Srigala Item

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Good article}} {{Infobox film | name = Srigala Item | image = Srigala Item poster.jpg | alt = A film poster | caption = Poster | director = Tan Tjoei Hock | producer =The Teng Chun | screenplay = Tan Tjoei Hock | narrator = | starring ={{plain list| *Hadidjah *Moh Mochtar *Tan Tjeng Bok }} | music = Mas Sardi | cinematography = The Teng Gan | editing = The TS | studio = Java Industrial Film | distributor = | released = {{Film date|df=yes|1941|||Dutch East Indies}} | runtime = | country = Dutch East Indies | language = Indonesian | budget = | gross = }}

'''''Srigala Item''''' (Indonesian for ''Black Wolf'', also advertised with the Dutch title '''''De Zwarte Wolf''''') is a 1941 film from the Dutch East Indies that was directed by Tan Tjoei Hock and produced by The Teng Chun for Action Film. Starring Hadidjah, Mohamad Mochtar, and Tan Tjeng Bok, the film's plot – inspired by Zorro – follows a young man who became a masked vigilante to take revenge against his conniving uncle. ''Srigala Item'' was a commercial success, which Misbach Yusa Biran credits to the plot's use for escapism. A copy of the black-and-white film, which featured ''kroncong'' music, is stored at Sinematek Indonesia.

==Plot== Through violence, Djoekri (Tan Tjeng Bok) is able to gain control of his brother Mardjoeki's ({{interlanguage link|Bissu Usman|id}}) wealth and plantation, Soemberwaras. The latter disappears, leaving behind his adult son Mochtar (Mohamad Mochtar). At the plantation, the young man is treated as a servant and often beaten by Djoekri and his right-hand man, Hasan. Djoekri's son Joesoef (Mohamad Sani), however, leads a life of plenty.

Soon Djoekri's activities are targeted by a masked man known as the "Black Wolf" ("Srigala Item"), who also foils Joesoef's attempts to woo Soehaemi (Hadidjah), whom Mochtar loves. Djoekri tires of the Black Wolf's interference and takes him on in a battle. Though Djoekri almost wins, ultimately the Black Wolf emerges victorious. It is later revealed that Mardjoeki remains alive and Mochtar was the Black Wolf.<ref>{{harvnb|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}}; {{harvnb|Biran|2009|p=274}}; {{harvnb|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad 1941, Sampoerna-theater}}</ref>

==Production== The film was written and directed by Tan Tjoei Hock for Action Film, a subsidiary of producer The Teng Chun's Java Industrial Film (JIF).{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} Tan, who had made his directorial debut in 1940,{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, Filmography Tan Tjoei Hock}} based ''Srigala Item'' on the stories surrounding Johnston McCulley's fictional bandit Zorro;{{efn|Sources disagree on which version served as the inspiration. Kristanto {{harv|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} credits ''The Mark of Zorro'' (1940). {{harvtxt|Said|McGlynn|Boileau|1991|p=28}} credit a stage version of the bandit.}} as with the American bandit, the Black Wolf used a whip and wore all black.{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} The black-and-white film was shot by The Teng Chun's brother Teng Gan, with Hajopan Bajo Angin as artistic designer.<ref>{{harvnb|Filmindonesia.or.id, Kredit Srigala Item}}; {{harvnb|Biran|2009|p=150}}</ref>

The film starred Hadidjah and Mohamad Mochtar, who had first acted together in JIF's ''Alang-Alang'' (''Grass''; 1939) and were promoted as a celebrity couple in competition with Raden Mochtar and Roekiah of Tan's Film.{{sfn|Imanjaya|2006|p=109}} It also featured Bissoe, Tan Tjeng Bok, and Mohamad Sani.{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} Bissoe had made his feature film debut with JIF's ''Oh Iboe'' in 1938,{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=181}} while Sani had made his debut for JIF in 1940.{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, M. Sani}} Tan Tjeng Bok, a former stage star with Dardanella, made his feature film debut through ''Srigala Item''.{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=272}}

