A Visual Feast
Amos Lassen | Little Rock, Arkansas | 02/12/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
""Opera Jawa"
A Feast for the Eyes
Amos Lassen
"Opera Jawa" is a one of a kind movie. It is one of those movies in which knowing the plot ahead of time will not spoil it for you but will allow you to enjoy it even more. "Opera Jawa" is a powerful merging of song, dance, symbolism and beautiful visuals and it leaves the viewer wanting even more. It is a modern retelling of the Indonesian legend of Hindu/Indian myth of what is called the Ramayana in which Sita, Prince Rama's wife is abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka who wants Sita for himself. Prince Rama and his brother, Lakshmana fight to get his wife back. In the film there is a juxtaposition of the myth with three of the performers, Setyo, Siti and Ludiro whose own stories parallel the story they perform at the opera. The theme of good over evil is richly formed for the modern day.
For those of us from the West, the movie may appear fragmentary and somewhat schematic. It seems implied that we, the viewers, are already familiar with the story and its characters (which I was not--I had to look it up). There were some parts that were hard to understand but that was overtaken by the sheer visual beauty of the film. The sets are spectacular and the costumes are amazing. The plot is filled with metaphors from Javanese legends and folktales and the final scene is absolutely gorgeous.
The director, Garin Nugroho offers us a valuable look at tradition in song and dance and merges it with Indonesian modern social reform and modern art. It is a truly beautiful experience.
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