Author Topic: Tony Jaa pulls a Joaquin Phoenix! (Read 11531 times)

B E C K · « **on:** Oct 04, 2010, 06:44:23 AM »

Replace "rapping" with "becoming a monk". HUUUUUUUUUUH?

ONG BAK Star Tony Jaa Joins The Monkhood.

tl;dr - Tony Jaa left film to become a monk. May return someday but no one knows when.

Quote from: Twitch Film.net

Tony Jaa has exited the film industry. We don't know for how long and can only speculate on the reasons why but yesterday - Friday, May 28 - Jaa rode an elephant to a Buddhist temple in Surin, Thailand, where he shaved his head, took vows, and was officially ordained as a Buddhist monk.

Now, this is not necessarily forever. Joining the monkhood for set periods of time is a fairly common practice in Thailand and the expectations are not that he will remain in the monastery forever. In fact, Jaa's mother has already been quoted saying she hopes her son will find a nice woman and get married once his time as a monk is complete. This does, however, completely eliminate any chance of Jaa being involved in the film industry for the time being and this, I think, is entirely the point. In fact, I actually predicted this move back in August of 2008. Here's what I think is happening:

Following the success of Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong, Jaa insisted he be allowed to direct his next film himself - a desire largely responsible for destroying his relationship with director Prachya Pinkaew. Jaa got his way, though, and the reins of Ong Bak 2 were handed over to him. The initial footage from that film looked fantastic but it didn't take long for strange stories to emerge from the set - stories of Jaa sacrificing chickens before shooting for the day could commence - and things rapidly fell behind schedule and way over budget. And then, with pressure mounting and debts adding up, Jaa simply crumbled under the pressure and disappeared. He was gone for two solid months - during which time the wilder stories explaining his absence involved black magic in Cambodia - before his mentor Panna Rittikrai managed to track him down and bring the wayward star home. And then, believe it or not, things got even messier.

First Jaa appeared on TV, weeping and vowing to complete the film. Then he publicly issued a set of demands to production house Sahamongkol, threatening to disappear again if they were not met. Among the demands were the insistence that he be released from the long term, exclusive contract that he signed with the production house. Shortly after this Jaa was whisked away in a car full of Sahamongkol 'heavies' prompting speculation that he had been kidnapped. Not true, Jaa said when he reappeared, but whatever happened was unsettling enough to him that he took refuge in a police station, where he later met with Sahamongkol boss Sia Jiang. That meeting resulted in Jaa's demands being dropped, Jaa agreeing to split Ong Bak 2 into two movies to allow the company a chance to recover the cost over runs, the creation of a major new role for Sahamongkol's other star Dan Chupong, and directorial duties for the remaining shoot were handed over to Panna Rittikrai.

Well, the results of those shoots have both been released now. Ong Bak 2 - mostly Jaa's film - is flawed but was a success thanks to the incredible fight work. Ong Bak 3, however - assembled fast and cheap from a quickly revised script by an assembly of Sahamongkol execs and Rittikrai - became the first Jaa film to ever fail to top the Thai box office and, frankly, stinks of contractual obligation. The passion isn't there, the fire is completely gone from Jaa as a performer, he's put on weight - not to Segal levels but he's lost all of his definition - and all of the films best moments belong to the charismatic Chupong, not Jaa. With Ong Bak 3 it seems that Tony just doesn't care any more.

So here's my take on things. Jaa, clearly, meant what he said when he threatened to walk away and disappear again. My guess is Sia Jiang laid down the legal and financial consequences Jaa would face if he failed to fulfill his Ong Bak 2 contract, effectively forcing him back to work on that film, but now that that particular film is done and that particular debt is paid, Jaa has gone to where their contracts couldn't touch him. How long will he remain a monk? My guess is until one day after his original ten year exclusive contract with Sahamongkol expires.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooOOOoooOOOOO!!

Fiero · « **Reply #1 on:** Oct 04, 2010, 03:01:08 PM »

Yeah I already heard about this. It is common for people there to leave their career for awhile for the monkhood and then return. In fact, I think there was something about this in one of his movies, Ong Bak.

Rama · « **Reply #2 on:** Oct 04, 2010, 03:29:41 PM »

Now we have to settle for Ja Rule.

Rodent of Unusual Size · « **Reply #3 on:** Oct 04, 2010, 03:37:08 PM »

The first pic looks like the guy got rammed from behind by the elephant.

B E C K · « **Reply #4 on:** Oct 04, 2010, 05:04:48 PM »

Yeah, it's more awesome in motion.