Music for ''Srigala Item'' was done in the ''kroncong'' (traditional music with Portuguese influences) style, popular at the time, by Mas Sardi.{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=274}} Hadidjah is credited as singing two songs, "Ja. Ja. Ja. Ja." ("Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.") and "Termenoeng-Menoeng" ("Pensive");{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=310}} Tan Tjeng Bok is also recorded as performing a song.{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=274}}

==Release and reception== thumb|upright|alt=A man in a mask shielding a woman|Mohamad Mochtar and Hadidjah in a promotional still ''Srigala Item'' premiered in the first half of 1941, one of nine films released by JIF and its subsidiaries that year.{{sfn|Biran|2009|pp=384–385}} It was advertised, sometimes under the Dutch name of ''De Zwarte Wolf'', as "sensational, full of action, and mysterious"{{efn|Original: "''... sensationeele, actievolle en mysterieuze''"}}{{sfn|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad, (untitled)}} and marketed for all ages.{{sfn|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad, (untitled)}} The film was released in Batavia (modern day Jakarta), the capital of the Indies,{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=310}} and by July 1941 it had reached Surabaya, in Eastern Java,{{sfn|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad, (untitled)}} and Singapore, then part of British Malaya.{{sfn|The Straits Times 1941, (untitled)}}

An anonymous review of ''Srigala Item'' in the Surabaya-based daily ''Soerabaijasch Handelsblad'' was positive, predicting the film would be a commercial success.{{sfn|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad 1941, Sampoerna-theater}} This prediction was fulfilled, as ''Srigala Item'' reached extensive audiences – mostly lower-class natives.{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=272}} The Indonesian film historian Misbach Yusa Biran credits this success to escapism.{{sfn|Biran|1986|p=6}} He writes that the film's theme of an oppressed, financially destitute youth who is able to control his destiny by becoming a masked vigilante, allowed viewers to be able to see themselves as the Black Wolf, and thus take revenge against those who had wronged them.{{sfn|Biran|2009|p=274}}

Action Film and JIF continued producing films until the beginning of the Japanese occupation of the Indies began in early 1942, leading to the closing of all but one film studio. The cast of ''Srigala Item'' remained with JIF until the company closed, as did Tan.<ref>{{harvnb|Biran|2009|pp=319, 322}}; {{harvnb|Filmindonesia.or.id, Filmography Tan Tjoei Hock}}</ref> According to JB Kristanto's ''Katalog Film Indonesia'' (''Catalogue of Indonesian Films''), a copy of ''Srigala Item'' is stored at Sinematek Indonesia in Jakarta.{{sfn|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} The reels have been damaged by acid, leading to part of the film being excised.{{sfn|Sembiring 2009, Saving Indonesian Cinema Treasures}}

