Masculinity in Matinya Seorang Patriot (1984)

Matinya Seorang Patriot (1984) tells about a brotherhood. Saiful and four brothers want to reverenge their father’s dead. This film represent about “Silat”, a sport to defend ourselves from attacked by people. The conflict is because of corruption in Melati SDN BDH companies. Haji Shaban fight to keep honesty about this case, but his partners would not be. He died because saw his wife’s naked photographs which seen by their partners. Then, his sons killed all of his partner, except Mr. Yusof. They try to kill his daughter, Yohanis. But Saiful fall in love with her and would not to kill her.

This film represent about the power of man. It’s include of their perspective of thinking, believing, solidarity, habit and attitude. All of those is the part of masculinity. Masculinity is not only about the power of man. Man has problematic placement in a film. He could be a subject which powerful and also an object which has no power to defend himself. In some, film there is not only masculinity side, but also the feminist side. So, I would like to analyse the masculinity of Matinya Seorang Patriot (1984) and also the feminist side of it throughout the narrative, mise-en-scene, editing, and sounds. It was depend on Laura Mulvey theory and some theorist who disagree with her.

Laura Mulvey published an essay which tells about woman as a spectacle. Film was the eyes of man. Man is active and woman is passive. This male gaze closed with psychological indication called “schophopilia” or “pleasure in looking”. It means the enjoyable of looking. There were two thing which influence pleasure in looking; voyeurism and narcissistic. Schophopilia argues that pleasure in looking produced by looking at another, at an object or character that is separated from the self. Her opinion which based on the Hollywood film at that time. Some of erotic scene which show the woman body, cloth, expression, and all of their beauty could interested man to looking at. It’s called sexual pleasure. When spectator feels like inside the film as one of the character, it’s the contrary of schophopilia, because spectators feel that the character is like oneself or like what one would it like to be.

Based on the sexual pleasure and narcissism, actually object of film is not only woman. Beside as a subject, man also could be the passive object. The spectator likes to see man body, muscle, beauty, toughness and bravely. Man who has six pack stomach and muscular arm was very awesome. Man spectators often feel like that character, although they are not six pack. This matter used the character as an idol like what they would like to be. Superhero is not always winning the fight. Even in the real life he told as lack man. This happen could make the spectators feeling sad or pity for the character. There were two indication of it, spectator feel like him (as a pity man) which called narcisism or they look at the characters as separated of them which called schopohilia. But, both of them is the example of man as an object of spectacle. Steve Neale publish an assay which support this opinion which titled “man as spectacle”. He told his disagreement to Laura Mulvey’s theory. The point of this essay is about man figure as a subject and also an object.

Beside the erotic form of the masculinity, man figure is also present as hero and an active person. Man is adult and have fatherly nature. Man struggle and masculine image often present in some film genre; e.g. war, action, western, and gangster. Perform and action of the figure create the awe effect. Body expose and the movement, uniform, and the representing of the fatherly nature are the factors of sexual pleasure and narcissism. In woman perspective, man who use uniform, have muscular arm, firm, and responsible was very awesome. Woman figure in the film is the representation of women spectators who admire and possess him.

Hollywood cinema influence many film on the world. It often being the inspiration of Asian cinema. In Malayan film, Matinya Seorang Patiot, man being the object and also the subject. From the prologue of this film show the power of man. Who man did not want to be a powerful person? Haji Shahban is the one of idol in his village. It shown in the burial scene of him, there were many citizen who take him into the grave. The perspective image which eyelevel and the medium shot with long take shooting the many person which walk behind Haji Shahban (minute 00:01:43). The Great Haji Shahban also show in the shot which citizen tells to the children about Haji Shahban power and Kindness. It’s when they see the burial of Haji Shahban. Spectators like that children who admire and respect to Haji Shahban.  

Scene of a dinner party with orphan children complete with setting was show that he was a Malayasian who socialist and religious. He wear traditional costume of Malaysian, complete with turban. His wife wears veil and long dress. They sit down in front of the room and there is a board with Arabian word in the background of them. Camera panning from the orphan children to Haji Shahban to show how the environment and atmosphere of the room. They were happy and sing a song together. And then act movement of Haji Shahban move from the table to the children and hold them. It’s to show that he loves unlucky children. Loving children is a part of fatherly nature. This is another reason why the spectator could admire Haji Shahban. Spectators which have attitude like him could feel that Haji Shahban is not a separated of them. So, this is narcissism.

Haji Shahban also love his children. He teach them silat to defend. Camera movement panning with following Haji Shahban. It show that Haji Shahban has more power in the scene. Haji Shahban (as man) is an active subject, but another man (his sons) is the passive object. Safuan and brothers obedient and down without opposition to Haji Shahban command. Haji Shahban asked about their strong energy as man, but they cannot prove it. They only have low energy when lift up a tree. Besides that, Haji Shahban wear black cloth. It’s mean that a hero have to be neutral and keep on peace.

The first son, Safuan also have the fatherly nature. He leads his family, especially his brother. In this matter, spectator felt that the characters was in the same side from oneself. But, they also look at Safuan as the separated of them when Jamali and partners talk about Safuan. The described of Safuan shown in a scene (in minute 00:07:42) with asyncronouse sounds. The visual show Safuan’s sad moment, there were many friends who hold him, but the sound comes from the dialogue of Jamali and partners in another scene. This sound direct spectator to give more attention to figure of Safuan. The shot of Safuan is still, so it’s look more realistic. Jamali and partners as the subject, and then Safuan as the object.

