(known as The Protector in the US), which starred Tony Jaa
Tony Jaa
Tatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
, whom Panna mentored.
Early films
Before Ong-Bak, Panna had toiled for decades as an actor, stuntman, and director of B movieB movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
action flicks in Thailand.
"You've probably never heard of my movies," Panna told the Bangkok Post
Bangkok Post
The Bangkok Post is a broadsheet, English-language daily newspaper published in Bangkok, Thailand. The first issue was sold on August 1, 1946. It had four pages and cost 1 baht, a considerable amount at the time....
in a 2004 interview. "They are popular among taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
drivers and som tam
Som tam
Som tam or som tum also known as tam bak hung is a spicy salad, the standard form of which is made from shredded unripened papaya. Som tam is similar to the Laotian dish tam mak hung and the Cambodian dish bok l'hong...
vendors and security guards and Isan
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
coolies. My loyalest fans are folk people in the far-out tambon
Tambon
Tambon is a local government unit in Thailand. Below district and province , they form the third administrative subdivision level. As of the 2009 there are 7255 tambon, not including the 169 khwaeng of Bangkok, which are set at the same administrative level, thus every district contains 8-10 tambon...
s, where they lay out mattresses on the ground and drink moonshine
Moonshine
Moonshine is an illegally produced distilled beverage...
whisky while watching my outdoor movies."
Panna started out in the movie business in 1979 as a physical trainer for actors in Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. Learning a little about filmmaking and inspired by the movies of Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
and Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, as well as stunts seen in James Bond
James Bond
James Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
movies, Panna moved back to Khon Kaen and formed his own stunt team, the Muay Thai Stunt
Muay Thai Stunt
Muay Thai Stunt is a Thailand-based group of stunt doubles, formed by Panna Rittikrai to work alongside with him on action films. Members of the stunt team are skilled in acrobatics and gymnastics, weapons-related fighting arts, Muay Thai and other martial arts including Wushu and Tae Kwon Do...
and set about making films.
His first was Gerd Ma Lui (Born to Fight, 1986), which he remade in 2004. With more than 50 titles in his filmography, which stretches back to the late 1970s, dozens of his movies are available in the inexpensive VCD
VCD
VCD is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below:* VCD Athletic, semi-professional football team* Video CD* Voice command device* Value change dump * Vocal cord dysfunction* Visual Communication and Design...
format at markets throughout Thailand.
International fame
With the worldwide releases of Ong-Bak and Tom-Yum-Goong, with their gritty, hard-hitting stunts, action-film fans the world over have wanted to see more, so film distributors are starting to release some of Panna's older titles on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s geared for the international market. Among the films finding new life on the home video market are Spirited Killer, or Puen Hode, co-starring Tony Jaa, as well as Mission Hunter 2, in which Jaa portrays a villain.
Panna's martial-arts choreography work also can be seen in the action-comedy, The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard (2004 film)
The Bodyguard is a 2004 wire fu action-comedy written and directed by Thai comedian and actor Petchtai Wongkamlao and featuring martial-arts choreography by Panna Ritikrai...
, which starred and was directed by Thai comic actor Petchtai Wongkamlao
Petchtai Wongkamlao
Petchtai Wongkamlao, , is a Thai comedian, actor and film director. He is best known in Thailand by his stage name, Mum Jokmok ; and is a popular Thai television personality...
. Recent and upcoming projects include Mercury Man
Mercury Man (film)
Mercury Man is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight....
, a Thai superhero film in which he coordinated the martial arts; the sequel to Ong-Bak, Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2
Ong Bak 2: The Beginning is a 2008 Thai martial arts film co-directed by and starring Tony Jaa. It is a follow-up to Jaa's 2003 breakout film Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior. Initially claimed to be a sequel to Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, Ong Bak 2 was then announced to be a prequel to its predecessor...
; and Chocolate
Chocolate (2008 film)
Chocolate , also known as Zen, Warrior Within, is a 2008 Thai martial arts film starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda in her debut film performance. It is directed by Prachya Pinkaew, with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai...
, a film directed by Prachya Pinkaew starring a female martial artist, Yanin Vismistananda
Yanin Vismistananda
Yanin "Jeeja" Vismitananda , née Nicharee Vismitananda , , is a Thai actress and martial artist. She specialises in Taekwondo...
. He co-starred in Dynamite Warrior
Dynamite Warrior
Dynamite Warrior is a 2006 Thai martial arts film directed by Chalerm Wongpim and starring Dan Chupong .-Plot:The story is set in 1890s Siam. Siang is a young Muay Thai warrior and rocketry expert who steals back water buffalo taken from poor Isan farmers by unscrupulous cattle raiders...
, a 2006 martial-arts action comedy set in 19th century Siam and starring Dan Chupong
Dan Chupong
Chupong Changprung is a Thai martial arts film actor. He is also known by his Westernized name, Dan Chupong...
from Kerd ma lui
Kerd ma lui
Born to Fight is a 2004 Thai action film directed by Panna Rittikrai. It followed Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, on which Panna served as martial arts choreographer, and featured more of his "no strings attached" stuntwork. Many of the actors in Born to Fight were Thai national athletes...
. It was Panna's first acting role in 10 years.
