Magic Lizard (1985)

Some people use drugs, I personally prefer watching Thai family entertaining the get the same trip. Sompote Sands Magic Lizard, the last movie he directed, is the perfect example of pure cinematic insanity. Made in the same style like his other fantasy movies, but with that extra twist of absurdity and more aimed at a younger audience. I wasn’t really prepared for the entertainment value, because the few screenshots I’ve seen has just been that damn lizard standing around doing nothing. But believe me, he do a lot. More than I would in a life time in just ninety minutes.

Our friend the Magic Lizard (voiced by the annoying little girl in our nightmares!) is skating with his friends around Bangkok (I think) some nice and happy music. Then he goes to relax under a pagoda but is soon disturbed by invading huge aliens, who look like something from Kamen Rider or Ultraman who steals his crystal! Those darn aliens! Shocked by this he goes to his friend, a Hanuman statue, who flies away to get the crystal. But now when the lizard already is out, why not some adventures?

Yeah, those adventures… it’s hard to describe them, because the whole movie is very episodic and not very concerned by a comprehensible storyline. He meets a big bloodthirsty crocodile who kills people in bloody attacks (including a very nude woman), he finds himself a nice bike to drive around with, gets chased by a train on a track not once, but twice, meets some treasure hunters who are stuck in a golden cave with some mean skeletons and a golden bull! The lizard also befriends a horde of elephants and a dirty old man played by Lor Tok (who we saw as the evil mastermind in James Band 007 the other day). A lot of chases, songs and cheap rubber monsters later we’re treated to a happy nice ending!

Yeah, what can I say? This is of course brilliant. Brilliant in a way only Sompote Sands could be brilliant. For fan so cheap monsters and rubber creatures this is heaven. No big monster wrecking havoc, but they are so bizarre, so odd and strange. One of my favourite scenes is when the poor lizard is fighting a bear, and the bear suit just looks fucked-up! Everything with the crocodile is cool to and the big mechanical rubber elephant used in a couple of scenes is awesome also! It’s easy to make fun of Magic Lizard, but why? This is packed with bizarre entertainment! Not one boring second! But my thought goes to the poor sucker inside the lizard-suit, who obviously had problem walking around in this monster of a dress! I could see at least two places were he probably just fell because he couldn’t stop it and they used in the movie because it looked fun! In one of those he’s actually riding on a galloping bull! The same bull that a moment later takes a graphic dump into the lizard’s mouth!

Magic Lizard (aka King-Ka Kayasit aka กิ้งก่า กายสิทธิ์) is out on VCD in Thailand and it’s a very good release, widescreen with a sharp and nice-looking print. Recommended for you who might have something extra to show your children or poor partner who can’t defend themselves!