Synopsis
This movie was surrounding the main character Mastura who studied at overseas, Australia. She has two best friend who accompany her from childhood until university life- E.J. and Halim. In their study half way in university, E.J decided to stop her study and marry to a religious extremist group leader, Brother Musa. After Mastura Graduated, she come back to Malaysia and involve herself in a volunteer organization ‘Rescaid’, which introduce by Halim that also working in Middle East ‘ Rescaid’. Mastura also as an Engineer in a company and she falls in love with Kamal, a divorcee and also her superior. E.J comes back to Malaysia after the loss of her baby and unfortunately Halim’s dead when he is in duty. It is a big success of Rescaid Malaysia but there is a tragedy strikes one day and cause Mastura in serious injuries. However, Mastura able to overcome it at the end. The sacrifice of Mastura’s best friends shows everything is worth because they have achieved the objective of their campaign.
Like
What I like the most in this film is the character building. Each of the character have make use of what they actually needed to present and they play very well. For example in this movie, ‘Selubung’ the character that attract my attention and my favourite is Pintu(Door). The way he present is very funny and attracting. He present his script very well especially the way he talk. For example, there’s one scene I remember the most, when Kamal first come and pick up Mastura at her house, he met Pintu and Pintu introduce himself. It’s funny to have Pintu as his name because he straight translate it from English’ Doors’. He gave me deep impression started from that scene. Besides that, every character in this film are actually act very good and it seem no fake, it’s all naturally and good in presentation.
Next, what I like in this film is their lighting. I realize that most of their lighting in use is soft light. It makes audience feels so comfortable while enjoying this movie. At night, most of the scene seems yellowish and warm. For example, when Mastura’s friend, Lin trying to persuade Mastura to visit E.J, that time was at the street (outside), the lighting in use is warm and soft. Moreover, during day time also the same, when they are in outdoor, the lighting would not be too sharp, during the editing, they make it softer. For example, when Mastura meet the datuk, having tea at the seaside, the lighting is so yellowish and warm. Every scene in this film is in soft light.
I like the idea which people who have the luckiness will have butterflies surrounding her/him. Mastura have this butterflies surrounding her 2 times, first, when she meet the datuk and second time, when she lay at the hospital when she was injured. When the butterflies first appear when she meet the datuk, the visual looks beautiful. All those butterflies are also surrounding datuk.
Dislike
What I dislike in this film is the jump cut. There are quite many of jump cut/ jump scene in this film which are always happened unexpectedly. Maybe this is the editing style of the director but it seems so confusing the audience sometimes. For example, when Mastura meet E.J at E.J’s house, we expect there will be more conversation between them since they have been separated for a short time. But there is suddenly a jump cut to a night club scene with radio news and Mastura and Kamal are signing there, and this makes me speechless. Moreover, the jump cut is so sudden and, it never inserts any transition. This will makes the audience feel blur. Other than that, there is another example, which is Mastura is actually feel down and sad with her best friends pass away in the bombing incident, but suddenly jump to a scene that she already okay, walking and chit chatting with her friends. Without further notice, it really confuses the audience.
Next, sometimes the music in the film appear too sudden, and it’s too loud sometimes, will shock the audiences. For example, after Kamal go pick Mastura out from his home for their first date, then change to a next scene to petrol station. At that time, the music appears to sudden and loud.
Other than that, there is also unnecessary scene which I think should not exist, they are having conversation at shell station but why they don’t want to have that at other place that are more important in the film. From this, it seems pointless.
Discussion
Flash Back
There are flash back scenes inserted in this film. When E.J sitting and thinking back what’s happened in Australia before she came back to Malaysia.
Flash back: Hani sewing sweater for E.J’s baby. E.J feels thankful but that also like a preview of craziness of Hani.
After that, the scene back to the reality. The flashback scene place separately in the film. But sometimes it may confuse the audience if they did not put fully attention on it. When Mastura refuse to meet E.J, suddenly there is also a flash back scene shows what had happened in Australia.
Flash back: Mastura went to E.J house to visit her and her baby, but E.J and the husband, Brother Musa went out to consult doctor because E.J is sick. At that time, she found out E.J ‘s baby is dead.
