Malaysian Queer Cinema >> Dalam Botol

            Here it comes to the very last movie to watch in this semester. Watched Dalam Botol / Anu Dalam Botol to learn for Malaysian Queer Cinema.

Malaysian Queer Cinema

            In 2010, FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia) announced its revsion of film censorhip guidelines regading society’s marginal ‘misfits’ is now can be shown on Malaysian screens. The ‘misfits’ (eg: homosexual) are allowed with a condition, the characters repent at the end of the film or suffer retribution. (Like Film Noir?)

            Since then, Malaysian cinema embraces the ‘misfits’. In 2011, Dalam Botol directed by Khir Rahman was released in 2011. The pioneer film of Malaysian Queer Cinema had mediocre box-office earnings and received mixed reviews from the critics.

          The critics said the film is a progressive feat for Malaysian screens to allow homosexuality to take center stage. It’s a big step for the issue to be addressed in mainstream cinema. However, the conditional offer is regressive as it violates modernization of society, limiting the filmmaker’s freedom of expression. Another critic Gaik Cheng Khoo, who is a Malaysian academic who teaches gender and cultural studies voiced the policy is not a good move as the homosexual characters repent or face negative consequences.

         Apart from that, with the release of Dalam Botol, it means the birth of Malaysian Queer Cinema. It can be seen that the film’s representation can be seen as a major queer character contribution to global queer cinema.

Synopsis

            Ghaus and Ruby is a homosexual couple. Ruby, whose actual name Rubidin, disappear for two months as he undergone sex reassignment surgery to satisfy a simple wish by Ghaus. However, Ruby misinterpreted Ghaus and leads Ghaus to end their relationship as Ghaus couldn’t accept Ruby’s current physical conditions as as women. Ruby who returns as Rubidin, then in love with a girl that he knew in his village, and planned to get married.

Analysis

            Personally saying, I don’t really like the film. The storyline is a bit too draggy, perhaps can improve on the pace of storytelling. But most importantly, the message is delivered. And there goes Malaysian’s attempt on Queer Cinema!

            Ruby, is a transexual character that the typical Malaysian would call as “pondan”, or the Chinese name it “na-pek” on the first look. Apart from wearing female clothing and wig, Ruby doesn’t seem too much like a female. The film doesn’t provide much screen time to present the transitions of transexualism. But it’s not totally a bad thing though. It makes us easier to adapt Ruby back to himself as Rubidin.

            The film highlights a hybird version of homosexual. Ruby/ Rubidin is a homosexual, and he undergoes the sex reassignment surgery, it brings sexuality to another level of discussion. It is to emphasize sexuality is multiplicity.

            Also, Dalam Botol questions the societal norms in hegemony. It’s about the acceptance of homosexual relationships, marriage between a transexual and a straight and gender identity.

The homosexual couple Ghaus and Ruby are designed to suffer. For example, the couple get weird stares from the people out from toilet cubicles. Both of them doesn’t not have a good ending, even after they separated.

The selfish Ghaus reveals the identity of Ruby being a transgender man to Rubidin’s mother eventually halt the happiness of a transexual. It depicts the society would not accept the existence of transexual. What even worse, is a marriage between a transexual and a straight. The society just won’t allow it.

Family values is also a thing to look for in Dalam Botol. As soon as the family acknowledge Rubidin has transformed to Ruby, the ill father begs Ruby to become a man so that the old man’s wish of his son cleanses his body will come true. Ruby who loses Ghaus and doesn’t want to lose his family, fulfill his father’s wish and be a filial Rubidin. And later, he fulfill’s the mother’s wish to marry the girl Dina who lives in the same village. But still, reality kills. Not sure if the villagers knew about his identity, but the panic Rubidin choose to run away from the ceremony as he has ultimately chosen his transexualism and lives his life in remorse.

             Besides, I think it’s a smart move to have the setting on Malays. Queer on Malay community, it brings the queer’s struggle to a new level.

Conclusion

            It’s happy to see FINAS makes room for the misfits but it’s sad too. It contributes a bad influence to the Malaysian society! For instance, the society will develop a mindset that homosexual will get judged and not allow to have happiness. It creates discouragement but since we’re living in a conservative country, it’s hard to avoid.

            Last but not least, hope to see more Malaysian films coming to challenge the status quo. I believe the Malaysian LGBT community would be joyous for that.

References

1- Film Studies lecture notes

Queer Theory >> Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss

            Theory of the week: Queer Theory! Movie of the week: Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss!

Queer Theory?

            Queer Cinema has been around for years but without a proper name until it was first introduced at Toronto Film Festival in 1991. The concept of Queer Cinema is identified with avant-garde cinema which re-examined and reviewed the image of homosexuality (same sex/gender). These films re-evaluated male gazes, subjectivities and so on, by questioning the pleasure on screen and the celebration of excess, which in turn results to a subversion of previously considered mainstream genres.

