PRETTY ROSE: Rose Chan, who grew up in Malaysia, was known as the Queen of Striptease.Aug 25, 2007
Royston takes on Rose Chan
FRESH after his success with the getai musical film 881, director Royston Tan is teaming up again with MediaCorp Raintree Pictures and Zhao Wei Films for his next film.
The project, slated to go into production in the first quarter of next year, is based on the life of the infamous 1950s stripper Rose Chan.
The China-born cabaret dancer, who grew up in Malaysia, was a star attraction at nightspots in the 1950s.
She earned the moniker of Queen of Striptease with her daring act which also incorporated circus stunts. She died in Malaysia in 1987 at the age of 62, after a long battle with breast cancer.
Raintree's chief executive officer Daniel Yun had been developing the project with film-maker Eric Khoo. The two will now co-produce Tan's film.
Mr Yun announced the project yesterday at a thank-you lunch to celebrate the box-office success of 881.
The musical, co-produced by Raintree and Zhao Wei with the support of the Media Development Authority of Singapore, Infinite Frameworks, Golden Village and Scorpio East, has grossed $1.25 million after two weeks at the box office.
Mr Yun said that he was very happy with the success of 881, hence the new collaboration with Tan and Khoo.
Tan, who said he was told he was directing the project only two days ago, is still elated over the box-office performance of 881, his most commercially successful film so far.
But he is not selling out totally for mainstream projects from now on. He added: 'I've still got a lot of edgy stories to tell. But mainstream movies are a good way for audiences to get to know me.'
On Rose Chan, he said: 'I know she was a very famous stripper. She was a rebel, but she also gave money to charities and orphanages.'
The movie he will make, he said, will give an '881 spin' to her life.
Ong Sor Fern