MovieMusical - 881?
From: mdd
Sent:
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1:14:44 AM
To: lkk
Dear LKK, and friends....
881 - a MovieMusical? http://moviexclusive.com/review/881/881.htm
Better late than never, and after the wildernessing....
You know, i did not see 881 at the movies, in August 2007.... It was a combination of reluctance, ignorance, inability, and a little snob - what can a local movie offer as a Movie Musical, even? And "high" people were saying strange things about it....
It's 2008 Feb now and i chanced upon a copy of the DVD, borrowed it. Was persuaded to watch it. And i reluctantly did.
And i watched it. I must say it is rather entrancing. It is truly a Movie Musical in its own right. I am rather awed, actually.
Did not turn on the English Subs, just took it as it is (and i know zero Hokkien, failed Mandarin) - but i could follow all the way through. The colours are fascinating, the visuals, the actors are all credible. The narration was sparse yet effective.
On the surface it is promoted as a slapstick flick, but it is actually a compelling melodrama, of a pair of very challenged persons, striving like everyone of us musical theatre people.
Practically ALL the SONGS are wonderful! Made HOKKIEN songs so attractive and soulful. The MUSIC is really MUSIC - so wonderfully arranged. Songs so well sung. The underscoring really underscored. Who are the music people behind this? They really knew what they were doing. (Wenfu is one of them....)
The MUSIC drove the story, the essence of Musicals.
The CONCEPT of DOUBLES was such a powerful visual, the May Choy pair, the Mindee and YannYann pair, all the over-the-top but so stunning costumes.
A combination of HAIRPRAY, CATS, Chinese Kungfu Lasers mythology, HK Movies toning, heart tugging tear jerking sentimentality, a little Bollywood, a tinge of romance - car wash stereotype. Nice filming angles. Aural treat of Hokkien, Singlish, Mandarin.Very consumable story. Very universal too. The THEME song - here and there and at the end, powerful.
It's an inspiring challenge for us in MTL to come close to this standard of a Movie Musical, i'd say. Thank Mr ROYSTON, indeed.
RGDS.mdd
http://moviexclusive.com/review/881/881.htm
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