PRETTY ROSE: Rose Chan, who grew up in
Malaysia, was known as the Queen of Striptease.
Aug 25, 2007
Royston takes on Rose Chan
FRESH after his success with the getai musical film 881, director
Royston Tan is teaming up again with MediaCorp Raintree Pictures
and Zhao Wei Films for his next film.
The project, slated to go into production in the first quarter of
next year, is based on the life of the infamous 1950s stripper Rose
Chan.
The China-born cabaret dancer, who grew up in Malaysia, was a star
attraction at nightspots in the 1950s.
She earned the moniker of Queen of Striptease with her daring act
which also incorporated circus stunts. She died in Malaysia in 1987
at the age of 62, after a long battle with breast cancer.
Raintree's chief executive officer Daniel Yun had been developing
the project with film-maker Eric Khoo. The two will now co-produce
Tan's film.
Mr Yun announced the project yesterday at a thank-you lunch to
celebrate the box-office success of 881.
The musical, co-produced by Raintree and Zhao Wei with the support
of the Media Development Authority of Singapore, Infinite
Frameworks, Golden Village and Scorpio East, has grossed $1.25
million after two weeks at the box office.
Mr Yun said that he was very happy with the success of 881, hence
the new collaboration with Tan and Khoo.
Tan, who said he was told he was directing the project only two
days ago, is still elated over the box-office performance of 881,
his most commercially successful film so far.
But he is not selling out totally for mainstream projects from now
on. He added: 'I've still got a lot of edgy stories to tell. But
mainstream movies are a good way for audiences to get to know
me.'
On Rose Chan, he said: 'I know she was a very famous stripper. She
was a rebel, but she also gave money to charities and
orphanages.'
The movie he will make, he said, will give an '881 spin' to her
life.
Ong Sor Fern