Apr–Jun 2015
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Vol. 11 Issue biblioasia01 APR–JUN 2015 02 / Op-Ed by Glen Goei 06 / Early Singapore Cinema 12 / Golden Age of Malay Film 20 / Singapore in Western Film 24 / Revival of Singapore Cinema 32 / Movie Memorabilia BiblioAsia Director’s Note Editorial & CONTENTS Vol. 11 / Issue 01 Apr–Jun 2015 Production The Asian Film Archive (AFA) was established in 2005. The National Library Board incor- Managing Editor porated the National Archives of Singapore in March 2013, followed by the AFA in January Francis Dorai 2014. The AFA serves as a repository for films from all over Asia. Many fine Asian films OPINION make their rounds on international festival circuits, winning critical acclaim and awards, Editor but are often not released commercially. Without the preservation work of the AFA, these Stephanie Pee films – which are part of our Asian heritage and identity – might be forgotten or lost forever. Editorial Support 02 The AFA celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, having come a long way from its Masamah Ahmad simple beginnings but always adhering to its mission “to save, explore and share the Art of Veronica Chee My Leap into Movies Asian Cinema”. In this issue, executive director of the AFA, Karen Chan, takes a look back at the AFA’s first 10 years, sharing its vision and the challenges it faces in film archiving. Design and Print This year, the 19th South East Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archives Association (SEAPA- Oxygen Studio Designs Pte Ltd VAA) Conference will be held in Singapore from 22 to 28 April, and is hosted by the National Contributors Library Board. We look forward to this significant meeting of representatives from film Nor Afidah Abd Rahman, archive institutions from all over Asia. Karen Chan, Glen Goei, This issue of BiblioAsia is aptly dedicated to the subject of film. Michelle Heng, Kwa Chong Guan, Gracie Lee, Raphael FEATURES Few people are aware that cinema in Singapore has had a long history, dating as Millet, Ben Slater, Bonny Tan, 06 far back as 1896. Bonny Tan traces its development from the arrival of the Magic Lan- From Tents to Picture Palaces: Thong Kay Wee, Georgina tern – the precursor of the modern cinema – to Singapore’s earliest indigenous films: Wong, Wong Han Min Early Singapore Cinema Xin Ke (1927, The Immigrant) and Leila Majnun (1934). After the lull period during the Japanese Occupation came the golden age of Malay cinema, from 1947 to 1972. This Please direct all 25-year period gave rise to more than 250 films as well as local celebrity stars like correspondence to: National Library Board 12 P. Ramlee, Jins Shamsudin, Siput Sarawak and Maria Menado (of Pontianak movie fame), 100 Victoria Street #14-01 among others. Michelle Heng and Nor Afidah Abd Rahman examine the films and studios National Library Building The Golden Age of Malay of this illustrious era. Singapore 188064 Cinema: 1947–1972 Singapore has been an alluring set location for Western filmmakers since the early Tel: +65 6332 3255 1930s. Our guest writer Ben Slater looks at movies shot in Singapore over the years and Email: [email protected] Website: www.nlb.gov.sg examines foreign perceptions of Singapore that range from the seedy and the exotic to the mysterious and futuristic. On the cover: 20 After the 1970s, local filmmaking again crawled to a standstill and remained so for Image by Oxygen Studio Spies, Virgins, Pimps and Hitmen: the next two decades. Raphaël Millet discusses the resurgence of Singapore films from Designs Pte Ltd, showing Singapore Through the Western Lens the 1990s to the present, looking through the lens of established auteurs such as Eric Khoo an old-style cinema seat chart from 1977 with ticket stubs and Jack Neo as well as newer talents like Boo Junfeng, Anthony Chen and Ken Kwek. from the since demolished Guest columnist and two-time film director Glen Goei mulls over his transition from Orchard Cinema. the stage to the screen in “My Leap into Movies”. His remake of Pontianak – an homage 24 to the golden age of Malay film in Singapore – is currently in production and slated for The Revival of Singapore Cinema: release in 2017. 