Golden Slumbers

From 1960 through 1975, Cambodian filmmakers made more than 400 feature films, but the ascension of the Khmer Rouge brought things to an abrupt halt: the creative talents involved either fled into exile or were arrested and killed by the Khmer Rouge (and many of the movies were destroyed or lost). Davy Chou's poignant documentary offers a glimpse into the halcyon days of Cambodian cinema—no mean feat, considering that so little footage is available to recall the triumphs of this period. Directors Ly Bun Yim, Ly You Sreang, and Yvon Hem join onetime leading lady Dy Saveth in discussing the distinctive challenges of building a national motion picture industry. Despite its considerable output, the Cambodian film world was relatively small, with numerous actors working together in multiple productions, many of which focused on either mild melodrama or horror/sci-fi inspired by Cambodian folklore, with musical interludes permeating nearly every work. Today, young Cambodians appear to be indifferent to this lost heritage, and the once-grand movie palaces of capital city Phnom Penh are either dilapidated or have been transformed to serve other purposes. Poster art, publicity stills, and snippets of soundtrack music offer clues to the quality of the original material, while several elderly movie buffs cite factoids about their favorites. Offering a tragic reminder of the ephemeral nature of popular culture, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)