Down in selected hypermarkets across the Klang Valley, all great for lurking and finding something unexpected, there are bins full of outdated Malay film DVDs. Many titles were from the 1990s; among them were Selubung, XXRay, Maria Mariana, Jimi Asmara, Sayang Salmah... perfect to watch when you've got RM 8.9 to spare.
One film I would like to highlight is by Shuhaimi Baba, called Ringgit Kasorrga. I suspect this film came out in the year 1995. The plot goes like this; a dance studio called Blaze Studio headed by Meera [Tiara Jacquelina]...
...is selling its dancers as social escorts for the rich and elite.Then comes Nina [Deanna Yusoff]...
...from the village to work as a receptionist at the studio. Back in her village, her uncle is a politician who is working for a parliamentary seat, backed by a Datuk [Zaidi Omar]. This Datuk is also a lover of Meera. One day, Nina became a talent for a mobile phone ad [for ancient brand NEC, to be precise], because the actual model fell ill on shooting day.
The Datuk became interested in Nina from watching the ad, and wanted to 'get it on' with her. Nina thought it was for her modelling portfolio, and she had to help out her uncle by being friendly with this Datuk. But, this Datuk had something else in mind.
Nina did not like it at all, of course! And things got worse when Meera tried to sell her to Kasorrga, the island resort where all the social escorts were being 'screen-tested'. Nina learned that her fellow colleague was also being 'sold' there, and they went back to Blaze Studio to confront Meera. It didn't go well because Meera claimed that it's the girls who were willing to sell themselves.
Actually, the objective of this post is to remind me what the 1990s looked like. This film featured a lot of chunky gold jewellery.
foil brocade blazers, waistcoats teamed with A-line skirts...
oversized t-shirts...
really gaudy dance routines...
Ah, no wonder. Yaohan department store sponsored all the clothes!
And also, familiar KL scenes...
Anyone who used the Federal Highway to get to KL back then will not miss a massive Konica billboard near the Old Klang Road exit [which then became an ad for Salem cigarettes, and now, Vincci Nose shoes].
The house that was used as Meera's residence is very attractive, in a sort of, post-modern-ish, kind of way.
Written in chiseled tip Artline marker on a big brown envelope is Blaze Studio's address. In real life, it's not an actual bungalow lot, but rather a shophouse located adjacent to Penang Village restaurant / Maybank.
The year 1995 looked quite swell back then, eh? I may 'review' more 1990s local films in the future, perhaps a film that had Sidi Oraza acting in it, or Ramona Rahman. Hmm...
3 comments:
Ah..who can forget the famous "Siapa yang malu? Mereka dan keluarga mereka!" line.
U know what, i think that the girl standing next to deanna yusoff, in the XXL tshirts photo, is the director of Kami.
I might be wrong..
Selamat hari Khamis, Linolumixa.
Heheh, I pula, my favourite line is, "Takkan lah hutang budi balas body pula..."
Oho, that XXL t-shirt lady, her real name is Fariza Azlina.
Hai..zalikha from bakatseni here.
Bukit tabur is located in Taman Melawati, there are many ways to get there..the one i wen to is considered as the "easy" one.
Start by going to Taman Melawati..and drive straight to a roundabout..
take the 12 o'clock turn and the second right.
The entrance is hidden, u have to follow a pipe line to the foot of the hill.
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