881 by Royston Tan
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>ahem<
confirm
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Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, August 7
Roystan Tan's latest film "881" gets good reviews ahead of premiere
SINGAPORE : The Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival is certainly a showcase of Singapore's heritage that's loud and proud.
This explains why director Roystan Tan's latest film, "881" is based entirely on the festival's Getai performers whose job is to take to the stage to entertain the spirits of the dead.
It is a story about two girls with one dream - becoming superstar Getai performers at the Hungry Ghost Festival.
"881" revolves around the lives of these flamboyant performers, which the Chinese festival has become synonymous with.
Roystan Tan says: "I actually followed the Queen of Getai, she's known to run like 177 stage shows in a month. So I sat in her car one evening, and see how she actually rushes from one show to another show. I filmed the whole thing down, her dialogue, how she panics and everything, how she runs. So the Papaya Sisters actually follow the way she reacts in the film."
The stars of this film actually go by the name of "Papaya Sisters".
Yeo Yann Yann and Mindy Ong are the "Papaya Sisters".
Getai performances have always been a hit among the older generation, but this film may just create a whole new fan base.
Mindy says: "I love Hokkien songs, I'm a Hokkien, I speak Hokkien to my family members at home, but honestly speaking that was one point of time when I was much younger. I do feel a bit shy about telling friends that I go and watch Getai. They might think it's kind of like old school. But now come to think about it, it's what makes Singapore special. Getai - I'm so proud of it."
And here is something else everyone behind the film can be proud of.
Lucas Chow, CEO, MediaCorp, says: "This is the only local musical film and it's in Hokkien. And I hope that through this movie, we can introduce the local culture to overseas audiences as well."
Daniel Yun, Managing Director, MediaCorp Raintree Pictures, says: "For a local film, I think the reviews are quite unprecedented. The reviews have been good to excellent."
This film is called "881" because in Chinese "881" is pronounced as pa-pa-yao, quite close to papaya hence the connection.
"881" opens in cinemas on National Day, 9th August, just days before the actual Hungry Ghost Festival begins.
And since it is all about Getai, chances are it will be entertaining a lot more audiences than you think. - CNA/ch -
The Seventh Month, according to Chinese beliefs, is the month where the gates of Hell open, and the ghouls and goblins of the underworld get a one-month visit-Earth pass. They roam around, hungry and looking for entertainment, so to appease the spirits, humankind will offer food and fruits, and burn paper money to line their pockets so that they do not disturb us. Also, we have to provide entertainment, so that happy souls do not come haunt us, like those in Kelvin Tong's The Maid, which is also set during this lunar Seventh Month.
Continues at http://anutshellreview.blogspot.com/2007/08/881.html -
Heard.Originally posted by KrU:Your head ah? Confirm then post it here. Don't always assume.
And why you so jidong? -
he abit femine lah. but he n my bro used to be in ncc.Originally posted by FireIce:>ahem<
confirm
he was very talented when he was young, always talk about oscar movie most of the time.
free time i email u the wedding photo he took wif my bro. -
InterestingOriginally posted by 798:he abit femine lah. but he n my bro used to be in ncc.
he was very talented when he was young, always talk about oscar movie most of the time.
free time i email u the wedding photo he took wif my bro.
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no need. thanks.Originally posted by 798:he abit femine lah. but he n my bro used to be in ncc.
he was very talented when he was young, always talk about oscar movie most of the time.
free time i email u the wedding photo he took wif my bro.
we are frens since his TP days.
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the songs from the movie sounds good. heard on 933.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForZY9Zj5gQ
watch the movie today. very funny n entertaining wif lot of hokkien songs. n some of the scene is very heartwarming.
be WARN! bring a box of tissue paper b4 u go into the theater. -
Originally posted by 798:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForZY9Zj5gQ
watch the movie today. very funny n entertaining wif lot of hokkien songs. n some of the scene is very heartwarming.
be WARN! bring a box of tissue paper b4 u go into the theater.
Didt expect it to be touching -
i watched it last night. love it man!
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Wow nice song, is the singer from sg?? Looks like this is also another moive worth watching beside secrets cant tell...Originally posted by 798:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ForZY9Zj5gQ
watch the movie today. very funny n entertaining wif lot of hokkien songs. n some of the scene is very heartwarming.
be WARN! bring a box of tissue paper b4 u go into the theater.
