Hello all, I’m back from my Kelantan vacation. Being offline actually do wonders. I feel refreshed with eight solid hours of sleep and waking up at dawn shooting some pleaseant rural scene with the sunlight low on the horizon AND shooting with an ‘analog’ Nikon cam with only a few rolls of Black and WHite Ilford negs. No chimping here.
Bliss.

Speaking of B&W, early in the year I was commissioned to cover Tayangan Unggul ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’ film stills. It is directed by Mr Mamat Khalid and Rosyam Nor is the lead actor with Ummie Aida as Rosyam Nor love interest in the movie.

‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’ movie poster, still photography by Ted Adnan, Mohd Fadlie (aka Palie) and Syed Azehedi (aka Buyid)

The film falls into the ‘film noir’ genre. But this is not your typical European type femme fatale film noir, this film is dubbed as ‘neo noir’ by the folks at Tayangan Unggul. Mr Mamat Khalid is known for his comedy work but don’t let that fool you. His previous film is full of subtext and depth. You gotta see them to appreciate them. And when I type here ’see’ them I mean on the big screen lah

Ummie Aida & Rosyam Nor at the movie preview, yesterday…

I am not a film critic but I love movies. I like the idea of going to the cinema (now cineplex, oh dear, the feeling is just not the same..), I already forgotten wht was the first movie that I saw but I remember going into one at the age of 9 in a little town of Semenyih (a very obscure little town back then as it is now haha!) paying a measly 70 sen for a ticket in a hot and humid cinema with a wooden seat and back but oh boy what an experience it was! I remembered it was an anti-war war movie from the perspective of a sex worker and the ‘house of pleasure’ in a town in Japanese occupied city. I remembered some charred corpse were shown as an aftermath of some bombing and such. Probably Hong Kong. Come to think of it, was Hong KOng ever bombeb by the Allied forces during WW2? Oh we’re not talking about THAT movie no? So back to ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’, as befitting the ‘noir’ spirit, it was shot in Black & White film stock!

Malaysia actress Azean Irdawati was a guest in the film preview…

I asked Ms Gayathri the producer of the film, why not shot in Hi-Def and convert it to B&W, the answer is that the look is just not the same. Proper credit must be given to the well respected Director Of Photography, YM Raja Mukhriz who managed to pull it off. I understood that he never shot in B&W before.

Respect dewd.

Actors and producers during Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang film preview, yesterday. The dewd with the hat and glasses is veteran actor Mr. Kuswadinata affectionaly known as ‘Uncle’ amongst the younger actors. Mr Kuswadinata career dates back to the 1960s.

During the Q&A session in the press conference, Mr Kuswadinata aka ‘Uncle’ (real name, Kuswadi Bujang) shares his experience about shooting back in the old days. Acting in ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’ brought back memories of shooting in B&W era where the detailing is paramount.

The Director of ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’ Mr Mamat Khalid elucidating a point during the Q&A session in th epress conference after the film preview

From left to right, Sofi Jikan, Bront Palare with the green hat, Soya (a cartoonist) with the red tie and Korie the dewd with the black tie, sharing their experience collaborating in the movie

The actors and the Director posing for the Press

and here’s a still of the movie launch early this year….

The actors of ‘Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang’ in period costume during the movie launch, photo credit – Mohd Fadli Che Hassan

Me and Avaa. Okies my partner told me the facial hair has to go, Adoiiiii there goes my ‘image’ hahah

From time to time I will post up more still images that were made during the filming of Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang. Just watch this space lah

BTW, here’s a link from Youtube to whet yer appetite.