It is no exaggeration to say that Tran Thanh has redrawn the Vietnamese film market in recent years.
Tran Thanh - exaggeration or ambition?
When receiving the award for “Movie of the Year” for “Mrs. Nu’s House” at the 2023 Wechoice Awards gala, director Tran Thanh frankly declare: “If I don’t do it, then I don’t do it. I have to do it thoroughly. I dare to think, dare to do, and today I dare to receive the award.”
Such strong statements, perhaps besides Tran Thanh, no one dares to say. Is that arrogance, or the determination of an ambitious young director?
Tran Thanh is considered one of the most scandalous artists in Vietnamese showbiz. His name is often associated with hasty, uncontrolled, and even “big-headed” statements. People also nicknamed him Thanh “Cry” (crying), because he often cannot control his emotions when hosting game shows. He is also a comedian with a loud, exaggerated acting style.
However, when entering the film industry, Tran Thanh is extremely wise, alert and talented. Before appearing on the big screen, Tran Thanh probed the market with the web drama “Bo Gia” and achieved great success in spreading it. People all over social networks watched Tran Thanh’s movies, discussed, praised, and even criticized them.
Riding on the momentum, Tran Thanh released the movie “Bo Gia”, and immediately created an explosion. In the midst of the gloomy Vietnamese film market, “Bo Gia” easily reached a revenue of 427 billion VND.
Next is “Mrs. Nu’s House” with a revenue of 475 billion VND, “Mai” with 540 billion VND. More specifically, Tran Thanh was able to introduce “Mai” to 200 theaters in 9 countries in North America and Europe, earning 1 million USD.
Up to now, it is difficult for any director to break the records that Tran Thanh has created at the Vietnamese box office.
And, while “Mai” was still a hit at the box office, Tran Thanh was already hatching a new film project. It can be said that hardly anyone in Vietnamese showbiz can compete with the hard work, creativity and ambition of this director.
Comedian makes excellent social psychological films
Right from his first film, Tran Thanh has created a unique and distinct filmmaking style.
Sharing with VTC News reporter, director Ngo Huong Giang said: “Tran Thanh’s way of making films is to narrow down the scope of social description to the hidden corners of everyday life, in alleys, street food stalls or massage parlors. Still the way of “feeding morals” to “rustic, illiterate” characters, still the witty style of a calculating comedian, complex psychological developments, instead of the technological social amplification like in blockbusters or horror films, Tran Thanh’s films are a rewind of social psychology aimed at ordinary people, with a narrow but ambitious lifestyle”.
According to Mr. Ngo Huong Giang, the lives in Tran Thanh’s films are scattered but common in society. There is a father who drives a motorbike taxi in an alley, a woman who sells noodles, a “professor” in a massage parlor…, but they all have complex inner lives, many torments, and obviously many unfulfilled dreams and ambitions.
Evaluating this director, Mr. Ngo Huong Giang affirmed: “Whether the audience loves or hates Tran Thanh, it cannot hide the fact that he is a comedian who has made successful psychological and social drama films.”
Tran Thanh's movies: Art or pure entertainment?
Tran Thanh himself once admitted that his name and works are always associated with controversial things. Some people even jokingly said that Tran Thanh is always a person who goes between two streams of love and hate.
All three of Tran Thanh’s works have achieved unprecedented revenue at Vietnamese cinemas. One film was even honored as “Movie of the Year”. However, there are also many opinions criticizing Tran Thanh’s films as purely entertaining, silly, and even “toxic”. Some people even frankly advised this director not to dream of making art films.
Director Ngo Huong Giang affirmed: “Often, public opinion-oriented films must have artistic value. Commercial films are often bland entertainment films, just a way to hide the “capacity gap” of the person expressing that opinion. Because once you step into the field of film production, you have entered the world of art.
Art is a multi-layered cake, with many meanings and is often exploited so that one opinion can be used to refute another opinion or product. I think that any product that is skillfully made, touches the audience's emotions, makes the audience feel haunted, and always remembers it, is a quality art product. There are tens of millions of viewers watching Tran Thanh's movies, so obviously, his movies are a work of art."
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