Abang (1981) - Directed by Rahim Razali

Synopsis

This film deals with Abang Fuad who was travelling in London for almost 10 years and is now returning back to the homeland. Abang Fuad has left the family 10 years ago at sudden. He did not leave any message to his family until his return is said to be like vampire, ghost and demon. Abang Fuad had left his fiancé, Mona is now married to her brother, Faizal. The return is a question because of all this family struggled to handle the family business without the presence of the eldest brother. The appearance of Abang Fuad raises the range of emotion within the family. Although they were happy, but mentally they feel resentful and hate because the Abang fuad might interferes their peaceful normal life that had been sometimes. Actually, Abang Fuad was tired of pretending living in overseas, his return is because he misses his beloved homeland and members of family. One day, Abang Fuad met with his brother, Faizal. He has no choice but at the end he tells everything about the reasons he left them 10 years ago to London. In other story, sense of wonder at his own family was getting worried because he seemed to give up her business itself to others and donated to the poor. He then returned to the village, where he had been grown up there. Question was solved after Abang Fuad’s personal doctor came over to family’s house and forces to clarify the circumstances of Abang Fuad to his family members. Family members then rushed back to the village but unfortunately, Abang Fuad had died before they arrived.

Reviews

This is a perfect movie to show the localisation of foreign culture which has become significant due to the presence of mass media and the development of country. In Abang (1981), the director, Rahim Razali did not forget to put the hybridity element to the movie. Those include language, cultural, racial and gender hybrids. In Malay cinema, the hybrids tend to raise a question on how the previous search of identity different is.

One of the clear appearances in the movie is the using of technology and communication tools by the family. It shows the cultural imperial impact to the film.

The film also shows the language hybrid through the characters. For example, Abang Fuad talks with his brother, Faizal with the language mixture of English and Malay. Not only that, most of people who talk Malay language is blended with English.

Besides, the film has shown clear hybridity when Farid was consumed alcoholic drink during the party celebrating the Abang Fuad homecoming. It is actually does not fit the definition of Malay.

Moreover, talking about cultural hybrid, in Malay culture, usually the eldest would be responsible in the family business or fully in charge of the family possessions. But here, the hybrid shows that he does not matter who would be responsible in it and he just left his family for 10 years. However, a mixture of local cultural element was found in Abang Fuad when he wanted the second eldest son of the family to know the reason of leaving the family and in charge the family business.

Mis En Scene & Mis En Shot

            In the movie, Abang (1981), Rahim Razali, the director of the film had clearly articulate spatial elements and coordinates the shots in it. This technical explanation can be described with the element in mise en scence.

            Set design or setting is a very important element in the movie. It can be used to express character emotion or the dominant mood of a film, also to establish aspects of the character. In Abang (1981), Rahim Razali fully expresses his message through the location setting to the audience. For example, in order to show that Din’s family own a business, he used a company as a background with the appearance of the name tag on top of the door to show the company owner. Besides that, he also picked a bungalow house as an establishment to show the wealthy of the main character’s family. Furthermore, to show a “kampung” or village scene, Rahim Razali used to put the entire elements that can be found in the kampong such as coconut leaves and “Rakit” or the bamboo boat. Also, did not forget the paddy field that usually found in the “kampung”.

            To create such a great movie, the director technically plays his roles by putting a better lighting, sound and editing. This can be explained under the mis en shot elements. It is well explained when mis en scene and mis en shot are explained together. As we can see dialogue seems a very important element in the film, therefore, the director always focus on the subject whenever the subject is talking.