The Teng Chun

Indonesian film director

Boenga Roos dari Tjikembang
Alang-Alang

The Teng Chun (Chinese: 鄭丁春; pinyin: Zhèng Dīngchūn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tēⁿ Teng-chhun; 18 June 1902 – 25 February 1977), also known by his Indonesian name Tahjar Ederis, was an Indonesian film producer. Born to a rich businessman, The became interested in film while still a youth. After a period as an exporter, in 1930 he established Cino Motion Picture to produce films in the Dutch East Indies. In a little over a decade he and his company had released at least 31 films, including some of the country's first talkies. Although he experienced a brief resurgence during the 1950s, after Indonesia became independent, he spent the last years of his life as an English teacher.

Biography

He was born in Batavia, Dutch East Indies (modern day Jakarta, Indonesia) on 18 June 1902 to a rich businessman name The Kim Ie. As a child he studied at a Tiong Hoa Hwe Koan school.^[1]^[2]

The studied economics in the United States beginning in 1920. However, instead of following his father's footsteps The studied filmmaking at the Palmer Play Theater;^[3] one of his fellow film students was Fred Young, another peranakan Chinese from the Indies, who would collaborate with The.^[1] While in the US The worked towards convincing his father to become a film importer; the elder The initially refused, but eventually agreed to his son's proposal.^[2]

After five years of studies he went to Shanghai and became involved in the country's cinema industry, working on exporting films from China to the Indies and trying his hand at filmmaking. He returned to the Indies in 1930,^[3]^[1] after Shanghai-produced films became less popular.^[4] In the Indies, The – despite his father insisting that importing films was more profitable – established Cino Motion Pictures.^[3] The nation's cinema was still in its infancy; the first locally produced feature film, Loetoeng Kasaroeng, had been released in 1926,^[5] and there were only three other film production companies in the country.^[6]

The studio's first release, Boenga Roos dari Tjikembang, was among the first talkies produced in the country,^[3] but a critical failure.^[7] The followed this with several further releases,^[1] including the commercial success Sam Pek Eng Tay.^[8] From 1933 until early 1935, all feature films from the Dutch East Indies were produced by The, partly because of the Great Depression and partly because of the difficulties and financial burdens caused by transitioning from silent films to talkies. These stories were based on Chinese mythology or martial arts, and targeted at low-class audiences, generally ethnic Chinese.^[9]

In 1935 the company's name changed to Java Industrial Film (JIF) and The brought his siblings into the business, which became increasingly active.^[1] Teng Gan became general assistant, Teng Liong was put in charge of sound, and Teng Hwie was tasked as a cameraman.^[10] By 1938 JIF had begun focusing on stories dealing with modern issues,^[1] possibly in response to Albert Balink's 1938 film Pareh.^[11]

Java Industrial Film closed during the Japanese occupation, starting in 1942.^[12] During the occupation The worked for a period in a theatrical group, but he found it unfulfilling and left soon afterwards.^[1] After Indonesia's independence and the cease of the National Revolution, he and Fred Young established the Bintang Soerabaja film company, which continued production until 1962. After the studio closed, The became an English teacher and, in 1967, changed his name to Tahjar Ederis.^[12]

The died on 25 February 1977 in Jakarta.^[12] He received an award from the capital's governor shortly before his death.^[1]

Filmography

During his career The released at least 34 films, as follows:^[13]

Boenga Roos dari Tjikembang (Rose from Cikembang; 1931) – as producer, director, sound editor, and cinematographer
Sam Pek Eng Tay (The Butterfly Lovers; 1931) – as producer, director, sound editor, cinematographer, and screenwriter
Pat Kiam Hap (Eight Swordsmen; 1933) – as producer, director, sound editor, cinematographer, and screenwriter
Pat Bie To (Eight Beautiful Women; 1933) – as producer, director, and cinematographer
Ouw Peh Tjoa (Black and White Snakes; 1934) – as producer, director, sound editor, and cinematographer
Tie Pat Kai Kawin (Tie Pat Kai Marries; 1935) – as producer, director, sound editor, cinematographer, and screenwriter
Pan Sie Tong (1935) – as producer and director
Ang Hai Djie (1935) – as producer, director, and cinematographer
Pembakaran Bio "Hong Lian Sie" (Burning of the "Hong Lian Sie"; 1936) – as producer and director
Lima Siloeman Tikoes (Five Mouse Demons; 1936) – as producer and director
Anaknja Siloeman Oeler Poeti (Child of the White Snake; 1936) – as producer and director
Gadis jang Terdjoeal (The Sold Maiden; 1937) – as producer and director
Tjiandjoer (Cianjur; 1938) – as director
Oh Iboe (Oh Mother; 1938) – as director
Roesia si Pengkor (1939) – as producer and director
Alang-Alang (Grass; 1939) – as producer, director, and screenwriter
Melati van Agam (Jasmine of Agam; 1940) – as producer
Matjan Berbisik (Whispering Tiger; 1940) – as producer
Kartinah (1940) – as producer
Dasima (1940) – as producer
Rentjong Atjeh (Rencong of Aceh; 1940) – as producer and director
Tengkorak Hidoep (Living Skull; 1941) – as producer
Srigala Item (Black Wolf; 1941) – as producer
Si Gomar (1941) – as producer
Singa Laoet (Lion of the Sea; 1941) – as producer
Ratna Moetoe Manikam (1941) – as producer
Elang Darat (Land Hawk; 1941) – as producer
Poetri Rimba (Daughter of the Jungle; 1941) – as producer
Noesa Penida (1941) – as producer
Matula (1941) – as producer
Djantoeng Hati (Heart and Soul; 1941) – as cinematographer
Konde Tjioda (1954) – as producer
Dinamika (Dynamics; 1955) – as producer
Genangan Air Mata (Puddle of Tears; 1955) – as director

References

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Filmindonesia.or.id, The Teng Chun.
^ ^a ^b Biran 2009, pp. 48–49.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Suryadinata 1995, p. 43.
^ Biran 2009, p. 94.
^ Biran 2009, p. 68.
^ Biran 2009, p. 137.
^ Biran 2009, p. 96.
^ Biran 2009, p. 147.
^ Biran 2009, pp. 144–145, 380–381.
^ Biran 2009, p. 150.
^ Biran 2009, p. 163.
^ ^a ^b ^c Suryadinata 1995, p. 44.
^ Filmindonesia.or.id, Filmografi The Teng Chun.

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.
"Filmografi The Teng Chun" [Filmography of The Teng Chun]. filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
Suryadinata, Leo (1995). Prominent Indonesian Chinese: Biographical Sketches. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. ISBN 978-981-3055-03-2.
"The Teng Chun". filmindonesia.or.id (in Indonesian). Jakarta: Konfidan Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2012.