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Bookazine Book Review: Cabaret - The Ladyboys of Thailand

by Lang Reid

Compiled, written and photographed by an American architect, David Wilner, Cabaret - The Ladyboys of Thailand (ISBN 974-90377-0-7) is principally a photo book, with the majority of the pages devoted to full colour pictures. Published this year by Pipat Press in Bangkok, it was printed in Chiang Mai, making it very much a "Thai" book about Thai performers.

On the back cover flyleaf, David Wilner is described as a man who took up photographing ladyboys in America because ordinary Americans he found rather uninteresting, after having spent some time in Asia! With the Thai ladyboys, he certainly picked a subject well out of the ordinary, although Wilner does go to great pains to emphasise the acceptance of "women of the second order" in the Thai society.

There are six pages of text in the front of the book which initially cover a potted history of the author/photographer, which I believe has been included to try and show why an American architect would step out of the "norm" to go and photograph other humans who have also stepped out of the "norm’.

Wilner does not try and analyse the state of mind of the ladyboys, other than taking Descartes on side with his famous line of "I think therefore I am" and applying the rationale to some ladyboy’s oft quoted words of "I think I am a girl." He states, "There really is no moral to this story. This is a picture book by an architect who likes to photograph people. My intention is neither to condemn nor glorify because I do not believe that Ladyboys choose their lifestyle from a menu or as a cool way to stay out of the army." One can only agree.

The photographic pages are all in colour, and clever use has been made of a slow shutter speed and flash to give some blurred images implying the action that is continuous in the cabaret shows. All the images were shot in Bangkok and Chiang Mai, which is a pity, as Wilner does repeatedly mention the Tiffany Cabaret in Pattaya, but we do not get any shots from there.

The review copy was made available by Bookazine, 1st floor Royal Garden Plaza next to Black Canyon and Boots, and has an RRP of 595 baht. At under 100 pages it is a fairly expensive book, though it is probably the most comprehensive picture book available on the subject. David Wilner is a good photographer, even though he does not claim to be professional and states that all of his shots were taken during regular cabaret shows, and not posed later just for him.

For many people overseas who have never seen the Thai ladyboys strut their stuff, this book presents an unbelievable collection of images. In Pattaya, with Tiffany’s on the agenda for all our visitors, we have almost come to accept the ladyboys as being part of normal life. It isn’t, and this book goes a long way towards maintaining the mystique. Despite some misgivings about the price, I enjoyed the book. A good one to send to the boys back home!

Movie Review: The Four Feathers

By Poppy

Australian born Heath Ledger plays Harry Faversham a British officer (don’t they have any British actors?) who resigns his commission from the Royal Cumbrian Regiment just before they are sent into battle to fight the Sudanese rebels. He subsequently receives four feathers from his friends as symbols of cowardice. Jack Durrance (Wes Bentley) is the only friend who speaks up for Harry saying he was the best soldier in the regiment. In 1884 serving in the British army was considered the highest honour and to resign ones commission was not an option, so Harry finds himself completely ostracized.

Harry’s girlfriend, Ethne (Kate Hudson) is not the loyal fiancé he would have wished for and soon deserts him for his best friend Jack.

Harry decides to prove that he is not a coward and follows his friends into the desert disguised as a Sudanese to rescue his team. He finds a guide to help him, a kind rebel named Abou (Djimon Hounsou). For the desert sequences where most of the story is set, Harry certainly looks like an Arab with his dark complexion and long hair.

If the story sounds familiar it is, another remake of the historical novel by A.E.W. Mason.

Whatever other failings this movie has director Shakur Kapur’s cinematography is great, as one would expect from any high caliber epic. The film is a little bloodthirsty sometimes during the battle scenes.

Director: Shakur Kapur

Cast:

Heath Ledger ... Harry Faversham

Wes Bentley ... Lt. Jack Durrance

Kate Hudson ... Ethne Eustace

Djimon Hounsou ... Abou Fatma

Michael Sheen ... Trench

Laila Rouass ... Medicine Girl

Lucy Gordon ... Isabelle

Nick Holder ... British Lion

Alex Jennings ... Colonel Hamilton

Kris Marshall ... Castleton

Rupert Penry-Jones ... Willoughby

Tim Pigott-Smith

Ben Uttley ... General Wolseley’s Aide-de-Cam

Mott’s CD review: 

Led Zeppelin III

by Mott the Dog

***** 5 Star Rating

After releasing two of the most phenomenal albums in the hard rock genre in one year (1969), and not forgetting that they were their debut and second albums, Led Zeppelin turned round in 1970 with a follow up album that fooled everybody. How do you do this? Simple. Completely change the formula. Not content with ruling the hard rock world, they wanted the lot. Let me explain by leading you through this varied album.

Up first is the perfect opener in "Immigrant Song" (blatantly ripping off the riff from Bali Hai, I mean if you’re going to steal something do it with class), a thumping rocker that could have been on Led Zeppelin Two. So no surprise there then, perhaps just a warning to any usurper of their Hard Rock Crown, to not even think about it. But then, Drop of the Jaw, we are into sprightly folk/rock with "Friends", an acoustic number which features John Bonham playing tabla drums. This was certainly not what this dog expected.

Next up we got "Celebration Day", and what a celebration it is, too, with rocking acoustic guitar, Robert Plant wailing "How Happy He Is" (not surprising, really, as he’d gone from total obscurity to fronting the worlds biggest selling band), and Jimmy Page laying down some awesome electric guitar to bring the song to an exciting finish.

Next is the album’s central track "Since I’ve Been Loving You" (to this album what "Stairway To Heaven" was to the next), a blues workout not equaled at the time or, and I would defy anybody to defy me, since. A seven minute epic about love lost, the singing and instrumentation are at an all time high. John Bonham’s drumming is as powerful, whilst subtle, as ever. John Paul Jones contributes to the dark feel of the song with an excellent back-alley organ riff. Jimmy Page’s heartbreaking guitar solo in the middle is simply mind bending. And as for Robert Plant, he quite possibly delivers one of the most magnificent vocal performances of his career.

Next up, which would have been the closing song on side one in the days of vinyl, is "Out On The Tiles", a hard rocking electric workout with a strong bass beat, which extols the virtues of hard living.

From here on out, instead of blasting away, Led Zeppelin simply laid back, got the acoustics out, and put down 5 songs that wouldn’t have gone amiss on any folk album. "Gallows Pole", another poach in a remake of a lead belly song, begins with a soft acoustic grove but soon builds into a rousing crescendo. Both, "Tangerine" and "That’s The Way" have great acoustics, heartfelt lyrics, and real feel, which all contribute to this back to back emotional punch. The album closes with the lilting "Bron-Y-Aur-Stomp" and the quite frankly bizarre tribute to their mate "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper".

All in all a very complete collection of songs keeping Led Zeppelin secure in their castle for another year. I would conclude by saying that this is probably Led Zeppelin’s most creative, thoughtful, and introspective album.

Musicians

Jimmy Page - Guitars

Robert Plant - Vocals

John Bonham - Drums

John Paul Jones - Bass & Keyboards

Track Listing

1. Immigrant Song

2. Friends

3. Celebration Day

4. Since I’ve Been Loving You

5. Out On The Tiles

6. Gallows Pole

7. Tangerine

8. That’s The Way

9. Bron-F-Aur Stomp

10. Hats Off To (Roy) Harper