Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (2011) from a film History perspective

Abstract

Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (2011) is an adapted film, based on one of the well-known traditional Malay texts that seeks to elevate traditional Malay literature. The film is said to be quite special in Malaysian film history because it achieved a decent success internationally. It is produced by the local talent, Yusry Abd Halim. The film may have been popular among Malaysians, but there is still a lack of research on it, especially from the perspective of history. This paper thus seeks to address the historical aspects of the film using David Bordwell's theory, in particular, the 'historical poetics of cinema'. By applying this particular theory, this study will examine the historical aspects of Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, from the original traditional text to the modern filmic product of the hikayat. Specifically, the thematical, narrative and stylistical elements will form bases of arguments in this research, following the framework of Bordwell's historical poetics of cinema. It is found that the film, Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa (2011) has strong western influences or affiliations, perhaps due to demands on meeting up to international standards. This has resulted in massive changes of the original traditional text so as to 'suit' the demands of the international market.