Maria Menado

From Crazy Rich Asians (2018) to 12 Storeys (1997) to Sumpah Pontianak (The Curse of Pontianak) (1957), Singapore’s film industry is a diverse one and its evolution is nothing short of colourful. Recollecting Singapore’s famed studios in the 1950s to uncovering new waves of filmmakers in 90s and into today’s digital revolution, Singapore Cinema: Between Takes provides an insight into the rich history, and culture of Singapore films and its industry through candid reflections of filmmakers and content creators.

Aminah and her step daughter Noraini embark on a journey to seek a better life and to find her long lost sister Siti

A Cathay-Keris films produced in 1963. Maria Menado ... Publisher by Maria Menado Production ... Film Production. The film is directed by RAMON Estella in Singapore

A King and his advisory, Datuk Guntur, with their troops came across to a town called Kampung Gading. There they met a strong guy but who happens to be a mute and deaf called Badang. Badang is Chomel’s personal servant. His Royal Highness pretended to be a normal guard wanted to take in Badang as ahis personal protector and wanted to marry chomel. Chomel was absolutely shocked when she found out that her husband was a King. One day his highness was furious because the food served for dinner was not up to his satisfaction. Afterwards his appetite changed and loved the food and asked the Chef what was the ingredients that he used. The cook honestly told the King that his blood went into the King’s food because his hand was bleeding. From that moment he began to love the taste of human blood until he grew fangs and his people became his victims.

Based on a historical figure recorded in the 17th century Malay Annals. Political intrigue and jealousy within Sultan Mahmud Shah’s court sees Tun Fatimah losing her family, including her beloved father Datuk Bedahara and husband Tun Ali. Unwillingly made the Queen of Malacca and the wife of the Sultan, Tun Fatimah uncovers the truth behind her family’s deaths in her position of power.

Based on the royal and political events during the heyday of the Malacca Sultanate. A member of the Sultanate, Megat Datuk Seri Rama, successfully defeats a group of pirates, and rescues a local beautiful woman in the process. The king, Sultan Mahmud, was delighted with his victory for his kingdom and promotes Megat Datuk Seri Rama to Rear Admiral Datuk. This leads to resentment and jealousy from another member of the court, Bija Tun Ali, especially after Rear Admiral Megat Datuk Seri Rama marries the woman he rescued. Bija Tun Ali then leads a conspiracy against him which ultimately leads to tragedy and upheaval in the kingdom. Written by mahajanssen

When his employee disappears in Singapore, Shyam travels from India to investigate the absence and becomes entangled in a deadly plot.

'Mata Hari' was Malay Film Productions’ second war movie based on the Japanese invasion of Malaya/Singapore in 1941-42, released a few months after the resounding success of Lamberto Avellana and P. Ramlee’s 'Sergeant Hassan'. Written by Abdul Razak (who did the scripts for the 'Pontianak' film series) and directed by the prolific Ramon Estella, the movie stars beauty queen Maria Menado (of Pontianak fame) as ‘Matahari’, the daughter of a kampong headman who is captured by the Japanese. She witnesses the atrocities committed by the invaders, who tortured her father to death and rounded up innocent women to become prostitutes and mistresses for their commanders. Not wanting to cower to the enemy, Matahari (which means the sun in Malay and was also the name of a real-life WWI German spy) decides to form and lead a guerrilla force to fight the Japanese.

After returning from abroad, Amir is offered by his friends, Dahlan and Mariani, to start a school in a small village. To raise funds, they meet Johan, a millionaire. Johan has two daughters, Rohana and Itayati. Rohana, is attracted to Amir and this makes Mariani jealous. After Amir and Rohana are married, Johan is dissapointed by his son-in-law who has no talent in trade. Rohana is also jealous, as Amir is still in love with Mariani. In the end, his wife and his father-in-law both accept Amir.

Husein is brought to trial after trying to commit suicide. He refuses to give an explanation until he is forced to. Then he begins his story. Husein enters university with help from his unmarried brother, Hasan, who dedicates his life for Husein and his sister Munah who has a heart ailment. But when Hasan meets Rahimah, Husein’s friend, Wahab, gets jealous as he considers her as his girlfriend. Wahab is very bitter about this and swears revenge. At Munah’s urging, Hasan marries Rahimah. Their happiness is short-lived since Wahab starts to woo Rahimah. After Husein punches Wahab, the latter starts spreading slander. He tells Hasan that Husein is sleeping with Rahimah. Jealousy and rage start to build up and Husein and the pregnant Rahimah are thrown out of the house.

"Anak Pontianak" aka "Son of Pontianak' in 1958 starring the Shaw studio's leading lady Hashimah Yon and its male heartthrob Jins Shamsuddin. This horror film also featured a host of supernatural beings,besides the Pontianak and her werewolf son there was also a Polong (in the film the creature was shown as a kind of Mr Hyde alter-ego of one of the characters) and a Hantu Ular (Snake Ghost).

The original "Pontianak" was made in 1957 directed by B.N. Rao and starred Maria Menado.The film was such a hit that in quick succession, two sequels were made "Dendam Pontianak" aka "Revenge of Pontianak" later in the same year (1957) and "Sumpah Pontianak" aka "The Curse of Pontianak") in 1958,both with Maria Menado."Dendam Pontianak" started the trend of introducing more than one supernatural being into the story,the other character being an old witch Nenek Kebayan(The Old Woman of the Forest)and by the time "Sumpah Pontianak" was made that had increased to four-female vampire Pontianak,an Orang Hutan(Wild Forest Man),a kind of bird-lizard creature and a Hantu Raya or "King Ghost"."Sumpah Pontianak" is an entertaining Malay horror movie with cheap special effects.The main female character Comel is infected by been infected with sumpah pontianak,the curse of the vampire and the villagers begin to die!

After the success of Pontianak, Balakrishna Narayana Rao (B. N. Rao) directed and released a sequel to his horror film – Dendam Pontianak. It came out in the same year as Pontianak, and Menado reprised her role in this sequel.

1957 Vampire/ghost horror/drama from Malaysia

It is the first Malay film helmed by a Singaporean Malay under the Malay Film Productions, Shaw Brothers. Made in 1952, the musical drama witnesses an abusive relationship that results in an extra marital affair.

Mardiana (Neng Yatimah), who lives in a spacious villa in Queen Astrid Park with her family, falls in love with a doctor who cured his father’s illness. In a parallel story happening in Medan, Rubiah, a flirtatious mother (Siti Tanjung Perak) who abandoned her children and husband had been living with her adultery partner, but their relationship is getting shaky of late. She realizes that her former husband in Singapore is now an established and wealthy businessman, so she packed her bags once more and returns to Singapore.

In the Katong area, in eastern Singapore, lives Jaafar, a rich man, together with his wife Rubiah and her brother, the charming but badly-behaved Salim. One day, Salim visits his grandfather in Johor, where he meets a young and attractive girl, Salbiah. Salbiah's family is deeply in debt to a man, and unable to pay him back. The only solution is for Salbiah to marry that man. Salim, after sympathizing with Salbiah, promises to help raise the money. Ecstatic and thankful, Salbiah gives her chastity to Salim. Back in Singapore, Salim, after a long silence, writes to her that he in fact cannot help her and that he will not see her again. Heartbroken, Salbiah leaves her family and starts wandering through Singapore in search of the treacherous Salim.