==Explanatory notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Works cited== {{Refbegin|40em}} * {{cite book | title = Sejarah Film 1900–1950: Bikin Film di Jawa |trans-title=History of Film 1900–1950: Making Films in Java | language = Indonesian | last = Biran | first = Misbach Yusa | authorlink = Misbach Yusa Biran | location = Jakarta | publisher = Komunitas Bamboo working with the Jakarta Art Council | year = 2009 | isbn = 978-979-3731-58-2 }} * {{cite book | title = Snapshots of Indonesian Film History and Non-theatrical Films in Indonesia | last = Biran | first = Misbach Yusa | authorlink = Misbach Yusa Biran | location = Jakarta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yeFkAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Srigala+Item%22+-wikipedia+-blogspot+-download+-facebook | publisher = Komunitas Bamboo working with the Jakarta Art Council | year = 1986 | oclc = 20550138 }} *{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sl92GYNaKJIC |title=A to Z about Indonesian Film |language=Indonesian |isbn=978-979-752-367-1 |last=Imanjaya |first=Ekky |publisher=Mizan |location=Bandung |year=2006 }} * {{cite web |title=Kredit Srigala Item |trans-title=Credits for Srigala Item |language=Indonesian |url=http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/title/lf-s011-41-356648_srigala-item/credit |work=filmindonesia.or.id |publisher=Konfiden Foundation |location=Jakarta |access-date=31 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304191544/http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/title/lf-s011-41-356648_srigala-item/credit |archive-date=4 March 2016 |ref={{sfnRef|Filmindonesia.or.id, Kredit Srigala Item}} |url-status=dead |df= }} * {{cite web |title=M. Sani |language=Indonesian |url=http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/name/nmp4b99b254a965e_m-sani/filmography |work=filmindonesia.or.id |publisher=Konfiden Foundation |location=Jakarta |access-date=31 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307192618/http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/name/nmp4b99b254a965e_m-sani/filmography |archive-date=7 March 2016 |ref={{sfnRef|Filmindonesia.or.id, M. Sani}} |url-status=dead |df= }} *{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o95kAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Srigala+Item%22+-wikipedia+-blogspot+-download+-facebook |title=Shadows on the Silver Screen: A Social History of Indonesian Film |last1=Said |first=Salim |location=Jakarta |publisher=Lontar Foundation |last2=McGlynn |first2=John H. |authorlink2= John H. McGlynn |last3=Boileau |first3=Janet P. |year=1991 |isbn=978-979-8083-04-4 }} * {{cite news | title =Sampoerna-theater "Srigala Item" | language = Dutch | url = http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A011121701%3Ampeg21%3Ap010%3Aa0145 | work = Soerabaijasch Handelsblad | publisher = Kolff & Co | location = Surabaya | date=23 July 1941 | page=8 | access-date = 31 May 2013 | ref = {{sfnRef|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad 1941, Sampoerna-theater}} }} *{{cite news |last=Sembiring |first=Dalih |title=Saving Indonesian Cinema Treasures |work=Jakarta Globe |url=http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/saving-indonesian-cinema-treasures/326208 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730135844/http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/saving-indonesian-cinema-treasures/326208 |date=26 August 2009 |access-date=26 June 2012 |archive-date=30 July 2012 |ref={{sfnRef|Sembiring 2009, Saving Indonesian Cinema Treasures}} |url-status=dead |df= }} * {{cite web |title=Srigala Item |language=Indonesian |url=http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/title/lf-s011-41-356648_srigala-item |work=filmindonesia.or.id |publisher=Konfiden Foundation |location=Jakarta |access-date=25 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202202759/http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/title/lf-s011-41-356648_srigala-item |archive-date=2 December 2013 |ref={{sfnRef|Filmindonesia.or.id, Srigala Item}} |url-status=dead |df= }} * {{cite web |title=Tan Tjoei Hock {{!}} Filmografi |trans-title=Tan Tjoei Hock {{!}} Filmography |language=Indonesian |url=http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/name/nmp4b99b0c50ac6d_tan-tjoei-hock/filmography |work=filmindonesia.or.id |publisher=Konfidan Foundation |location=Jakarta |access-date=23 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029211528/http://filmindonesia.or.id/movie/name/nmp4b99b0c50ac6d_tan-tjoei-hock/filmography |archive-date=29 October 2013 |ref={{sfnRef|Filmindonesia.or.id, Filmography Tan Tjoei Hock}} |url-status=dead |df= }} * {{cite news | title = (untitled) | language = Dutch | url = http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A011121701%3Ampeg21%3Ap010%3Aa0145 | work = Soerabaijasch Handelsblad | publisher = Kolff & Co | location = Surabaya | date=23 July 1941 | page=10 | access-date = 31 May 2013 | ref = {{sfnRef|Soerabaijasch Handelsblad, (untitled)}} }} *{{cite news |title=(untitled) |date=11 July 1941 |page=6 |location=Singapore |work=The Straits Times |url=http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19410711-1.2.31.1.aspx |access-date=31 May 2013 |ref={{sfnRef|The Straits Times 1941, (untitled)}} }} {{Refend}}

Category:Dutch East Indies films Category:Films directed by Tan Tjoei Hock Category:Indonesian black-and-white films Category:Films based on works by Johnston McCulley