Flashback scene also brings out thinking of Hani that how she kill the baby.
Climax
The climax part is at the scene that everybody are in the same building organizing the ‘Rescaid’ campaign stuff, and the enemy is putting the bomb inside that building at the same time. This makes the audience worry that anything will happen to the main and supporting character. At the end, Mastura was injured and everyone thought that she could not wake up from coma anymore. But at the end, there is miracle happen, Mastura awake because of the existing of the butterflies.
Gender Representation
The gender role can be apply in this film ‘ Selubong’ which is first portrayal and second portrayal of feminity. The different view of Malay woman being portrays. Character E.J represent first portrayal of feminity and Mastura represent second portrayal of feminity.
In this film, from the beginning, E.J is actually represent the second portal of feminity, we can see this at the beginning of the film, E.J and friends watching Television, that time she is wearing western costume, not Malay traditional costume. Her personality and thinking are same with Mastura because that time both of them is still mix together. But after E.J decided to follow the religious extremist group leader, Brother Musa, she is portraying as first portrayal of feminity. E.J was portraying as lower than men since that, and she listens and obeys everything Brother Musa said. Without the libidinal desire, E.J just wanted to follow the teaching of Islam which led by Brother Musa and she believes Brother Musa can save her soul. She even stops her studies and rather not to get the scholarship which are high demand around her universities. During that time, when her friends persuade her not to stop studies, she still insisted to do so, and blaming people are actually hate Brother Musa. From that time onwards, E.J started to dependent on Brother Musa. E.J is portray as a weak woman when she face Brother Musa. As what Soh Geok Choon discovered, women were mainly portray in a negative light, which dependent on and submissive to men. Same goes to E.J, she is more dependent to Bother Musa and her character seem so degraded comparing to Brother Musa. On the other hand, E.J is polygamy-willing although she knew that Bother Musa already have a wife, Hami, but she still insist to marry him.
Mastura portray as second portrayal of feminity in this film. She is progressive, independent, strong- minded, speaks a mixture of English and Malay and well educated. She has this all potential and has the power to lead the campaign which organizes by ‘Rescaid’ Malaysia. Besides that, she has the power to choose her career as an engineer in a company. Her status is way too higher than her colleagues in the office. For example, there is one scene that Mastura pass a document to his colleague- a guy, because he failed to find it. That time, the position of Mastura shown higher than her colleague, and he have to raise his head to look at her. Her life is not control by others, but her selves taking control over her own future and decision. Moreover she involve in an emotional platonic relationship with a divorcee, Kamal. In this relationship, she has the power to control the emotional of her boy friend. For example, she is angry when she found out Kamal already married and she is the last person to know that. In this case, she scolded Kamal and refuses to have any conversation with him anymore, until Kamal make decision to divorce with his wife. Compared with E.J, E.J does not have the guts to argue with her husband but just follow everything he says. On the other hand, Mastura has family love that supported her. For example, Mastura’s father is proud with her, because she successful graduated from Australia University. Even her friends also give her endless support when she facing difficulties. For example, when she was injured and coma in the hospital. Mastura is leading a productive and satisfactory life as what she wants. As first when she studying at university, she has mentioned that she would like to help the people in Middle East when they are watching television together, and now she has the chance to join “Rescaide’ and hold a campaign to help them. At last, the campaign is a big success and she did what she wants. Mastura portray what Shuhaimi Baba & Erma Fatima said, Malay woman nowadays not necessary to be in essential pre-dakwah.
I believe that Mastura and her best friends, Halim and E.J are being sent to Perth, Australia further their studies after May13, 1969 incident. Before they went, the opening of the film showing there are 3 kids which is Mastura, E.J and Halim. During their kids time, 3 of them are actually wearing tradition Malay costume but after the scene shown them in Australia, all of them are wearing modern costume which is jeans, T- shirt and blouse. Through this, we can see that 3 of them are actually being influence of the western culture and consuming western culture. The way they talk and present themselves are all in western style. Most of the time speaking English language and sometimes mix with Malay language. Besides that, before E.J married to Brother Musa, she is wearing western costume but after she met Brother Musa, she step into the stage after pre- Islamic century. She started to wear Malay traditional costume and act like proper Malay. As what Brother Musa Islam teaching, those who act in this way can only go to the heaven. On the other hand, Mastura is act in post Islamic, because the modernity of her, combine the western and Malay culture together.