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #5 on:** Oct 05, 2010, 05:58:04 AM »

told you that this is just a PR move. Becoming a monk in the asian culture is like going to rehab in the american culture

B E C K · « **Reply #6 on:** Oct 05, 2010, 01:30:54 PM »

OH, okay: So he'll just keep going at it off and on but treatment will never stick because of his blatant lack of committment and disregard for the rules. Gotcha.

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #7 on:** Oct 05, 2010, 09:19:33 PM »

Yep. And then he'll write a book

B E C K · « **Reply #8 on:** Oct 06, 2010, 10:30:07 AM »

A pop-up book with fighting in it?

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #9 on:** Oct 07, 2010, 06:54:27 PM »

that and a sex tape will be released. you know the guy gets poontang galore

B E C K · « **Reply #10 on:** Oct 08, 2010, 01:36:46 PM »

With elephants?

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #11 on:** Oct 09, 2010, 07:13:06 AM »

With everything. Come on, wouldnt you do him? He has a rockin' body. Face is meh though, so you can always do it with the lights off

B E C K · « **Reply #12 on:** Oct 09, 2010, 09:00:56 PM »

Quote

Face is meh though, so you can always do it with the lights off

Rodent of Unusual Size · « **Reply #13 on:** Oct 09, 2010, 11:54:41 PM »

Quote from: Faye Valentine on Oct 07, 2010, 06:54:27 PM

that and a sex tape will be released. you know the guy gets underage, STD-ridden, Thai poontang galore

Fixed.

And you'd do this.

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #14 on:** Oct 10, 2010, 08:55:35 AM »

He doesn't need underage. Only old white men like teh underage asian girls.

Rodent of Unusual Size · « **Reply #15 on:** Oct 11, 2010, 12:46:19 PM »

Then that leaves the STD-riddenness.

joe · « **Reply #16 on:** Oct 24, 2010, 01:37:43 AM »

This sucks. The original Ong Bak and Tom Yum Goong are spectacular fight movies. I knew something was up with Ong Bak 2, because it just felt off somehow, despite still having some pretty cool scenes.

Jaa should've just sold out the first chance he got and done a bunch of Hollywood crap where he teams up with Chris Tucker and Owen Wilson.

Preferably at the same time.

Does anyone keep up with the martial arts film scene? I know they constantly churn stuff out over in Asia, but I have no idea what's actually worth watching. My guess is very little, otherwise we'd see more of it being localized.

B E C K · « **Reply #17 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 10:46:46 AM »

I don't think anyone really keeps up with it all that much.

If you're looking for recommendations, word on the grapevine's that Ong Bak 3 suffered considerably due to this so to not even bother with it.

Fiero · « **Reply #18 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 03:44:08 PM »

I forgot the name, but there is a couple of French films that are bad ass and have a mix of martial arts and parkour.

Faye Valentine · « **Reply #19 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 07:51:24 PM »

fucking IP MAN. That's all I gotta say

B E C K · « **Reply #20 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 09:07:13 PM »

Quote from: Fiero on Oct 25, 2010, 03:44:08 PM

I forgot the name, but there is a couple of French films that are bad ass and have a mix of martial arts and parkour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_13 ??

Been meaning to see those actually.

Fiero · « **Reply #21 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 09:22:36 PM »

YES

THOSE ARE GREAT

joe · « **Reply #22 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 09:42:27 PM »

Really?

Are they really?

Or is this just another case of Fiero having seen something that most of us haven't seen, so then he goes and hypes it way up more than it ever deserved?

Because you do that, man.

You do that all the time.

Fiero · « **Reply #23 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 10:21:35 PM »

Okay... Remembered I have only seen the second one. I enjoyed it. Have you considered that I actually like those things?

B E C K · « **Reply #24 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 10:47:53 PM »

Quote from: joerammstein on Oct 25, 2010, 09:42:27 PM

Because you do that, man.

You do that all the time.

He does? I've never noticed.

joe · « **Reply #25 on:** Oct 25, 2010, 11:10:20 PM »

Yeah, but you're never around.

I've read every Fiero post, ever. I know his ways.

He is the Great Deceiver.

Fiero · « **Reply #26 on:** Oct 26, 2010, 12:21:43 AM »

Yeah? Well my penis is really fucking huge so I don't care.

B E C K · « **Reply #27 on:** Oct 26, 2010, 09:55:58 AM »

Tell us more.

Fiero · « **Reply #28 on:** Oct 26, 2010, 02:15:14 PM »

Umm ... It's big and round, and there's a water park, and games where you can win stuffed animals.

Rama · « **Reply #29 on:** Oct 26, 2010, 04:47:24 PM »

Your Penis is Six Flags?