Who is Gloria Chee (徐诗韵)?

(pictures via Smell of Rain official site)

According to her IMDB biography, Gloria Chee was a graduate from the pioneer batch of Film, Sound & Video (FSV) program, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Singapore, and was the first FSV graduate to direct a full-length feature film (Smell of Rain (2006)).

She’s quite a seasoned filmmaker isn’t she?

Do you know she is also the same Gloria Chee who was recently bombarded by netizens for ripping off a Japanese TV ad for a National Day Parade (NDP) video?

Initially, I didn’t want to comment on this issue as I thought she might have been some newbie filmmaker being exploited by the NDP committee for cheap labour and unreasonable timeline, given that she mentioned only receiving a honorarium as a token of appreciation for her work.

However, when I googled her name… no lei… Gloria Chee is not an amateur hor!

For the benefit of those who do not know about this incident, here’s the full article from my paper:

Mon, Jul 14, 2008
my paper

Netizens slam NDP video as Japanese ad rip-off

THIS year’s National Day Parade (NDP) videos for its theme songs have sparked off some controversy online.

A contributor to citizen media website Stomp, Daniel, felt that some scenes in the videos were copied from a Japanese television advertisement for The Children’s Foundation. He said that although the NDP videos are not exact copies, some scenes, like that of a child painting, seemed very similar to those in the Japanese ad.

Daniel said: “I think this is unoriginal and uncreative, especially for our NDP.

“I feel that any national projects should be original and not recycle concepts already done by other countries.”

NDP video is three minutes long and depicts various everyday scenes in the lives of Singaporeans, such as children colouring, a boy courting a girl and a man running up the stairs in a block of HDB flats.

These scenes are interspersed with those of Singapore Idol 2006 winner Hady Mirza singing the theme song Shine

For Singapore. Joi Chua performs the Chinese NDP theme song Qing Kong Wan Li.

Among others, Daniel pointed out that scenes like those of children colouring and paying attention in class are very similar to those which can be seen in the Japanese advertisement.

A video of the 11/2-minute Japanese advertisement was uploaded onto Google Video in April 2006.

It is stated on the site that the advertisement was created by the Japan Ad Council.

Netizens who commented on the post on Stomp mainly felt that it was the fault of the advertising company which had been engaged to create the video.

Contributor goolen2001 said yesterday: “National Day advertisement also want to copy other advertisement? Shame on you.

Goolen2001 added: “The advertising agency wants to earn money only. Lazy to use brain.”

Fellow contributor krankiepants said: “It’s sad to see such things happening.”

However, pbcjohn79 defended the video’s creators: “It is an honest mistake. Let’s move on.”

But jacksparrow2 disagreed strongly: “I think it is serious as a lump sum has been paid to make that video.”

Stomp has contacted the authorities for comments.

I love the last quote which was obviously a sarcastic potshot aimed at the authorities, as duly pointed out by Mr Brown.

Below are the two music videos. The first one is the original Japanese ad promoting a children foundation:

Here’s the pirated version done by Gloria Chee for NDP:

Technorati Tags: gloria chee, japanese children foundation, ndp video, pirated ndp video, singapore ndp video, national day parade, my paper, mr brown, japanese whale video, singapore ndp star video, plagarism, copycat, smell of rain, imdb, ngee ann polytechnic, film sound and video, fsv, stomp, honest mistake, hady mirza, japan ad council

Fatty strips to get into Club

I don’t know what’s going on in this video, but the ending was quite shocking! The fatty just ripped his tee-shirt off and charged into the club… What’s going on man? Can someone enlightened me about this Incredible-Hulk-wannabe stunt?

Technorati Tags: fatty strip to get into club, fat stripper, funny video, singapore club, incredible hulk, funny fatman, fatman stripping, stripping in public, public stunt

Red Cliff (赤壁): Better than Tolkien

picture via Wikipedia

At least for me lah.

I generally prefer Asian movies as compared to Hollywood fares due to the cultural similarities we share. A good case in point - I can’t understand why in ang moh movies, the guy and girl can have sex then discuss about whether they love each other the next morning while it’s the other way round for Asians.

I digress.

Back to Red Cliff.

It’s damn good lor! Die-die must watch okay!

Check out the trailer below if you don’t believe me:

My favourite Hong Kong actor, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai (Zhou Yu) is starring in it. The director is veteran filmmaker, John Woo. There’s also the dashing Takeshi Kaneshiro (Zhuge Liang) and the stunning beauty, Taiwanese supermodel, Lin Chi-Ling (Xiao Qiao). Added to that, talented actors like Chang Chen (Sun Quan) and Zhang Fengyi (Cao Cao). What more can you ask for in a blockbuster hit?

I watched it with my friend, Melvin last Thursday at the Gala Premiere, courtesy of the my paper movie night event. The screening was a VivoCity and I was taken aback when I saw the place jam-packed with movie fans all the way from the second floors upwards!

There was a large crowd, even by the sides of the red carpet leading into the cinema from the elevator

More people… who are they waiting for?

Obviously not the mediacorp ’stars’ who were being interviewed on stage, like this guy, 715, here. I mean, the people were crowding OUTSIDE the cinema, not at the stage. Why ah?

