By Hazel Tan

LIANG PO PO- THE MOVIE

"HOO-HOO-HOO."

No it's not an owl. It's Liang Po Po making a comeback. The endearing 85-year-old woman will be hitting the big screen soon.

The spirited grandmother, best remembered for her "hoo-hoo-hoo" after each sentence, stars in the first movie by Raintree Pictures, a subsidiary of Television Corporation of Singapore.

Written by Liang Po Po herself (well, Jack Neo, of course, who plays her), Liang Po Po-The Movie follows her adventures after she escapes from the old folks' home.

Jack told reporters at a press conference yesterday:" She (Liang Po Po wants to do her bit for the society, that's why she escaped from the home. She wants to make more friends but ends up being used by others."

Jack said it feels great to play Liang Po Po again after a four-year break.

"You may not have seen her for years, but Liang Po Po, too, has been busy growing old off the camera," he said with a chuckle, the then SBC's Variety Tonight on Mondays four years ago, was a big hit. At its peak, it attracted over a million viewers.

"It's amazing. Even when I get recognised on the streets, five out if 10 people will address me as Liang Ximei, the other five will still call me Liang Po Po," said Jack.

Hence the movie.

Said Mr Daniel Yun, the chief executive officer of Raintree Pictures: " If I had to choose one character that stands out (in a local comedy scene), I can think of only one character, someone whom the young and the old can identify with. Liang Po Po is what I call the Mr Bean of the East."

The movie, is a collaboration with Eric Khoo's Zhao Wei Films, will cost $800,000 to produce. Filming will start in September. It is expected to open next February.

Eighty percent of the movie will be in Mandarin, the rest in dialects.

The cast includes Mark Lee, Henry Thia and Patricia Mok from Money No Enough.

OTHER ROLES

Besides Liang Po Po, Jack will play two other roles: Liang Ximei and Jack the man himself. The movie will not disappoint, Jack promised. "I will make sure that the jokes are different, so that it's going to be different from what you get on television. I will give Liang Po Po magnitude and a soul. It won't be mere slapstick," said Jack.

Caption 1: Hoo, hoo, hoo is it? : Jack Neo (left as Liang Po Po) with Gurmit Singh at the president's charity Show in March last year.

Caption 2: "She (Liang Po Po) wants to do her bit for society, that's why she escaped from the home. She wants to make more friends but she ends up being made used by others." Jack Neo.