There is sound effect: explosion in scene 00:25:50. Safuan and Saiful expression was shock. The diagetic sound bring spectator to understand that were something happen in another place. They predict it come from some peoples who want to destroy the river. They would like to safe the river. All of them went to the river to chasten the destroyer. Their expression look panic. The editing tempo of shot was fast. It show that they were rush. In the river, they was fight and win. Destroyer had beaten, kicked and arrested. It is the part of heroic action, an interesting spectacle. Saufan and brothers as active subject and destroyers as passive object. Althought they are the subject, in the narcisism aspect, spectator will admire Saufan and brothers because of this heroic action.

In the brotherhood fighting scene (minute 00:10:20), Safuan and brothers look powerful, cool, manly, and bravely. He wear full of silat costume, black cloth and pants with white belt. His brothers only use black pants and white black without cloth, so their muscle look clearly. Lighting use high key light to show serious and tense atmosphere. Their body was wet because of the sweat. The light reflection create sexual effect of their body. Saiful win the fight, Salman lose and crying after that. Safuan is the subject because he just looking at them. Along the fighting, camera only still use full shot and medium shot. It show that the subject only watch for them without any action. Saiful also the subject because he hurts Salman and make him lose and cry. Viewers  also could feel like Salman because of his sadness. This sadness could be the representation of their father’s dead. Source of light is from the fire and create high key lighting that used to show this sadness.

The scene which minute 01:49:31 also show man as an object and a subject. Safuan as the subject command Saiful to kill Yohanis. Although there is woman which will killed, Saiful closer to be the object because Safuan angry and reprimand to him. Sabri, Salman and Setia also the object because they have no power to oppose Safuan. They do what Saifuan asked to do. They just follow Safuan instruction without opposition. Their expression was flat and look like being afraid. Salman hold Safuan when he give the samurai which use to kill Saiful. Saiful just silent and confused with the situation. Basically everybody heart is kind. So, the spectator will have same feeling with Saiful. He have to protect woman who did not have mistaken although he have to oppose his brother.

Saiful being passive when Safuan, Sabri, Salman and Setia plan to kill Yusoff and partners. They made a lizard, but Saiful would not join because remember his father who was a great and noble man. Lighting used high key lighting to make a good tense, suspense and sacred atmosphere. The music background tempo and rhythm which slow with high intonation direct spectator attention to the story. Camera angle use high angel to show lack of Saiful. Here Saiful have no power to oppose his brothers opinion and wanted. Even his brother said that he is not father’s son, but mother’s son. Saiful have to join with them. Spectator will follow the kind feeling of Saiful which won’t to join. This is the narcisism aspect.

Haji Shahban partners were killed. They were man but have no power to against the killer. In the Jamali dead scene (start in minute 00:56:36), there is sexual pleasure of man who Jamali being an active subject. The scene show the erotic action of Jamali and his woman. The woman used red dress without arm cover. Her cleavage looked. She was dancing with erotic style. Her body and beauty was interest to look by man. This is feminism because man as the subject and woman as the object. After they sex activity, Jamali get his die. High key light used to show the scary atmosphere. Jamali room shot always change with another shot which show the killer eyes to create suspense. Jamali become passive person when the killer come and stab him with a samurai until died.

Kadeem was the second one who killed. In the scene minute 01:04:55, filmmaker used jumping editing. First shot, Saiful was drive his motorcycle. Second shot shows the road. It’s look like Saiful eyes who driving motorcycle, but in fact that was Kadeem eyes. He was jogging and feeling afraid when he see a dead monkey. Monkey as a representation of human show the code of what thing which will happen next. He wipe his face with his towel. It show that he was afraid. Kadeem was passive and has no power. The hidden identity of the killer could make spectator feel curious. Because of the frightened atmosphere and hidden identity of the killer, spectator could see victims as themself.

Mr. Yusof have heart attack. He was shocked because of the 3rd murder. He lies down in the bed, brood and remember when Haji Shahban told them to report their corruption to minister. From his room, scene moves to Melati Holding meeting room. Camera eyes show the perspective of Mr. Yusof. Camera eyes was what spectators see. And then shot back again to Mr. Yusof room. He was afraid, confused and think very hard and curious about person who killed his partners. What he think was same with what spectator think. All of them did not know who is killer.

 Haji Shahban also have heart attack which make he died. He get it when he saw his wife naked photograph. It makes him died in Saiful’s arm. This scene looked out the panic atmosphere and a sadness. The room’s property is not neat. Voice of Haji Shahban was low and cracked. Here, they are the man as object who have no power. Safuan, Sabri, Salman and Setia though that their father’s dead is because of their mother. Jamali and partners use woman as an object to kill Haji Shahban. Woman is the cause of problem. Saiful broke his promise also because of woman. In fact, woman has many power to control problem and situation. Woman could be the subject and also the object for different characters. Man characters want to hurt woman, but another man character keeps her. So, the one which hurt is also the man. The point is that, man is the object.

Matinya Seorang Patriot (1984) was an action movie which not only present man as the spectacle or only female as the spectacle. It show that both of man and woman could be a spectacle.  Although the majority of spectacle is man, to create interesting movie, we had to make man and woman spectators feel enjoy.  Filmmaker could use sexual pleasure and narcissistic of them. The conclusion is beside the masculinity, there is feminism in that movie itself. They couldn’t be separated. The message of this film is to not to foul, to defend ourselves, and to love woman although they even often be the cause of problem.

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