            Queer Theory has pushes the development of Queer Cinema. The theory challenges and further debates on gender issue and sexuality, which is formally proposed by Feminist Theory. According to Susan Hayward, Queer Theory is not concern with positive images of queerness but is assertive about its politics, which suggests us to look things in more than one way. Thus, sexuality is looked into as multiplicity. In terms of stereotypes, Queer Theory heightens camp and narcissism.

Queer Theory seeks to confuse gender and sexual identity by exposing and blurring their limitations. It exposes the hegemonic homosociality and the hypocrisy of denial. For instance,

Why is heterosexual is acceptable but homosexual isn’t?

Why a man/king can enjoy the pleasure of having 200 women but blame the

woman who have 2 men is a slut?

Straight people is normal, so gay/lesbian is abnormal?

Why? Who determines it? 

            Queer Cinema became more visible with the global traumatizing effects of AIDS, which is the sexually transmitted disease. Queer Cinema also known as New Queer Cinema. The term is to describe the renaissance of gay and lesbian filmmaking by the Americans. New Queer Cinema celebrates and taking pride in difference. However, it has become a male homosexual cinema that focuses on male desires. Lesbanism remains quite invisible as it is less portrayed in the cinema. It is important to note that Queer Cinema is not equal to Gay Cinema, it is just part of it.

Now, let’s see the 4 approaches in Queer Cinema:

i) Audience Reception:

Assessing popular cultural texts that overtly address non-straight audience, such as homosexual characters in a narrative film.

ii) Texts that address straight (heterosexual) audiences but have gotten appreciation from non-straight audiences

iii) Producers / Filmmakers who is concerned with non-normative straightness.

iv) Films, popular culture texts and readings that articulate spaces outside gender binaries and sexuality categories, such as outside normative straight understanding of gender and sexuality or outside orthodox lesbian and gay understandings.           

          Some notable films under Queer Cinema are such as Rope (directed by Alfred Hitchcock), Swoon (directed by Tom Kalin), My Own Private Idaho (directed by Gus Van Sant) and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (directed by Gus Van Sant).

            All in all, Queer Cinema credits the value to homosexuality and lesbianism, be it good or bad. New Queer Cinema revamps the previously heterosexually-confined voices, sexualities and genres. At the same time, it engages the audiences to connect to the queer or queer contexts, regardless of racial, cultural and societal boundaries. For the key aesthetics, it subverts gender and sexual binaries to put the limitations of the categories into question. Also, it encourages people to reflect on their surroundings and how it exists and impacts.

Synopsis

            Billy is gay photographer who carries a Polaroid (instant camera). During a meet up with Georgia in coffee shop, Billy is attracted to the handsome waiter Gabriel. He then bumped into Gabriel at a party and recruits him to be the model of his project called Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss. 

Analysis

            In the opening scene before open credits, Billy’s voice-over straightaway addresses himself as a gay with a series of polaroids. It’s a story of being a gay and how is a gay’s life.

            What thrilled me the most while watching Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss, is when Billy can’t control himself but starts touching Gabriel who sleeps half-naked. This happens when Billy “invites” Gabriel to sleep on his bed since Billy thinks Gabriel wouldn’t feel comfortable sleeping on the couch as Gabriel’s leg is too long. Although Gabriel rejects Billy’s offer but later he accepts it. It’s normal for a guy to take off his shirt while sleeping, so is Gabriel. The lighting is constantly on and off, just like Billy's heart racing for Gabriel but not sure do it or not do it. Billy can’t help but starts to show his affection towards Gabriel with his gestures on Gabriel. Billy’s intention is clear, Gabriel who looks Billy as a friend, stop him.

 It’s my first time watching a scene like this, so it’s quite eye-opening to me. But don’t forget, it’s a queer film. Afterall, it’s just a guy searching for his love. 

            I like the theme of the film revolves around homosexual, it’s a big step in film industry to put this issue as a main topic. Having a few gay characters, a guy who has fantasy over the same sex, discussion of rating themselves as straight or gay on the Kinsey scale (from 1 to 6, 1 being completely hetero and 6 being completely gay). And for Gabriel, “Gay-briel”? Up for your interpretation. (No offence to anyone named Gabriel but only this particular character)

            Other than that, the drag queen scenes that appears quite many times. Drag queen refers to male who dresses femininely. Again, it’s a whole new representation that the film brings us to discussion. Something we know but we often ignore.

Conclusion

            Overall, it’s interesting to explore Queer Cinema. As the world is now showing more approval towards LGBT, I’m looking forward to see the future of Queer Cinema.

Reference

1- Film Studies lecture notes

Feminist Film Theory >> The Incredibles

This week’s movie is meant to relive my childhood! The Incredibles! The theory that will apply on this movie is Feminist Film Theory.

Feminist Film Theory

            Started in 1920s, the theory looks at women’s expression of her own subjectivity. The theory gets matured in the late 1960s, after the radicalized feminist movement (regarding sexual liberation and political debate of female representation).

