Old film stills from Myanmar

A few years ago, while on assignment in Yangon, I came across a small antique / curiosity / junk shop in the old city center.  I searched through boxes of old photographs and eventually found a pile of old movie stills, many stamped with “British, Burma Film co., ltd – Rangoon” a film production and distribution company established in the 1930’s. While many of the images were stamped, none were dated, making identification quite challenging. Some do have notes on the back, so I will post an update once contacts and friends in Yangon help me gather more info.

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A movie still from what was then known as a “stunt film”

The first film produced in Myanmar was a 1920 silent film called “Myitta nit athuyar,” (Love And Liquor) a tale of  gambling, alcohol and destruction. Later on in the 1930s the British began to censor films with such themes.

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“But soft! What light through yonder window breaks?” The classic balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet, with a Burmese twist on the wardrobe and probably on the dialogue too. This is one stamped with the British Burma Film co seal, and judging by the decor, most probably a stage production. In 1941 the Japanese bombed most of the movie theaters, during occupation no films were produced, film companies and actors turned to stage productions. Due to the impossibility of acquiring film, an attempt to save precious film stock was made by burying it; but the high temperatures caused the film to deteriorate.

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The “British Burma Film co” seal on the back of one of the prints.

In 1946 film production kick started again but it wasn’t until the early 1950s that much needed extra film stock, new equipment and technical expertise were brought in by reps from international studios such as Universal Studios. The 1950’s were considered to be Myanmar’s cinematic golden years with state of the art studios such as the A1 studios attracting productions from Neighboring Thailand and even the then President U Nu getting involved in script writing in 1953.

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An archer in a scene that could also be a local take on the story of Ekalavya

With the formation of the Revolutionary Council in 1962, things began to change for the local film industry. Although, according to the LA Times , “Censors could be influenced with tea money – and the industry remained relatively vibrant until the mid-1970s.” after the socialist regime’s “reformation” officials insisted that all films should promote the socialist agenda. This obviously hugely restricted the themes filmmakers could tackle.

Absurd decrees such as the 1982 decision stating that actors must make three movies simultaneously further damaged the already chocking industry. After the pro-democracy protests of 1988 which saw many actors and directors take part, the government would regularly ban films because of actor choices and film score choices. To avoid the need for script approval, filmmakers started shooting direct-to-CD and later direct-to-DVD releases.

This along with the growing popularity of pirated foreign films further sealed the fate of the industry and created a huge decline in Cinema goers. Land prices soaring to incredible heights have predictably caused old “standalone” cinemas to be destroyed or targeted for destruction to make way for hastily built business towers. By 2011 cinema numbers nationwide had declined to  71 from their peak of 244, several more have since been destroyed in what is known as “Cinema Row” in Yangon.

The film industry today focuses mainly on TV productions with very rare cinema releases. However, initiatives such as the Yangon Film School and various organizations helping with media and art development, will hopefully help Burmese cinema to grow again.

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Many photographs from the collection feature this type of “almost kiss” in varying stages of closeness, but never quite a Hollywood style embrace.

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A little closer…

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A countryside scene

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The shop owner told me she was very famous, but could not give me a name… Eye lashes and hair point to the 1960’s, possibly Khin Than Nu.

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A confusion of facial expressions in what looks like a countryside scene.

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Two actor portraits

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A family scene, no clues given on this one, but it looks like it’s from the 1950s

Further reading:

A fascinating website documenting the traditional standalone movie theaters in SE Asia including Myanmar:

http://seatheater.blogspot.com/search/label/Myanmar%20-%20Yangon%20Division

On Burmese cinema history:

http://jessicamudditt.com/tag/history-of-burmese-cinema/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_of_Burma

George Whitman

In the early sixties, my father bought his books from George and went to readings at his bookshop. 30 years later, I followed suit.

George Whitman, the American bookseller in Paris, – great friend of the Beat writers, and an even greater friend and patron of generations of aspiring wordsmiths – died this week at the age of 98.  His bookshop, Shakespeare & Co, on the left bank’s rue de la Bucherie, has an extraordinary history, one that has been recounted in a myriad of obituaries this week, including in the New York Times.

The last time I visited was in the summer of 2010, I attended Shakespeare & Co’s literary festival, “Festival & Co”, featuring readings by Will Self, Martin Amis, Fatima Bhutto, David Hare, and Hanif Kureishi. Sitting outside the shop taking in the atmosphere, next to me was, corduroy trouser wearing Joe, from Scotland, who was writing a page for his obligatory autobiography. Countless aspiring writers and literary nomads have found a temporary shelter there over the years, sleeping on makeshift beds in the medieval building where every inch of space, even the staircase, is filled, covered, piled with books, books and more books.  Paperbacks, hardbacks, antique volumes,  at the tip of your fingers, sometimes just out of reach, a little too high up on the rickety old shelves.

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A book a day was the rule, if you wanted to stay here for free, you had to read, read a lot, work for a few hours in the shop, and you had better write too… Over the years I have met, in the most improbable places people, that had at one point or another strayed into Shakespeare & Co.  Some are now established writers. . Some cursed him for his belligerence in forcing them to read authors they hated. On one occasion, George perched at the till, sneered at my choices and without any apology replaced them with Auster and Kurieshi. I remain grateful. In Bangkok, many years later, where I met my girlfriend, our very first conversation was about the year she studied in Paris and worked at Shakespeare & Company. For her 21st birthday, George handed over the keys to his apartment above the shop joyously announcing that on this momentous occasion she should “wake up to pancakes, three cats and the Notre Dame”…

In 1997, for my 21st birthday, I got my first 35mm camera, joined the university’s photo-club & started experimenting in the darkroom. One of the first things I did was photograph George and the bookshop.  This was the first roll I ever processed myself, the results of which you see here…

http://www.shakespeareandcompany.com