Films drawing on Japanese cinema and on Shakespeare
Kanchan Tirana 1969
Set in ancient times, the film uses modern techniques to meet the expectations of contemporary audiences.
When the men of Sang Nila terrorise Balik Pulau, the gentle Kanchan (Jins Shamsuddin) is beaten in the market and sent to learn the martial arts from Pendekar Tirana (P. Ramlee), a disciple of his late father. Disciplined for abusing his new strength, Kanchan defeats the strongman Sahamboi, who, Tirana reveals, poisoned his father. Sahamboi's daughter, Tilani, marries Tirana, and Kanchan returns to free Balik Pulau.
Enam Jahanam 1969
Six robbers rape and kill Masmera (Nor Azizah), wife of the merchant Tantari (P. Ramlee), then scatter to live as respected men, not knowing that a photographer caught their faces on film. Photograph in hand, Tantari hunts them down with Damburi (Yusoff Latif), a bounty hunter who carries the Sultan's only pistol, and in the end marries Mastika, Masmera's twin sister.
Pancha Delima 1957
P. Ramlee’s first fantasy as director; it introduced the young Jins Shamsuddin (later Tan Sri). P. Ramlee is heard as the poet’s voice.
Queen Chemara Jingga (Eloni Hayati) seizes the kingdom of Maharaja Kukila Kenchana on their wedding day and, with her magic stone, turns his people into animals by day; Prince Suria Kenchana (Jins Shamsuddin) and four warriors become snakes. Only the Pancha Delima, worn by the village girl Teratai (Hashimah Yon), can break the spell, and after many trials she does. P. Ramlee narrates the tale in song. (Synopses after Ahmad Sarji, Erti Yang Sakti, 1999.)
