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881 (film)
Encyclopedia
881 is a 2007 Singaporean
musical
-comedy-drama
film written and directed by Royston Tan
, based on the Singapore Getai
scene. It is only the second Singaporean film that has been released in Japan.
By September 13, 2007, the film had grossed over S$3 million, making it the top grossing Asian film in Singapore in 2007. It was screened at the Pusan International Film Festival
in South Korea
, and was in competition at the 2007 World Film Festival of Bangkok
. The film was also accepted as Singapore's selection for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. he film was submitted to the 44th Golden Horse Awards
by Mediacorp, and received a nomination for best makeup and costume design.
Coached by their seamstress Ling Yi (Aunt Ling), the Papaya sisters struggle at first because they have no “feel” in their voices. As a last resort, they appeal to Aunt Ling’s estranged twin sister, the Goddess of Getai, for help. She grants them their wish, but warns them the price will be high, especially if they do not obey the rules of Getai. Rule number 5 states that they shall not love or be loved by any man.
The Papaya sisters hit the getai circuit and sing their hearts out with their newfound “feel”. Big Papaya is pursuing her dream in spite of strong parental objections. Little Papaya, being an orphan, is in a personal race against time to realize her potential. Like her deceased parents, Little Papaya suffers from cancer and has little time left. Through their perseverance, hard work and Aunt Ling’s amazing costumes, the Papayas become the most popular sister act in town. They use their fame to help raise funds to help Chen Jin Lang, who is suffering from cancer. But they are soon devastated by the death of their idol, Chen Jin Lang. While Little Papaya grieves, Big Papaya finds solace in the arms of Guan Yin.
Unknown to them, rival sister group Durian Sisters have become intensely jealous of the Papayas' success, and are determined to trip them up by messing up their schedule. With the help of their gangster Godfather, the Durians succeed in shutting the Papayas out of many getai. They are ruthless in their underhand attacks on the Papayas, using magical darts to hurt their rivals. Guan Yin cannot defend them, and even the Goddess is appalled by the tactics employed by the Durians. Although she grants the Papayas whatever celestial powers she can bestow, she warns them that there is a limit to what she can do.
At a confrontation, the Durians challenge the Papayas to a showdown. The stakes are high: whoever loses will leave the getai scene for good. The Papayas accept, and start preparing for the big day – new costumes, new songs, new dances. The movie climaxes with a dramatic musical battle. Both sides pull out all the stops to win over the audience, at first with their musical numbers. But as the fight becomes more intense, the Durians attack with their laser darts and the Papayas retaliate with their celestial powers.
It took Royston Tan 22 days to produce the film and only two weeks to write it, which, according to him, was the easiest and fastest script he has written. The large variety of costumes used in the production cost upwards of S$100,000.
', which is the name of the main characters' getai group. The largely non-English/Malay speaking audience portrayed in the movie is seen chanting and holding up signboards painted with the numbers instead of the romanised term.
, the cast was pelted with eggs
by an unidentified assailant riding pillion
. Lead actress Mindee Ong later suffered from an eye infection from the attack. No charges were pressed.
Cinema of Singapore
Despite having a flourishing Chinese and Malay film industry in the 1950s and 1960s, Singapore's film industry declined after independence in 1965. There were a few films that featured Singaporean actors and were set in Singapore, including Saint Jack and They Call Her Cleopatra Wong...
musical
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
-comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
film written and directed by Royston Tan
Royston Tan
Royston Tan is a Singaporean filmmaker.Tan is a graduate from Temasek Polytechnic, where he took a course in Visual Communication. He first came into prominence through his short films: Sons , Hock Hiap Leong , 48 on AIDS , Mother and 15...
, based on the Singapore Getai
Getai
A getai , is a usually boisterous live stage performance held during the Ghost Festival commonly held in Singapore and Malaysia, in contrast to the generally solemn mood of the festival. However the performance is also routinely played at other Chinese festivals...
scene. It is only the second Singaporean film that has been released in Japan.
By September 13, 2007, the film had grossed over S$3 million, making it the top grossing Asian film in Singapore in 2007. It was screened at the Pusan International Film Festival
Pusan International Film Festival
Busan International Film Festival , held annually in Haeundae-gu, Busan , South Korea, is one of the most significant film festivals in Asia...
in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and was in competition at the 2007 World Film Festival of Bangkok
World Film Festival of Bangkok
The World Film Festival of Bangkok is an annual international film festival held between October & November in Bangkok, Thailand.The 8th Annual World Film Festival of Bangkok will be held between 5 - 14 November, 2010.-History:...
