The Snake King's Child
A half-human daughter of a snake god seeks love.
The Snake King's Child (also known as Koun Puoh Kengkang, Snaker, and Ghost Wife 2) is a 2001 Cambodian-Thai horror film directed by Fai Sam Ang. It is based on a Cambodian myth about the half-human daughter of a snake god and was produced as a sequel to the 1970 movie The Snake King's Wife. The film is notable as the first full-length feature film for cinema produced in Cambodia since before the Khmer Rouge era.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Fai Sam Ang
- Producer
- Thunya Nilklang
- Writer
- Fai Sam Ang; Mao Samnang
- Starring
- Winai Kraibutr
- Pich Chanbormey
- Ampor Tevi
- Tep Rindaro
- Cinematography
- Saray Chan
- Distributor
- Siam Film Development; Studio Bangkok
- Released
- 2001, 02, Cambodia, 2001, 03, Thailand
- Runtime
- 108 min
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Neang Nhi, a woman neglected by her abusive husband Manop, loses her hoe in shrubbery while working in the fields and encounters a giant python. The snake speaks to her, offering to return the hoe if she agrees to have sex with him. That night, the snake transforms into a man, brings back the hoe, and has sex with Nhi, resulting in her pregnancy. Manop discovers the python impregnated his wife, so he beheads the snake and stabs Nhi in the stomach. Nhi dies, but dozens of small snakes pour from her abdomen into a stream. Manop chases and kills each baby snake but slips on a rock and dies. One surviving baby snake transforms into a human infant, found by a wandering monk who names her Soraya. She grows into a beautiful teenage woman with living serpents instead of hair; the monk fashions a magical ring that keeps the snakes at bay. Soraya meets a young man, Wae-ha, at a waterfall, and they fall in love. When a friend of Wae-ha attempts to rape Soraya, her ring comes off, and the snakes bite and kill the man. It is revealed that if Soraya's virginity is broken, she will permanently turn into a snake.
Origins
The Snake King's Child is a popular Cambodian myth, previously depicted on film in a 1960s version, Pos Keng Kang (Snake Woman), starring Dy Saveth. In 2000, director Fai Sam Ang decided to make the first feature-length film for cinema in Cambodia since before the Khmer Rouge era, choosing this oft-told tale for commercial appeal. The film was a co-production with Thai investors and featured Thai leading man Winai Kraibutr, veteran Cambodian soap opera actress Ampor Tevi, and 17-year-old debut Cambodian actress Pich Chanbormey.
Special effects
No digital effects were used in the film due to budget constraints. To depict Soraya's head full of writhing snakes, live snakes were glued to a cap worn by actress Pich Chanboramey. Director Fai Sam Ang noted that sometimes the snakes would leap off her head and had to be chased around the set. He also recalled difficulty convincing the actress to wear the cap, as she cried upon first seeing the snakes, but he insisted she be professional. For a sex scene with the snake king, a 4.5-meter python borrowed from a Buddhist temple was placed on top of actress Ampor Tevi.
Release
At the time of release, war-ravaged Cambodia had no commercial cinemas suitable for a premiere, so the film was screened at the French Cultural Center and outdoors in the courtyard of a local television station in Phnom Penh. It also opened in wide release in Thai cinemas. Due to Winai Kraibutr's presence in the cast, the film was marketed in Hong Kong and other Asian markets as Ghost Wife 2, capitalizing on the popularity of the 1999 Thai ghost film Nang Nak (Ghost Wife), in which Kraibutr had starred.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stars in The Snake King's Child?
The Snake King's Child stars Winai Kraibutr, Pich Chanbormey, Ampor Tevi and Tep Rindaro.
Who wrote The Snake King's Child?
The Snake King's Child was written by Fai Sam Ang and Mao Samnang.
Who distributed The Snake King's Child?
The Snake King's Child was distributed by Siam Film Development and Studio Bangkok.
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