
Sompote Sands
Directing
Biography
The founder of the Thai film production company, Chaiyo Productions, Sompote Saengduenchai (สมโพธิ แสงเดือนฉาย), better known as Sompote Sands (May 24, 1941 - August 25, 2021), was a Thai film director, producer, and special effects artist. He was best known for co-directing and producing two Japanese-Thai co-productions, "Jumborg Ace & Giant" (1974) and "Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen" (1974), as well as other science fiction, fantasy, and horror films including "Hanuman and the Five Riders" (1975), the cult classic "Crocodile" (1980), "Phra Rod Meree" (1981), "Space Warriors 2000" (1985), and the children's film "Magic Lizard" (1985). Beginning in 1996, he was a major part of the licensing rights dispute between Chaiyo Productions and Tsuburaya Productions, the original Japanese studio behind Ultraman, claiming to have co-ownership of the series outside of Japan. On August 25, 2021, Sands passed away from cancer at the age of 80.
Known For

The advertising director of Pacific Pharmaceuticals, frustrated with the low ratings of their sponsored TV program, seeks a more sensationalist approach. He orders his staff to Faro Island to capture King Kong for exploitation. As Godzilla re-emerges, a media frenzy generates with Pacific looking to capitalize off of the ultimate battle.
King Kong vs. Godzilla

When an underhanded pharmaceutical company goes to a remote tropical island to steal King Kong for advertising purposes, they get more than they bargained for when the gigantic ape attacks an unsuspecting village and an enormous octopus.
King Kong vs. Godzilla

After a valiant Thai boy is brutally murdered by a gang of archeological looters, his soul is joined with the Hindu god Hanuman, who teams up with Ultraman and his brethren against familiar Ultra-foes unleashed by a weather control experiment gone awry, in this influential Thai-Japanese co-production.
Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen

With an unquenchable thirst for the blood of virgin women, the wicked King Dark enslaves the brilliant Thai scientist Dr. Wisut to create an army of monsters to put an end to the chivalrous efforts of the cyborg warrior Kamen Riders. When their efforts fail, can the Hindu god Hanuman help? Semi-official Thai/Japan co-production between Chaiyo and Toei. Toei allowed the usage of the Five Riders vs. King Dark film while Chaiyo forgot to license the characters out (Source: Dubbing Wiki).
Hanuman and the Five Kamen Riders

A child finds a magic statue in a cave. This is a Thai idol that protects the world from an invasion by extraterrestrial giants. Edited from the Tsuburaya-Chaiyo co-production Jumborg Ace & Giant (1974), combining the special effects footage with newly shot drama scenes featuring a Taiwanese cast to create a loose adaptation of the original story that jettisons the connections to Tah Tien (1973) and Jumborg Ace (1973).
Mars Men

When the aliens steal the Suriyatras diamond and combine it with the power of the sun to make a beam that can destroy the Earth. A robot and an ancient god must join forces to fight the alien invaders to get the diamond back. This film was the first collaboration between Tsuburaya Productions of Japan and Chaiyo Productions of Thailand. Based on the final episode of the Jumborg Ace TV series
Jumborg Ace and Giant

A giant crocodile is killing and frightening people living nearby rivers. Two men, whose wives and daughter have been killed by the crocodile, decide to chase and eliminate it.
Crocodile

A truck driver arrives in Seoul to receive his dead sister's ashes. While there, he discovers the death may not have been an accident after all, and has something to do with international drug smuggling.
Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok Drug Triangle

A giant crocodile is terrorizing Thai villagers. A group of adventurers set out by boat to track it down and kill it. The Korean cut is lost, however, every other export release/recut survives.
Crocodile Fangs

