Local movie Mat Kilau creates history, rakes in RM47mil in 11 days

[superadmin]

Vijay47: Ahh! Films and the silver screen! In keeping with movie tradition, let me start with a prequel – just two days ago, by happy or unhappy coincidence, I saw “The Da Vinci Code” (Tom Hanks), which depicts 2,000-year-old plots within the Vatican, popes and bishops, mysterious tales of Mary Magdalene, and disputes regarding the divinity of Jesus Christ.

Fans may be glad to know that I did not run amok and burn down my house. I was too busy laughing. Cut to the present. First, thank you, independent historian, Ranjit Singh Malhi, for sharing with us the hidden history of life during long-ago years in Pahang and Selangor. 

With the detailed information you have stated, not many silat warriors would want to take you on and I am sure your blood will easily see you through should the usual reports be made against you for supposed disrespect to the sultans.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I note that Mat Kilau’s adventures were in the interests of race and religion. Religion? In the 1890s? I grew up in Kedah, served in Kelantan, and religion was never a visible element in either state despite the Malays going about their faith obligations fervently. And silently.

How art imitates life! ‘Mat Kilau The Movie’ must have travelled in the DeLorean since it is so reminiscent of present-day political reality - working towards the unity of race and religion, and with enough non-Malays to play the villain roles.

My only surprise is that the film does not mention Jho Low’s (Low Taek Jho) ancestors.

Koel: Thank you, Prof. It would be wise for filmmakers attempting history to also attempt an unvarnished knowledge of the event before foisting it on uncritical moviegoers.

I say this because one sees online comments stating that the movie is a faithful representation of facts. In a country with an abysmal reading record, such comments are not unusual - and artists such as filmmakers need such awareness.

And clearly, the qualifying statement at the start of the movie (that it is fictional) has not worked either. But even for fiction, there is a crass racial representation that will bring this movie and its producers disrepute among discerning audiences.

It’s time to wise up to politically correct discourse, folks. Of course, if you just want some ethnonationalist propaganda to provide an ‘us vs them’ division to prepare for upcoming elections, this movie might do that job. But what an insult to history and to movie-making!

What? The sultan sold land to foreigners?

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