881 is my third film and as a director, I have always wanted to
surprise people with different ways of storytelling. 881 will be
Singapores first musical film and I hope to bring out the beauty
of Hokkien songs and getai through this brand new
interpretation. Royston Tan
The Seventh Month. The only month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar
when the Gates of Hades are thrown open, and ghosts, spirits and
all departed souls make their annual pilgrimage back into the land
of the living.
In the seventh month, Chinese folks in places like Malaysia, Taiwan
and Hong Kong burn incense and joss sticks, conduct prayers and
make offerings to the returning dead. In Singapore, however, they
take the business of placating and entertaining the spirits one
step further. They have getai (song stage), makeshift concerts
which pop up all over the island.
Each year, more than 500 of these concerts take place during the
Hungry Ghosts Month. Entertainers lined up include comedians,
magicians, opera performers and singers with garish costumes and
even more elaborate dance choreography.
Royston Tans new movie 881 unfolds against this unique cultural
backdrop in Singapore. It is the story of Mindee and Yann Yann, two
childhood friends who grew up mesmerised by the glitter and glamour
of getai. They are The Papaya Sisters, two of the showiest
performers on the circuit because the song stage with all its
pomp and pageantry is a respite from the emptiness and dreariness
of their own lives.
881 will mark yet another breakthrough for Royston, whose first
feature film 15 is a visceral and gritty look at teenage
delinquents. His second film 4.30 - about a latchkey kid and his
Korean tenant - surprised audiences with its pared down, meditative
and almost lyrical story-telling.
This new film is a musical, with glitzy costumes and lavish
choreography. The actors often break into song to express their
emotions. All the numbers in the movie are from the treasure trove
of the late Chen Jin Lang, a Singapore getai songwriting legend who
died in August 2006. A cross between Dancer In the Dark and Moulin
Rouge, 881 will also feature documentary-style (ie live) footage
which captures the fever and excitement of actual getai
performances.
881 features Mindee Ong , Yeo Yann Yann , MediaCorp artiste Qi Yu
Wu and twins May and Choy.
Official website: www.zhaowei.com/881
