Elvis has left the building!

Elvis (Disney +; 2022)
Director: Baz Luhrmann

Elvis experts generally agree Baz Luhrmann's depiction is sprinkled generously with artistic licence and liberal truth-bending. It can be said that the movie was made to appease the woke generation and to rebrand Elvis to the newer generation who had not heard of the King of Rock and Roll. The message behind the movie was that Elvis Presley appropriated black music and the real heroes of rock and roll were the numerous black legends who never had their moments under the spotlight because of the bigoted attitude of the people then.

In reality, Elvis did sound like a black singer. Growing up in the deep south, he drew inspiration from the black gospel church and helped popularise rock and roll music.

The narration of the whole story is from the point of view of Elvis' notorious long-time manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Colonel Parker is a shady character who had allegedly illegally immigrated from Netherland and was not a colonel. He, however, had a short stint in the US Army. Apparently, one of the reasons he opposed Elvis' international tours was that Parker did not have or could not get a passport. He later went on to be convicted of defrauding the Presley estates.

Austin Butler plays the King.

The film went on to take artistic liberty to paint a rather cosy relationship between Elvis and some of the black singers of his time. In particular, it implies that BB King and the King (of Rock and Roll) had a first name kind of a relationship. In modern times, it would be akin to having him on his speed dial. Purists insist that the closest they came together was probably being caught in a photograph together.

The film tries to paint the idea that the public perception of black culture was that of decadence. That a white boy singing in the tune of a black voice was akin to promoting the black style of living amongst the whites. In reality, however, just 30 years previously, the nation was hailing the Harlem Renaissance. This New York City neighbourhood went on to become a Black Cultural mecca to showcase the golden age in African American culture, manifesting in music, stage performance and art.

Tom Hanks as Col. Tom Parker

Elvis' trademark of gyration of hips was viewed as a big crime and kicked a lot of dirt in his days. It was discussed extensively in the dailies. Somewhat erroneously, the movie seems to imply that Elvis volunteered to be enlisted in the US Army as pro quid quo against incarceration for lewd acts in public. It seems that Elvis was drafted, and Parker encouraged this to paint the image of Elvis as an all-American regular guy.

Life is never easy, even for the King of Rock and Roll. Coming from n underprivileged background, the stigma refuses to go away. His brand of music was referred to hillbilly music by a newspaper. Elvis' father, a truck driver with whom Elvis was not really close, had a criminal record and was perhaps easily manipulated by the Colonel for self-interest. Elvis' mother, with whom Elvis had a strong bond, died relatively early in his career. His stint in the Army, it seems, gravely depressed her. She feared losing him, just like how she had lost Elvis' twin at birth.

The stress of being in showbiz obviously had its toll on Elvis. The razzmatazz of fame added strain to his marriage. His philandering ways broke down his marriage. He had to resort to a cocktail of prescription drugs to keep up with the gruelling challenges. This combination of polypharmacy gave him bad constipation, and he succumbed to a myocardial infarct during straining at the toilet.

The Colonel was only interested in making money, it seems. Elvis rebelled by cutting deals with other new agents with new ideas and political statements, but the Colonel was having none of those. He had a stronghold on Elvis' affairs. His later stints at Vegas were apparently to offset Parker's gambling debts. Elvis' last years saw him a lonely man, barely alive, working hard to satiate the appetite of loyal fans.

The higher they rise, the harder they fall.

It used to be good to be King

© daily telegraph

In 1981, the televised event was easily the most watched event of recent times. The institution called marriage was still looked upon as a beacon of hope to keep the family unit intact. When they said that it was a public declaration of private intent, they meant it. It still had respect. The one act that solemnised the union of male and female was treated with due respect. Young girls went agape looking at their idol whose hairstyle they would soon be aping. They too wished that their wedding dress would be as glamorous. Forget the fact that groom stuck out like a sore thumb; his royal status would nullify all other deformities. How they adored the horse carriages, the guest list, the guests' wardrobe and the flowers. But see how it all turned out - the two-timing, the depression, the possible contamination of bloodlines, the accident, the conspiracy theory.

Much has happened since then. It is all water under the bridge now. The confluence of hearts is no longer only legitimate between members of different sexes. The bond that holds this threadbare link is no stronger than the paper that it is inked on. The preoccupation with self and hedonism has created a mockery of the man-sanctioned pledge of loyalty and responsibility. Infusion of genetic juices is no longer sacred. Offspring may have two males for parental duties. Divine approved decree is given legal status. Why the mockery if legality is the prime aim?

