可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第一可怜罗莲花 出生风场昧快活
凄惨落泊就是我 做牛做马也得拖
第二可怜莲花酸 苦命莲花心头酸
后母不为仔打算 想要嫁人也久长
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第三可怜莲花姐 坏命做工到半暝
头烧目晕那是病 破病也得去赚钱
第四可怜莲花代 好坏人客阮招待
十分招待嫌阮坏 要打要骂又要塞
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第五可怜莲花种 有人实在无同情
也无外多钱阮用 要打要骂又要种
第六可怜莲花城 流落欢场歹名声
后母爱钱无爱仔 迫到阮呀无路行
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第七可怜莲花红 阮是可怜歹命人
后母当阮不是人 害阮痛苦一世人
第八可怜莲花头 流落欢场昧出头
后母顾前无顾后 害阮暝日目屎流
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第九可怜莲花时 做了这行已几年
可怜家人无相见 阮嘛不知企叨位
第十可怜莲花光 归暝做工到天光
想到有厝唔汤返 终身再也难见光
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
十一可怜莲花怨 想到身世真哀怨
后母迫我做这款 越想心内越超烦
十二莲花无了时 堕落黑暗难见天
少年赚钱是一时 老来怎样过日子
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
If you'd excuse my language, just watched Royston Tan's 12 Lotus, the "sequel" to last year's breakout hit, 881, and am still reeling from the experience.
While Jack Neo's movies pander to the heartlanders for sharing in their everyday weal and woe and Eric Khoo's films verge on the edgy and experimental, the new generation as exemplified by Royston Tan shows just what makes a good storyteller.
Royston has indeed come a long way, from the brash 15 to the tender 4:30 to the loud 881 to the current 12 Lotus, his career as a director is on the ascendant and it looks like we have a winner here to stay for the long run.
While some people who have watched both movies prefer the more accessible 881, my vote goes to 12 Lotus for its more gritty and real plot. Living out the 12 stages of the life of the main protagonist as played variously by a child actress, Mindee Ong and Liu Ling Ling, and mirroring the lyrics of the song, it would be a hard heart indeed not to have been moved by the unfolding story. But like an oncoming train wreck, there's nothing you can do but stand by and watch.
If 881 helped Liu Ling Ling find a new career and popularity, 12 Lotus will propel her through the roof into the stratosphere. Her acting in the movie is truly gripping, with her handling both comedy and tragedy and winning over the audience with laughter and tears. Royston was truly wicked for having put her in various outlandish getups that actually prompted the uncles and aunties surrounding me cluck in disapproval along the lines of "给她穿到那样。真难看！” replete with plenty of "Tsk!"s to stress the point.
Mindee Ong again plays up her pixie charm and sultry allure to great effect, surely raising the blood pressures of many an uncle. Those breasts! Oh wait, sorry, but I've moved on the next character as played by Qi Yu Wu. He, on the other hand surely had many an auntie (and me) closing their legs tight. My, he is a devilishly charming and good-looking fellow, isn't he?
If the plot got a little convoluted towards the end, Royston had his reasons for introducing a sub-plot with Qi playing a second character that comes into the life of the protagonist. When Yeo Yann Yann made her first appearance, many voices were heard discussing at length that "Yes, she does have a role in the movie...". However, by having thrown us into the deep end of a new development, the uncle next to me was muttering "乱七八糟! 不知道在做什么.”...
For all the garish costumes and loud music, it was the simplicity and sincerity of the lyrics of the titular song that spoke true and through to the hearts of the audience. Bravo, Royston! I totally recommend this movie!
And one particular quote from the movie stood out especially... “没有爱，哪里有痛? 没有痛，哪里有爱？” How true...
凄惨落泊就是我 做牛做马也得拖
第二可怜莲花酸 苦命莲花心头酸
后母不为仔打算 想要嫁人也久长
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第三可怜莲花姐 坏命做工到半暝
头烧目晕那是病 破病也得去赚钱
第四可怜莲花代 好坏人客阮招待
十分招待嫌阮坏 要打要骂又要塞
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第五可怜莲花种 有人实在无同情
也无外多钱阮用 要打要骂又要种
第六可怜莲花城 流落欢场歹名声
后母爱钱无爱仔 迫到阮呀无路行
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第七可怜莲花红 阮是可怜歹命人
后母当阮不是人 害阮痛苦一世人
第八可怜莲花头 流落欢场昧出头
后母顾前无顾后 害阮暝日目屎流
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
第九可怜莲花时 做了这行已几年
可怜家人无相见 阮嘛不知企叨位
第十可怜莲花光 归暝做工到天光
想到有厝唔汤返 终身再也难见光
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
十一可怜莲花怨 想到身世真哀怨
后母迫我做这款 越想心内越超烦
十二莲花无了时 堕落黑暗难见天
少年赚钱是一时 老来怎样过日子
可怜呀莲花呀 实在可怜代
If you'd excuse my language, just watched Royston Tan's 12 Lotus, the "sequel" to last year's breakout hit, 881, and am still reeling from the experience.
While Jack Neo's movies pander to the heartlanders for sharing in their everyday weal and woe and Eric Khoo's films verge on the edgy and experimental, the new generation as exemplified by Royston Tan shows just what makes a good storyteller.
Royston has indeed come a long way, from the brash 15 to the tender 4:30 to the loud 881 to the current 12 Lotus, his career as a director is on the ascendant and it looks like we have a winner here to stay for the long run.
While some people who have watched both movies prefer the more accessible 881, my vote goes to 12 Lotus for its more gritty and real plot. Living out the 12 stages of the life of the main protagonist as played variously by a child actress, Mindee Ong and Liu Ling Ling, and mirroring the lyrics of the song, it would be a hard heart indeed not to have been moved by the unfolding story. But like an oncoming train wreck, there's nothing you can do but stand by and watch.
If 881 helped Liu Ling Ling find a new career and popularity, 12 Lotus will propel her through the roof into the stratosphere. Her acting in the movie is truly gripping, with her handling both comedy and tragedy and winning over the audience with laughter and tears. Royston was truly wicked for having put her in various outlandish getups that actually prompted the uncles and aunties surrounding me cluck in disapproval along the lines of "给她穿到那样。真难看！” replete with plenty of "Tsk!"s to stress the point.
Mindee Ong again plays up her pixie charm and sultry allure to great effect, surely raising the blood pressures of many an uncle. Those breasts! Oh wait, sorry, but I've moved on the next character as played by Qi Yu Wu. He, on the other hand surely had many an auntie (and me) closing their legs tight. My, he is a devilishly charming and good-looking fellow, isn't he?
If the plot got a little convoluted towards the end, Royston had his reasons for introducing a sub-plot with Qi playing a second character that comes into the life of the protagonist. When Yeo Yann Yann made her first appearance, many voices were heard discussing at length that "Yes, she does have a role in the movie...". However, by having thrown us into the deep end of a new development, the uncle next to me was muttering "乱七八糟! 不知道在做什么.”...
For all the garish costumes and loud music, it was the simplicity and sincerity of the lyrics of the titular song that spoke true and through to the hearts of the audience. Bravo, Royston! I totally recommend this movie!
And one particular quote from the movie stood out especially... “没有爱，哪里有痛? 没有痛，哪里有爱？” How true...