Film Journal- Kaki Bakar & Jogho

Synopsis of Kaki Bakar

Kaki Bakar's story line is about the Javanese heritage. The main actor Kakang, he is trying to bring up his children at Malaysia. Kakang is from the middle class family which he has a house and a truck but still working hard for his family. Kakang still ensure his children to hold on their own tradition and beliefs. His family will pray to the god everyday at night.

Kakang feels unfair and angry towards the subsidy taxes that have to pay during that time. The social inequalities shows when the rich man asked Kakang to wash the carpet but did not tells Kakang how to wash it. After Kakang washed it and the rich man said Kakang spoiled the carpet and wants Kakang to pay him back RM400 for the carpet.

Synopsis of Jogho

Mamat is the trainer of bullfighting in Thailand, while Jogho is the term for the bullfighting trainer. Jogho story line is about the Kelantan-nese who living in Thailand. The film begins with the murder of Lazim and a bull. Mamat feels very sad and angry with the murder of Lazim.

Mamat has a wife, three daughter and a son. He is from the middle class family which the money that he earned only enough for the family expenses. During that time, bullfighting is very popular and this is the way Mamat earns money. Mamat's wife Minah did not agree Mamat to take part in the bullfighting because she feels that is unrealistic and torturing to the animals.

Review

The part that I like from Jogho is Mamat pay respect to his family members. Although he decided on something but he will still discuss with his wife, and he will try his best to persuade his wife to support him. His wife will oppose his decision but lastly she still will support her husband. I like the tolerant between husband and wife.

The part that I dislike from Kaki Bakar is the attitude and behavior of Kakang towards his youngest son Kusuma. Kakang always will beat his youngest son. This is because Kusuma feels the action that his father did is not correct, but Kakang think that Kusuma did not behave like the Javanese. So, Kusuma always get beaten by his father. Kakang also did not discuss with his family members on his decision. He will do what he have decided and his wife and family members are worried on him.

In both U-Wei Haji Saari's films which are Kaki Bakar and Jogho that I have watched, the author had used the similar theme and style in the both films. In authorship, this would be define as the authorship by signature. U-Wei Haji Saari had used the repetition on production styles and themes.

The themes of Kaki Bakar and Jogho are surrounding in the loyalty, family, religion, cultural and tradition. In Kaki Bakar and Jogho have show the loyalty of son towards their father. Kusuma always get beaten by his father but he still did not leave his father and still trying to help his father as much as he can. The relationship between Mamat and Jusoh are very deep, Mamat will purposely pay visit to Jusoh at Kelantan and Jusoh also very respect his father. I would think that the themes have played an important role in the both film. The themes will be the main key of the author to present his idea in the film. Without the similar themes there are no author theory occur in the film. Both films also shows how the actors adapt in that situation. For example, Kakang and family are Javanese but they have to adapt Malaysia situation and Mamat and family are Kelantan-nese and they living at Thailand.

Other than similar theme, the similar author's style also the key point in authorship. The style that similar is all focusing on the Malay society. The Malay society that been focused is not the society in the big city while both of them are came from the rural area society. Author also tend to focus on the middle class family, because middle class family have a lot of thinking towards their lifestyle. For example, they will always think of how to earn more money to make their life become better and they also think how to deal with the rich ones.

Besides the author's style, the production style also could shape the authorship in the film. The similar production style of U-Wei Haji Saari will be the dolly tracking shot. In the both films, dolly tracking shots have repeated many times. The dolly tracking shot always will follow the first character and lead to the second character or revealing the new scenes. I am impressed with the dolly tracking shot because it actually will grab audiences curiosity on what will be going on next.

In conclusion, the author can be seen to negotiate with personal projects within the structural constraints and enablements of the film production process and enact agency through personal reflexive deliberation and thematic style. (McMerrin, 2007) I could understand the authorship is form by a lot of elements as what the author prefer to include in the film.

References

McMerrin, M. (2007). Agency in Adaptation, M/C Journal, 10(2). Retrieved December 1, 2011, from http://journal.media-culture.org.au/0705/03-mcmerrin.php

By Tay Jia Wen (0901625)

Film Journal- Abang

Synopsis

The story line of Abang is referring to the relationship between family. Fuad is the eldest son and following with Faizal, Farid and Dila in Datuk Din's family. Fuad has leaving away from the family for 10 years. One day, Datuk Din received a telegram from London, saying that Fuad will be coming back to Malaysia soon. Datuk Din, Faizal and Farid are unhappy after knowing that Fuad is coming back soon.

