Nisha Rathode (Editor) I love writing and learning new things in order to better educate those in need. I also enjoy hackathons and adventures around the world.
GenreAnimation, Adventure, Family Initial DVD releaseSeptember 2008 (USA) CountryThailand
Release dateMay 18, 2006 (2006-05-18) Based onChao Praya Prab Hongsawadee by Ariya Jintapanichkarn WriterAummaraporn Phandintong, Evan Spiliotopoulos (English language version) Cast??????? ??????????, ????? ????????, ????????? ???????????????, ??????? ????????????????, ???? ??????????, ?????? ??????? Similar moviesReal Steel, Big Fish, Rocky V, Cassandra's Dream, A Bronx Tale, True Romance
Khan kluay the blue elephant
Khan Kluay (Thai: ก้านกล้วย) is a 2006 Thai 3D computer-animated Action adventure comedy family feature film set during Ayutthaya-era Siam about a Thai elephant who wanders away from his mother and eventually becomes the war elephant for King Naresuan. It is based on "Chao Praya Prab Hongsawadee" by Ariya Jintapanichkarn. It was officially released as Jumbo in India and The Blue Elephant in the United States. There is a sequel to this movie, known as Khan Kluay 2. This movie is about Khan Kluay's two elephant children, another attack by the Hongsawadi (Burmese), and struggling whether to live with his wife or fight the Burmese.
Khan Kluay is directed by Kompin Kemgumnird, an animator who had worked on Disney films such as The Lion King, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Tarzan, and Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age. Produced by Kantana Animation, it was the first Thai 3-D animated feature film to be released, and was also the first animated Thai feature to be released since The Adventure of Sudsakorn, a cel-animated film by Payut Ngaokrachang which was released in 1979. Khan Kluay took three years to make and cost 150 million baht (about $3.9 million USD). Khan Kluay was released in Thai cinemas on May 18, 2006. It was the highest-grossing Thai film of 2006, taking in approximately 91 million baht at the box office. An animated television series, The Adventures of Khan Kluay, has been created by Kantana Animation Studio and is broadcast on BBTV Channel 7.
Characters
Khan Kluay is the title character. He was born in the wild and his mission is to find his father who turns to be deceased in the climax of the film due to the evident results of his cremains.
Naresuan is the King of the Ayuttahaya Kingdom and the first human Khan befriends.
Chaba Kaew is a pink elephant with a flower on her left ear. She is first met by Khan Kluay who tries to accomplish his mission.
Voice cast
Anyarit Pitakkul as Khan Kluay (child)
Nawarat Techarathanaprasert as Chaba Kaew (child)
Phoori Hiranyapruk as Older Khan Kluay
Warattaya Nilkuha (Jui) as Older Chaba Kaew
Pongsak Hiranyapruk as Jitrit, a pigeon
Nanthana Bunlong as Saeng-daa
Suthep Po-ngam as Mahout
Channarong Khuntee-tao as Burmese General
Juree Ohsiri
Koti Aramboy
US version
Thomas Starkley as Khan Kluay (young)
Jeremy Redleaf as Khan Kluay (old)
Miranda Cosgrove as Kon Suay (young)/Kon Suay (old)
Martin Short as Jai
Amy Carlson as Nuan, Cha, Cow
Carl Reiner as Tian
Kate Simses as Sang Da
Troy Baker as Marong, Young Prince Naresuan, Minchit Sra
Richard Epcar as King Narusean, Ajan, Officer
Cindy Robinson as Matriarch Elephant, Dela
Production
Khan Kluay is directed by Kompin Kemgumnird, an animator who had worked on Disney films such as Dumbo, The Lion King, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Tarzan, and Blue Sky Studios' Ice Age. Produced by Kantana Animation, it was the first Thai 3-D animated feature film to be released, and was also the first animated Thai feature to be released since The Adventure of Sudsakorn, a cel-animated film by Payut Ngaokrachang which was released in 1979. Khan Kluay took three years to make and cost 150 million baht (about $3.9 million USD).
Release
Khan Kluay was released in Thai cinemas on May 18, 2006. It was the highest-grossing Thai film of 2006, taking in approximately 91 million baht at the box office. The movie was shown to an audience of Asian elephants and their mahouts in an outdoor screening in Ayutthaya Province on June 6, 2006. It was released in September 2008 on DVD in the United States as The Blue Elephant. Indian production company Percept Picture Company bought the rights to the film and released a Hindi-language version, Jumbo, on December 25, 2008. Indian actor Akshay Kumar provided the voice for the main character, Jumbo.
American release
The film was released in the U.S .on September 2, 2008, under the Jim Henson Company and The Weinstein Company label. Like other foreign animated films that have been dubbed into English, like My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service and many others, this was released as a direct to video film. The film was also renamed The Blue Elephant for its American release. The film was also redubbed with celebrity voice overs, including Martin Short, Miranda Cosgrove, and Carl Reiner. Some of the drawbacks with the American dub compared with the original Thai version of the film are that some scenes that were in the Thai version were deleted in the American dub, not explaining all of the important information. The general storyline was correct, however, the dubbed lines were very inaccurate as well as poorly written; for the most part,the translators of the English dub of Khan Kluay did not even make an effort to have the characters say sentences that were even close to the lines actually stated in the original Thai version. In addition, characters' names (with the exception of Khan Kluay's) were changed from the actual ones to names that are very similar to Khan Kluay's. For example, in the original Thai version, the female pink elephant that Khan Kluay meets is named Chaba Kaew. However, her name in the English version of the film is Kon Suay. Khan Kluay's parents were also given the names Nuan (Khan Kluay's mother) and Pran (Khan Kluay's father).
Indian release
The film released in India on December 25, 2008, under the Percept Picture Company. It was renamed Jumbo, and was redubbed with a voice cast inclusive of Akshay Kumar, and Rajpal Yadav.
Malaysian release
The film's sequel, Khan Kluay II is named as Jumbo Gajah Biru and it is distributed and dubbed by Astro Entertainment Sdn. Bhd. It premiered in Malaysian cinemas on March 11, 2010. Other language dubs (English, French, and Spanish are examples) of this film are needed so that people throughout the world can view it.
Festivals and awards
2006 Thailand National Film Association Awards
Best picture
Best script
Best score
Best sound recording
2006 Golden Doll Awards
Best score
Best sound recording
2006 Bangkok Critics Assembly
Best score
2006 Starpics Awards
Best score
2006 Star Entertainment Awards
Best picture
Best score
2006 Animadrid, International Animation Festival, Spain
Best Feature Film
2007 Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children
2007 Golden Elephant International Children's Film Festival
Opening film
Television series
An animated television series, The Adventures of Khan Kluay, has been created by Kantana Animation Studio and is broadcast on BBTV Channel 7.