Director
- Gerd Ma Lui (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Sing Wing Lui (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Nuk Kah Nah Yhok (19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Kah Jah Yai Krai Yah Kwang (19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Gerd Ma Lui 2 (19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - Petch Lui Plerng (19881988 in film-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 2 (19891989 in film-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
) - Gerd Ma Lui 3 (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Tee Yai 2 (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 3 (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 4 (19941994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
) - Black Killer (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Nuk Leng Klong Yao (19941994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
) - Kon dib lhek nam pee (2001)
- Kerd Ma LuiKerd ma luiBorn to Fight is a 2004 Thai action film directed by Panna Rittikrai. It followed Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, on which Panna served as martial arts choreographer, and featured more of his "no strings attached" stuntwork. Many of the actors in Born to Fight were Thai national athletes...
(Born to Fight) (2004) - Ong-Bak 2 (2008) (co-directed with Tony JaaTony JaaTatchakorn Yeerum , formerly Panom Yeerum , better known in the West as Tony Jaa, in Thailand as Jaa Panom, is a Thai martial artist, actor, choreographer, stuntman, director, and monk...
) - Ong Bak 3Ong Bak 3Ong-Bak 3 is a 2010 Thai martial arts film directed, produced and written by Tony Jaa and Panna Rittikrai. The film's story is a follow-up to Ong Bak 2, where Tien is brutally beaten before being put to death by Lord Rajasena 's men. His body is recovered by his Master Bua who revives him...
(2010) (co-directed with Tony Jaa) - Bangkok KnockoutBangkok Knockout-Plot:A group of martial arts students are enjoying a reunion party, but they all get roofied. When they wake up, some of their friends have been kidnapped and they soon find a group of assassins coming after them. The only way to survive is to fight their way out....
(2010)
Martial arts choreographer
- The Legend of SuriyothaiThe Legend of SuriyothaiThe Legend of Suriyothai is a 2001 Thai film directed by Chatrichalerm Yukol, telling the story of Queen Suriyothai, who died in a battle in 1548 against Burmese invaders...
(20012001 in filmThe year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
) (as Panna Ritthikrai) - Ong-Bak: Muay Thai WarriorOng-Bak: Muay Thai WarriorOng-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior , also known in the United States as Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior is a 2003 Thai action film. It was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, featured stunt choreography by Panna Rittikrai and starred Tony Jaa. Ong-Bak proved to be Jaa's breakout film, with the actor hailed...
(20032003 in filmThe year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,...
) - Kerd ma luiKerd ma luiBorn to Fight is a 2004 Thai action film directed by Panna Rittikrai. It followed Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior, on which Panna served as martial arts choreographer, and featured more of his "no strings attached" stuntwork. Many of the actors in Born to Fight were Thai national athletes...
(Born to Fight) (2004) - Tom-Yum-GoongTom-Yum-GoongTom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong Tom-Yum-Goong (Thai: ต้มยำกุ้ง, is a 2005 Thai Martial arts Action film starring Tony Jaa. The film was directed by Prachya Pinkaew, who also directed Jaa's prior breakout film Ong-Bak. As with Ong-Bak, the fights were choreographed by Jaa and his mentor, Panna Rittikrai...
(20052005 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2005...
) - Mercury ManMercury Man (film)Mercury Man is a 2006 Thai superhero martial arts action film. It is directed by Bhandit Thongdee with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai of Ong-Bak, Tom-Yum-Goong and Born to Fight....
(20062006 in film- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
) - Ong-Bak 2 (2008)
- ChocolateChocolate (2008 film)Chocolate , also known as Zen, Warrior Within, is a 2008 Thai martial arts film starring Yanin "Jeeja" Vismistananda in her debut film performance. It is directed by Prachya Pinkaew, with martial arts choreography by Panna Rittikrai...
(20082008 in filmThis is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
) - Tom Yum Goong 2Tom Yum Goong 2Tom Yum Goong 2 is an upcoming Thai martial arts film starring Tony Jaa and Marrese Crump. The film is the sequel to Tom-Yum-Goong.-Production:The sequel officially went into production in August 2011...
(20112011 in filmThe year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :...
)
Actor
- Kerd ma lui (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Sing Wing Lui (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Nuk Kah Nah Yhok (19871987 in film-Events:*January 31 - The Cure for Insomnia premieres at The School of the Art Institute in Chicago, Illinois, to officially become the world's longest film according to Guinness World Records....
) - 2 Nuk Soo Poo Ying Yai
- Petch Lui Plerng
- Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah (19861986 in film-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 2 (19891989 in film-Events:* Batman is released on June 23, and goes on to gross over $410 million worldwide.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 3 (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Plook Mun Kuen Ma Kah 4 (19941994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
) - Black Killer (19901990 in filmThe year 1990 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* CGI technique is expanded with motion capture for CGI characters, used in Total Recall .* The first digitally-manipulated matte painting is used, in Die Hard 2....
) - Nuk leng klong yao (19941994 in film1994 was a significant year in film.The top grosser worldwide was The Lion King, which to date stands as the highest-grossing traditionally-animated film of all time...
) - Kon dib lhek nam pee (2001)
- Bangkok KnockoutBangkok Knockout-Plot:A group of martial arts students are enjoying a reunion party, but they all get roofied. When they wake up, some of their friends have been kidnapped and they soon find a group of assassins coming after them. The only way to survive is to fight their way out....
(2010) - Dynamite WarriorDynamite WarriorDynamite Warrior is a 2006 Thai martial arts film directed by Chalerm Wongpim and starring Dan Chupong .-Plot:The story is set in 1890s Siam. Siang is a young Muay Thai warrior and rocketry expert who steals back water buffalo taken from poor Isan farmers by unscrupulous cattle raiders...
(2006)