Original Title: Lewat Djam Malam
Directed by: Usmar Ismail
Starring: AN Alcaff, Netty Herawati, Dhalia, Bambang Hermanto, Rd Ismail, Awaludin, Titien Sumarni, Aedy Moward, Astaman, A Hadi, Wahid Chan, S Taharnunu, Lukman Jusuf
Run Time: 101 min
A freedom fighter's self rediscovery after he realized that the world he used to fight for has finally fighting him back. Returning from the battlefield (the story set in the 1950, five years after Indonesia's independence and only several years after the revolutionary war with the Dutch colonial) Iskandar (AN Alcaff), was chased by the military on the street. It seems he just break the curfew rule (the socio political background is; after the war most of the militias still have their weapons. Some of them use the weapons to commit crime. The crime rate in Bandung is reaching it's peak in the 50s so the government implement martial law in Bandung and Cimahi area to control the security. They also gave ultimatum for the remaining ex freedom fighters to hand the weapon or join the army). But Iskandar manages to arrived in the house of Norma (Netty Herawati) in Bandung.
Norma's father try to use his influence in the government to get Iskandar a job. But Iskandar cannot feel at ease in his job. It seems his past demons still haunt him wherever he go, a demon that later will be explained what it is. He quit the job after just one day and try to contact his other ex freedom figther. He met Gafar (Awaludin) who now rich and become a contractor for housing complex. Gafar is just busy with himself. He also met Gunawan (Rd Ismail), his ex commander who have grown to be an extreme pragmatist. Gunawan use his power to threat other people for his own fortune. Then he also met Puja (Bambang Hermanto) who now is only a pimp for a brothel where in the brothel Iskandar met Laila (Dhalia), a young and naive prostitute.
Soon Iskandar must face reality that Indonesia's independence comes with an expensive price; that in the end everyone only care for himself and he himself was left alone with his demons. In the end he has to make right and fight for what he believed in. This film has noir-ish feeling and as a black and white, shows the world is not as easy as black and white. It feels so Indonesian and sadly the most Indonesian movies under the New Order and Reformation regime are rarely address the moral ambiguities of human nature.
This is a remarkable film for Indonesian and it is an honor to be restored in it's black and white glory, thanks to Sinematek, Kineforum, Konfiden Foundation and The World Cinema Foundation with National Museum of Singapore to restore this film from it's original 35 mm print (the result is decent. Visual is good although some scenes are still having some visual noise. But the sound is good as ever) in L'Immagine Ritrovata Bologna, Italy.
The restoration process took almost a year and finally got premiered last May in World Classic Cinema in Cannes. This week it got a limited release in some cities in Indonesia.
Directed by: Usmar Ismail
Starring: AN Alcaff, Netty Herawati, Dhalia, Bambang Hermanto, Rd Ismail, Awaludin, Titien Sumarni, Aedy Moward, Astaman, A Hadi, Wahid Chan, S Taharnunu, Lukman Jusuf
Run Time: 101 min
A freedom fighter's self rediscovery after he realized that the world he used to fight for has finally fighting him back. Returning from the battlefield (the story set in the 1950, five years after Indonesia's independence and only several years after the revolutionary war with the Dutch colonial) Iskandar (AN Alcaff), was chased by the military on the street. It seems he just break the curfew rule (the socio political background is; after the war most of the militias still have their weapons. Some of them use the weapons to commit crime. The crime rate in Bandung is reaching it's peak in the 50s so the government implement martial law in Bandung and Cimahi area to control the security. They also gave ultimatum for the remaining ex freedom fighters to hand the weapon or join the army). But Iskandar manages to arrived in the house of Norma (Netty Herawati) in Bandung.
Norma's father try to use his influence in the government to get Iskandar a job. But Iskandar cannot feel at ease in his job. It seems his past demons still haunt him wherever he go, a demon that later will be explained what it is. He quit the job after just one day and try to contact his other ex freedom figther. He met Gafar (Awaludin) who now rich and become a contractor for housing complex. Gafar is just busy with himself. He also met Gunawan (Rd Ismail), his ex commander who have grown to be an extreme pragmatist. Gunawan use his power to threat other people for his own fortune. Then he also met Puja (Bambang Hermanto) who now is only a pimp for a brothel where in the brothel Iskandar met Laila (Dhalia), a young and naive prostitute.
Soon Iskandar must face reality that Indonesia's independence comes with an expensive price; that in the end everyone only care for himself and he himself was left alone with his demons. In the end he has to make right and fight for what he believed in. This film has noir-ish feeling and as a black and white, shows the world is not as easy as black and white. It feels so Indonesian and sadly the most Indonesian movies under the New Order and Reformation regime are rarely address the moral ambiguities of human nature.
This is a remarkable film for Indonesian and it is an honor to be restored in it's black and white glory, thanks to Sinematek, Kineforum, Konfiden Foundation and The World Cinema Foundation with National Museum of Singapore to restore this film from it's original 35 mm print (the result is decent. Visual is good although some scenes are still having some visual noise. But the sound is good as ever) in L'Immagine Ritrovata Bologna, Italy.
The restoration process took almost a year and finally got premiered last May in World Classic Cinema in Cannes. This week it got a limited release in some cities in Indonesia.
Thank you for visiting :)
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