Director: Roystan Tan
881 has absorbed me into the musical and happy film in the getai realm! Never in my life have I attended any of the getais in Singapore during the Hungry Ghosts Festival (or I would not have remembered even if my parents brought me). The impression of getai after watching 881 really changed and it is an intriguing show. 881 brings me into a rollercoaster of feelings and emotions, it started off really cheery and then it was so melodramatic, at another point it shows the fire to fight for their passion. It's full of ups and downs. Not forgetting the really catchy and nice hokkien songs from the getai realm. In terms of visual, it's all "bling-bling" with all the glittery costumes from the performers and Royston Tan is sure generous on showing off the colours that he can bring to the screen.
Apart from the fun and magical side of 881, I can say that the film is truly and only Singapore. If anyone were to watch it in any other countries, they would know that it is a Singapore production. And for that, I am proud and hold both thumbs up for Royston Tan in his ability to establish and identify our unique hybrid culture. The use of local fruits as part of the theme such as Durian sisters and Papaya as the name of the characters brings familiarity to me. It is hokkien, it is english, it is chinese and it is all the 'lah', 'leh' and 'loh' that makes me feel so much at home. Yet under such a bubbly show, lies strong meaning of life, death and the way of life.
The getai that exists mainly in Singapore and Malaysia, is to hold boisterous live performance during the Hungry Ghost Festival, in contrast to the generally solemn mood of the festival. The purpose of having the getai is to actually bring entertainment to the ghosts that would be released from Hell for a period of time. Therefore, though sounding cheerful, the songs actually have mention about death and suffering. One song in 881 (in hokkien) caught my attention and it was really sad but meaningful (I tried to translate it to English!)
My Last Breath (最后一口气）
有病有痛真~艱苦 出出入入是 壞埔(醫院)
It's so painful to be sick, just keeps going in and out of the hospital
打針會掉頭髮 吃藥強欲吐 歸日躺在眠床鋪
Injections will have hair loss, medicines make me puke and I just lay on the bed the whole day
求天公 我來求佛祖 乎我好好來行路
Oh my lord, I beg of you, just relief me of my pain
叫父母 恁就來帶我 帶我甲恁來作伴
Let my parents bring me away, to accompany you by your side
今年只有四十多 何必甲我來折磨
I'm only forty plus this year, why must thy torment me
死袂死 活袂活 剩半條命置咧拖
Neither dead nor living, I struggle while I'm dying
求天公 我來求佛祖 乎我好好來行路
Oh my lord, I beg of you, just relief me of my pain
叫父母 恁就來帶我 帶我甲恁來作伴
Let my parents bring me away, to accompany you by your side
人生我已經 看破
I'm sick of living...
This song is not only for the dead (ghosts) who comes back to listen to the getai, but in 881 it particularly talks about the pain of Little Papaya when she has contracted the same cancer her parents had succumbed to. It is a very touching movie and I thank the director for bringing the getai to me and many of the youths who had no interest in getais or the Singapore culture.
[1] 881 Review. Retrieved from http://twitchfilm.com/reviews/2007/08/881-review.php
[2] 881 (Singapore) Reveiw. Retrieved from http://www.moviexclusive.com/review/881/881.htm
[3] 881: a gaudy spectecular show. Retrieved from http://www.fifo.sg/post/show/65
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