10 years ago, Mona is Fuad's ex-lover. After Fuad leaves, she has married to Fuad's brother, Faizal. Mona starts to worry after she knows that Fuad is coming back from London. When Fuad return to Malaysia, he starts to work in his father's company. Then, Fuad has did a lot of things for his family. He has educate his brother and stop Farid from doing action of breaking the law.

Fuad has asks Mona to forgive him because of leaving her alone 10 years ago. He feels sorry to Mona because he still loves her but he has no ability to take care of her anymore. In addition, Fuad also transferred all his assets to Mona. Fuad knows that he has no much time left because of his sickness. He trying to complete all the tasks that he wish to do before he left the world.

Review

The part that I like from the film is Faud showing his love towards his family, loved ones, and people who around him. Faud is trying to giving out his help to everyone who is around him. This also shows that, Faud is trying to do everything that he could before he leaving from the world. He did not tells his family members about his is ill because he did not want his family to worry and feel sad for him. Faud left Malaysia for 10 years to get leukemia treatment at London, but when he knows that the treatment is not longer effective for him, he decided to come back to his home.

The clothing and setting also the part that I impressed a lot. Without watching this film, I would not know that actually the modernity of Malays culture in Malaysia. The pre-islamic culture was still emphasized in this film. Clothing of every actors in the film are more on western culture. There are some Baju Kebaya, Sarung, Songkok are still wearing by some actors who did not get influence by the Western culture. The setting like the office and Datuk Din's house are also following the Western culture. For example, crystal light on top of Datuk Din's living room.

The part that I dislike is Mona's acting. I would say that her acting is too over and draggy. From the viewers' perception, I will feel bored and distract by Mona's crying scenes because she has chosen Faizal to become her husband but she still could not forget about Faud. Mona is the important role in the film, but her scenes are always crying and did not shows the important of Mona to Faud. This is because Faud still could playing around at the village without thinking of Mona.

In Abang film by Rahim Razali, the concept is regarding on the hybridity of Malaysian during that time. Hybridity is means the idea, concept or themes of ones are being learn, adapt and practice by the other ones. The hybridity that we could found in this film were the culture, language, clothing and more. Viewers could know Abang is also reflecting the upper class level of Malays in Malaysia through Datuk Din's family. They owned big house, cars, office, business and so on. The most important thing is all the children have been sent to overseas for better education.

The hybrid language also occurred in this film, because all the actors are trying to use English words like I, Hello, and Bye in the conversation. Due to during that time, many Malaysians were being sent to overseas for better education and they already adapted the foreign culture. Then, they already used to it and cause them to speak in mixed language between Malay and English language. I would say this also symbolized their status in the society, because this represent they have the ability to study at overseas as well while not everyone could afford for it.

Although the culture and language are being influence by foreign culture, but the only believe that did not get influence is religious. Malays in Malaysia are still holding the Islam religion. In Abang film, viewer could know that Fuad is believing strongly in Islam, and he even used the religion to educate Farid to ensure Farid did not forget his root. When Fuad went back to his village, he also went to mosque to pray with all the other prayers and donate money to the community. Foreign cultural elements which do not contradict with the cores value of Islam culture are encouraged to be accomodated. (Siti Zanariah, 2011) Malays still following their cores value of Islam and did not get influence by foreign culture or religious.

Lastly, the director Rahim Razali had also used the multiracial actors in the film. Viewer could get to see Chinese actors acting as audiences in the film when Dila is singing on the stage. Multiracial society is the uniqueness of Malaysia culture and with multiracial. People from different races are trying to adapt each other culture, in order to live peacefully in the same country. Malaysians actually have used to multiracial people living in around each other.

References

Siti Zanariah, A. I. (2011). Culture Hybridity: Adapting and Filtering Popular Culture In Malaysian Television Programmes, 13(1), 1-14.

Film Journal- Selubung

Synopsis

The story line of Selubung is regarding on the year of 1969. Mastura and E.J., the both best friend are studying abroad at Perth, Australia. Unfortunately, E.J. has choose the different path from Mastura which she choose to follow Brother Musa and stop her studies. Mastura feels sad because of E.J.'s decision, but Mas still support E.J.'s decision. After Mas graduated, she is helping RESCAID to work as a volunteer while she also working in TCT company.