There are even drummers deployed to further warm up the anticipation for the real stars.

And here she is! Lin Chi-Ling in person! (I am sorry I can’t get a better shot)

Once she graced the stage, cameras started snapping away like crazy. A far cry from the half-baked stars earlier on.

Three of the main actors (L to R): Lin Chi-Ling, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi

Director, John Woo fielding interview questions

The entire ensemble of the real stars for the night (L to R): Lin Chi-Ling, Chang Chen, Zhang Fengyi, John Woo and his wife.

BTW, Melvin was damn hilarious… he totally KNOWS NUTS about the Three Kingdom story! OMG! I thought he was joking with me when he asked me during the movie, “Who’s Cao Cao?”, “Which is the three kingdoms?”

One good thing about watching Red Cliff was that the storyline so intrigued my friend, Melvin, that it inspiresd the self-confessed “banana-man” to go read the translated version of the classic literature.

For parents who have problem getting their children to learn chinese, maybe you can also consider taking them to watch Red Cliff?

Oh, and one last note - for John Woo fans, the answer is YES, there were a lot of scenes with white doves again in this movie.

Technorati Tags: john woo, gala premiere, red cliff, singapore gala premiere, lin chi-ling, chang chen, zhang fengyi, john woo, takeshi kaneshiro, tony leung chiu-wai, zhou yu, zhuge liang, sun quan, cao cao, xiao qiao, red carpet, 715, mediacorp stars, three kingdoms, 赤壁, tolkien

Lao Zha Bor’s Rap

Okay, I know I am a bit WOLS… but I came across the Lao Zha Bor rap music video on youtube and thought it will be interesting to share with everyone as it’s really hilarious!

In case you don’t know who Lao Zha Bor is, she is the elderly actress who acted as Fann Wong’s mother in the Jack Neo movie, Just Follow Law. She shot to Internet stardom when she talked about maintaining a blog called “www.laozhabor.blogspot.com” in the movie and it really existed in real life.

Here’s the original rap music video starring Lao Zha Bor:

Here’s the version with English subtitles:

Technorati Tags: laozhabor, lao zha bor, singapore, old lady blogger, lao zha bor rap, jack neo, j-team, fann wong, just follow law, old folk rap video, funny old lady

kinkyexorcist: Female version of Steven Lim?

(picture via kinkyexorcist’s blog)

Her name is Azhen (阿珍) and she lives in Sengkang. Her email is serenneteng@gmail.com - you can contact her if you are interested to know her (I got all these information from her public blog).

I shall just embed three of her videos here to share. To see more, you can visit her youtube page. Quite courageous lah, uploading these really candid videos of herself onto the Internet for the world to see.

However, I don’t know why she reminds me of our dear friend, Steven Dragon Lim lei. What do you think? Her video nice or not?

Technorati Tags: azhen, sengkang, serenne teng, serenneteng@gmail.com, pinkyexorcist, kinkyexorcist, sexy dancing, youtube video, singapore girl sexy dance, steven dragon lim, singapore girl erotic dance, erotic dancing

Singapore’s Heartland Superstar Beatbox Uncle

Move over Steven Lim, uncle is here to kick your ass as the funniest Singaporean youtube superstar!

The two videos were posted by different people, one in 2006 and one in 2007. Nevertheless, it should be the same cool uncle doing the beatboxing.

Technorati Tags: beatbox, beatboxing, heartlander, singapore uncle, funny uncle, beatbox superstar, heartland superstar, singapore uncle beatboxer, kallang airport, steven lim, funny singapore youtube video

Where the Hell is Matt?

Yes, Matt, not Mas Selamat.

This video would have been deemed as ‘boliao’ if not for the fact that it took 14 months to make and featured 42 countries (including Singapore) with a cast of thousands. It has attracted more than one million views on youtube since it was posted up three days ago.

To find out more, you can check out Matt’s official website here.

Technorati Tags: where the hell is matt?, matt video, matt in singapore, dancing matt, mas selamat kastari, connecticut guy, stride gum, dancing youtube video

Dedicated to Panties Lovers

Just watch.

This video is dedicated to all those guys out there with school girls’ panties fetish.

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Corruption in Malaysia

Watch and learn.

Uploaded by someone called abdulaboleh. The traffic offence bribery is common knowledge to Singaporeans who drive into Johor Bahru frequently. Not too sure about the rest of the accusations though. Anyone care to verify?

Technorati Tags: malaysia, corruption in malaysia, johor bahru, singapore, negaraku, bribery, traffic offence, police corruption, high crime rate, barisan national, malaysia corruption video

Jamie Oliver suffocates chicks on TV

Watch the Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver demonstrates how all male chicks are killed in poultry and eggs farms around the world.

The males are deemed as commercially useless entities since they cannot lay eggs, and are hence put to death quickly to be deported as fodders in zoos for snakes and other reptiles.

WARNING: Do not watch if you are disturbed by scenes depicting the death of small furry creatures

Technorati Tags: Jamie Oliver, The Naked Chef, PETA, animal cruelty, chicken, chick, rooster, eggs, suffocate chicks, killing chicks