Magic Lizard


Magic Lizard is a Thai comedy, fantasy, adventure, monster film directed and produced by Sompote Sands released in 1985.

Summary

Magic Lizard is a large lizard guarding the crystal under the base of the pagoda of the Temple of Dawn, and suddenly this crystal is stolen by Martians. Magic Lizard has to go to the aid of the giant guardian, while having to run to various locations throughout Thailand such as Bridge on the River Kwai and Phae Mueang Phi to escape the hunt of people who want to capture it. Magic Lizard has to experience adventures with things such as man-eating crocodiles, wild elephants with tigers, a mother and baby black bear, train runners, giant mosquitoes, and skeleton ghosts.

Production and reception

The concept of Magic Lizard came from director/producer Sompote Sands' nephew who had studied in Australia and brought a frilled lizard which is an endemic species. He saw it as cute and made it as a main character.
The film was released in Japan by NHK in the Japanese title "エリマケトカゲ一人旅". But the released in Thailand, it appears that the income is not good. Because at that time, a most of people are fond of a Hong Kong's wuxia series in the form of video tapes. As a result, the film was copied as a massively distributed video. Which is copyright infringement, but in the meantime copyright law has not yet been drafted.
After this Sompote traveled to Japan to work about Ultra Series only.
Some critics have cited this film as a cult film.