It seems Syndromes And A Century (2006) directed by Apichatpong Weerasthakaul was commissioned by a European group to commemorate Mozart's 250th birthday, however, it has nothing to do with the composer. It is a strange story told in two parts that are somewhat similar. The first part takes place in the late 70s or 80s in a rural military hospital, while the second part is more contemporary and is set in a Bangkok medical clinic. Apichatpong said in an interview that the film is about transformation, about how people transform themselves for the better. it was censored in Thailand for some scenes involving monks. There are aspects of the contradictions of traditional Thai culture and the modern equivalent embedded in the story, for example in the film. For example, in the second part of the film there's a scene where a hematologist tries to cure a boy with carbon monoxide poisoning with a new age Chakura cure of transfer of energy from the doctor to the boy. The doctor in charge is less than incredulous-he himself has tried the same cure. In the hall the new doctor interviews him and learns form the boy that he was a man in his previous life and thinks he will also be a man in the next life-reflecting the Buddhist faith in reincarnation. Also, throughout the film there are times when the director seems to be paying homage to Ozu with still life transitions between scenes. However, it is an art film that most likely has limited appeal, but mostly to cineastes. Perhaps, it is because his film are jarring compared to conventional fare-there are long shot scenes that often portray ordinary everyday events. The pleasures derived from Apichatpong's films are subtle ones.
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