FEEL IT.STREAM
Maria Menado

Maria Menado

Acting

Biography

Maria Menado (born Liesbet Dotulong; 2 February 1932), also known as Liesje Mandagi, is an Indonesian-born Malay actress, model, and producer. She was known for her contributions to Malaysian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. At the height of her fame she was voted “Malaya’s Most Beautiful” by Times Magazine and the “Best Dressed Woman in South East Asia” by publisher United Press International. In addition to acting, she also sang and went on to direct and produce films under her own production company, Maria Menado Productions. Menado is Minahasan and was born in Manado, Dutch East Indies (present Indonesia)

Known For

Sumpah Pontianak
8.0

The original "Pontianak" was made in 1957 directed by B.N. Rao and starred Maria Menado.The film was such a hit that in quick succession, two sequels were made "Dendam Pontianak" aka "Revenge of Pontianak" later in the same year (1957) and "Sumpah Pontianak" aka "The Curse of Pontianak") in 1958,both with Maria Menado."Dendam Pontianak" started the trend of introducing more than one supernatural being into the story,the other character being an old witch Nenek Kebayan(The Old Woman of the Forest)and by the time "Sumpah Pontianak" was made that had increased to four-female vampire Pontianak,an Orang Hutan(Wild Forest Man),a kind of bird-lizard creature and a Hantu Raya or "King Ghost"."Sumpah Pontianak" is an entertaining Malay horror movie with cheap special effects.The main female character Comel is infected by been infected with sumpah pontianak,the curse of the vampire and the villagers begin to die!

Sumpah Pontianak

1958Movie
Victim of Slander
7.5

Husein is brought to trial after trying to commit suicide. He refuses to give an explanation until he is forced to. Then he begins his story. Husein enters university with help from his unmarried brother, Hasan, who dedicates his life for Husein and his sister Munah who has a heart ailment. But when Hasan meets Rahimah, Husein’s friend, Wahab, gets jealous as he considers her as his girlfriend. Wahab is very bitter about this and swears revenge. At Munah’s urging, Hasan marries Rahimah. Their happiness is short-lived since Wahab starts to woo Rahimah. After Husein punches Wahab, the latter starts spreading slander. He tells Hasan that Husein is sleeping with Rahimah. Jealousy and rage start to build up and Husein and the pregnant Rahimah are thrown out of the house.

Victim of Slander

1959Movie
Siti Zubaidah
9.0

Siti Zubaidah is based upon the 19th century poem 'Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina'. It centers on Siti Zubaidah, the wife of Sultan Zainal Abidin, who is left defenseless after her husband is taken hostage by a Chinese empress. She eventually allies herself with Princess Rukia of Yunnan, who had fled her own palace under threats of sexual assault. Taking matters into their own hands, they adopt male identities and lead a military conquest across China to rescue the Sultan. Directed by B. N. Rao and starring Maria Menado, the Cathay production borrowed from both of its niches at the time: the film language and costume styles of Malay cinema and Chinese wuxia films, resulting in an imagined reality fusing both visual cultures. At the core of the myriad garbs, armour, accessories and makeup donned by the characters, the tale chronicles the adoption of transformative identities to overcome adversity, enact justice and revenge.

Siti Zubaidah

1962Movie