View source for Malay Film Productions & Cathay-Keris Studio (1943 - 1973)

==Cathay-Keris Studio (1951 - 1973)==
[[File:Cathay Keris Film.jpg|thumb|''The Cathay-Keris studio screen logo. Screengrab from YouTube.'']]

===Origin===
Cathay-Keris Studio was a joint partnership between Dato’ Loke Wan Tho and Mr Ho Ah Loke.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19511125-1.2.37?ST=1&AT=search&k=cathay%20keris&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “New film studio is biggest yet”]. ''The Straits Times.'' November 25, 1951. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. </ref> A direct challenge to Shaw’s Malay Film Productions, Cathay-Keris Studio ended the monopoly Shaw had over Malay cinema. Cathay-Keris began filming their first production in 1951. In 1953, Cathay-Keris released its first film, “Buloh Perindoh”. The film was marketed as “the first Malay picture in Gevacolour”.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19531119-1.2.174.1?ST=1&AT=search&k=cathay%20keris&SortBy=Oldest&filterS=0&Display=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Page 8 Advertisements Column 1”]. ''The Straits Times.'' November 19, 1953. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. </ref>


Recognising that it lacked Shaw’s expertise in film production, Cathay-Keris approached employees from Malay Film Productions with financially attractive contracts.<ref>Loh, Khim. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQQ2b1XcYA “Kachang puteh to popcorn: a history of Singapore film”]. ''Mediacorp TV12''. 1999. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from YouTube.</ref> According to S Kadarisman, a former actor at Malay Film Productions, this move caused the 1957 labour unrest. Cathay-Keris offered a substantial amount to any employees that changed film studios.<ref>S. Kadarisman. [http://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/oral_history_interviews/record-details/a69d3b75-115f-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad?keywords=malay%20film%20productions&keywords-type=all “Communities of Singapore (Part 3)”]. ''National Archives of Singapore.'' May 6, 1986. Accessed 2 August 2019. Retrieved from Archives Online.</ref>
[[File:Pontianak Chinese poster.jpg|thumb|''A Chinese poster advertising the Cathay-Keris Studio horror film, Pontianak (1957). Retrieved from National Archives Singapore.'']]

===Film productions===
Cathay-Keris was recognised for its horror films, starting from the 1957 film ‘''Pontianak’''. The film was so successful that it was dubbed into Chinese and re-released for its Chinese audience. Three more sequels were made after ''Pontianak''’s success in 1958, 1963 and 1964. These sequels continued to attract a large audience.<ref>Loh, Khim. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQQ2b1XcYA “Kachang puteh to popcorn: a history of Singapore film”]. ''Mediacorp TV12''. 1999. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from YouTube.</ref>


In 1958, Cathay-Keris Studio released another horror movie, ''Sumpah Orang Minyak'' (The Curse of the Oily Man) which was both a crowd pleaser and a high box-office earner.<ref>Loh, Khim. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQQ2b1XcYA “Kachang puteh to popcorn: a history of Singapore film”]. ''Mediacorp TV12''. 1999. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from YouTube.</ref> 

===1961 labour strike (Singapore General Employees’ Union)===
On 12 December 1961, more than 100 Cathay-Keris employees ceased work at the studio. The employees, who were members of the Singapore General Employees’ Union, stopped work after negotiations on wage claims broke down with the management.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19611212-1.2.157?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=11&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article-related “Cathay-Keris film studio paralysed by strike”]. ''The Straits Times.'' December 12, 1961. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG. </ref>


The strike ended after seven days following an agreement between the Union and the management. According to Mr Dominic Puthucheary, Vice President of the Singapore General Employees’ Union, the agreement promised the following:<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19611219-1.2.171?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=11&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Cathay staff back after seven-day strike”]. ''The Straits Times.'' December 19, 1961. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref>

*A wage increase of S$15 a month
*Two weeks of annual leave
*One month’s bonus
*Free medical treatment
*10% “incentive bonus” of profits earned from the picture

===Cathay-Keris 10-year Anniversary (1962)===
Cathay-Keris celebrated its 10-year anniversary with newspaper supplements in both The Straits Times and Berita Harian. In The Straits Times, the 6-page long supplement recorded Cathay-Keris successes as the “pioneer” of a brand new industry.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19620130-1.2.62?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=12&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Cathay-Keris A true pioneer industry - and not a cent in aid”]. ''The Straits Times.'' January 30, 1962. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref> It noted that Cathay-Keris Studio has hosted more than 12,000 visitors in 1961 as a result of its “open door” policy.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19620130-1.2.79?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=12&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Every year thousands of visitors make a tour of studios”]. ''The Straits Times.'' January 30, 1962. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref>


Similarly, a 10-year anniversary supplement in the Berita Harian documented Cathay’s box office successes and its film productions.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19620130-1.2.37?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=11&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Senarai kemajuan Cathay”]. ''Berita Harian.'' January 30, 1962. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref> The 4-page supplement noted that 30% of Cathay-Keris films’ audience was not Malay which was an indicator of the studio’s wide-reach.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19620130-1.2.40?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Oldest&k=cathay%20keris&P=12&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “30 peratus penonton2 bukan Melayu”]. ''Berita Harian.'' January 20, 1962. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref>

===Closure===
Like Malay Film Productions, Cathay-Keris faced a decline due to the rising costs of production and the popularity of television. The studio experienced diminishing box-office returns due to a decreasing number of cinema patrons.<ref>Loh, Khim. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSQQ2b1XcYA “Kachang puteh to popcorn: a history of Singapore film”]. ''Mediacorp TV12''. 1999. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from YouTube.</ref> Cathay-Keris Studio’s last film, ''Hati Batu'', was released in 1973.<ref>[http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/beritaharian19730902-1.2.29.3?ST=1&AT=search&SortBy=Newest&k=cathay%20keris&P=24&Display=0&filterS=0&QT=cathay,keris&oref=article “Hati Batu filem terakhir M. Amin dgn Cathay”]. ''Berita Harian.'' September 2, 1973. Accessed 1 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.</ref>