Artist unknown
Until the late 1970's, the cinema of France wasn't standard viewing fare for Thai movie consumers. Barring a few big films here and there, French cinema was by far the least screened of all the major national cinemas to play in Thai theaters (besides, of course, the Soviet Union and China, thanks to Cold War-era political alignments).
By the 1970's, Hollywood and Hong Kong were the leading international film providers for the Thai market, splashing bang-em'-up action films and high flying Kung Fu fare, among more sedate genres, across the nation's nearly 700 silver screens.
That all changed in 1977, when the Thai government decided to raise the import tax on Hollywood movies by over 200% per foot of film. In response, the Motion Picture Association of America and its in-country distribution houses started a boycott of the Thai market, an action that they anticipated would leave Thai theaters with a dearth of content, giving rise, they hoped, to pressure on the government from the theater owners themselves.
The boycott was a success of sorts. Thai theaters were indeed left with a content shortage that they had to scramble to fill, but their solutions were many One remedy for the Hollywood void was to increase movie imports from less well-known sources. France was top on that list. Starting in the late 1970's Thai audiences were introduced to the likes of Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Gerard Depardieu and stars of French film.
In 1979, COP OR CROOK, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo was released in Thai theaters, along with this beautiful two-sheep poster for it painted by an as of yet unknown artist. There is a signature, but nobody I know seems to be able to make out who it belongs to.
Loosely translated, the Thai title of this film works out to be "Super Cop," or something along those lines.
By the 1970's, Hollywood and Hong Kong were the leading international film providers for the Thai market, splashing bang-em'-up action films and high flying Kung Fu fare, among more sedate genres, across the nation's nearly 700 silver screens.
That all changed in 1977, when the Thai government decided to raise the import tax on Hollywood movies by over 200% per foot of film. In response, the Motion Picture Association of America and its in-country distribution houses started a boycott of the Thai market, an action that they anticipated would leave Thai theaters with a dearth of content, giving rise, they hoped, to pressure on the government from the theater owners themselves.
The boycott was a success of sorts. Thai theaters were indeed left with a content shortage that they had to scramble to fill, but their solutions were many One remedy for the Hollywood void was to increase movie imports from less well-known sources. France was top on that list. Starting in the late 1970's Thai audiences were introduced to the likes of Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain Delon, Gerard Depardieu and stars of French film.
In 1979, COP OR CROOK, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo was released in Thai theaters, along with this beautiful two-sheep poster for it painted by an as of yet unknown artist. There is a signature, but nobody I know seems to be able to make out who it belongs to.
Loosely translated, the Thai title of this film works out to be "Super Cop," or something along those lines.
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