Meat Grinder


Meat Grinder is a 2009 Thai splatter film written and directed by Tiwa Moeithaisong, starring Mai Charoenpura in the lead role. The film revolves around a poverty stricken woman who starts a restaurant where she slaughters people and serves up human flesh, cut from her victims. The story also tackles the themes of mental illness and the mistreatment of women, with But's behavior being depicted as being part of an ongoing cycle of violence that she suffered as a child, and which she is now passing on to her own daughter.
The film was released with cuts in Thailand on 19 March 2009, with a duration of 84 minutes. The Thai version by far deviates the most from the uncensored version. This is not only due to the amount of censorship but many scenes were completely re-cut. Added to that are several strange warnings, harmless and irrelevant alternative footage, additional scene in the shorter version, changes in running-speed and even a blur effect due to censorship.
Classified as containing "strong gory violence and horror", an uncut 18 rated version was released in the United Kingdom with a duration of 102 minutes on 23 August 2010, which met with criticism. The film was also banned twice in South Korea for extremely high themes and violence, strong sex, language, horror and imitation risk. The film met with negative responses.

Plot

But is a woman who experienced severe abuse by her parents while growing up. She was often beaten and sometimes forced underwater as a child. As an adult, she takes over her family's struggling beef noodle shop after her mother steps away. She also looks after her younger sister Bua, who has a disability. On top of this, But is left with heavy debts after her husband Prawit, abandons the family to live with his mistress.
While pushing her noodle cart one day, But is caught in a violent student protest that is eventually dispersed by soldiers. During the confusion, she is helped by a young man named Atthapol. Later that night, But discovers the dead body of a student hidden inside the storage compartment of her cart. Fearing the consequences, she preserves the body with herbs and uses the flesh in her noodles. The food unexpectedly attracts more customers, causing her business to improve. Atthapol becomes a regular visitor and slowly grows close to But, often helping and looking after her.
Prawit's creditor Mogul, later arrives with a henchman to demand repayment. But invites them inside her home, kills them, and disposes of their bodies by using the remains in her cooking. Not long after, Prawit returns with his lover Aio while But is away, and the two drown Bua. When But finds her sister's body, she is overwhelmed by grief. She captures Prawit and Aio and tortures them in a hidden room until they die. When Atthapol visits, he finds But crying beside Bua's corpse and believes she has lost her sense of reality.
As her business continues to grow, But meets Aio's fiancé, who is searching for her and becomes suspicious of But's behavior. She later kills him and uses his body in her noodles as well. At the same time, But grows jealous of Atthapol's increasing closeness to a woman named Nida. Driven by jealousy, she kidnaps and tortures Nida. Nida briefly escapes but discovers a dead body while trying to flee.
But captures Nida again, nails her hands to a table, and prepares to kill her, but Atthapol arrives and stops her. But convinces herself that Atthapol never loved her and only cares for Nida, even though he genuinely has feelings for her. Distressed, she runs to a bridge as police begin to close in. Hearing her sister's voice urging her to kill Atthapol, But suffers a mental breakdown and jumps into the river. The police later suspect Atthapol of being involved in the murders. However, But survives and secretly returns home, where she finds her mother smiling while cutting up human flesh.

Cast

  • Mai Charoenpura as But
  • Anuway Niwartwong as Prawit
  • Wiradit Srimalai as Lek
  • Rattanaballang Tohssawat as Atthapol
  • Duangta Tungkamanee as But's mother
  • Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul as Nida
  • Jirachaya Jirarachakij as Bua
  • Somlek Sakdikul as Mogul
  • Atitaya Shindejanichakul as Aio

    Censorship

Meat Grinder was released in March 2009, just a few months before the ratings system came into effect in Thailand. After beef noodle shop owners and vendors protested, the movie was reportedly ordered to cut certain scenes.
The title for the Thai main release was also changed from Kuai-tiao Nuea Khon, to remove direct reference to noodles, a staple in Thai food.

Award nominations

In 2010, the film was nominated for three awards at the Thailand National Film Association Awards
  • "Best Actress" for Mai Charoenpura
  • "Best Art Direction"
  • "Best Make-up" for Siwakorn Suklankarn and Nattakarn Uthaiwan