''Crocodile Man'' (''Kropeu Charavan'' in Khmer, also known as ''Kraithong Krapeu Chalawon'' in Thai or ''A Water Warrior and a Crocodile Man'') is a widely acclaimed

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apo ...

released in 1972 by Hui Keung. It starred Khmer actress

Dy Saveth Dy Saveth ( km, ឌី សាវ៉េត, Romanization of Khmer#UNGEGN, UNGEGN: ; born 1944) is a Cambodian actress and first Miss Cambodia (1959) often referred to as the "actress of tears". She is "one of the most beloved actresses from the ...

and singer

Pen Ran Pen Ran ( km, ប៉ែន រ៉ន, ), (c. 1944 – c. 1979) also commonly known as Pan Ron in some Romanized sources intended for English-speaking audiences, was a Cambodian singer and songwriter who was at the height of her popularity in the ...

, two iconic figures of Cambodian culture of the time. It was released in Thailand and Hong Kong along with another 1972 Khmer film, ''

The Snake King's Wife ''The Snake Man'', also known as ''The Snake King's Wife'' ( km, ពស់កេងកង, ''Pós Kéngkâng''; th, งูเก็งกอง, ) is a 1970 Cambodian drama horror film based on a Cambodian myth about a snake goddess, starring th ...

'', which brought back a successful grossing. It has become one of the more enduring creations from the nation's pre-

communist Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...

era and copies are still sold today with English and Chinese subtitles.

Plot

The story is based on the Thai folk lore, "Legend of Kraithong." The relationship of two students who were taught by the same teacher (Ta Esey) for fighting lessons were suddenly split by the fact that each accused the other of being a murderer. Charavann, one of the students who could turn into a crocodile, went under water where he was taught by a water hermit and married two beautiful crocodile girls. He went back to the land in order to seek revenge on Kraitoung, the other student, for killing a woman. One day he took a beautiful daughter of a millionaire, Sompiov Meas, underwater with him, instead of marrying her. However, his two wives refused and put a spell on Sampov Meas. To save Sampov Meas with the intent of marrying her, Kraitoung went underwater to rescue her after many warriors were killed attempting to save the millionaire's daughter. He killed Charavan and his wives for their cruel actions and saved Sampov Meas safely. For his prize, finally, Kraitoung married Sampov Meas, also her sister, Sampov Keav, and lived happily ever after.

References

External links

* 1970 films Khmer-language films 1972 horror films Natural horror films Cambodian horror films 1972 films Films about crocodilians {{1970s-horror-film-stub