Betawi Moderen Songs and Films of Benyamin S from Jakarta in the 1970s Further Dimensions of Indonesian Popular Culture

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The article examines Benyamin S (1939–95), a Betawi singer and film comedian who rose to national fame in the 1970s through modern adaptations of Gambang Kromong in “Gambang Moderen” and an extensive run of comedy films. It traces his impact on Indonesian cinema and later resurgence via “Si Doel Anak Sekolahan” and Betawi radio. The discussion extends to related studies of mediatization, language varieties, and audience reception of Betawi culture.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages43

Reading Time1 h 48 min

Betawi Moderen: Songs and Films of Benyamin S

Benyamin S’s musical innovations

Benyamin S’s film career and production role

Decline in cinema and later resurgence

“Si Doel Anak Sekolahan” and mediatization

Betawi Moderen: Songs and Films of Benyamin S from Jakarta in the 1970s—Further Dimensions of Indonesian Popular Culture Author(s): David Hanan and Basoeki Koesasi Source: Indonesia , No. 91 (April 2011), pp. 35-76 Published by: Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University Stable URL: [https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5728/indonesia.91.0035](https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5728/indonesia.91.0035) REFERENCES Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article: [https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5728/indonesia.91.0035?seq=1&cid=pdf](https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5728/indonesia.91.0035?seq=1&cid=pdf)reference\#references_tab_contents You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [support@jstor.org](support@jstor.org). Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at [https://about.jstor.org/terms](https://about.jstor.org/terms) Southeast Asia Program Publications at Cornell University is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Indonesia This content downloaded from [152.118.150.186](152.118.150.186) on Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:26:02 UTC All use subject to [https://about.jstor.org/terms](https://about.jstor.org/terms) BETAWI MODEREN: SONGS AND FILMS OF BENYAMIN S FROM JAKARTA IN THE 1970 S—FURTHER DIMENSIONS OF INDONESIAN POPULAR CULTURE David Hanan and Basoeki Koesasi 1 A remarkable figure in Indonesian popular culture from the early 1970s to the mid- 1990s was the Betawi singer and film comedian, Benyamin S (1939–95) . Benyamin S celebrated in his songs and films the lives of the Betawi poor, the Betawi being the ethnic group widely referred to as Jakarta’s original inhabitants. In the 1970s, Benyamin S gained fame for his numerous songs and film roles. For his music career, he was known particularly for his adaptation of a traditional Betawi musical form, Gambang Kromong, into a modernized form, Gambang Moderen (which included some notable improvised duet singing) . For his cinematic career, Ben starred in some fortyseven comedy films between 1970 and 1978, quite a few of which he scripted and codirected, or which were produced by his own production company, PT Jiung Film. 1 The authors are especially grateful for the help given to them by (the late) S. M. Ardan, deputy director of Sinematek Indonesia, the film archive in Jakarta, particularly with regard to advice about Benyamin S (Ben) and his work. Among the works authored by S. M. Ardan are a novel reworking a story about colonial Batavia, Njai Dasima (Djakarta: Pustaka Jaya, 1971); screenplays, including the screenplay for the film Si Pitung (1970); numerous scholarly books on film; and essays on Betawi culture, including that noted in footnote 4. We also thank Dr. Manolete Mora of the department of music, University of Hong Kong, for advice about the influences on Ben’s music. Thanks are due generally to the excellent staff of Sinematek Indonesia for providing facilities for research on Indonesian cinema. This article is based on a paper first presented at a symposium on “Performance and Mediatization,” held at Leiden University in December 1998. Any errors are the responsibility of the authors. Indonesia 91 (April 2011) This content downloaded from [152.118.150.186](152.118.150.186) on Wed, 23 Oct 2019 08:26:02 UTC All use subject to [https://about.jstor.org/terms](https://about.jstor.org/terms) 36 David Hanan and Basoeki Koesasi Ben’s importance in Indonesian cinema waned in the 1980s, but his career as a singer continued to grow and, in 1990, Ben founded the Betawi Radio station “Bens Radio.”He r

FAQs

Who is Benyamin S and why is he significant in Indonesian popular culture?

Benyamin S was a Betawi singer and film comedian whose songs and films celebrated the lives of the Betawi poor and who became a major figure from the early 1970s through the mid-1990s.

How did Benyamin S modernize Betawi musical traditions?

He adapted the traditional Betawi musical form Gambang Kromong into a modernized version called “Gambang Moderen,” including notable improvised duet singing.

What later media helped restore Benyamin S’s wider prominence?

After his cinema importance waned, he founded the Betawi radio station “Bens Radio” and returned to national prominence through his role in the TV series “Si Doel Anak Sekolahan,” where he played the father of the central character.

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