MALAYSIAN cinema and music are often discussed in isolation, as if they exist in separate worlds. The truth is, the film and music industries are joined at the hip.

The feature film, “Hungry Ghost Diner”, directed by Cho We Jun and produced by Benji Lim, attempts to buck this trend. Starring singer Chen Keat Yoke, the film premiered last week. Due to the local bias for imported blockbusters, this is likely its final week at the cinemas so go watch it now.

This film is a notable addition to the collection of Malaysian movies that use local music to tell a story. A Malay song also appears in the film not just as background but as a narrative tool.

While the film’s dialogue is mainly in Cantonese and Hakka, conversations are peppered with Malay and Manglish (Malaysian-English) phrases like they are in Malaysia.

Music has always been a unique feature of Malaysian cinema – both mainstream and independent – a fact that most Malaysians take for granted. There are many hypotheses for this but I believe it’s simply because we aren’t good listeners. When watching a movie, we get lost in the story.

While music is indeed an important feature to provide atmosphere or drive the story in a film, the use of music and representation of music (and musicians) in Malaysian cinema deserves some focus as they reveal the diversity and mores of our society.

Here are some Malaysian films – fiction and non-fiction – featuring local music and musicians that are worth checking out.

‘Ibu Mertuaku’ – Directed by P. Ramlee

The musician’s film features classic P. Ramlee songs “Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti” and “Jeritan Batinku”. 

The film follows the journey of a musician named Kassim Selamat as he navigates music making, romance, and his cruel mother-in-law, who disapproves of her daughter’s union with a musician, invariably presenting to us the cliched attitudes that Malaysian society, especially the authorities, had (and still has) towards musicians.

‘Kembara Seniman Jalanan’ – Directed by Nasir Jani

With a script written by singer and composer M. Nasir, who also stars in it,  the film follows the exploits of budding musician Bujang and his newfound friend Osman Tikus (played by poet Pyanhabib), a pickpocket with a poet’s soul, in the 1980s Kuala Lumpur, as he tries to forge a musical career.

Under the deft direction of Nasir Jani, the film’s narrative brilliantly weaves Bujang’s personal journey with the trials and tribulations of buskers, record company executives, the politics of the music industry, and piracy.

Of course, it includes a brilliant soundtrack with songs like “Duit” (by M. Nasir’s folk rock band) and “Balada Pemuzik Jalanan” by rock legend Search. 

‘Surviving Beijing’ – Directed by Lam Li

A lot of Malaysian cinema about music tends to focus on Malay musicians and songs. This little-known documentary – one of the best Malaysian music documentaries ever made – about two bands from the Malaysian Chinese underground scene – Moxuan and Chong Yang – and their disastrous tour of China in 2000 reveals a lot about music-making without the rose-tinted lenses.

I am friends with the members of the bands but only got to know them after the tour. Watching this documentary made me understand why they seldom talked about this period when I first met them.

‘KAMI The Movie’ – Directed by Effendee Mazlan and Fariza Azlina Isahak

The period between 2005 to 2010 seems to be the golden age of indie rock music and this film perfectly captures the zeitgeist.

Picking up off where the popular television series left off, the feature film follows the continuing journey of five teenagers as they navigate post-teenage angst, chasing their dreams, drug addiction and childhood traumas set to a hip soundtrack featuring hit indie songs like “Pari-Pari Di Bawah Angin” by Meet Uncle Hussein and “Mawar Khayalan” by Laila’s Lounge.

Trivia: Co-director Effendee is the bassist in legendary punk rock band, Carburetor Dung. – August 18, 2023.
 

* Azmyl Yunor is a touring underground recording artiste, and an academic in media and cultural studies. He has published articles on pop culture, subcultures and Malaysian cultural politics. He adheres to the three-chords-and-the-truth school of songwriting, and Woody Guthrie’s maxim “All you can write is what you see”. He is @azmyl on Twitter.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.