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Anway this song also v nice....urggggggh....I wana watch this movie!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvGK6lHf0d8 -
mindee ong died right?Originally posted by 798:be WARN! bring a box of tissue paper b4 u go into the theater.
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recently alot of nice filmsOriginally posted by SpeedStar:Wow nice song, is the singer from sg?? Looks like this is also another moive worth watching beside secrets cant tell...
rush hour 3
881
and secrets i cant tell. -
little papayaOriginally posted by Gordonator:mindee ong died right? -
Its v rare to have good local production that will attract my attention. Haven watch the movie but the music has already score alot of pt for this movie. Hope to catch it when I am back to sg.Originally posted by rathcycle:recently alot of nice films
rush hour 3
881
and secrets i cant tell.
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hope you are can catch it, but i will be getting it's DVDOriginally posted by SpeedStar:Its v rare to have good local production that will attract my attention. Haven watch the movie but the music has already score alot of pt for this movie. Hope to catch it when I am back to sg. -
dvd may not have it n i guess it's best to watch the movie.Originally posted by rathcycle:hope you are can catch it, but i will be getting it's DVD
most of royston tan production cannot get past censorship. -
this one sure have DVD. what's there to censor anyway?Originally posted by 798:dvd may not have it n i guess it's best to watch the movie.
most of royston tan production cannot get past censorship. -
so many yellowish words in the movie, how come it not getting away.Originally posted by Gordonator:this one sure have DVD. what's there to censor anyway?
"Gan1 Die1, ni3 kan4 papaya!~"
(Godfather, look at those melons)
"Early in the morning, c0ck wake up, u still have not wake up yet!"
"Please ask my son not to play wif his c0ck!" -
5 chapters of Pitiful Flower...Originally posted by ^tamago^:little papaya
very disturbing scene to see little papaya's hair drop,singing wif her sis n wit to her death. -
i wanna watch this movie
maybe I will wait for the dvd to come out then I go buy
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Movie "881" hopes to attract more heartlanders to cinemas
SINGAPORE : MediaCorp Raintree Pictures' latest movie "881" hopes to draw more than just the typical filmgoer into the cinemas.
It's also reaching out to senior citizens in the heartlands.
At a "getai" or song stage performance in Ubi, producers used the occasion to promote the movie "881", which is after all about getai.
The "getai" is said to entertain the dead, who are believed to walk the earth during the seventh lunar month.
Over 4,000 spectators turned up to catch the stars at the event in Ubi.
Even director Royston Tan got into the thick of the action.
"I came all the way from Toa Payoh to specially support them," said one spectator.
The $1 million movie has hit about $500,000 in ticket sales.
It's not exactly a box office hit yet, but producers said the figures are encouraging for a young local director.
"I've seen the movie twice. I cried when I saw one of the characters die in the show. I'll definitely watch it again," said another spectator.
"881" is now showing at all major cinemas. - CNA /ls -
Sorry... frankly I'll only give it 3 stars out of 5.
I was a fan of royston tan... sadly this movie is kinda half a disappointment.
Yea there are parts where it is funny. there are parts which it is sad...
BUt Royston should just go make a musical instead. Simply, the plot of the story is not solid, and heavily rely on the musical (which is really his strength) to compenstate for it.
I watched till the last part... some part the over draggy musical somehow put me off. Then did I realised why I like the movie 15.... is becoz I really actually only like the edited short version. His shortcoming of directing movies of standard 1.5 hours is obvious. His better doing musical and short film.
Finally in terms of its commercial value. This film is only appeal to a minority group of people, with a certain age. Mainly those who does come across hokkien song in quite a fair bit, understand hokkien and likely the older generation.
The good part of the show is that it does... make me luff and cry quite a number of times, which after the show I find senseless hahah... The musical cerography is ok. Not bad. Beside the dragginess at some parts and poor directing in few parts... the movie could be a 4 star with a number of editing.
Finally... sorry 881 is not good enough.
The only good movies from Singapore that I find to standard is
Run Child - Pao ba hai zi
I not Stupid - Xiao Hai Bu Ben
15 - Yea you heard it right. 15 is better than this.