Original film title in German: Peter Voss, der Held des Tages English film title: Peter Voss, Hero of the Day Directed by Georg Marischka Written by Curt J. Braun, Gustav Kampendonk, Peter Dronte Language: German Starring: O. W. Fischer, Linda Christian Produced by Kurt Ulrich Film Produktion Film Locations: Robinson Road (Telok Ayer Market) Upper Chin Chew Street Upper Circular Road Telok Ayer Street (Thian Hock Kheng Temple) Traffic Magistrates’ Court (New Bridge Road) Raffles Hotel Shophouses at junction of River Valley Road & Tank Road Paya Lebar Airport   PETER VOSS, HERO OF THE ..read more

Original film title in Malay: Berdosa English title: Sinner Chinese title: 母女飄零 Directed by S. Ramanathan Written by S. Ramanathan (story), S. Roomai Noor & A. R. Tompel (dialogue) Songs and syair by Ahmad Jaafar Produced by Malay Film Productions (Shaw Brothers) In Malay Cast: Yem, Neng Yatimah, Siput Sarawak, Mak Dara, S. Roomai Noor, Rokiah Jaafar Released February 1951 (in Singapore) Film Locations (in Singapore): Tanjong Pagar Railway Station Great World Cabaret Great World or New World Amusement Park Salmah (Siput Sarawak) seduces Osman (Yem), the titular sinful person in the film, a ..read more

Original film title in Malay: Rasa Sayang Eh Literal English translation of film title: Feeling of Love Directed by L. Krishnan Written by Hamzah Hussin & M. Amin (dialogue) Language: Malay Starring: Wahid Satay, Kasma Booty, M. Amin Produced by Cathay-Keris Year of release: 1959 Film Locations: Cathay Building and vicinity (aerial view) Shophouse “five-foot-ways” (unidentified location) Villa or bungalow (unidentified location)   Rasa Sayang Eh is a lighthearted vehicle for Cathay-Keris comedian star Wahid Satay, who was then dubbed the Jerry Lewis of Malay cinema. In this “musical-c ..read more

Original film title in Malay: Che Mamat Parang Tumpol (literally ‘Mr. Mamat Blunt Machete’) English title: The Black Hand Gang Directed by L. Krishnan Written by Pelham Groom (story & screenplay) Language: Malay and Hokkien Starring: Wahid Satay, M. Amin, Latifah Omar, Dollah Sarawak Produced by Cathay-Keris Year of release: 1960 Genre: Comedy Film Locations: Kampong Padang Terbakar (now demolished) Crosby House & Nanyang Siang Pau Building (now-Afro-Asia Building) Asia Insurance Building (Finlayson Green), Denmark House Newspaper press factory Collyer Quay, Robinson Road Victoria Memo ..read more

DREAM FACTORIES ON THE OUTSKIRTSA Concise History of Singapore’s Early Film Studios (1926 – 1973) [article last updated on 9 April 2018) by Toh Hun Ping Movie production in Singapore by local filmmakers first started in July 1926, when Low Poey Kim (Liu Bei-jin, 刘贝锦), a Singapore-born entrepreneur, established the Nanyang Low Poey Kim Motion Picture Co., Singapore / 南洋刘贝锦自制影片公司. He founded the company in the hope of creating, as a precedent, Chinese films with a Nanyang (literally ‘South Seas’; broadly refers to Southeast Asia) flavour using homegrown talents. He initially set up an offic ..read more

Original film title in Malay: Bawang Puteh Bawang Merah Liternal English translation of film title: Garlic and Shallots Directed by S. Roomai Noor Written by Salleh Ghani (adapted from traditional folklore) Language: Malay Starring: Latifah Omar, Umi Kalthom, Mustapha Maarof Produced by Cathay-Keris Year of release: 1959 Film Locations: A Banyan Tree (Pohon Beringin) in Bukit Timah Botanic Gardens Rural landscapes in Mandai (according to Berita Harian)   ‘BAWANG MERAH DAN BAWANG PUTEH’ IS A TRADITIONAL MALAY FOLKLORE that centers on the rivalry of two half sisters whose fates take s ..read more

Original film title in Malay: Jula Juli Bintang Tiga Literal English translation of film title: Jula Juli the Third Star Directed by B. N. Rao Written by Yem (story adapted from bangsawan play) Language: Malay Starring: Salmad Ahmad, Abdullah Chik, Sheriff Medan, Umi Kalthom Produced by Cathay-Keris Film Locations: Sultan Ibrahim Building (Johor Bahru) Kuala Lumpur Railway Station Istana Besar (or ‘Grand Palace’), Johor Bahru   Based on a popular bangsawan play, Jula Juli Bintang Tiga is a fantasy film about the romance between a king and a star-fairy named ‘Jula Juli’, who descends from ..read more