Kamal is Mas's manager and trying his best to help Mas in RESCAID work. Then, both Kamal and Mas fall in love to each other and the development of their relationship starts. There are a lot of problems facing by RESCAID and Mas get hurt by an explosion at RESCAID office lift. Mas get hurt badly and become comma. Kamal feels sad and always accompany beside Mas until she wakes up.

Analyze of the film

In this film, viewers could obviously know that Shuhaimi Baba's is focusing and reveal on the real society situation during 1969. During 1970's, Islamic revivalism occurred in Malaysia due to Islam is the official religion in Malaysia. Government is promoting Islam as the main religious during that time. Although, base on the 1957 Constitution of Independence, Islam is the religion of Federal Constitution and Sultans will be the head of religion in their own states. (Yousif, 1998)

During that time, National Cultural Policy (1971-1990) have provide Malays to studying abroad because "most of the Malays were on government scholarship. The large number of Malaysians studying abroad which shows that Malaysia was investing more per student in overseas institutions than in local university." (Sivalingam, 2006) So, the second scenes of the film was the setting at Perth, Australia where Mas and friends are studying at there.

This shows that after the Malaysia Independence, there are Islam or Muslim followers in the country. From the first scene, viewers could know that the Malay children are all wearing Baju Kurung, Baju Melayu and Songkok. Through their dressing, this shows the post-islamic culture of the people in the kampung. In the film, there are few only scenes that showing Mas is wearing Baju Kurung and Tudung when she located at mosque and kampung. This shows that she is believing in Islam and showing the respect to the religion. Due to she has studied abroad in Western country, she still behaving the modernity of feminism.

In Shuhaimi Baba's film has focus in second portrayal of femininity. The second portrayal different from the first portrayal of femininity is there are no sexuality desires portray on the female character in the film. The second portrayal still portray female as the modernity, independent and high educated. For example, in Selubung, Mas is being portrayed as the modernity female which through her dressing, standing, studing in Australia, important role in the company which could having meeting together with all the males and leader of RESCAID.

Although from a lot of aspects showing that Mas is a strong women, but she still needs love from man. Masculinity also plays an important role in the film because no matter how strong is the female, at the end she still needs real love. This is also one of the purpose of second portrayal of femininity which Shuhaimi Baba wanted to simplify the femininity status from the first portrayal which could engage to all the viewers with no offence.

In the film, E.J. is Mas's best friend, but she was being portrayed the totally opposite personality from Mas. The first scene E.J. appeared on the screen still showing she is modernity through her dressing and hairstyle in the dark room when they are watching the television. After that, E.J. always wearing Baju Kurung and Tudung on the second scene when she wanted to go to listen to Brother Musa's talk. She was attracted by Brother Musa and this showing that E.J. also fulfill the second portrayal of femininity. It represents that the full of modernity female will be dependent to the male when she get attracted by him.

The relationship of E.J. and Brother Musa also involved the local and global tensions in Islam religion. Shuhaimi Baba reveal the film's strong proclivity towards secularism while showcasing the example of dakwah. In the past, dakwah movement grew in university or colleges during early 1970s. (Khoo, 2006) This would be a sensitive content to include into the film.

The ending shows the success of RESCAID and could get the support from the government to help children in the Middle East. After the scene, the previous of Mas and Kamal were occurred again and it leave an open ending for the audiences to think about it.

In conclusion, there is no like or dislike part from this film because this is the director's style that she used to portray in this film. I would say, the story is interesting.

References

Heide, W. van. der. (2002) Malaysian Cinema, Asian Film

Khoo. G, C. (2006) Reclaiming Adat : contemporary Malaysian film and literature.

Islam and Modernity. (n.d.). Retrieved November 14, 2011, from http://www.ibaradio.org/Islam/living_islam/LID.htm

Sivalingam, G. (2006) Privatization Of Higher Education In Malaysia. Unpublished Thesis. Monash University Malaysia.

Yousif. A, F. (1998) Islamic Revivalism and Non-Muslims, in Religious Freedom, Minorities, and Islam: An Inquiry into the Malaysian Experience, 159-88.

By,

Tay Jia Wen

0901625