3688 (film)

Plot

Xia Fei Fei is a 38-year-old parking attendant, locally known as "summon auntie", or "Feng Fei Fei", who has often dreamed of becoming a singer like her idol, Feng Fei-fei since during her school days, and had won many contests singing Feng’s songs during her school days. She is good-natured, and would often give each driver a chance before issuing a ticket. She is well-loved by the drivers, but detested by her colleagues, especially the veteran Jenny and her group of minions who often scheme and plot against her. With her mother long gone, Fei Fei and her father, a retired Rediffusion sales representative, nicknamed "Uncle Radio", live a codependent life together.

At the same time, she had to deal with several other concerns, including supporting her dementia-stricken father, salesman. Fei Fei is aided by kopitiam drink-stall owner Ah Luan, who has an alter-ego, Lady Kaka (a reference to Lady Gaga), and childhood friend and taxi driver Mao Shan. On the day of Feng Fei Fei’s passing, Fei Fei has also suddenly realised that something was amiss with her father when he became visibly frustrated over the Rediffusion set’s malfunction. It is common knowledge that Rediffusion had been long gone.

In order to take care of her father and cover his rising medical expenses, Fei Fei decides to join the National Singing Competition after seeing an advertisement. Fei Fei eventually made it to the finals after capturing the nation's heart using her voice and sincerity, but her father has disappeared suddenly on the day of the finals.

She tells the audience that she will continue to sing and that she hopes that her father will see her wherever he is,as she sings,his father sees her on a TV in a store.

After the credits roll,Fei Fei has found a father,while they are eating breakfast,the camera pans to his fathers Redifussion and it starts playing

Cast

Jim Lim, Patricia Mok, Xie Jiafa and Don Richmond have cameo appearances in the film.

Production

Most of the filming was done at Dakota Crescent, a residential area that was built in the 1950s with first-generation HDB flats. In an interview with Royston Tan by The Straits Times, he said that the act of filming a place can help to preserve it, at least in people's memories and so "disappearing fragments of society will not be forgotten", and wanted to shoot there "as this estate would be gone by next year". Another carpark at Queen Street was used for some of the filming. Filming started in November 2014, and lasted for three weeks.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack for 3688 was released on all platforms on 15 September 2015, two days before the release of the film.

The theme song of the film is 《念》, sung by Joi Chua. Within a few weeks, it has made its way to one of the top 10 songs on YES 933's weekly charts.

Another song, "Tapau", features Shigga Shay rapping out a list of drinks ordered at coffee-shops. The music video was uploaded on YouTube on 9 August, 2015. Shigga also recorded a one-minute rap on the life and career of Feng Fei-fei. The film marks the first time Shigga raps in Mandarin.

Some of the songs in the film are remakes of popular songs from the 1970s and 1980s, especially those originally sung by Feng Fei-fei.

Reception

John Lui of The Straits Times gave 3688 3.5/5 stars, stating that although "Tan's forte is detail and mood" and that there is "sparkle and heart", he needs "fresher ways to express his vision". Furthermore, there is a "lack of narrative discipline", and "motifs are repeated ad nauseam, skits are inserted willy-nilly and music sequences serve neither character or story".

Box office

3688 collected S$191,000 between 17 and 20 September, topping the opening weekend box office chart for a Singaporean film released outside Chinese New Year, however it was surpassed by Mr. Unbelievable in December 2015.