Archive for the ‘Adibah Noor’ Category
Less Impact With Musical
Mimi (Dynas, left) tries to break up.
A good movie does not necessarily translate into a great musical, and Impak Maksima - The Musical is proof of it.
It opened at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur on Nov 11 (ends on Nov 22), and is spearheaded by the same team that made Impak Maksima - The Movie a success.
However, the team helmed by director Ahmad Idham failed to recreate the strong storyline about brotherly love and a brilliant undercover policewoman amidst the colourful and sleazy world of illegal racing (drifting) in Kuala Lumpur.
Fans of the 2007 movie and its spin-off television series, both of which star One In A Million co-host Awal Ashaari, are familiar with college student Ayie, nicknamed the Drift King by his admirers.
Ayie’s elder brother Johari, an ex-drifter who is now in the car servicing business, opposes Ayie’s involvement in drifting, fearing the dangers of drugs, gangsterism and prostitution associated with it.
Ayie subsequently meets Ray, a thuggish, veteran drifter whom Johari knows well. Ray challenges Ayie to a race and Johari is forced back into drifting to save his brother’s life.
The brothers find an uncanny ally in Inspector Maria, who has long posed as Ray’s mistress. They help the feisty policewoman end Ray’s reign of terror.
The musical originally tried to re-create Ayie’s story, but as a result of Awal being unavailable to reprise his role, a less compelling prequel was developed, with assistant and artistic director Zul Huzaimy taking on the role of an enigmatic protagonist simply known as DK (Drift King).
The acclaimed Zul, who was to reprise his screen role as Ray, handed the baddie’s baton to brawny Zed Zaidi, while Dynas Mokhtar, who made a convincing Inspector Maria on screen, was cast as DK’s bitchy ex-girlfriend, nightclub singer Mimi.
Impak Maksima - The Musical is set a few years before Ray meets Ayie.
DK is a college student, popular drifter and party animal, who has just broken up with the demanding Mimi and falls in love with college freshie Ika, played by Akademi Fantasia 2 singer Zarina Zainoordin.
As the night-time romance between insomniacs DK and Ika grows, he soon learns that her elder brother is Ray, the most feared drifter in town, and the man who vows to “finish him off” as Drift King.
Worse is yet to come. Vengeful Mimi is sore at being dumped by DK, and does her utmost to split DK and Ika, even if it means colluding with the slimy Ray and his network of drug dealers, prostitution rings, Ah Longs and gangsters.
Meanwhile, DK’s buddy Amran (The Fabulous Cats’ Adeep) is a mechanic by day and Mat Rempit by night. His drift-loving girlfriend Asmidar (a brilliant Dina Nadzir of Malaysian Idol 1) has just dumped him, and he seeks DK’s advice on how to win her back.
While the predictable and familiar story of DK pales in comparison to that of Ayie, lead stars Zul and Zarina liven up the stage with their vocal prowess.
Zul’s singing has improved considerably since Putra - The Musical last year, and so has Zarina’s. However, there is a lack of chemistry between them and the beautiful Zarina comes across as rather stiff.
Adeep and Dina keep the show alive with their comical quarrels, delivered brilliantly in operatic form, and Dina comes across as a “little Adibah Noor” in her acting and singing.
The supporting characters include DK’s other sidekick Loyai, played by the show’s choreographer Zulfarqar “Belalang” Awaluddin. However, their comedic antics are forgettable.
The musical’s true “heroes” are composer and music director Cat Farish of The Fabulous Cats (who acted in the movie), executive producer Zaharudin Wahab (or Den Wahab), set designer Taramizi Mokhtar, and of course, Zulfarqar and Zul in their backstage capabilities.
The sight of two colourful cars racing on stage is spellbinding, while the dancers’ luminous costumes and vibrant moves liven up the show.
Other wonderful special effects include the elevation of multiple platforms on stage, the beaming of “lasers”, speedily projected scenes that accompany “whizzing” motorcycles, and billboards which advertise fictitious cafes “owned” by the production team.
Cat Farish’s songs have a Broadway feel, and nicely capture the moods of various scenes. At times, the 60 dancers (25 from Istana Budaya) sway to the beat of joget and lagu Asli.
Mafia Dunia, a flamenco-like tune, is easily the catchiest song, and describes how the local “Cosa Nostra” terrorise the streets.
Zul’s DK gets the best lines when he describes himself as the “Datuk Shah Rukh Khan” of his college, and tells Ika not to watch too much Samarinda and Akasia on TV.
Dina comes a close second when she imitates Zul’s “I like my Rempit!” line in the film Senario Episod 1.
New Straits Times
Crowning Moments
(From left) Murali, Gayathri, Mamat, Yasmin and Ziela with their trophies.
