Malaysian Cinema and Beyond: Genre, Representation and the Nation collects seven essays that explore the diverse landscape of Malaysian cinema—from the post-war golden studio era to contemporary horror, action, and arthouse films, touching on the intricate intersections of genre, representation, and the nation.

Norman Yusoff historicises Malaysian cinema by linking it back to proto-cinematic forms that shaped old Malay cinema before it came to be dominated by the big genres of romance, comedy, horror and action, and traces its evolution to the present day.

Khong Kok Wai explores CGI effects in fantastic films, specifically how it is used as a way to critique the technological limitations of mainstream Malaysian cinema,
before Norlela Ismail and David H J Neo break down Dain Said’s 2012 masterpiece, Bunohan.

Mastura Muhammad examines how Malay women—particularly Malay-Muslim women—have been portrayed onscreen in the pre-golden age (1930s-1940s), golden age (1950s-1970s), and post-golden age (1970s-1990s), before Wan Aida Wan Yahya, who edits the volume, shifts to how historical films have been used since Merdeka to forge a national narrative, with its attendant inclusions and omissions.

The post-war contestations over what constitutes a nation-state is also addressed in the final chapter, where Mohd Erman Maharam examines the notion of Nusantara via Lamberto V Avellana’s Badjao: The Sea Gypsies and L Krishnan’s Raden Mas.

Malaysian Cinema and Beyond: Genre, Representation and the Nation is available for purchase on the Gerakbudaya site.

Details

Malaysian Cinema and Beyond: Genre, Representation and the Nation

Wan Aida Wan Yahaya, ed.
SIRD
2024