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Myth, Neo-Colonialism and Neo-Noir in Two Films by Dain Said

2018; Volume: 31; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.37052/ml.31(2)no8

2682-8030

Abdul Wahab Hamzah,

Socioeconomic Development in Asia

Dain Said is one of the most reputable Malaysian film directors. Two of his films, Bunohan (2011) and Interchange (2016), not only won him awards for best film and best director but were also screened in many respected world film festivals. Bunohan and Interchange have a reputation of being different from many ordinary contemporary Malay films. Both films contain the similar theme of killing in their plots with a dark noirist approach, but killing is only on the surface of their multi-layered narratives. In both films, Dain is interested in the interweaving myth, imperialism and capitalism in the conflict of tradition and modernization. Even though myth has been imbued with fantastic elements, it becomes part of the ideological process of naturalization and has its own role in the origin of the race, history, and identity of a country. Colonialization and capitalism have been gradually destroying traditional cultures and myths that are part of a nation’s ideology. This essay analyzes how traditional cultures and mythologies should become the important elements in resisting the dangers of neo-colonialism that is called globalization. Here, the films Bunohan and Interchange have proved that Dain Said is a film auteur in his own class. Keywords: myth, colonialism, auteur, Malay film, neo-noir Abstract Dain Said salah seorang pengarah filem Malaysia yang berkemampuan tinggi. Dua filem arahannya, Bunohan (2011) dan Interchange (2016) bukan sahaja memenangi anugerah filem terbaik dan pengarah terbaik malah banyak ditayangkan di festival filem dunia yang berprestij. Bunohan dan Interchange berbeza dengan kebanyakan filem Melayu kontemporari. Kedua-dua filem memaparkan tema dan plot yang sama, iaitu pembunuhan dengan pendekatan noirist. Walau bagaimanapun pembunuhan hanya lapisan permukaan yang terdiri daripada beberapa lapis naratif. Dalam kedua-dua filem Dain berminat dengan menggabungkan mitos, imperialisme dan kapitalisme dalam konflik tradisi dan modern. Walaupun mitos bercampur dengan elemen fantasi, tetapi mitos menjadi sebahagian proses ideologi peneutralan. Mitos mempunyai peranannya dalam asal usul bangsa, sejarah dan identiti negara. Kolonialisasi dan kapitalisme dalam diam membunuh budaya tradisi dan mitos yang menjadi sebahagian daripada ideologi negara. Makalah ini menganalisis budaya tradisi dan mitos yang sepatutnya menjadi elemen penting dalam menolak perangkap neo-kolonialisme atau lebih dikenali sebagai globalisasi. Filem Bunohan dan Interchange membuktikan Dain Said sebagai filem auteur yang mempunyai kelasnya yang tersendiri. Keywords: myth, Colonialism, Auteur, Malay film, Neo-Noir