3688

3688
Theatrical release poster
想入飛飛
Directed by	Royston Tan
Written by	Wei Lim (Lim Fong Wei)
Produced by	Melvin Ang Royston Tan Bert Tan Zheng Le Ng Say Yong Karen Khoo Soo Wei Toong
Starring	Joi Chua Liu Lingling Rahimah Rahim Brandon Wong Shigga Shay Michael Tan
Cinematography	Daniel Low
Edited by	Neo Rui Xin
Music by	Don Richmond
Production companies	Chuan Pictures mm2 Entertainment
Distributed by	mm2 Entertainment Golden Village Pictures
Release date	September 17, 2015 (2015-09-17)
Running time	100 minutes
Country	Singapore
Languages	Mandarin Hokkien Bahasa English
Budget	S$1.2 million
Box office	US$330,980[1]

3688 (simplified Chinese: 想入飞飞; traditional Chinese: 想入飛飛; pinyin: Xiǎngrù Fēifēi, literally "Dreaming of Fei Fei"), is a 2015 Singaporean musical/comedy film directed by Royston Tan and starring Joi Chua, Michael Tan, Rahimah Rahim, Liu Lingling and Shigga Shay. It is Tan's first feature film after an absence of 7 years.

Plot[edit]

Xia Fei Fei is a 38-year-old parking attendant, locally known as "summon auntie", or "Feng Fei Fei", who has often dreamed of becoming a singer like her idol, Feng Fei-fei since during her school days, and had won many contests singing Feng's songs during her school days. She is good-natured, and would often give each driver a chance before issuing a ticket. She is well-loved by the drivers, but detested by her colleagues, especially the veteran Jenny and her group of minions who often scheme and plot against her. With her mother long gone, Fei Fei and her father, a retired Rediffusion sales representative, nicknamed "Uncle Radio", live a codependent life together.

At the same time, she has to deal with several other concerns, including supporting her dementia-stricken father-salesman. Fei Fei is aided by kopitiam drink-stall owner Ah Luan, who has an alter-ego, Lady Kaka (a reference to Lady Gaga), and childhood friend and taxi driver Mao Shan. When news of Feng Fei Fei's passing broke, Fei Fei also finds something amiss with her father when he became visibly frustrated over the Rediffusion set's malfunction. It is common knowledge that Rediffusion had been long gone.

In order to take care of her father and cover his rising medical expenses, Fei Fei decides to join the National Singing Competition while coming across an audition. Fei Fei eventually makes it to the finals after capturing the nation's heart with her voice and sincerity.

In a post-credits scene, Fei Fei has finally found her father while he was wandering in an electronics store; as they eat breakfast together, the Rediffusion set begins to play.

Cast[edit]

• Joi Chua as Xia Fei Fei
  • Lee Pei Fen as teenage Xia Fei Fei
• Michael Tan as "Uncle Radio"
• Rahimah Rahim as Jenny Rahimah
• Liu Lingling as Ah Luan "Auntie Hai Xian"/Lady Kaka
• Shigga Shay as Yoyo "Hai Er", Ah Luan's son
• Brandon Wong as Maoshan
• Jerry Huang as Fei Xiang, Fei Fei's ex-lover
• Pamelyn Chee as Teresa, one of The Four Beauties / J4 (Jenny's 4)
• Tracy & Teresa from Babes as Ya Ping and Shu Rong, two of The Four Beauties / J4 (Jenny's 4)
• Tay Sia Yeun as Piao Piao, one of The Four Beauties / J4 (Jenny's 4)
• Tan Bee Keow as Anita, a contestant in the singing competition

Lin Meijiao stars as the late mother of Fei Fei. Jim Lim, Patricia Mok and Don Richmond appear as the judges in the televised finals of the National Singing Competition. Xie Jiafa also appears as the host of that competition.

Production[edit]

Most of the filming was done at Dakota Crescent, a residential area that was built in the 1950s with first-generation HDB flats. In an interview with Royston Tan by The Straits Times, he said that the act of filming a place can help to preserve it, at least in people's memories and so "disappearing fragments of society will not be forgotten", and wanted to shoot there "as this estate would be gone by next year".^[2] Another carpark at Queen Street was used for some of the filming.^[3] Filming started in November 2014, and lasted for three weeks.

Soundtrack[edit]

The soundtrack for 3688 was released on all platforms on 15 September 2015, two days before the release of the film.

The theme song of the film is 《念》, sung by Joi Chua. Within a few weeks, it has made its way to one of the top 10 songs on YES 933's weekly charts.

Another song, "Tapau", features Shigga Shay rapping out a list of drinks ordered at coffee-shops. The music video was uploaded on YouTube on 9 August 2015. Shigga also recorded a one-minute rap on the life and career of Feng Fei-fei. The film marks the first time Shigga raps in Mandarin.^[4]

Some of the songs in the film are remakes of popular songs from the 1970s and 1980s, especially those originally sung by Feng Fei-fei.

Reception[edit]

John Lui of The Straits Times gave 3688 3.5/5 stars, stating that although "Tan's forte is detail and mood" and that there is "sparkle and heart", he needs "fresher ways to express his vision". Furthermore, there is a "lack of narrative discipline", and "motifs are repeated ad nauseam, skits are inserted willy-nilly and music sequences serve neither character or story".^[5]

Box office[edit]

3688 collected S$191,000 between 17 and 20 September, topping the opening weekend box office chart for a Singaporean film released outside Chinese New Year,^[6] however it was surpassed by Mr. Unbelievable in December 2015.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 3688 at IMDb