DENNIS CHUA writes on the recent Anugerah Skrin 2008 awards and tells us why the black-and-white Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang has garnered major awards yet again.
Que and Zamarul (right) emerged as the winning TV heroes.
MALAYSIA’S first film noir, Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang, which emerged tops at the Malaysian Film Festival (MFF) earlier in the year, also scored at the Anugerah Skrin 2008 (ASK), bagging the awards for Best Film, Best Film Director (Mamat Khalid) and Best Film Actor (Rosyam Nor) categories.
Actress Fauziah “Ogy” Ahmad Daud’s comeback vehicle, Suara Saleha, dominated the television drama categories, winning Best Drama, Best Drama Actress (Ogy) and Best Drama Director (Murali Abdullah).
Sepi, scriptwriter Mira Mustaffa’s poignant tale of love and lost souls, had failed to win at the MFF but bagged the ASK awards for Best Film Actress (Baizura Kahar), Best (Film) Supporting Actress (Nasha Aziz) and Best Screenplay (Mira).
Zamarul Hisham and Que Haidar proved to be leading men of the small screen with Zamarul winning Best Drama Actor for Ihsan and Que, the Best Drama Supporting Actor award for Tuhan Pun Tahu.
Tuhan Pun Tahu also earned veteran actress Normah Damanhuri the Best Drama Supporting Actress prize, while Zaefrul Nordin won Best (Film) Supporting Actor for his convincing portrayal of independence hero Datuk Onn Jaafar in the historical 1957 - Hati Malaya.
ASK also honoured popular director Yasmin Ahmad of hit movies Sepet, Gubra, Mukhsin and Muallaf with a Special Jury Award for her contributions to the local film industry.
Rosyam, who has been Malaysian cinema’s leading man for almost a decade and a regular on TV movies, said he ‘instantly fell in love’ with Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang.
“It’s a film like no other. It’s part-crime thriller, part-comedy, fantasy and history rolled into one; it is a cinematic adventure that challenges established boundaries.
“What is also very appealing about it is that it’s in black-and-white and the fact that it also pays tribute to the great films of yesteryear, especially Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s films,” he said.
Rosyam said Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang is a masterpiece and an example of “thinking out of the box”.
Mamat, who will soon collaborate with directors Aziz M. Osman and Afdlin Shauki in the three-in-one film Tiga Jalan, said the success of his film showed that Malaysians were willing to give radically different films a chance.
“If this is a sign of things to come, I’m confident Malaysian movies will stand tall,” he said.
“Besides films, I would love to create a successful play. I’ve been busy with the script for a play titled Kelabu Malam and if all goes well, I hope to have it performed at Istana Budaya.”
Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang producer Gayathri Su-Lin Pillai said the film would be screened at the Rotterdam Film Festival in Holland next year.
“We’ve just had it shown at the Udine Film Festival in Italy. Its strength, to both local and foreign viewers, is in its unorthodox storyline and its noir concept,” she said.
Suara Saleha producer Ziela Jalil said the drama marked her company Pena Creative’s second win in the annual awards after Lebih Bisa Dari Jelatang (2007).
“The drama marks a brilliant comeback for Ogy. Her convincing portrayal of a long-suffering mother whose family falls apart after her husband’s death was simply great,” she said.
Murali, who directed Malaysian Film Festival 2001 award-winning drama Najwa, said Suara Saleha’s “family first” message appealed to all Malaysians, irrespective of cultural boundaries.
Zamarul said he is always grateful to his mother Zaleha Rahman, veteran actor Jalaluddin Hassan and Rosyam for guiding and encouraging him to excel in acting.
“They always had faith in me and believed I could excel as an actor. This is why I dedicate my win to them,” he said.
Zamarul, who has been acting for 13 years, said his dream role was to star as a long-suffering deaf man who beats the odds to excel in life.
Yasmin said she wished to share her award with all the talented young actors who appeared in her movies.
“I always feel honoured to work with young and determined actors. My coming movie Talentime is full of them.
“What inspires me to make good movies are the common values and dreams that unite us as Malaysians regardless of colour. Movies play an important role in creating awareness of the many challenges facing society and how they can be overcome,” she said.
The awards held at the Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur last Friday was themed “Diamonds”, and kicked off with a sparkling duet, Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend, by Noryn Aziz and Nikki Palikat.
First-time co-hosts Adlin Aman Ramlie of Jangan Tidur Lagi and Susuk, and Nurul Syuhada Nurul Ain Mohd Zin of Majalah 3 subsequently appeared, dressed in red.
While the duo initially looked uncomfortable, Adlin and Nurul Syuhada gradually “warmed up” and there was some light banter.
