1. SELUBUNG
A film produced by Identity Entertainers (M) Sdn. Bhd. and directed by Datuk Paduka Shuhaimi Baba in 1992. Genres of this film are drama and romance. Duration is 110 minutes and the language that used in film is Bahasa Melayu. (Film Malaysia, 1992)
Starring by M. Nasir (Kamal – Main Actor), Deanna Yusoff (Mastura – Main Actor), Ida Nerina (E.J. – Supporting Actor), Harith Iskander (Brother Musa – Supporting Actor), Liza Othman (Supporting Actor), Jit Murad (Supporting Actor), Hattan (Supporting Actor), and Datuk Mahmud June (Supporting Actor). (Film Malaysia, 1992)
2. SYNOPSIS OF SELUBUNG
Mastura, who is a student in Perth, Autralia, she failed to save E.J of religious extremist groups. E.J. has chosen to follow the path of religious extremist group led by Brother Musa. Mastura decides to pick up voluntary work as her mission to promote good will for society. Halim, who has had experiences working abroad serving the Middle East, supports Mastura’s good intention and encourages her to join “Rescaid”, a volunteer organization. In her line of duty in helping the children refugees from Palestine, Mastura falls in love with Kamal (Head of Research Department), a divorcee who shares the cause she is pursuing. Mastura managed to persuade E.J. and Kamal joined the charity. The success of a nation-wide charity concert promoted by Mastura and the team from “Rescaid” becomes the pride of the locals, until one day, tragedy strikes unexpectedly. However, it does not kill Mastura’s determination to protect the fate of the unfortunate. (Film Malaysia, 1992)
3. MISE-EN-SCENE OF SELUBANG
3.1 SETTINGS
The film was setting at 90 years, which located at Perth, Palestinian and Malaysia. For Perth, there was a place for Mastura and E.J. studying. It’s also the place that E.J. decided to follow the path of religious extremist group led by Brother Musa. For Palestinian, there was a place for the war. Halim be a volunteer for helping victim at there. For Malaysia, most of the scenes were cover at Malaysia. The “Rescaid” volunteer organization also located at Malaysia. The props that set in this film are also around the 90 years. Even the car that they used as a prop is also belonging to 90s. So that it is matched with everything.
Besides the location, this film was setting up with a strong Malay religious culture. It is also portrayed traditional Malay women and westernizes Malay woman which is E.J. and Mastura. The “Redcaid” volunteer organization also set up a mission to understand and appreciation of Muslim in various parts of the world in pursuance of humanitarian rights and also to persuade the public and mobilize support for people struggling for self determination and suffer from war or other forms of dispossession.
3.2 COSTUME AND MAKE UP
The costumes of this film are matched with 90 years. For Mastura’s costume, because she is westernizes Malay woman, so that her costume will be a bit modern and trendy than others. Compare with E.J, her costume will be more traditional and she will always cover her head by using a cloth. Toward the Malay culture, Malay women wear a mandatory piece of clothing, which is “tudung” or “selendang”. (Adat Resam, n.d.) This scart covering the head, the ears, and the neck. (Adat Resam, n.d.) Even Mastura was westernizes Malay women, but when sometimes there is a dinner party, Mastura will wear “baju Kurung” also. It is proved that even she is modern and trendy, but she still is Malay.
When come to the part of E.J was sick, the Makeup of Hani, which is Brother Musa another wife, is a bit horror and weird. It is shown that Hani had mental problem. When Hani is killed E.J.’s baby, she is trying to makeup herself like weird and different from others. It is strongly shown that she is trying to hide herself from the reality.
3.3 LIGHTING
Lighting can always emphasize or hide some important detail. Toward this film, most of the scene is basically used mid-key lighting, low contrast, soft light and soft focus. This type of technique can appear soft to the eye. (Film School Online, n.d)
3.4 STAGING (MOVEMENT & ACTING)
Mastura and Kamal were the main actors on this film. For Mastura, she is further her studying from Terengganu to Perth. When the time she at Terengganu, she wear “Baju Kurung” at all, but after further her study, she become modern and trendy. The Second Portrayed of Femininity was totally applied on Mastura. She is progressive, independent, strong-minded, articulate and also speaks in a mixture of English and Malay. Even she was date with Kamal, but she is always has her own opinion.
For Kamal, he was the head of Mastura. He chased Mastura at the beginning of the story. He tends to help Mastura solve the budget problems toward “Rescaid” volunteer organization. When Mastura was not willing to meet with E.J., he was the person who persuade Mastura forgive E.J. This character is always built up with solving problems.
E.J. was a supporting actor in this film. She choose chosen to follow the path of religious extremist group led by Brother Musa. Strong religious culture and traditional Malay women was occurred in the storyline of E.J. She said: “A disobedient wife is a wife who has better education than her own husband”. She gives up her study at Perth and believed Brother Musa can save her soul and led her to the path of ALLAH. At the end, E.J’s baby was killed by Hani. Mastura was forgiven E.J. She chooses to work at “Rescaid” volunteer organization.
Brother Musa, who is the character strongly believed that his God (ALLAH) at all. You can clearly saw the religious of Islam on Brother Musa there.
4. MISE-EN-SHOT OF SELUBANG
4.1 EDITING
The editing of this film was not really good. There was a lot of jump cut while watching this film. When there is some part is haven’t finishes, but it been suddenly jump to another scene. Since this film is produced at 1992, so I can understand the editing skills. At that time, it might be good editing skills, but compared it to nowadays film; it is a lot of mistake.
