[DVD] Mukhsin (2007)

It's Here!

Mukhsin, Yasmin Ahmad's latest movie (won the Special Mention for the Crystal Bear for Best Feature Film, and the Grand Prix of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk (German Child Support Organisation) award by The International Jury of the Generation Kplus at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival), is now available on DVD!

"Thank you for purchasing copyright items" says the Dragon Jester DVD when you pop it into the player, after a trailer for "Dealova" plays (and thankfully one which you can skip).

The visual presentation is in letterbox though, but the thing that matters is that the transfer is decently clear.

The menus are in Malay, but those who understand English should have no issues navigating the menus of the DVD, and well, it doesn't hurt for you to click around to get the hang of it all. In my limited understanding of the language, I shall attempt to translate these based on what emerges when I click on the menu items

"Tayang Gambar" plays the movie, and "Chapters" allows for scene selection in 12 chapters. "Setup" will bring up the menu for you to tweak the audio settings and select your choice of subtitles. Audio is available in Dolby Surround 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1 or Digital DTS Surround, good options to listen to the musical composition Hujan, which plays partially at the animated root menu, sung by Adibah Noor. Subtitles are available in English (Inggeris), Chinese (Bahasa Cina) and Malay (Bahasa Malaysia). I've viewed the DVD using English subtitles (the only language amongst the three I'm fairly competent in) and it's accurate and close to what my memory serves as those during the movie. Some minor typos here and there though, but that doesn't mar the understanding.

The DVD extras ("Bahagian Khas") are found a little wanting. There isn't any making of (unlike the other DVDs for Sepet and Gubra), and pardon me, but I didn't enjoy the trailers of movies ("Pratonton") such as Gong, Unseeable, Jatuh Cinta Lagi, and Chermin to be included here. Trailers for the other Yasmin Ahmad movies are welcomed though :P

There's the inclusion of a theatrical trailer (2:15) under "Treler", and a one page synopsis ("Sinopsis") is included as well, though it's a one page text in Malay with photos from the rehearsals. In fact, it's exactly the same as the entire back cover of the DVD sleeve.

The DVD touts "Bonus Video Klip Lagu - Hujan Keronchong", but it actually provides easy access under the "Video Muzik" section to the two parts in the movie where the song Hujan is performed, one early in the movie, and the other right at the end performed by Yasmin's parents. You can't select which one to play though, they play one after another. Kinda reminds you of the Bollywood styled DVDs where the menus more often than not provides you links to where the song and dance sequences are.

All in all, for those who missed Mukhsin's theatrical run here, this is now your opportunity to watch it in the comfort of your home. No excuse liao.

The DVD is available at Mustafa and some say Geylang Serai also have. S$9.90, about the same as the price of a movie ticket ok?

You can read my review of Mukhsin the movie here.