© Crazy History of the World

This time around the royal wedding did not garner that much excitement, at least in Malaysia, the once most of the most profitable colonies in the Commonwealth. Come to think of it, the natives' wealth was pilfered and divided amongst the self-proclaimed superior race of the world. Perhaps it is the heap of scandals upon scandals that the local media is churning by the minute, after the local elections that the function remains a non-event to the ordinary Malaysian.

Values change. If just about half a century ago, a king had to abdicate his throne to marry a woman of similar stature - a divorcee, actress and American; now it is a non-issue. Maybe it is because the groom is quite low down in the pecking order of ascension to the throne.

Over the years, the idea of a monarch who is bestowed by genetic make-up to decide on the direction of the country does not excite people anymore. Starting with the French Revolution, then the Bolshevik uprising and the World Wars, the royalties have fallen down like a house of cards. Now, it seems like they have to sing for their supper. They have to re-invent themselves to stay relevant. The British royal family have to keep quiet while exhibiting the share of their loot, The Kohinoor, shamelessly, without creating any more controversies. The Bulgarian dynasty was revived after winning the Presidential elections as a commoner. The Spanish have to fight out the long arms of the law. It is not easy to be a King anymore!

 © Danny Lawson / AFP

The dark cloud that hung over the matrimonial garb; 

the motifs of flowers of the former colonies of the bygone

Empire rekindles the dark past the colonial masters.

 https://asok22.wixsite.com/real-lesson 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Stitches

A Classic. Based on a real occurrence...

"I am sorry, I won't be able to see in 4 weeks' time," the doctor told Ms Lee as he glanced at his calendar. "It is Agong's birthday."

"We can schedule the appointment to see in 5 weeks, is that ok?"

Ms Lee, an executive in a small assembly plant in the capital city, was scrolling through her smartphone, looking rather perplexed.

"Why, Ms Lee?" Doctor was bewildered to see his patient's facial expression. "You won't be around? You can come and see me earlier if you have any problems."

"Err... June 4th? Agong birthday? Is that a state holiday or a national public holiday?' Ms Lee said with a straight face. "You see, I work in Selangor."

***

Another classic, may not be based on true occurrence...

Bubba, a Texan, was excited to be have won at the raffles to tour Malaysia.  As he was being toured around in a double-decker bus with his mother, a screeching siren brought the bus to a halt.

Confused, Bubba went to the driver of the bus to inquire.

"Sir, why have we stopped? Were you speeding?"

"No, Mister." the driver replied with a smile. "We have to stop for the King!"

Excitedly Bubba ran to his mother who was seated at the back of the bus.

He said, "Mamma, I told you that THE KING IS ALIVE, ELVIS PRESLEY IS ALIVE and HE IS STAYING IN MALAYSIA!"

What is it like to be a leader?

Selma (2014)

This movie did not garner much publicity even though it earned many accolades to its belt probably because it is a black movie made by blacks about something close to the blacks. 

It tells about a tumultuous time in America which they have not come in terms with. The relationship between the slaves and the slave-owners which had gone through many rough patches, again and again, all through the civil war, black rights movement and even to date with the rampant cases of police racial profiling as in Ferguson incident.

In 1964, the right to vote in the southern states was made extremely difficult by the Little Napoleons of the civil service.

Without the right to vote, the blacks do not get a right to stand as jury in court, and without that, a black convict is not deemed to get a fair trial.

Martin Luther King Jr, a Nobel prize winner in 1964 for Peace, argues with President LB Johnson and Governor Wallace of Louisiana towards this end. As a political statement, people organised a peaceful march from the town of Selma to Montgomery, the capital.

A touching movie which gives a 3-dimensional feel of a leader giving him the very qualities that make him a mortal. He too has his uncertainties of what to do when his helpless followers demand from his the next course of action when the plan is derailed. As if he has all the answers! And the leaders have to take all the brickbats for all his shortcomings.

There was a scene at Selma when things were getting ugly - the marchers and the hostile patrolmen and onlookers. As if to gain guidance from the divine forces, the good reverend knelt, prayed and commanded the marchers to retread much to the chagrin of the blacks. By doing so, he had, in fact, averted much bloodshed. Interestingly, up to a third of his marchers were whites and religious leaders of different faiths.

