1. I am told it has been released nationwide.
2. True to form, it has also been pirated, including online.
3. I don't get any royalties from the pirated editions.
4. But wait a minute! I don't get any royalties from the legitimate edition either.
5. Caveat emptor ;-)
Showing posts with label SUSUK. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SUSUK. Show all posts
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Tuesday, 12 August 2008
Deleted scene #2
This cameo by film producer David Teo (the one on the left) was fun to do, fast to shoot, but also fell to the cutting-room floor!
It was to take place very early (after we see Suzana singing in the radio station).
By cutting out this scene, we dissolve straight from Suzana singing to Soraya singing to the old woman, which works much better.
It was to take place very early (after we see Suzana singing in the radio station).
By cutting out this scene, we dissolve straight from Suzana singing to Soraya singing to the old woman, which works much better.
Spoilers galore!
If you'd like the entire plot explained to you, read the positive review in today's Utusan Malaysia. (If the link has trouble loading, you can read it here).
But if you don't like spoilers, don't read it lah.
I personally don't mind spoilers all that much. I have seen quite a few films including murder mysteries and The Sixth Sense after the endings were blabbed out to me, and I still enjoyed them. If anything, I felt like I was watching the films for the second time and noticing little clues.
But if you don't like spoilers, don't read it lah.
I personally don't mind spoilers all that much. I have seen quite a few films including murder mysteries and The Sixth Sense after the endings were blabbed out to me, and I still enjoyed them. If anything, I felt like I was watching the films for the second time and noticing little clues.
Monday, 11 August 2008
The numbers
Susuk grossed RM865,000 in its first four days of release. Alhamdulillah.
It was the second most-watched film in Malaysia over the weekend, after The Mummy 3.
On its opening day (Thursday) it grossed RM145,000. We thought it would drop the next day, which happened to be the opening ceremony of the Olympics. But it instead increased to RM165,000. Saturday was much better: RM276,000.
We expected another drop the next day, because conventional wisdom would have it that more people watch films on Saturday compared to Sunday. But we were pleasantly surprised when Sunday brought in RM275,000, a drop-off of not even 0.5%.
This is a stronger opening than any of the past five Malaysian films to be released.
Not many people expected it to do this well, especially after the best-selling Malay newspaper Harian Metro titled its early review 'Tak Faham Jalan Cerita,' and another newspaper Kosmo accused it of being a sleazy exploitation flick – and made me out to be some kind of pimp. But the fact that it has consistently pulled people in shows that folks are not that confused or, erm, offended.
No, it won't break any box-office records, even by the standards of local films. But a least Grand Brilliance, which spent RM1.23 million on it, won't be too embarrassed. And it has generated quite a lot of discussion (some people really hate it!) which to me is even better.
So thanks :-)
It was the second most-watched film in Malaysia over the weekend, after The Mummy 3.
On its opening day (Thursday) it grossed RM145,000. We thought it would drop the next day, which happened to be the opening ceremony of the Olympics. But it instead increased to RM165,000. Saturday was much better: RM276,000.
We expected another drop the next day, because conventional wisdom would have it that more people watch films on Saturday compared to Sunday. But we were pleasantly surprised when Sunday brought in RM275,000, a drop-off of not even 0.5%.
This is a stronger opening than any of the past five Malaysian films to be released.
Not many people expected it to do this well, especially after the best-selling Malay newspaper Harian Metro titled its early review 'Tak Faham Jalan Cerita,' and another newspaper Kosmo accused it of being a sleazy exploitation flick – and made me out to be some kind of pimp. But the fact that it has consistently pulled people in shows that folks are not that confused or, erm, offended.
No, it won't break any box-office records, even by the standards of local films. But a least Grand Brilliance, which spent RM1.23 million on it, won't be too embarrassed. And it has generated quite a lot of discussion (some people really hate it!) which to me is even better.
So thanks :-)
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Deleted scene #1
We had to cut out many scenes from the film because we didn't realise that a 97-page screenplay would end up being a first edit that was much longer than two hours.
This scene, a cameo by Jaclyn Victor, takes place right after Suzana lustily eats steak for lunch – and just before Soraya arrives backstage ... where she recognises the TV host Yasmin Yusoff. It would have been the film's only English-language scene.
More deleted scenes will follow!
This scene, a cameo by Jaclyn Victor, takes place right after Suzana lustily eats steak for lunch – and just before Soraya arrives backstage ... where she recognises the TV host Yasmin Yusoff. It would have been the film's only English-language scene.
More deleted scenes will follow!
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
The second controversy?
This article seems to imply that Susuk received 8 nominations because I am on the jury of the same film festival.
Cis! Fitnah!
Full disclosure: I am indeed on the jury.
But for the categories of short films and documentaries.
And I can assure you that I did not have anything to do with the five finalists in both categories. For documentaries, they are: Making The Cut, The Woodsmiths, Kami Yang Disyaki, Restoring Merdeka and The Perak Man. And for shorts, they are: Hasrat, Tiffin, Burp, Eyefinger and Kopitiam Kurang Manis.
I had nothing to do with the feature-film jury (and don't even know who some of them are).
Sheesh.
Cis! Fitnah!
Full disclosure: I am indeed on the jury.
But for the categories of short films and documentaries.
