Trying something different for a change, an offbeat attempt to find constructive ways to waste time. So instead of writing another movie reviw, I shall be a smart-aleck and do a movie prediction of our homemade production '大世界'. Naturally since the movie is yet to be released, there's really nothing I can write about in terms of it's story or the cast acting and directing. So based on what am I making this prediction? Am I giving another biased judgement simply because '大世界' is a local production? As much as I like to admit that I am fair and impartial to movies, I like to evidently confess that there are some, though very few, local movies which I do find to be mildly entertaining. And that's saying alot! Such as 'Must Follow Law' (say what you want); 'Money No Enough 1' are just a few examples of local movies hitting the right mainstream note to garner the consensus of our local varied demographics. And that is no easy feat to achieve.
The first and biggest problem about '大世界' is their movie trailer. The first time I watched it is during the movie 'Tron'. It lasted about 2 - 2.5 mins but in the small time frame alone, I have never felt so utterly bewildered to the point of irritation about 'what the F* is going on?' Even looking at the poster has the potential of giving me a chronic headache. Trailers are supposed to give a glimpse of what to expect or anticipate in the movie. But in the '大世界' trailer, all I see are a massive barrage local TV actors and actresses appearing with an average screen time of 2.39 seconds per actor, in selective acts of 'comedic absurdness'. It conjures up so much random scenes it seems like a last ditched desperate attempt by the producers to force sell the film with as much visualizations as possible. At the end of the trailer, I haven't got a clue what this movie is all about, who the lead actor is and what is it's bloody story? The only thing I am certain of is the movie is based on the old popular hangout that my parents would fondly think of. And that is it's next biggest problem.
I do not know much about the history of 大世界 except it used to be the most 'happening' place in Singapore during my parent's times. Conservatively speaking, that is almost 40-50 years ago. Dosen't that summarize where the problem lies? Nobody in our current movie going generation even heard of 大世界 let alone be interested to pay money to watch a movie about it. I don't know about you but last time I checked I failed to spot any 60 - 70 year old entourages visiting the cinema I went to, and NO I do not know about the audiences at Yang Tze cinema! Thus by setting '大世界' as the name of the film, Raintree already committed marketing suicide by natural selection, when it omitted the youthful but nevertheless dedicated audiences that is the economic backbone of the film industry.
Traditionally it is expected to have several blockbuster movies lined up for the CNY release, and this year the main stiff competition will be from Andy Lau's 'Shaolin' and Jay Chou's 'The Green Hornet' which I can bet my last dollar is the one audiences flock to watch. Just the combined efforts of Andy Lau and Jay Chou alone will massacre every single Mediacorp artists. And that's not even including competition from overnight mahjongs!
There is also a huge taboo in the film industry not to name their films after a location, it's been proven to almost always come true. The only thing it lacked is scientific evidence for it to be properly researched. Don't believe me, there's 'Barbershop' and 'Daddy Day Care'. These are real examples of actual hollywood movies that flopped and the only reason you never heard of them is because it stank so badly the producers just want everybody to develop selective amnesia over them so they can save themselves from further embarressment. With the only exception of 'Titanic' and it can't even be applied here because of a few facts:
1) It is directed by James Cameron, who at that time already has a few impressive films under his CV (T2, Aliens, True Lies).
2) Titanic is 'famous' enough in the annals of great disasters for it to be a marketing campaign alone.
3) Leonardo Di Caprio ............. enough said!
Sadly '大世界' has not shown any sign that it is a promising and watchable movie worthy of the audience's time. But it possesses all the signs it is doomed from the beginning. Even the synopsis of the movie in the Golden Village website is obscure and brief, describing to us what we already knew but can't be bothered to delve deeper. However this is my first prediction and in all fairness to Raintree and for it's sake I hope I am wrong. If I am at least they are answerable to their investors and I shall stop making baseless predictions. But if I am right, I hope someone from Mediacorp higher management reads my blog and I will gladly accept any freelance consultative jobs to their future productions.
