Finally gotten down to writing a review for 881.








Yes, it is Royston Tan. I've admired him since then and then.
Okay now, movie first, then music.





Synopsis (Like anyone reads this):

Two Singaporean girls join together to form the Papaya Sisters, a getai group that sings at performances during the seventh lunar month. Big Papaya is estranged from her mother, who disapproves of her performances, whilst Little Papaya is an orphan who suffers from terminal cancer. The two are assisted by Auntie Ling and her son, Guan Yin.


Although they live to sing, the duo's act lacks 'feel', and they turn to Auntie Ling's sister, the goddess of getai for help. She provides them with the required 'feel', but on the condition that they accept a set of rules, which includes staying chaste.


With their new-found singing ability, the two soon rise to the top of the Singaporean getai scene singing traditional Hokkien songs, but their fame brings along with it the enmity of the Durian Sisters, a rival group of techno-singing Eurasian girls. Their rivalry soon culminates in a showdown at a getai show, where the girls pull off their most amazing performance yet. However, time has run out for Little Papaya, who succumbs to her illness and passes away after the competition.


End.





My first impression of this movie when i first saw this trailer was "What the #*$% is Royston doing such a getai movie?" I mean, my impression of Royston has always been english-speaking and not at all associated with getai. I can literally imagine him laughing his head off when he first conceived the idea of making a getai movie. And true enough, it did start off as a joke.


However, after having thought about it further, i realise it is, afterall, something Royston would've done. Royston is heavy on visuals, as seen in Cut, and Hock Hiap Leong. And getai is an industry that's heavy on costumes and lightings too.



Crude humor. The blind man and his beloved cock.


It being as a tribute to the late "King of Hokkien Pop" 陈金浪, the plot revolves around the passion for getai, the notion of sickness and death, and the not wanting to leave the getai industry.


This movie is heavy on hokkien and has a simple plot. Perhaps because of the target audience being the older generation and those who enjoy getais. Then again, this has always been in line with Royston's style -- films that are heavy on visuals tend towards a simple plot (like Cut and Hock), and films that have sub-plots and sub-sub-plots tend to be simple in staging (like 430 and Sons).



Koped this from Royston's blog.
Royston slimmed down an awful lot and it makes his head look big.


Heavy on visuals is probably an understatement. A whooping S$100,000 was spent on the costumes alone. And throughout the movie, the papaya sisters changed about 20 sets of costumes, i think.



Behold, May and Choy, as the Durian sisters.



I was particularly amused by May and Choy, casting as the Durian sisters, rivals of the Papaya sisters. Yes, the names of getai groups are laughing points in themselves. And the twins' horribly inaccurate Chinese pronunciation never fail to tickle me throughout the movie.


Unfortunately, the movie did not move me as much as to tear. Personally, i look for good plots and sub-plots and sub-sub-plots for that matter. Also, i don't know hokkien, much less it be my heart language. Had to catch up with reading the subtitles.


Let's see, what else is there to add on?
Oh yes, Liu Lingling is simply brilliant. She's a veteran in getai singing, and if your memory doesn't fail you, you'd remember her acting as the coffeeshop auntie in I Not Stupid Too. And Qi Yu Wu's character remains a mystery to me. I cannot figure what how exactly does he feel towards the sisters, and why is he portrayed as an idiot (using the chicken to wipe small papaya's tears) when he is only mute?








Okay, let's move on to the music part.
This is a mighty long review. Lucky fella you Royston Tan.



It being a movie highlighting the getai industry in Singapore, how can it do without good music? Indeed, 881 features many hokkien songs vocalised by experienced getai singers. At the same time it experiments with the mixing of Chinese and Hokkien songs.



THE song of the movie, 一人一半, by 伍家辉.


After watching the movie, this song just stays in your head. Playing and replaying over and over again. The more you chew on the lyrics, the more real the song gets. It eats into you.



《一人一半》
演唱：伍家輝
詞（改编）:小寒 曲:伍家輝


一人一半 感情不散
一人一素故 感情才會久
時光累計 安靜的淚滴
一心去追 愛那么可貴


這樣的人 這樣地等
無非是等個回應眼神
為愛翻滾 不計傷痕
甘心為你一生都浮沉

這樣的人 別笑我蠢
傻傻的 心痛也不覺疼
就算天冷 就算殘忍
等你想起這沒用的人


一人一半 感情不散
已經找到愛 為何要離開
已經找到愛 為何先離開



Okay, i regret not taking photo with 伍家輝. Btw, his live singing sounds exactly like his recorded voice. 實力派 aye.







《代替》林棋玉




Last song to recommend for today.
Notice similar starting scenes as above song.

《身外物》黃星魁, better known as ngak.


For one, i think he's cute.
For two, he gives me zero impression that he even knows chinese at all, much less to sing it. I can imagine him laughing his head off when asked to sing chinese songs.
For three, he gives me the impression that he smokes and i don't think much of singers who smokes.
For four, i love this song and how he delievered it. Cool.




On hindsight, i would've prefered a photo with either Wu or Ngak. But, you know, life is, yunno.





But heh, we're all together again aren't we? Lol.






All in all, 881 is one show that gets better and better the more you ponder over it, as with all other ah-roy films.


My verdict: 8/10
That's all!