            Talk about feminism, it is a set of political practices which can be seen through the analyses of the social or historical position of women as subordinated, oppressed or exploited in dominant modes of production (such as capitalism) and/or by social relations of patriarchy or male domination.

Films is viewed as a reflection of the society, hence, we tend out seek the ideological and social construction of women in films. The themes explored in this theory include discrimination, stereotyping, objectification, oppression and patriarchy.

          Film theorist Christian Metz argues that viewing film is only possible through scopophilia. Laura Mulvey who is also a film theorist, joined the discussion of visual pleasure of females on screen, which is known as ‘the gaze’. She expanded on the concept of scopophilia to introduce visual pleasure and identification with the on screen male actors. She mentioned female actresses on screen can be seen as exhibitionist (enjoy the pleasure of being looked at). They are the symbol of eroticism and visual pleasure. Thus, holds the tendency of “to-be-looked-at-ness” and “bearer of meaning”.

            Mulvey said cinema is a medium of voyeurism where visual pleasure is derived with the perspectives of looking. And so, there are 3 perspectives:

i) Male character looking at the female character in the film.

ii) Audience in cinema looking at the female character in the film.

iii) Audience in cinema looking through the eyes of the male character who is looking

     at the female character.

          Other than that, melodrama is a prominent element in female representation films. Women’s films (films that adressess at female audience) allows the female protagonist and female spectator to relook at genres, studying the aesthetic and political consequences of gender difference.

            There are several ways to look at feminism in films.

i) Assumed predetermined sexual identity to expose the misrepresentation of women in films. This refers to the female repression by a patriarchal society.

ii) Look at the various female representations in the film and compare them, the ‘preferred’ female representation will present in the end of the film.

iii) Look at the female representations of the film from the female spectator’s point of view.

            There are more ways to interprete feminism in films. As what mentioned above, films is viewed as the reflection of the society, elements like race, social class can also be included for the discussion.

            Example films that applied the theory are such as The Hours (2002), Erin Brockovich (2000) and I Shot Andy Warhol (1996).

Synopsis

            A family that consist of Mr Incredible and Elastigirl were forced to live their civilian lives after facing the public against over humans with superpower. Bob who is long for his Mr Incredible glory days is dissatisfied with the white-collar job and decided to go for with the mysterious mission that he received. While trying to hide their identities to live their suburban life, the family has no choice but back to save the world again.

Analysis

            Since it’s a Feminist Film Theory, let’s break down the female characters.

i) Helen / Elastigirl

A woman with the superpower being elastic and flexible. A responsible mother, housewife and family-oriented person, as she is protective for her children and family always comes first. She is strong as she thinks a woman is just strong like a man and she proves her statement. For instance, she got the thief before Mr Incredible did. Somehow she controls her husband (because Mr Incredible wants to relive his glory days), and she makes sure the family stay in low profile due to the incident happened before. As a mother and Elastigirl, she is dominant and independent. She strategises to get things work. Speaking from her superpower, it makes her a flexible housewife as she can handle the kids, husband and kitchen.

           

ii) Violet

Daughter of Mr Incredible and Elastigirl, has the superpower of being invisible and ability to make force field. She is shy and lack to confident, hence, she always cover her face with the long fringe. Due to her low self-confidence, she tends to hide herself behind the wall and go invisible when peeping the guy she likes. Not only that, she is obedient as she always listen to her mother. Even though Elastigirl tells her to use her superpower, she questions her. In the end, she uses her superpower to save her family. She changed her hairstyle as soon as she regains her confidence, and her crush notices her.

iii) Edna Mode

Although she is short, she is very confident because she is proud of her own talent. For her, supermodels? So what? She doesn’t give a damn. She is the elitist because she thinks that she designs for God. A very detailed fashion designer as she puts The Incredibles’s superpower in consideration when she designs the suit for them.

iv) Mirage

A femme fatale. She is pretty, sexy and curvy. A dangerous woman indeed as she delivered the mysterious mission to convince Mr Incredible to help Syndrome and indirectly kill them. But she changed in the end, she choose to betray Syndrome and help Mr Incredible to step out from the trap.

v) Kari

The babysitter of Jack-Jack while The Incredibles are out. She is talkative, nerdy, impatient and easily trust people (How can she let the stranger Syndrome takes away the baby?!).

vi) Frozen’s wife

She is a dominating wife as she won’t listen to his husband. She even shouted “I’m the greatest good you ever gonna get!”

Conclusion

            As a child who doesn’t grow up watching films, I enjoyed watching The Incredibles and yeah, my first superheroes movie. That’s purely an entertainment but not until I realise there are so many female representations I can study from the film! Somemore, their superpowers are related to their characteristics! Anyway, it’s good to learn the theory by watching one of my childhood favorite movie. And now, wait for the release of The Incredibles 2!

Reference

1- Film Studies lecture notes