Tan Tjoei Hock

Tan Tjoei Hock (15 April 1908 – 1984) was a Chinese-Indonesian journalist and filmmaker. Born in Batavia, he was discovered by The Teng Chun in the late 1930s. Tan became one of the most productive film directors of the Dutch East Indies between 1940 and 1941, directing nine films – primarily action.

Tan Tjoei Hock
Born15 April 1908
Batavia, Dutch East Indies
Died1984 (aged 75–76)
NationalityIndonesia
Other namesTanu Trh.
OccupationJournalist
Known forFilm directing

Biography

Tan was born in Batavia (now Jakarta), Dutch East Indies, on 15 April 1908. He dropped out during his first year of senior high school.[1] By the late 1930s he had become a businessman,[1] spending his nights as an unpaid assistant at a drama troupe that frequently performed at Prinsen Park (now Lokasari); while working with this troupe Tan met The Teng Chun, who brought him to work at The's Java Industrial Film (JIF).[2]

Tan's first film with JIF was Dasima, a story about a woman who is taken advantage of by a man who marries her yet does not love her, which diverged from its source material,[3] the 1896 novel Tjerita Njai Dasima by G. Francis.[4] This was followed soon after by Matjan Berbisik (Whispering Tiger), a drama that followed two boys, raised as brothers, in violent competition for the love of a girl;[5] Sorga Palsoe, a drama following the internal strife in a Chinese family;[6] and Melati van Agam (Jasmine of Agam), the second adaptation of Parada Harahap's drama of the same name.[7]

In 1941, Tan directed several additional films, starting with Si Gomar in 1941. This film, following two long-separated siblings who nearly marry each other, was the feature film debut of Tan Tjeng Bok, a former theatre star with Dardanella.[8] Tan followed this with several films in 1941. These included Srigala Item (Black Wolf), an adaptation of The Mark of Zorro;[9] Matula, a film of love and magic;[10] Singa Laoet (Sea Lion), following a band of pirates;[11] and Tengkorak Hidoep (Living Skull),[12] which has been credited as the first horror film produced in what is now Indonesia.[lower-alpha 1][13] Although he was only active for two years, Tan was one of the most active film directors of the Dutch East Indies during this period.[14]

After the Japanese occupation, which led to nearly all studios in the country being closed, Tan focused on journalism;[2] however, he later told the Indonesian film historian Misbach Yusa Biran that he had completed Njoo Cheong Seng's Air Mata Iboe during the occupation.[15] Throughout this turbulent period that saw Indonesia achieve its independence, Tan wrote on sports and, later, retrospectives of life in the Indies.[1] He also wrote several films for Young in 1949, although he was no longer active as a director.[16] Throughout the 1950s he served as head editor of the magazine Djaja,[1] writing under the pseudonym Tanu Trh. He remained active until his death in 1984.[5]

Filmography

Tan was involved in the production of twelve films in a period of ten years, nine as a director.[16] Many of his films were under JIF's subsidiary Action Film[17] and targeted at lower-class audiences.[18] Most are recorded as moderate successes,[2] although some, such as Sorga Palsoe, did not perform well.[6]

  • Dasima (1940) – As director
  • Matjan Berbisik (Whispering Tiger; 1940) – As director and screenwriter
  • Sorga Palsoe (False Paradise; 1940) – As director
  • Melati Van Agam (Jasmine of Agam; 1940) – As director
  • Si Gomar (1941) – As director and storywriter
  • Srigala Item (Black Wolf; 1941) – As director and storywriter
  • Matula (1941) – As director and cinematographer
  • Singa Laoet (Sea Lion; 1941) – As director, screenwriter, story writer, cinematographer, and sound manager
  • Tengkorak Hidoep (Living Skull; 1941) – As director, screenwriter, storywriter, cinematographer, and sound manager
  • Sehidup Semati (One Life, One Death; 1949) – As screenwriter
  • Saputangan (Handkerchief; 1949) – As screenwriter
  • Bengawan Solo (Solo River; 1949) – As screenwriter

Notes
  1. JB Kristanto, in his catalogue of Indonesian films, credits Lisa (1971) as the first true horror film made in Indonesia; Tengkorak Hidoep is classified as an adventure film in his catalogue.[13]
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References

Footnotes

  1. Filmindonesia.or.id, Tan Tjoei Hock.
  2. JCG, Tan Tjoei Hock.
  3. Filmindonesia.or.id, Dasima.
  4. Biran 2009, p. 99.
  5. Filmindonesia.or.id, Matjan Berbisik.
  6. Filmindonesia.or.id, Sorga Palsoe.
  7. Filmindonesia.or.id, Melati Van Agam.
  8. Filmindonesia.or.id, Si Gomar.
  9. Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item.
  10. Filmindonesia.or.id, Matula.
  11. Filmindonesia.or.id, Singa Laoet.
  12. Filmindonesia.or.id, Tengkorak Hidoep.
  13. Irwansyah 2011, Tahukah Anda.
  14. Biran 2009, p. 209.
  15. Biran 2009, p. 241.
  16. Filmindonesia.or.id, Filmography.
  17. Biran 2009, p. 210.
  18. Biran 2009, p. 276.

Bibliography

  • Biran, Misbach Yusa (2009). Sejarah Film 1900–1950: Bikin Film di Jawa [History of Film 1900–1950: Making Films in Java] (in Indonesian). Komunitas Bamboo working with the Jakarta Art Council. ISBN 978-979-3731-58-2.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "Dasima". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  • Irwansyah, Ade (30 October 2011). "Tahukah Anda: Apa Film Horor Indonesia Pertama?" [Did You Know: The First Indonesian Horror Film?]. Tabloid Bintang (in Indonesian). Jakarta. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  • "Matjan Berbisik". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  • "Matula". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  • "Melati Van Agam". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  • "Si Gomar". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  • "Singa Laoet". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  • "Sorga Palsoe". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  • "Srigala Item". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
  • "Tan Tjoei Hock". Encyclopedia of Jakarta (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Jakarta City Government. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  • "Tan Tjoei Hock" [Tan Tjoei Hock]. filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 26 September 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  • "Tan Tjoei Hock | Filmografi" [Tan Tjoei Hock | Filmography]. filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
  • "Tengkorak Hidoep". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
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