881

881 (dir. Royston Tan)

* *

Sometimes delivering on the language held in press materials isn't actually a good thing. Described as a juxtaposition of Moulin Rouge and Lars von Trier's Dancer in the Dark, 881 works mostly as a showcase for some extravagant costume design and the occasional memorable tune. Taking place during the seventh month of the Chinese calendar, in which the spirits of the dead are said to emerge in the streets, 881 works more efficiently as a window into Singaporean social mores than as a coherent statement. In a state infamous for its repression of free speech and creative _expression, the Getai singers (competitive groups who face off in singing contests in the seventh month), with their outlandish costumes and often suggestive dance moves, seem to stand in for the wilder elements of society the state won't ultimately tolerate. After all, behind every flashy dance sequence there's the lingering threat of seperation or death if either of the principal demale characters enjoys "the touch of a man," and indeed, one of them is ultimately punished. Director Tan, previously a victim of the Singapore film board's strict censorship laws, uses an expressive visual palette, but the happy-go-lucky nature of the performances - as well as the largely comic nature of most of the film's dialogue - simply don't mesh with its numerous attempts at pathos (largely through the belabored use of cancer-derived imagery).