Witch Monica has the power to resurrect vampire that can destroy everything that exists on earth. The situation worsens when Monica starts working with Cooper, the master of the seas. Cooper sends man-eating crocodiles also capable of taking human form to create chaos. Only Jack, an honest man, can end the horrific killings. This Tomas Tang production steals a bunch of footage from the Thai film Krai Thong 2 (1985).
Crocodile Fury
A group of Japanese scientists goes to a small isolated village in the Thai mountains. A legend tells that the place is cursed, but also that a mysterious jewel would have been placed a long time ago in a sanctuary. After a long expedition, they finally discover a temple, located not far from a huge waterfall ... from which emerges a gigantic crocodile, the guardian of the treasure.
Shin Killer Crocodile: Akai kiba

A story about a man that can transform from human to crocodile and has magical powers that make people adore him.
Crocodile Therakwad

The Special Edition edit of the Thai and Japanese Coproduction Jumborg Ace and Giant from 2001. This edit removes the comedy scenes from the 1974 film and substitutes the comedy with footage from the Jumborg Ace TV show. This version of the film is redubbed.
Jumborg Ace and Giant (2001 Special Edition)

Garuda came down from his celestial residence to gamble with an ancient king in a dice game. Garuda saw the beautiful Ka Kee, the king's wife, and kidnapped her. The king's musician helped her to escape by also seducing her. The king took offence at Ka Kee's unfaithfulness, for she had slept with three men. He punished her by banishing her to a raft that floated to the middle of the ocean, sure that she would not survive her ordeal.
Ka Kee

A re-cut of the movie Hanuman and the 5 Kamen Riders spliced together with new Thai footage to create a meta "movie within a movie" narrative.
Monster with a Movie Camera

"In the hands of a small boy of pure heart, a space warrior doll magically comes to life and flies to join other warriors of the Galaxy Council. In outer space they battle hideous alien monsters who are bent on destroying the planet Earth." - Cinema Shares Trade Description. An English re-edit of "Hanuman and the Eleven Ultramen" (หนุมาน พบ 11 ยอดมนุษย์, 1984). Hanuman and the Eleven Ultramen is a reissue of Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen (1974) that uses footage from "ULTRAMAN ZOFFY" (1984)
Space Warriors 2000

A reissue of the film "Hanuman and the Seven Ultramen" but with a condensed version of the 1984 film "Ultraman Zoffy" as the first half of the film. The Seven Ultramen portion in the second half is a shortened version of the original film which removes several characters. The film would be further re-edited in the U.S. as "Space Warriors 2000".
Hanuman and the Eleven Ultramen

A giant crocodile wanders around a Thai village and devours its residents.
Legend of the Crocodile

"The film itself was adapted from a classical Thai art form of drama called "Khon"which means Masked drama, considered by Thais as the most highly dramatic art form and certainly, representing a part of Thai Thai culture. However, the action in the film was sped up and faster than the original "khon" on the stage, including the content of the story. The modern special effect techniques were used to create the miracle and magic performed by each side of the warriors in the story. The story tells about the battle between the great King Rama and Demon Kumpakan, younger brother of Tosakan, the demon king, Rama's army of monkeys are shown fighting valiantly against Kumpakan's Demons. This is the very first time that the elegance and brilliance of "Ramakien" has been converted into a fascinating film by a professional group of Thai film producers." - Poster Text
The Noble War

After an opening sequence in which we watch Magic Lizard roller-skating around the city to the accompaniment of 80s dance music, recycled footage from the earlier Giant and Jumbo A shows us some space aliens landing in a pink flying saucer. One of the aliens steals into a cave beneath a temple where the hapless but lovable Magic Lizard appears to be responsible for guarding some kind of treasure. After threatening Magic Lizard with a light saber, the alien makes off with a crystal of some sort, after which Magic Lizard starts with the high-pitched nattering and spazzing out that will characterize his behavior for the rest of the film. He runs to Yuk Wud Jaeng, the demon-like living statue previously featured in both Giant and Jumbo A and Tah Tien and pleads for his help. Yuk Wud Jaeng takes off into the heavens, not to be seen again for some time.