Free Planet Press

Da Vinci boost for Malaysia writer

The phenomenal success of the US thriller novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown has caused an unexpected windfall for feng shui masters. Between chunks of action-adventure, the book powerfully pushes “sacred geometry”: the belief that there are right and correct proportions for things. Where can ordinary fans get advice about this kind of thing? Feng shui masters, of course. Malaysia-based Stephen Skinner, who has made a career publishing Chinese feng shui works in English, has taken to following the thriller writer closely, having recently published a volume called Sacred Geometry. Dan Brown’s next book is called The Solomon Key, titled after a book of magic originally published in the Middle Ages. Skinner’s new book is shortly to hit the stands, and is also a compilation of ancient magic spells from the Middle Ages. Dan Brown has unexpectedly brought eastern and western geomantic sciences together.

Meet the Men in White

Men in Black, meet the Men in White. The former is a Hollywood classic comedy while the latter is a film in production from Singaporean horror director Kelvin Tong. Due for release this summer, it tells the story of a group of Singaporeans who die and return as ghosts. The film is billed as a horror-comedy, with lots of horror-themed slapstick. But industry-watchers say there’s risk in naming a project after a Hollywood hit. First, the title doesn’t quite fit: some of the ghosts are female. And second, does he really want to invite comparison? The 1997 movie Men in Black was written by successful comedian Ed Solomon (John Cleese’s son-in-law), and had a budget of US$90 million.
          Singapore’s Men in White was written by Tong himself and has a budget of just half a million US dollars. The financiers of Tong’s horror movie may well have shivers up their spines.

'Colonialism' fear overshadows Asian prize

Asians submit, but Western expats stand in judgment

November 6, 2007

THE NAME of the Asian author who will receive the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize will be finally revealed on Saturday, November 10 th. But will the names of the people giving out the prize also become more apparent?

                The press release doesn’t give the organizer’s names.  Communications tend to use the term “Administrative Committee”. Even the front pages of their website prefer to use that anonymous phrase, with the actual names tucked away on deeper link.  Why are administrators so shy about revealing who they are?