Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah is a horror comedy genre of film which directed by Mamat Khalid. He is one of the Malaysian famous screenwriter and film director of Malay film industries. He is very passionate in making film even though his interest didn't resonate well with his father. This is Mamat Khalid second film production for this horror genre movie after the <Zombi Kampung Pisang> movie.
From the director point of view, he mentioned that this is movie is not just about comedy film genre, it contains a lot of hidden message and meaning in the movie. One of the purpose for Khalid to direct this story is because he wants to point out that even we are living in a modernize era yet we still believe the supernatural stuff that happen around us. Besides, he also wanted to show the underlying message within the story where we are living in a multicultural country when we live peacefully and tolerance with each others cultures. For an example, they have invited different kind witch, master or warlock with different belief and religious for exorcism activity in the movie.
Besides that, the director is pointed out a hidden message with the movie which related to political issue. "Kita kena ketengahkan pemimpin muda bagi menggantikan pemimpin tua" means that "we have to change the old leader to replace the young leaders", these messages reflect the issue that the old leaders nowadays are not inefficient enough and people is not satisfy to their government, they want to change the leader; they want a new lead for the country.
So this movie is hilarious and the content is not just a empty messages within. It contains a lot hidden messages and hint for the people to think. I think this is what Mamat Khalid as a director, as he wants audiences to learn or think something after watching his film, not just enjoying the entertainment.
P1 Malaysia Showcase is a platform for Malaysia independent filmmakers to create their creative idea which related and recognized in the country. It is a project with collaboration between P1 and 15 of Malaysia's most talented independent filmmakers.
I have watched one of the video before since I was still in secondary school which is <potong saga> by Ho Yuhang. I noticed the P1 Malaysia Showcase sign during that time but I have no idea what it is, until this semester, I able to watch the rest and understand more on this project. Thanks to the syllabus of this MMC subject.
We have watched 3 of the P1 Malaysia Showcase video which are <Duit Kecil>, <Lolipop> and <Meter>.
From these 3 videos, the one that I have most feeling toward it is <Meter> by Lim Benji. This is because it has reflected a lot of issues that happened around our country in the aspect of politic, society, development of Malaysia and more. They discuss a lot of topic within the video which include our national football team, our national language, party hopping issues and lastly with the topic of "what is malaysia?". Firstly, the taxi driver mentioned that English is the most important language in Malaysia, my opinion towards this statement, yes, it is important. I love the way how he describe how important it is when he said "when we work in Nasa we can't just say [huston, kami ada masalah] right?". Yes, Malay is our national language and we have to practice it because we are part of the motherland. But it doesn't means we have to practice it in every aspect of our life. I have to say it because this is reality, we are not just living by ourselves; we are connected whole around the world and we need English language because it is the only communication tools to the others. So, as a Malaysian, we have to accept this reality and truth that English is much more important and I don't really encourage and support the position that government changes the syllabus of the government school subject into Malay language. This is because when the students wanted to proceed their further studies in University or Oversea study, they don't even have to basic knowledge or basic term of the particular subject in English. For an example, we learn some biological term like "cell" as the English term and "sel" as the Malay term. The students need to learn these term during their secondary school syllabus, so is better for the students to learn since they started to learn these term, is easier for them to proceed their studies in future. Do government expect the students to re-exercise all the term in English if they have learn it in Malay language in secondary education? Besides from these, I have heard some rumor from my parents or eldest which their perception toward the government control the knowledge or language learning of the people, this might because they don't want the people to be so clever and good critical thinking, so that the government can control the majority people in the country. This statement is not verify the truth, yet we still can take it as a hypothesis from the other perception toward this issue.
The next video that I wanted to discuss is <Lolipop> by Nam Ron>. From the video, at first we thought that it is just a video to reflect the issue of sexual assault in the current society. But after a discussion with my group mate, we create our own interpretation toward the content and cinematography of the video. I believe that the hidden message within the video is related to the legal loophole. When the boy being sexual assaulted by his father, he started to become mentally disorder and unstable mind condition. Then the scene shows the video that one of the government officials success in appeal against the high court's decision. I believe in this scene shows that the injustice law played by the rich or high status people which they able to run away from any law action even they have done something wrong. This made him wanted to conduct any crime activities because he doesn't care or scare about this injustice law system in our country which the people play with the legal loophole. So he started to take out his unsatisfactory feeling by harm the another victim.
In the video <Duit Kecil>, it is the easiest interpretation can be found in the video. Firstly, it is actually reflecting the economic issues happen in Malaysia which the prostitute started to complain they can't afford this that and even our daily usage in Malaysia is more expensive than Singapore the top country in South East Asia. Besides, I do actually reflect the story of this video into the story of government probes the public where as the man is the government and the prostitute is the public. Firstly, the man probes the prostitute is like government looking for their supporter to support them. Then after the underground business done, it reflects the election for the government has done. During the discussion between the prostitute and man is like reflecting the issue that the public ask and complain about the problem of the society to the government. But still, the man does not has any action toward them yet he just want to get back his small change, this is like reflecting the government does not care what the public want but they just want to get back their benefit. Lastly, when the man ask for next service from the girl is like the government ask for the people to vote them, but of course, the girl is not satisfy his action which also reflect how the people react to the inefficient government.
These are my interpretation of these video's hidden message, it might be wrong, it might be right, but it is a abstract perception of my personal experience in watching this video. I hope everyone can leave the comment if you have any other perception toward these videos.
