MIDNITE HOUR - 01 December 2022

Mid-1965 the broadsheet Bangkok World newspaper began regularly publishing a 'nightlife column' on their fledgling Entertainment page. Before that, their entertainment reportage was hit-and-miss. It was not coincidence that Bernard Trink had just been hired as 'Entertainment Editor'. While his hand was immediately evident in his movie reviews (his byline), and his restaurant reviews (by his alter-ego 'Friar Tuck'), the specific timeline regarding his immersion into the then-diminutive (and un-attributed), Nite Owl column is not as clear. But what is clear is Bernard had fully taken the reins by early 1966 - at which time the column grew in size, starting with a 'think-piece' (his words), followed by an entirely different writing style, and signed off for the first time with the now-well-known tagline, "But I don't give a hoot !!".

At some point, or period, in the mid-to-late '60's, somewhere in the crucible that was the Bangkok World, Bernard Trink honed his craft to match exactly the mood and excitement of the then-explo

ding Bangkok Night Entertainment Scene. In the ensuing decades, the city became the Night Entertainment Capitol of Planet Earth. And, unsurprisingly, the Nite Owl column became the go-to Nightlife source - to include the column being regularly clipped and snail-mailed to the four corners of the planet by visiting tourists.

All those who have since ventured into reporting on the Night Scene, be it in hard copy or electronically, owe obeisance to Bernard Trink - the trailblazer, the Godfather of Nightlife Reportage. Below, for the benefit of the history buffs among you, we explore two of Bernard's seminal columns.

Traces of Bangkok's Early Years

START A NIGHT OUT AT THE MOVIES - A NIGHT OUT AT THE MOVIES - START

Part 1

END - A NIGHT OUT AT THE MOVIES - A NIGHT OUT AT THE MOVIES - END

Our long-term goal is to create an historical record, an holistic view, of Bangkok's Night Entertainment Scene. The effects of the 2nd World War were slow to wear off in Thailand, and the quick-fix for Night Entertainment was the Cinema, where there was a readily available (and inexpensive) source of films dating from pre-WWII through to 1945, mostly from America. We see many of the famous movie stars of the past - often in films no one has ever heard of again... playing in theaters long since gone from the Bangkok scene...

      Moontide (1942) had unseen directorial input from Fritz Lang.   That, along with the exemplary performance of Ida Lupino, saved this murder-mystery film from complete oblivion.
June 1947

      The film Wonder Man (1945) was a fantasy-comedy-musical about a murdered nightclub owner coming back as a ghost to exact justice.   The film garnered an Oscar for Special Effects.   A peculiar credit scrolled through at the film's end : "This Is Overseas Program no. 913 TO FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF SERVICEMEN AND WOMEN : Pictures exhibited in this theatre are given to the armed forces for showing in combat areas around the world.   WAR ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE MOTION PICTURE INDUSTRY".

June 1947

      The highly acclaimed original Fantasia (1940) was a collection of interpretative animations of Western classical music.   It took home two Oscars : Leopold Stokowski (Unique Achievement) and an "Honorary" to Walt Disney himself.   The film had exactly no credits, before or after, and displayed only "The End".

June 1947

      A 1943 film, The Dancing Masters is typical Laurel & Hardy slapstick.   If you are having trouble reading the above poster, it was meant to read : "THEY'RE HULA-HAPPY!   THEY'RE CONGA-CUCKOO!   THEY'RE RHUMBA-RIOTOUS!"   Of historical interest, young Robert Mitchum has a bit part (uncredited) as a shady insurance salesman.

June 1947

      Can't Stop Singing (1944) was an unremarkable 'feel-good' musical Western.   Ad posters touted "Deanna Durbin in her first Technicolor Triumph" - it was also her last...

June 1947

      It would have been difficult to make an unpopular 'Western' in 1945, and even more difficult to make an unpopular one starring Errol Flynn, who was at the height of his screen popularity.

         Some 'San Antonio' dialogue that slipped past the prudish censors of the day:
      Clay Hardin: [about the dance] "Took me years to pick up."
      Jeanne Starr: "It must have been the only thing that took you that long."
      Clay Hardin: "Well, we don't get pretty girls like you down here often.   Guess that's why we have to pay for it."

June 1947

      Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man (1943) was one of a long series of 'Frankenstein Meets..' follow-ons, culminating in Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein, which might have been the most entertaining of them all.   But the 1943 Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man starred both Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney Jr. - what more could a horror movie fan ask for?

June 1947

      Anchors Aweigh (1945) was a musical starring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly.   In the film Kelly does a now-famous dance number with a cartoon mouse (Jerry Mouse) whose 'reflection' on the shiny dance floor had to be hastily added in post production (by Hanna-Barbera) to match Kelly's.   Great shades of the future Who Framed Roger Rabbit.   Anchors Aweigh won an Oscar for "Best Music - Scoring of a Musical Picture".

June 1947