In AMP, we have been covering Adam Taufiq Suharto‘s mostly experimental endeavors for quite some time, having already dealt with 7 of his previous works. “KL Limbo” is his newest effort, in yet another experimental approach, this time consisting of a collage of stills and intertitles that tell the story of a man who discovers he has been transported from 1998 to 2003 in Kuala Lumpur.
“KL Limbo” review is part of the Submit Your Film Initiative
The narrative revolves around 4 axes. The first and most obvious one is the collection of photos, most of which are purposefully blurred or including intense shadows, in an effort that gives the visuals here and outwardly appearance. The images, however, are quite impressive on occasion, with the quality of the photos being rather evident while essentially dictating the style of the film.
The second is the frequent intertitles, with Suharto giving details about the story, while making a parallel between the current struggle against the regime and the story of the protagonist with a girl her parents did not want her to be with a poor photographer like him. The fight against authority emerges as a central point here in that fashion, although the parallel seems somewhat forced. The context and the main comment of the short, however, is lying somewhere between the intertitles and the narration, which is essentially the third element.
Lastly, the soundscape, and particularly the combination of music and distorted sounds, which most of the time fit the images nicely, conclude the aspects of “KL Limbo”, in a rather impressive audiovisual approach, that benefits the most by the way Suharto’s editing connects the different elements here. That the last photos are in black and white add yet another element, moving somewhere between the drama and nostalgia, concluding the film in a rather fitting way.
Although evidently rather low-budgeted, “KL Limbo” highlights Suharto’s ‘one-man-show’ prowess once more, as much as his ability to create narratives minimalistically, just through a collage of photos and the use of sound.
