Growing Up

Two Singapore idols, one from the past and one from the present, join forces in a coming-of-age story of love, ambition and, most importantly, music.

- Yong Wei Jian

Set in early 1970s Singapore, Wonder Boy tells the origins of a young Dick Lee and the road he took during his teenage years that led to the release of his first album Life Story in 1974 (spoilers: it’s a road filled with schoolboy shenanigans, drugs, and prostitution – par for the course with superstardom). The film is written by Lee – who is, of course, intimately familiar with the script and eager to reveal the unseen side of his image – and marks the Cultural Medallion award winner’s directorial debut, with co-director Daniel Yam supporting the technical side of things.

Share with us the experience of directing Wonder Boy.

Dick Lee: I was nervous at the start because it was a completely new medium for me, but I quickly got the hang of it. In the end, I really enjoyed the experience. At first, I thought I’d hate it, mainly because I thought I wouldn’t have the patience to last.

How did your background in music and theatre influence your directing of Wonder Boy?

The film is essentially about music and how it shaped my life, so I’m happy to feature songs that I wrote when I was a teenager. I’ve directed only musicals, so my experience with the process helped in the preparation of the movie.

Thematically, what is Wonder Boy about?

The movie is about believing and trusting in your dreams and following your heart.

The film mainly focuses on your teenage, prefame years.

Well, it’s how it all began for me. I also wanted to show how difficult it was during that period, when the government basically made it no fun to be a teen! Long hair on men was associated with drug-taking and rock concerts were banned, and there I was at the time, wanting to be a singer-songwriter.