Filmmaker James Newman on his Documentary Bangkok: City of Angels [S7.E49]

Greg interviews writer and filmmaker James Newman, a long-time
expat in Thailand who recently made a documentary film about our
beloved city of Bangkok. James starts out explaining his
background in London as an insurance executive, his subsequent
departure to Thailand, and his career as a writer during the
e-book boom of the naughts. Around 2017 he transitioned to
filmmaking and made a successful short film called 'Crazy
Medicine,' directed by friend of the podcast Richie Moore. 


But today's show centers on James' recent film, "Bangkok: City of
Angels," an attempt to capture the chaotic appeal of Bangkok in
documentary form. James discusses his decision to cover a broad
arc of Thai history, from a cholera outbreak 200 years ago to the
more recent COVID pandemic, explaining that he wanted to show the
ways in which history can appear to repeat itself and the ways
that Thais overcome adversity. 


The two discuss the dozens of significant events in Thai history
that have shaped Bangkok, from the founding of the city through
to World War II and the Vietnam War. More recently, the film
considers the 1997 financial crisis, the various political
upheavals, up through the pandemic, during which the film was
shot. 


While it may be impossible to capture the true essence of Bangkok
in one film, "Bangkok: City of Angels" certainly is a serious
effort in that direction.


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