4.2 AUDIO / SOUND
The audio of this film was good; many scenes were bringing it out by the audio. Especially, when Hani was killed E.J.’s baby that scene.
4.3 CAMERA POSITION AND MOVEMENT
There is some camera position and movement that can clearly saw in the film. On this film, you can saw handheld camera movements. There were some scenes shaking. For example: When the part of the beginning, there was a mosque burned down. On that part, there were almost handheld camera movements.
When there was a conversation, most of it the over shoulder shot will occurred. Pan and till down were always used on this film also. Point of view was used in the part of E.J.’s friends realized that Hani was sit at the corner.
5. WHAT DO I LIKE ABOUT THIS FILM? WHICH PART OF IT?
I like this film is it because after I watching it 5 times, but I still feels touching every times in the end of the film. I feel that it is really a meaningful film, since the “Rescaid” volunteer organization is keep on going to help the war victims. As a normal audience, I thinks it is also bring out a meaningful message to me, which is when u persistence something, it will successful at the end. For example: In the film, “the door” is always persistence his singing career, even though that is start from singing in a small café.
Since I had watched this 5 times, as a broadcasting student, I try to listen this film and without seeing any visual. At the end, I was surprise of that, because without seeing the visual, but I still can feels the exciting when listen the audio. While the film is come to the ending part, through the song that “The doors” sang, I still can feel the emotion and get some impact on it. When the visual and audio mix it, the audio was always grab my attention.
There is a part I like it very much, which is when Hani found that E.J’s baby was crying, and she feels like so annoying. At the end she killed E.J’s baby. Hani realized that she was killed E.J’s baby and she trying to makeup as a different people. After that, Three of E.J.’s friends were came and visit her, When the time they are open Brother Musa house, they realized that Hani was sit at the corner. After a lot of questions that asked by E.J’s friends, they found that the baby was in the plastic bag. When Brother Musa and E.J. came back, E.J feels like can’t accept the reality and asked her friends do not touch her.
I like this part very much it is because of the background music is very matched with the storyline on that part. The background music was successful grab the audience’s attention and makes it more attractive. Besides that, I also like the acting of Hani and E.J. on that part of scene. At that part, she is trying to act women who had mental problem. While E.J also play an important role on that part, because she have to act like can’t accept her baby was killed by Hani. Lastly, the lighting also play an important role at that part, while E.J’s friends look down and they found that Hani is sitting at the corner, there was a point of view shot, toward this shot, it is using low-key lighting and side lighting. It can totally portray that Hani had mental problem.
This is what I like about this film and which part that I like it so much.
6. WHAT DO I DISLIKE ABOUT THIS FILM? WHICH PART OF IT?
I dislike the editing skills of this film. There is some scenes/footages were missing. That is a lot of jump cut happened in the film. For example: When Mastura go E.J’s house and decided to forgive E.J. When it comes to the toughing point, E.J. was hug Mastura and said thank you to her, there is a jump cut occurred. The scene was suddenly jumped to the radio’s scene. The jump cut was always annoyed my emotion and feeling toward this film. I also dislike the noise and on the footage
When Mastura saw Kamal with his ex-wife together and realized that Kamal married. There was a quarrel toward Mastura and Kamal. After that, Mastura was very angry and leave from the scene. That is a part of the film I dislike. It is because; the lighting on that scene was not enough. I knew it was a night scene, but due to the lighting problems, I can’t really saw the actors’ facial expression.
Furthermore, when came to the part of Mastura received Kamal called and prepared take lift to meet Kamal. Inside the building, you can clearly saw the actors’ shadow there. It is means that the director is not using three point lighting. The shadows were blocking some supporting actor’s expression. This type of lighting problems was not only occurred in this scene. It is also occurred at others scene.
Toward this film, I dun really like the Malay sub-title colour. The Malay sub-title of this film were using yellow colour, and it is not really can saw clearly. Sometimes, the English sub-title was overlap with the Malay sub-title.
This is what I dislike about this film and which part that I dislike it so much.
7. REFERENCES
Adat Resam. (n.d.). Traditional Attire. Retrieved Nov 13, 2011 from
http://members.tripod.com/kidd_cruz/adat_resam.htm
Filem Malaysia. (1992). Filem Kita, Malaysia: Selubung / 1992. Retrieved Nov 13, 2011,
from http://www.filemkita.com/filem/s/selubung_01.html
FILM MELAYU RETRO . (2009). Selubung 1992 SDTVRip – XviD-arYzs. Retrieved
Nov 13, 2011,from
http://rapidsharefilemmelayuretro.blogspot.com/2009/09/selubung-1992-
sdtvrip-xvid-aryzs.html
Film School Online. (n.d.). Attributes of The Visual Image. Retrieved Nov 13, 2011, from
http://filmschoolonline.com/sample_lessons/sample_lesson_cinematography.htm
Sinema Malaysia. (2011). Selubung. SinemaMalaysia.com.my ver.2 BETA.
Retrieved Nov 10, 2011, from
http://www.sinemamalaysia.com.my/film/info/?id=Selubung_173
Selubung (1992) . Retrieved Nov 13, 2011, from
http://idanerina.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21&Itemid
=26
The Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI) . (n.d.). Retrieved Retrieved Nov 13,
2011, from The Malaysian Social Research Institute (MSRI) website:
http://www.msri.org.my/about-us/history.php
