By Kelvin Tong

Where on earth is Liang Po Po?

Television's best-loved granny is somewhere in the cinema. But you don't see her - just her familiar silhouette and her handbag.

She must be the oldest teaser around. Liang Po, television's best-loved Housing Board granny, slipped furtively onto the big screen about three weeks ago.

In the 105-second cinema teaser for Liang Po Po - The Movie, audiences get tantalising glimpses of homegrown comedian Jack Neo's hunched-over TV alter ego.

Viewers see her silhouette hobbling across the screen and flashes of her very -unfashionable auntie handbag.

But they do not see her.

As for Liang Po Po's familiar hoo-hoo-hoo guffaw, forget it - the slick teaser is free of dialogue.

Music accompanies flashes of scenes from the $800,000 film, which is produced jointly by the Television Corporation of Singapore's motion-picture arm, Raintree Pictures, and film-maker Eric Khoo's Zhao Wei Films.

Liang Po Po - The Movie will open island-wide, on Feb 12. It follows the rollicking adventures of the heroine after she breaks out of an old folks' home.

According to Mr Daniel Yun, Raintree's chief executive officer, the teaser is slated to end its big-screen run at the beginning of January when a full-blown three-minute trailer will be introduced.

"The teaser is like an appetiser before a banquet," he said.

"The idea is to essentially show elements of the movie but not Liang Po Po. We want to market a Singapore movie in a brand new way - in a big way. We hope to show that besides being produced, movies need to be marketed."

He revealed that the movie teaser does not feature any dialogue in order to be even more of a mystery to audiences.

"Liang Po Po is more than just a comedy. We hope to give everyone a glimpse into the action and adventure in the film," he said.

Mr Roger Pollock, managing director of United International Pictures which is distributing the movie, said that the Liang Po Po teaser was attached mainly to screenings of Babe: Pig In The City.

"As a result, the teaser was seen by wide and diverse audiences. Liang Po Po is a big film for UIP. We are putting all our resources and expertise into marketing it," he said.

"A cinema teaser is supposed to give you an idea that something is coming your way. But it does not tell you exactly what."

Besides the big-screen commotion about Liang Po Po, audiences can expect television teasers, trailers as well as promotional tie-ups with SingTel and McDonald's in January.

But now, Liang Po Po remains an elusive tease.