1995–2014 Also preserving memories from yesteryear is Wong Han Min, a collector of film- related memorabilia. He shares items such as old ticket stubs, posters, advertisements All rights reserved. National Library Board, and other ephemera, giving us a glimpse into movie-going in the past. The older genera- Singapore, 2015. tion will remember buying cinema tickets with seat numbers scrawled in crayon; they will 32 also recall those helpful ushers without whom many would have ended up stumbling in ISSN 0219-8126 (print) ISSN 1793-9968 (online) My Movie Memorabilia the dark and taking the wrong seat. While commercial films have a successful track record in Singapore, art house mov- The views of writers and con- tributors do not reflect the views ies have often struggled to find their footing. Gracie Lee examines the challenges faced of the Publisher. No part of this by alternative films in “Culture on Celluloid”. publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without We are lucky in Singapore to have hosted many film festivals and to enjoy easy access prior written permission from the 38 to numerous films from all over the globe. More than just entertainment, films open Publisher and copyright owner(s). Culture on Celluloid: a window into different cultures and societies. Whilst reasonable care is taken Alternative Films in Singapore to ensure the accuracy of the in- Ms Tay Ai Cheng formation in this publication, the Publisher accepts no legal liabili- Deputy CEO ties whatsoever for the contents of 44 National Library Board this magazine. A Moving Journey: Film, Archiving and Curatorship NL NOTES BiblioAsia is a free quarterly publication produced by the National Library Board. It features articles on the history, culture and heritage of Singapore 50 56 61 within the larger Asian context, and has a strong focus on the collections and Searching for Singapore in From the Life Stories services of the National Library. BiblioAsia is distributed to local and international Old Maps and Sea Charts Director's Chair libraries, academic institutions, government ministries and agencies, as well as members of the public. The online edition of BiblioAsia is available at: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/Browse/ BiblioAsia.aspx 01 BIBLIOASIA APR–JUN 2015 Vol. 11 / Issue 01 / Opinion Film stills from Forever Fever (1998), starring Adrian Pang, Pierre Png, Anna Belle Francis and Medaline Tan. Courtesy of Tiger My Leap Tiger Pictures. Into Movies Theatre thespian and film director Glen Goei reflects on his transition from the stage to cinema screen. copyright fees for the use of 10 pop songs. Fortunately, it was a risk that paid off. My first film,Forever Fever, was born out I was forced to think about possible storylines about producing a film apart from that stint Harvey Weinstein from Miramax, who later of a situation of sheer desperation. It was for films. On returning to London, I set out to at NYU? My background was in theatre for picked up Forever Fever for an international 1995, and I’d been living in the UK for nearly produce a film based on Ming Cher’sSpider goodness' sake. To make matters worse, release, said it was the music that allowed m15 years. I was a 32-year-old West End ac- Boys, a gritty novel about youth gangs in 1950s the filmmaking scene in Singapore was him to connect with the film. Fortunately, tor, had won a couple of awards as theatre Singapore. Unfortunately, before filming could practically nonexistent. The now defunct screenings in international audience mar- director on the London stage, and had been take place in 1997, the project fell through China Runn Pictures, which I’d engaged to kets ensured a healthy profit forForever running an Asian theatre company called due to casting problems. Dejected but not co-produce Forever Fever, had previously Fever – its local takings would not have Mu-Lan Arts for close to five years. It was defeated, I became more determined to only shot commercials and documentaries. come close to breaking even. after our fourth production – the staging of make a film – no matter what the odds were. What was I thinking? Eleven years later, when I made my Three Japanese Women at London’s Soho The problem was I didn’t have a script. I didn't know of any production company second film The Blue Mansion, I wasn’t as Theatre – that reality sunk in: the audi- I locked myself in my basement with a book that worked solely in film. In desperation, fortunate. I blew the budget and despite ence numbers were not increasing and the on screenwriting and forced myself to write, I roped in friends for help, like actress Tan good reviews, the murder-mystery thriller company’s finances were dwindling. I grew never having written anything beyond aca- Kheng Hua, who became my casting director. set in Penang turned out to be a financial despondent. Despite receiving awards and demic essays at university. Miraculously, by There wasn’t a large pool of talent around and disaster at the box office. I lost all the money great reviews from the British media, there the end of the month, I’d written the first she hired many fresh faces that audiences I had made on Forever Fever. Once again, just wasn’t sufficient demand for theatre with draft: I had in my hands the makings of the today have become familiar with. I found it hard to find a producer who could actors of Asian descent (or Orientals, as less filmForever Fever.