Among the guest presenters were Kanchana Devi, Que, Saiful Apek, Fazura, Belinda Chee, Remy Ishak, Maya Karin, Fouziah Ghous, Iqram Dinzly, Zul Huzaimy, Aznil Nawawi, Erra Fazira, Afdlin, Sofea Jane, Jalaluddin, Daphne Iking and astronaut Datuk Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Sheikh Mustapha.
Pop queen Datuk Siti Nurhaliza performed her hit song Wanita, while “Superman rocker” Faizal Tahir belted out his new hit Coba.
Malaysian Icon Jaclyn Victor sang Kris Dayanti’s Pilihlah Aku while actors Adi Putra, Ery Putra, Faradhiya and Emelda Rosmila showed they could take on the sassy 1970s hit duet Seiring Dan Sejalan.
The crowning musical moment came when Anuar Zain’s romantic ballad Ketulusan Hati was given a brilliant reinterpretation by Malaysia’s Adibah Noor, with decent help from Lah Ahmad of VE.
THE WINNERS
Best Television Drama: Suara Saleha (Pena Creative Sdn Bhd);
Best Actor (Drama): Zamarul Hisham (Ihsan);
Best Actress (Drama): Fauziah Ahmad Daud (Suara Saleha);
Best Supporting Actor (Drama): Que Haider (Tuhan Pun Tahu);
Best Supporting Actress (Drama): Normah Damanhuri (Tuhan Pun Tahu);
Best Director (Drama): Murali Abdullah (Suara Saleha);
Best Television Screenplay: Anuar Idris (Wasiat Fitrah);
Best Serial Drama: Bicara Aur Dengan Tebing (Tenview (M) Sdn Bhd);
Best Comedy Drama: Mr Mama (Radius One Sdn Bhd);
Best Film: Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang (Tayangan Unggul Sdn Bhd);
Best Actor (Film): Rosyam Nor (Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang);
Best Actress (Film): Baizura Kahar (Sepi);
Best Supporting Actor (Film): Zaefrul Nordin (1957 - Hati Malaya);
Best Supporting Actress (Film): Nasha Aziz (Sepi);
Best Director (Film): Mamat Khalid (Kala Malam Bulan Mengambang);
Best Screenplay (Film): Sepi (Ara & Mira Mustafa);
Best Documentary/Magazine Show: Majalah 3 - Sudirman Tribute;
Best Talkshow: Macam-Macam Aznil;
Best Music Programme: Anugerah Juara Lagu 2008;
Best Entertainment Programme: Project Superstar 2;
Best Reality Show: So You Think You Can Dance 2;
Best Special Report: Buletin Utama - Orang Asli In Danger;
Shine Pantene Award (for best hair): Wan Sharmila.
New Straits Times
SITI NURBAIYAH NADZMI: Hear Our Music, Cry Out Local Artistes
Adibah Noor won Best Song for “Terlalu Istimewa”, a song she recorded under an independent label after countless rejections by recording giants
Setting an airplay formula will not revive Malaysia’s struggling music industry, artistes tell SITI NURBAIYAH NADZMI. Instead, they hope broadcasters will support a wide range of musical offerings, from both established and independent recording labels
Ramli Hamid (left) of Mohram says broadcasters should play a wider variety of music rather than stereotyping their listeners
THE local music industry is helmed by gods, who dictate who gets to record, distribute, appear in glossy magazines and have their songs played on radio and television shows.
Malaysian musicians, singers and bands, who are at their mercy, are looking for ways to break out from this situation.
Karyawan (Malaysian Artistes Association), which champions the rights of the performers, is pushing for more airtime on private radio stations with a 90:10 ratio for local and imported music.
But this move is seen as restrictive and would neither boost the music industry nor create a talent or market-driven industry.
Artistes have to bow their heads to the recording companies who, they claim, cut down the risk of poor sales by prescribing packaged “goodies” of pop music tailored to current trends and oozing “sex appeal”. Anything different would be rejected.
For this reason, many new and serious artistes are having their works published under independent labels with limited prints. A perfect example is Adibah Noor, who financed her own recording of Terlalu Istimewa after countless rejections from recording labels — and went on to bag the most coveted Song of the Year Award at TV3’s Anugerah Juara Lagu last year.
The industry is not talent-driven but is shaped and moulded by the big players, based on what they think would sell — and at the price of slaughtering the real artistes, says writer, critic and singer Zainal Alam Kadir.
He says established labels are more interested in imitating success formulas rather than creating new music, which would attract a wider listener and music fan base, not just in the country but also at the international level.
“When Noraniza Idris burst onto the music scene with her brand of ethno-pop music in the late 1980s, the labels signed new artistes and forced them to copycat her act. The same goes for Siti Nurhaliza, Raihan, M Nasir and Pak Ngah.
