BUKTI GERALD

JARUM EMAS (Harian Metro, May 3, 2007)

By Adam Salleh

Kehadiran Jacqueline (Jackie) Stallone, 86, ibu aktor hebat Hollywood yang terkenal dengan watak lasaknya, Rambo, bukan mencari 91heroin’ kita untuk dipadankan dengan ‘anak jantannya’, tetapi mencari seorang wartawan tempatan bagi melancarkan bukunya In The Eye Of The Tiger. Turut menemani Jacqueline ialah suami barunya, Dr Stephen Levine.

Nak diikutkan, wartawan itu, Gerald Chuah, bukan penulis buku tersohor. Malah, buku In The Eye Of The Tiger dalah karya sulungya sesudah lebih 15 tahun menjadi wartawan.

Namun kesungguhannya menghimpun pelbagai kata-kata hikmah dan falsafah dalam setiap filem lakonan Stallone membuka ‘pintu hati’ aktor itu untuk mengenalinya dengan lebih rapat.

Antara filem Stallone yang menjadi pilihan Gerald bermula daripada Rocky (1976) hingga ke First Blood (1982), Cobra (1986), Over The Top (1987) dan Lockup (1989).

Namun sekuel Rocky hingga ke Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990) dan terbaru Rocky Balboa menjadi pilihan istimewa Gerald.

Saya tanya Gerald, apa ‘specialnya’ filem lakonan Stallone hinggakan setiap dialog dalam filemnya mahu dipetik sebagai kata-kata hikmah, seterusnya dibukukan.

Saya fikir orang seperti Gerald lebih sesuai buat buku riwayat hidup Jackie Chan atau Jet Li. Namun Gerald yang sepejabat dengan saya melihat kekentalan jiwa serta semangat yang ada dalam Rocky boleh menyuntik keyakinan untuk generasi baru kita.

Dia mula berhujah, katanya semangat peninju seperti Rocky yang tidak mudah mengaku kalah sesuai diterapkan buat generasi baru menghadapi cabaran. Baginya, Rocky sering menjadi `underdog’, malah setiap pusingan ditempuhi pastinya berserta azam untuk memburu kejayaan.

Walaupun dibelasah teruk oleh lawan hingga tinggal nyawa-nyawa ikan, peninju cekal seperti Rocky pasti akan berbisik di dalam hati: “I have to go one more round.”

Apa yang saya kaitkan bukan nak promosikan sangat buku itu. Cuma kita ambil yang positif, bagaimana seorang wartawan yang banyak habiskan masa di Jalan Riong, Bangsar, tiba-tiba boleh terjalin hubungan dengan aktor itu, seterusnya keluarga Stallone melalui ibunya bersedia pula hadir ke Kuala Lumpur dengan perbelanjaan sendiri.

Siapakah antara penerbit filem atau pemimpin persatuan filem kita oleh ‘lembutkan hati’ pihak dari Hollywood untuk datang dalam program seperti itu?

Kita tahu bukan mudah. Selain terpaksa melalui birokrasi agensi mereka, kos perbelanjaan tinggi terpaksa dilaburkan, tetapi inilah hikmah yang ditentukan Tuhan untuk Gerald menikmatinya.

Saya katakan begini kerana ketika bersembang dengan Gerald, dia mengaku mana ada duit banyak untuk bawa Stallone atau ahli keluarganya bagi melancarkan bukunya.

Namun sebagaimana dicatatkan pada buku itu sebagai cenderamata kepada saya, “Adam, nothing is impossible if u believe,” Begitulah hakikatnya yang berjaya dibuktikan Gerald.

Dua tahun lalu, Gerald luahkan hasrat pada seorang ahli perniagaan Amerika Syarikat untuk bertemu Stallone. Ini kerana kajiannya terhadap filem aktor itu 90 peratus siap. Penghujung 2006, baru Gerald dapat melayarkan e-mel pada Jacqueline.

Melalui balasan e-mel itu, Jacqueline memang mencari Gerald. Bila mengetahui buku itu siap, Jacqueline yang mahu bercuti di Thailand, bersedia singgah ke Kuala Lumpur.