And I can assure you that I did not have anything to do with the five finalists in both categories. For documentaries, they are: Making The Cut, The Woodsmiths, Kami Yang Disyaki, Restoring Merdeka and The Perak Man. And for shorts, they are: Hasrat, Tiffin, Burp, Eyefinger and Kopitiam Kurang Manis.
I had nothing to do with the feature-film jury (and don't even know who some of them are).
Sheesh.
Sunday, 3 August 2008
8 nominations
Susuk has received eight nominations for the upcoming Festival Filem Malaysia.
The nominees are:
Best Actor (Adlin Aman Ramlie)
Best Cinematography (Daven Raghavan)
Best Music Score (Hardesh Singh)
Best Production Design (Kek Ting Lam)
Best Sound Design (Add Audio)
Most Promising Actress (Diana Rafar)
Best Costume Design (Mohd Zaini Abdul Rahman)
Best Poster (yes!)
Unfortunately the film could not be nominated in 4 key categories: Story, Screenplay, Directing and Editing because the FFM rules state that the nominees have to be Malaysian citizens. My co-writer and co-director Naeim Ghalili is American, and our editor Zalee is Singaporean. Similarly, Sepi this year and Cinta last year could not be nominated for Best Director because Kabir Bhatia is Indian.
Oh well. Congratulations to all the nominees! The results will be announced Saturday night.
The nominees are:
Best Actor (Adlin Aman Ramlie)
Best Cinematography (Daven Raghavan)
Best Music Score (Hardesh Singh)
Best Production Design (Kek Ting Lam)
Best Sound Design (Add Audio)
Most Promising Actress (Diana Rafar)
Best Costume Design (Mohd Zaini Abdul Rahman)
Best Poster (yes!)
Unfortunately the film could not be nominated in 4 key categories: Story, Screenplay, Directing and Editing because the FFM rules state that the nominees have to be Malaysian citizens. My co-writer and co-director Naeim Ghalili is American, and our editor Zalee is Singaporean. Similarly, Sepi this year and Cinta last year could not be nominated for Best Director because Kabir Bhatia is Indian.
Oh well. Congratulations to all the nominees! The results will be announced Saturday night.
Thursday, 24 July 2008
The first controversy?
Susuk is not even out yet but it is already criticised for going against Malay culture.
Strangely enough, the scenes of murder and the occult in the trailer are fine, but in the future I must make sure no undead characters wear the inappropriate colour.
Strangely enough, the scenes of murder and the occult in the trailer are fine, but in the future I must make sure no undead characters wear the inappropriate colour.
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
The upcoming Festival Filem Malaysia has a category for Best Poster
Do you think we have a chance? :-)
The model is Ida Nerina. The photographer is Sue-Anna Joe. And Yee I-Lann helped to conceptualise it.
The model is Ida Nerina. The photographer is Sue-Anna Joe. And Yee I-Lann helped to conceptualise it.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
Monday, 31 March 2008
Possible SUSUK taglines
(Synopsis).
1. Di sebalik wajah, tertusuk rahsia keramat.
2. Jangan sampai makan diri.
3. Sekali cucuk, pasti nak lagi!
4. Kejelitaan adalah hak milik semua puaka.
1. Di sebalik wajah, tertusuk rahsia keramat.
2. Jangan sampai makan diri.
3. Sekali cucuk, pasti nak lagi!
4. Kejelitaan adalah hak milik semua puaka.
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
SUSUK lepas!
Just got a call half an hour ago: Susuk has been passed by the Malaysian Film Censorship Board with two cuts.
The cuts are: a silhouette of a woman showering in the nude (she was actually wearing a swimsuit that didn't even match the colour of her skin lah); and a close-up of a man's head getting ripped off (OK, that one was kinda gross, and was totally Naeim's idea).
I am glad all the bomoh and bikini scenes were kept in. (Although neither of the bomohs is actually seen in a bikini).
The producers will most likely not appeal against the cuts (which amount to less than 10 seconds) and will instead try and secure a release date.
The cuts are: a silhouette of a woman showering in the nude (she was actually wearing a swimsuit that didn't even match the colour of her skin lah); and a close-up of a man's head getting ripped off (OK, that one was kinda gross, and was totally Naeim's idea).
I am glad all the bomoh and bikini scenes were kept in. (Although neither of the bomohs is actually seen in a bikini).
The producers will most likely not appeal against the cuts (which amount to less than 10 seconds) and will instead try and secure a release date.
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
SUSUK is done
This horror film that I co-directed with Naeim Ghalili is finally done.
Post-production took almost 2 years due to numerous delays with the CGI and sound.
I was getting quite annoyed.
But when I saw the fully graded film, with the mixed sound, in Bangkok last week, I got all excited all over again. I am not sure if the audience will react the same way – and since it cost RM1.2 million, there had better be an audience – but I can't foresee these things, as I am hardly, erm, Dukun Dewangga.
It clocks in at 110 minutes. It will be sent to the Censorship Board next week. We will only know the release plan after that.
Wish us luck :-)
Post-production took almost 2 years due to numerous delays with the CGI and sound.
I was getting quite annoyed.
But when I saw the fully graded film, with the mixed sound, in Bangkok last week, I got all excited all over again. I am not sure if the audience will react the same way – and since it cost RM1.2 million, there had better be an audience – but I can't foresee these things, as I am hardly, erm, Dukun Dewangga.
It clocks in at 110 minutes. It will be sent to the Censorship Board next week. We will only know the release plan after that.
Wish us luck :-)
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