Kachang Puteh to Popcorn: A History of Singapore Film

A well-made documentary that provides a good overview of local studio film production in Singapore up to the 1970s. It covers briefly pre-WWII filmmaking activities. [The documentary wasn't able to benefit from "discoveries" made after its release, so it inaccurately named the first local Singapore feature film as 'Leila Majnun' (1934), when it probably should have been 'Xinke' (or 'New Friend', 1927).] The section on the golden age of Malay cinema is substantially researched, and includes interviews with several veterans of the film industry, some of whom have passed on in recent years - Neng Yatimah, S. Shamshuddin and Albert Odell. There are numerous well-placed excerpts from classic films produced by Shaw Brothers' Malay Film Productions Ltd. and Cathay-Keris film studios. Also features shots of Shaw Brothers' abandoned film studio and sound stages at No. 8 and No. 9 Jalan Ampas (the buildings still exist today). A gem of a documentary about Singapore's cinematic gems.