Elang Darat


Elang Darat is a 1941 film from the Dutch East Indies which was directed by Inoe Perbatasari and produced by The Teng Chun for Jacatra Film. A detective film, it follows a man who comes to a village to track the villainous bandit known only as "Elang Darat".

Plot

After a series of robberies led by a bandit known as "Elang Darat", the chief of Kresek village calls in a detective named Parlan. While investigating the crimes, Parlan is attacked and knocked out by a blow to the head. The chief's daughter, Rukmini, nurses him back to health and the two begin falling in love. This leaves the chief's adopted son, Gunawi, in a fury, as Gunawi is in love with Rukmini as well. Parlan's investigation reveals that Gunawi is, in fact, his long-lost half brother. Later the two must fight after it is revealed that Gunawi is "Elang Darat".

Production

Elang Darat was produced by The Teng Chun for the Jacatra Film Company, a subsidiary of his Java Industrial Film. It was written and directed by former journalist Inoe Perbatasari, who had previously been assistant director on Andjar Asmara's Kartinah. Camerawork for the black-and-white film was handled by Tan Kim An, while sound editing was completed by The Teng Chun's brother The Teng Liong.
A large number of the cast members are recorded. The film starred Astaman and Ali Joego, with Rohana, Salam, Amalia, Louise Gunter, S Aminah, and Mas'oed Pandji Anom in supporting roles. Production began in July 1941.

Release

Elang Darat was released in 1941. Inoe Perbatasari would go on to make one more film for Jacatra Pictures, Poetri Rimba, later that year.
It is likely lost. The American visual anthropologist Karl G. Heider writes that all Indonesian films from before 1950 are lost. However, JB Kristanto's Katalog Film Indonesia records several as having survived at Sinematek Indonesia's archives, and film historian Misbach Yusa Biran writes that several Japanese propaganda films have survived at the Netherlands Government Information Service.

Works cited