“But those with their own kind of sound, style and creative works would have no place during these trends.”
Recording under your own label is neither as daunting nor as intimidating as many perceive it to be, says Zainal Alam.
“With a good set of creative people, anyone can do it. The notion that albums can only be produced by giant labels is absolutely misleading.”
RTM newsreader Omar Arif took the plunge and invested his life savings on an album, Dia Yang Satu, released last month under his own label, Tjipta Maia, as a trial project.
Producing the album has given him an insight into the music industry and he is brimming with ideas to work on a new album next year.
“What’s important for me is working on my kind of music,” says Omar, whose second album delves into the grooves of soulful jazz.
Warner Music sales and marketing general manager Herman Cheng admits that they are rather selective when signing up new artistes but the label refutes claims that the company dictates the creative style of the artistes under its label.
“We don’t do that. The artistes are guided throughout the entire process — recording, concept, publicity, promotions and appearances. We want them to succeed,” he says.
Despite the global dwindling sales of audio compact discs, Cheng says music would continue to thrive, perhaps in a different format, such as digital music downloads.
Last year, megastar Madonna, after the release of Hard Candy, ended her 25-year contract with Warner Bros and signed an unprecedented global partnership of US$120 million (RM422 million) with Live Nation, a stage promoter company, to market her music downloads, concerts and merchandising. Early this year, megastar rock band U2 followed suit.
The move significantly marks the phasing out of audio compact discs, first rolled out 25 years ago in Hanover, Germany, to digital downloads played over MP3s and mobile phones.
In Korea, the sales of the physical CDs and digital downloads has reached a 50-50 ratio. Cheng says Malaysia is still lagging in terms of switching format from CDs to digital downloads, making radio airplay important in boosting the local music industry.
Radio stations view Karyawan’s proposal as preposterous because they claim that there is simply not enough quality material to sustain 24-hour seven-day week broadcasts.
They accuse independent label album productions of being below par and thus not fit for transmission.
Engku Emran Engku Zainal Abdin, the chief operating officer of Suria FM, a radio station which plays a ratio of 70:15:15 of local, Indonesian and English numbers, told a local Malay daily that there are not enough Malay songs to play.
His sweeping statement enraged serious artistes with world-class acts, such as Mohram, who were declined airplay by private radio stations on unclear grounds.
Mohram’s flautist Ramli Hamid, one half of the duo creating exquisite acoustic music who have performed at festivals and shows in Europe and Asia, says he has given up on radio stations.
“There are no hard and fast rules of radio airplay. Most programme managers have their whims and fancies about what the listeners crave over their stations. They would refuse your songs based on the most unfathomable reasons.”
One, he says, has classified his music as dangdut, in a degrading manner, as reasons for declining to play their songs on air.
Another issue harped on by radio stations, says Ramli, is listenership profiles and ratings, where stations “box” their listeners according to demographic profiles and preferences.
“What they are doing really is stereotyping the listeners and feeding them the same kind of music over and over again.
“Their music charts are not an actual sample of what people choose to listen but a choice of what the radio had selected for them.
“This is unhealthy for the music industry,” he says.
On the other hand, a relatively young radio station has courageously weathered the conflict by playing only Malaysian music, largely produced by independent labels, by bands known over the past decade as “underground” or “indie alternative”.
Positioned to capture the younger listeners, XFM, is helmed by programme manager Adly Syairi Ramli, a former journalist who pioneered the Under the Radar column in the “Malay Mail” to unearth new bands.
“This new Malaysian music is about being proud of the local talents who dare to depart from imitating the pop icons and be themselves,” he explains.
The result is a mix of pop rock peppered with blues, soulful ballad, hip-hop, ethnic and Malay folk sound, all concocted into an upbeat and rhythmic play list.
XFM, says Adly, premieres new songs at about 8.50pm on weeknights. “I don’t think there’ll be a shortage of good local material.”
Still, the radio station is fairly reserved when it comes to other types of music. The likes of Mohram or gambus supremo Farid Ali, who redefines the mainstream jazz by infusing it with the sound of gambus, have yet to find a window for their brand of music.
Farid, who has played to standing ovations at clubs and festivals both here and abroad, says the 90:10 ratio of local and imported music is not a salve to the ailing industry but could turn into a gangrenous move:
“Our music needs exposure and at the same time we too need to be exposed to other influences. It is not how much airtime but more of what is being played over the radio that needs to be looked into,” he says.
The gods in the local music industry have no choice this time but to descend to reality.
Urges Cheng: “Everybody should sit down and talk. The Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications, Karyawan, Recording Industry Association of Malaysia, and the radio stations should come to a consensus on this issue. Otherwise we are all on the losing end.”
New Straits Times