Gerald seperti teruja dengan ketentuan Tuhan. apakan tidak, pada 22 Januari 1997 dia bertemu Stallone di Planet Hollywood Singapura.

Melalui kunjungan singkat itu Gerald sempat bergambar dan memberi lakaran falsafah filem Rocky yang akan diabadikan dalam bentuk buku. Pertemuan itu berakhir di situ tanpa susulan.

Namun siapa sangka sesudah 10 tahun, dalam kekalutan memikirkan siapakah VIP untuk merasmikan pelancaran buku tu, takdirnya Jacqueline iaitu ibu Stallone bersedia melancarkan buku berkenaan pada tarikh 22 dan bulan sama, cuma tahun berbeza, 2007

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

The presence of Jacqueline (Jackie) Stallone, 86, the mother of the iconic Hollywood actor known for his rugged character, Rambo, wasn't seeking our "hero" to match with her "son," but rather searching for a local journalist to launch her book, "In The Eye Of The Tiger." Accompanying Jacqueline was her new husband, Dr. Stephen Levine.

Interestingly, the journalist chosen, Gerald Chuah, isn't a renowned author. In fact, "In The Eye Of The Tiger" is his debut work after over 15 years of being a journalist.

However, his dedication to gathering various words of wisdom and philosophies from each of Stallone's films opened the "heart door" of the actor to get to know him more closely.

Among Stallone's films selected by Gerald were from "Rocky" (1976) to "First Blood" (1982), "Cobra" (1986), "Over The Top" (1987), and "Lockup" (1989).

But the sequels to Rocky, from "Rocky II" (1979) to "Rocky III" (1982), "Rocky IV" (1985), "Rocky V" (1990), and the latest "Rocky Balboa," held a special place for Gerald.

I asked Gerald what makes Stallone's films so special that every dialogue in them could be quoted as words of wisdom and then compiled into a book.

In my opinion, someone like Gerald might be better suited for writing the life story of Jackie Chan or Jet Li. However, Gerald, who works closely with me, saw the depth of spirit and determination in Rocky that could instill confidence in our new generation.

He began to argue, stating that the fighting spirit of someone like Rocky, who never easily admits defeat, is suitable to be passed on to the new generation facing challenges. To him, Rocky often embodies the "underdog," and each round he endures is filled with determination to chase success.

Even though beaten severely by opponents to the brink of defeat, resilient fighters like Rocky would whisper to themselves, "I have to go one more round."

What I'm connecting here isn't to overly promote the book. We're simply taking the positive aspect—how a journalist who spent a lot of time on Jalan Riong, Bangsar, could suddenly build a connection with the actor and even have the Stallone family ready to come to Kuala Lumpur at their own expense.

Who among our film producers or film association leaders could "soften the hearts" of Hollywood's representatives to participate in such programs?

We know it's not easy. Besides navigating through their agencies' bureaucracy, substantial expenses need to be invested. Yet, this is the wisdom determined by God for Gerald to experience.

I say this because when chatting with Gerald, he admitted that there wasn't a lot of money available to bring Stallone or his family to launch the book.

However, as noted in the book as a souvenir to me, "Adam, nothing is impossible if u believe." That's the reality that Gerald successfully demonstrated.

Two years ago, Gerald expressed his desire to meet Stallone to an American businessman. This was because his study of the actor's films was 90 percent complete. Towards the end of 2006, Gerald managed to send an email to Jacqueline.

Through that email exchange, Jacqueline was indeed seeking Gerald. Upon learning that the book was ready, Jacqueline, who was planning a vacation in Thailand, was willing to stop by Kuala Lumpur.

Gerald was excited by God's arrangement. Why not, on January 22, 1997, he met Stallone at Planet Hollywood Singapore.

During that brief encounter, Gerald had the opportunity to take a photo and provide an outline of the philosophy of the Rocky films that would be immortalized in book form. The meeting ended there without further follow-up.

However, who could have guessed that after 10 years, amidst the confusion of determining which VIP would inaugurate the book launch, fate had it that Jacqueline, Stallone's mother, was ready to launch the book on the same date of January 22, but a different year, 2007.