Beyond Bengal, A 1934 Documentary Film on the Forests of Perak
On August 27, 2017, the orangperak.com team uploaded a documentary film depicting the forests of Perak in 1934. It is a unique recording that is nearly impossible to find elsewhere, as video footage of this kind was rare at the time.
For our loyal readers at orangperak.com, the documentary Beyond Bengal is a film directed by an American filmmaker named Harry Schenk. It is a documentary that chronicles an expedition into the jungles of Perak. The effort to produce this film received cooperation from the 30th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Iskandar Shah, who provided dozens of elephants and several individuals trained in the jungles of interior Perak to assist the production. The film was successfully released in 1934. In the Beyond Bengal documentary footage, there are scenes featuring elephants, crocodiles, tigers, gaur, and much more. The Malay people at that time were incredibly brave and strong in confronting wild animals, and there are even acted scenes of fighting wild animals in this video recording.
Not stopping there, there are also dramatic interludes featuring a pair of lovers, infused with humor, comedy, wit, and sadness. You are encouraged to watch this Beyond Bengal drama film from start to finish to see the narrative being conveyed in 1934. Although many in our society today condemn the cruel killing of wild animals shown, you are advised to take a positive approach to the information presented in the documentary. Take the good as an example, and use the bad as a warning. However, the events in this documentary took place in the 1930s, and the reality is not the same as it is today. Nowadays, there are no more elephants wandering around houses, which would endanger villagers, a stark difference from the past.
The population of wild animals at that time was large and could potentially cause harm to the residents. In that era, there was also less awareness regarding the issue of endangered wildlife extinction. This was not only happening in Perak but all over the world. However, whatever the reason, the end does not justify the means of cruelly killing wild animals in the forests of Perak. As mentioned earlier, take the good as an example, and use the bad as a warning.
Watch the full video of Beyond Bengal 1934