. The film was also accepted as Singapore's selection for Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. he film was submitted to the 44th Golden Horse Awards
Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards
The Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards is a film festival and awards ceremony held annually in Taiwan. It was founded in 1962, by Government Information Office, Republic of China...
by Mediacorp, and received a nomination for best makeup and costume design.
Plot
Two girls, one dream. Little Papaya and Big Papaya grow up idolizing Chen Jin Lang, the King of Hokkien Getai, and dream of becoming Getai singers themselves. Their heart wrenching story is related by their introspective but highly sensitive friend and driver, Guan Yin.Coached by their seamstress Ling Yi (Aunt Ling), the Papaya sisters struggle at first because they have no “feel” in their voices. As a last resort, they appeal to Aunt Ling’s estranged twin sister, the Goddess of Getai, for help. She grants them their wish, but warns them the price will be high, especially if they do not obey the rules of Getai. Rule number 5 states that they shall not love or be loved by any man.
The Papaya sisters hit the getai circuit and sing their hearts out with their newfound “feel”. Big Papaya is pursuing her dream in spite of strong parental objections. Little Papaya, being an orphan, is in a personal race against time to realize her potential. Like her deceased parents, Little Papaya suffers from cancer and has little time left. Through their perseverance, hard work and Aunt Ling’s amazing costumes, the Papayas become the most popular sister act in town. They use their fame to help raise funds to help Chen Jin Lang, who is suffering from cancer. But they are soon devastated by the death of their idol, Chen Jin Lang. While Little Papaya grieves, Big Papaya finds solace in the arms of Guan Yin.
Unknown to them, rival sister group Durian Sisters have become intensely jealous of the Papayas' success, and are determined to trip them up by messing up their schedule. With the help of their gangster Godfather, the Durians succeed in shutting the Papayas out of many getai. They are ruthless in their underhand attacks on the Papayas, using magical darts to hurt their rivals. Guan Yin cannot defend them, and even the Goddess is appalled by the tactics employed by the Durians. Although she grants the Papayas whatever celestial powers she can bestow, she warns them that there is a limit to what she can do.
At a confrontation, the Durians challenge the Papayas to a showdown. The stakes are high: whoever loses will leave the getai scene for good. The Papayas accept, and start preparing for the big day – new costumes, new songs, new dances. The movie climaxes with a dramatic musical battle. Both sides pull out all the stops to win over the audience, at first with their musical numbers. But as the fight becomes more intense, the Durians attack with their laser darts and the Papayas retaliate with their celestial powers.
Cast
- Mindee Ong as Little Papaya
- Yeo Yann-Yann as Big Papaya
- Liu Lingling as Goddess of 'Getai' (Xiangu) / Aunt Ling
- Qi YuwuQi YuwuQi Yuwu is a China-born Singapore film and television actor. Qi is a permanent resident of Singapore and a contracted artiste under Singapore's MediaCorp Studios.-Biography:...
as Guan Yin - Kelvin Tan as Chen Weilian
- Wang Lei as Wang Lei
- Teh May-Wan and Teh Choy-Wan as Durian Sisters
Production
The film's story was originally conceived as a joke after Royston and the two lead actresses agreed that Getai was one of Singapore's uniquely Singaporean cultural attributes.It took Royston Tan 22 days to produce the film and only two weeks to write it, which, according to him, was the easiest and fastest script he has written. The large variety of costumes used in the production cost upwards of S$100,000.
Cultural significance
The film's name, pronounced in Mandarin, sounds like 'PapayaPapaya
The papaya , papaw, or pawpaw is the fruit of the plant Carica papaya, the sole species in the genus Carica of the plant family Caricaceae...
', which is the name of the main characters' getai group. The largely non-English/Malay speaking audience portrayed in the movie is seen chanting and holding up signboards painted with the numbers instead of the romanised term.
Soundtrack
The official soundtrack was released the evening before the show opened, on the August 8. Produced by Eric Ng of Funkie Monkies Productions, the soundtrack consists of 15 songs (1 hidden) and 4 music videos. The theme song, One Half, is sung by Wu Jiahui. A second volume of the original soundtrack has since been released with 18 songs.Egg pelting incident
While promoting the film from a truck on Orchard RoadOrchard Road
Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
, the cast was pelted with eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
by an unidentified assailant riding pillion
Pillion
A pillion is a mostly British English term for a secondary pad, cushion, or seat behind the main seat or saddle on a horse, motorcycle, bicycle or moped...
. Lead actress Mindee Ong later suffered from an eye infection from the attack. No charges were pressed.