“Not synonymous with "man". Just like men can be feminine, women can be masculine. The quality of masculinity is what makes someone masculine, not their gender.” (Eivind Figenschau Skjellum, 2011) Besides, Brother Musa acts as masculinity in the film. He is like authentic masculinity from the way he present himself and the way he talk to his follower. He is strict and serious when he deliver his teaching. Moreover he is also like Teen heartthrob to the islam followers of him. Why do I say so, is because all of her followers are follow and obey his teaching just like teen heartthrob. In first portrayal of feminity, male response in re-asserting dominance over the female gender role, Brother Musa handles over E.J future. Compare to Kamal, Brother Musa seems more masculinity, because Kamal listen everything what Mastura say and he always support Mastura by her side no matter what happened.
Mise en scene
The genre for this film is love story. There are modern (western) and malay tradition costume exist in this film. But most of the time, more modern costume exist, for example what Mastura and her friends always wearing, excluded E.J. Because she is wearing baju kurung most of the time. Besides that, Mastura are wearing baju kurung when she visit to E.J’s house after she married to Brother Musa. The colleague and friends of Mastura in Malaysia are wearing western culture costume for example, blouse, jeans, t-shirt, coat and skirt.
Next, the makeups are modern and quite heavy. For example, Mastura, she having heavy makeup that makes her looks outstanding among others. The make-up for Hani also quite good, because the heavy and exaggerate makeup makes her look insane and suit with her character.
For the character part, all of the character that acts in this film is good enough to bring out what they suppose to be. For example, Hani. Hani is good in acting and everything she did in the film is match, especially her movement. Because she has some mental problem, so they way she acts also bring out insanity. Each of the character in this film is match with what they should act, they present in what they should be. On the other hand, Mastura act like a real powerful woman and it match with the film requirement. She presents it in correct and proper way. For E.J, she as the supporting character, she has good cooperation with main character, Mastura.
Props and location is suit with what is required in the film as this film is an 80’s century movie, it didn’t appear any super modern things. It includes anything that should be in the scene. For example, a lot of document, phone, and hand phone, in the office scene. All of the things that appear are match. For the location, every location exist with it reason, most of the location are being use for shooting in the film and it’s well used. For example, the Palestine war, the setting and location looks nice and match.
Mise en shot
As what I have observed in this film, I realize most of the time the director are using eye level to capture. Besides that, mid shot also exist quite frequent of time. As the director always focusing what is the character’s reaction and movement. I believe with eye level and mid shot, it will seem to be more obvious for the audience to see. Besides that, there is also few long shot in the film, is to establish the location and scene to the audience. For example, when Mastura and Lin discussing what to wear for the first date of her and Kamal. During that time, there is a long shot to show both of them in the bedroom. And another location is the Palestine war location, it establish the location and the people around there to the audience.
High angle also included in the film sometimes, it also come together with low angle. For example, when Brother Musa delivering his teaching of Islam, low angle shooting him, means that he has the power to control over all his followers. “This shows the subject from below, giving them the impression of being more powerful or dominant.” (Anonymous, nd) . When high angle shot, E.J is looking at Brother Musa that time. Showing that she is admiring Brother Musa. “A high angle shows the subject from above, i.e. the camera is angled down towards the subject. This has the effect of diminishing the subject, making them appear less powerful, less significant or even submissive.” ( Anonymous, nd)
Next, there is also bird level short in this film. For example, when Kamal ask Mastura to wait for him back in the restaurant, and when the bird level shot show through the fan, Mastura is already leave when Kamal back to the restaurant.
Reference
Camera Angles. (nd).
Retrived November 14, 2011, from
http://www.mediacollege.com/video/camera/angles/
Eivind Figenschau Skjellum. (2011).
What is masculinity? Retrieved
November 14, 2011, from
http://www.masculinity-movies.com/articles/what-is-masculinity
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