The actor who acted in the role of MLKJr, David Oyelowo, did an excellent job of mimicking MLKJr's style of speaking so well that the speeches sounded like voice-overs. The film ends with another one of his heart-wrenchingly and neatly crafted speech.

Critics of the film complained that LBJ had been painted as a conniving two-faced racist politician who made things difficult for MLKJr. Historically, LBJ, being a Southerner, had been praised for being a champion for civil rights' movement. However, in this film, he is portrayed as a reluctant leader who partnered FBI chief Hoover, to give hell to King, his family and his followers.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Power with the People!

Hirok Rajar Deshe (Kingdom of Diamonds, Bengali, 1980)
Director: Satyajit Ray

You will be wondering how a tale set in the medieval times of stories of kings, magic and two main characters who are not exactly the best matches in the box going to impress you. Well, that is the magic of Ray. He even composed the music score and songs for this one.
This film is actually the sequel of Ray's 1969 offering 'Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne' where two village idiots were given magical powers by angry demons who could not stand their croaking!
10 years after that episode, they are comfortably living off their common father-in-law, the King of Shundi. The problem is that they are too comfortable that they are bored. Just then, the King summons them to sing at the courts of Hirok Rajar to honour him on his anniversary at the throne.
To the outsider, Hirok Rakar's kingdom is rich with diamonds. It is all a charade as the the farmers who tow the plough has no food to eat and the diamond miners are too poor to buy stuff.

Baghdad 2003

The King, a tyrant, is surrounded by yeomen,  corrupt 'yesmen' ministers and astrologer who tells him what he wants to hear. A mad scientist is ready with his brain washing machine to 'correct' wayward citizens. The King decrees that all books be burnt and schools closed indefinitely as they were breeding grounds for dissidents.

Hungary 1956

The only school in the land with the sole teacher, Udayan Pandit (Soumitra Chaterjee, again) becomes the enemy of the state and is on the run.

Down with the King!

By chance, he meets the duo (Goopy and Bagha) who were on foot to the palace. With their magical powers and the force of the people, they outwit the regime and manage to use the brain washing machine on the King himself. The movie ends the symbolic destruction of giant statue of the King. This vision is exactly what was seen after the fall of Saddam and the fall of Stalin during the 1956 Hungarian workers' uprising.

King again!

1972

13th December 2011: Today, Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah ascends the throne as the constitutional King of the nation for a second five-year term. His first term was about 41 years ago when Rifle Range Boy was getting used to living in 'high society' - staying 15 storeys above ground and the great stories to blog about quarter a century later.

He is the oldest monarch to have been crowned Agong at 84 years and the only one to have sat on throne twice!

Many things have changed since his last reign. He has a new consort (after the demise of the previous majestic looking scholarly one) and the feudalistic acceptance of his subjects have declined over the past two decades. Daulat Tuanku! 

My house, My home, My kingdom

The tallest mansion of squatters!
One eye Jack is king in kingdom of blind

Growing up in RRF, we yearn to have regular addresses, not an address with block number, floor number and unit number. We were quite fed-up explaining to our schoolmates why there were so many dashes, hyphens and digits on our address instead of just the house number and road name. I suppose the stigma of living in a low cost high rise slump-like flats in the 70s was more the reason of the above. Even though living in the 21st century means condominium resort type of living is norm, we from RRF still find contentment living with our feet on the ground in landed properties!
Why am I writing this?
If you have access to people's addresses like I do, then you would have noticed that some addresses leaves no place for imagination on their social economic strata. Home addresses like 'Projek Perumahaan Rakyat', 'Projek Rumah Murah', Taman Bukit Mewah' will tell you how their home would look like.
Someone told me that many years ago, the mental facility in Kuching, Sarawak used to be called 'Rumah Sakit Orang Gila'! And Tampoi Psychiatric Hospital had been known as wad 'Orang Sakit Otak'.  When we grew up in Penang, anyone originating from Tanjong Rambutan was mental unless proven otherwise as the premier northern region Psychiatric Hospital was stationed there.
There is a place in Sabah called 'Menggatal'. Are the people ridiculed to be promiscuous, I wonder?
One cannot help it but over time certain names are acceptable by public may one day become hurtful or politically incorrect. Many years ago, children with Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome) used to called Mongols without batting anybody's eyelids. Ever since, Mongolia started being heard on CNN and started producing models, nobody called them Mongols anymore. Down's baby and special child they are!

King of their own trades!

Everybody has something they are good at. They can kings at whatever trade they chose to do. Just watch this one!