Tiga Abdul is a comedy film directed by and starring by P. Ramlee which also call as Malaysian silver screen icon. This movie is produced during 1964 and is one of the famous musical drama genre film in Malaysia film industry. The story of the movie is starring by 3 characters which are P. Ramlee as Abdul Wahub, Haji Mahadi as Abdul Wahab, S. Kadarisman as Abdul Wahib with the arrangement of youngest son, eldest son follow by middle son. There is antagonist character which is Sadiq Segaraga starring by Ahmand Nisfu. So this movie is about 3 brothers who are trapped into trickery set by Sadiq Segaraga who uses his 3 daughters to fleece their wealth. But not to Abdul Wahub, the youngest son, he is smart and he dreamed of his dead father who ask him to save his both brothers who trapped by Segaraga. He uses the same trick the Segaraga did to his brother and successfully revenge and save his brothers.
Although this a monochrome color movie, but it is the one of the best musical drama movie i ever watched. I admit that firstly i was sleepy when i watch the movie, maybe because i can't really listen to voice in the screening room and the subtitle was hard to see, but the second time I watched it by using my earphone and I can listen clearly what they said in the movie, I was totally attracted to it and I could not take my eyes off the screen.
Firstly, the musics in the movie were nice. Thanks to the mighty P. Ramlee as the composer of the musics. I like his unique music style, as you can listen it is actually more to the western style rather than traditional Malay style. This might shows that they have been influenced by western cultures in that era. I can't deny that P. Ramlee was a very successful songwriter, composer and singer. Especially the song <bunyi guitar> in the scene of Abdul Wahub's music shop. The rhythm of this music is so upbeat, relax and attractive tempo which attract my attention to the music. Besides, as you can listen to the music, you can recognize the style, genre and tempo are likely to western music cultures.
Next, I feel that the story-flow of the movie is quite draggy. Some of the parts do not have to be so long because it might makes the audiences feel bored. For an example, during the part when Orphan School was singing on the street to ask for charity aids for the orphan kid for school and home. But the scene was too draggy and I am like started to guess what will happen next rather than enjoy the music or understand the music. Because that particular scene was one of climax of the movie that Wahub revenges and fools the Segaraga. We will started to guess whether Wahub will donate the Segaraga's shop to them for charity. So I think there is no necessarily for scene to drag so long.
But actually, there is a lot of hidden messages in the 3 Abdul movie which reflect the political issues happened in that particular era. One of the obvious reflection of the story and the political issues is the relationship between Tunku Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak Hussein with British government. As you can see, the Abdul Wahab and Abdul Wahib are reflecting our leaders in that era which was Abdul Rahman and Abdul Razak. The issue that the movie reflecting was about the Malaysia's economy. Even though Malaysia is a independent country, yet our main sources of our Malaysia income such as estate, rubber plantation, oil palm plantation, tin are still belong to British people. Why is Malaysia does not fight for the ownership of this sources for the our people? This is because they have sign a agreement with the British yet they don't know the British already had a step ahead from them. This incidents is like the story of this movie when Abdul Wahab and Abdul Wahib sign the agreement with Segaraga without thinking further and understand the consequences. Besides, there is also a script which reflecting the democracy issue happened in Malaysia. For an example, “kita bahagi harta ini secara demokrasi…. Kanda serahkan semua harta kepada adinda. Inilah demokrasi.” [ We split it in democratic way, you give me all the wealth to me, this is democracy. ] “Demokrasi apa?” [ What kind of democracy is this? ] “Demokirasi terpimpin…” [ Leader Democracy ] ” Demokrasi terpimpin kepala hotak kau!” This conversation also reflect the democracy issue happened in Malaysia where we actually live in a democracy country that has no freedom in it.
Lastly, the movie is actually quite nice. Since it is shot by using a film tape and monochrome color movie, there's sure a lot of mistake can be found within it. But if compare to the movie during the era, I can say that it is one of the best movie in that time. This is my first time watching P. Ramlee's movie and I hope there will be more to come.
On 2nd of March 2016, I have watched one of the best Malaysian movie in the past which is <Perempuan, isteri dan ...> directed by U-Wei Haji Saari. Actually the tittle of this movie is Perempuan, isteri dan jalang, but because of the word "jalang" which is means "hoe" so the FINAS decided to censor it into "...". This movie has won the best movie and 5 awards in 11st Malaysia Film Festival.
For my opinion, I think this movie is the best Malaysian movie during the 90's. The casting was great and the story flow was truly interesting. The main character of this movie is Zaleha which is acted by Sofia Jane and Amir which is acted by Nasir Bilal Khan. Their acting skills were very attractive and emotional. Even though is not good enough compare to current generation but it was really good during the era. The way they act in the movie had totally provide a hook to the audiences, so that the audiences were attracted and wanted to know what will happen next. So I think the actors or actress in this had movie successfully construct the emotion flow of the story with the audiences.
Next, I found it interesting with the storyline of the movie because I think they have reflect the reality or realistic of the issues that would happened in the society. Even the story is quite sensitive toward the Islamic or any religious belief people, yet they still showed the realistic of the society is. Besides, it is hard to find any sensitive content in the Malaysia Film industry nowadays because the content is getting censored and control by the FINAS for the public good. Other than this, the movie also reflects the patriarchy society in the story which males hold the primary power and the authority over women and children while females have to listen what the males said. In the movie shows that the women are not allow to simply go anywhere they want yet they still need to prepare the dinner before their husbands had back home, or they will get scolded by their husbands. The women only allow to do what a mother or wife should do.
