Hababam Sınıfı
While Turkey may presently be known most for the cheesy knock-offs popular on the internet (for good reason!), internally its biggest products are melodramas and comedy, having produced a large number of classics. With so many great films to pick from, and so many beloved actors, you'd think picking a favourite would be difficult, but most Turks will probably have one easy choice-Hababam Sınıfı...
Çamlıca school has just received a new deputy principal, 'Bald' Mahmut, who is dismayed to see the quality of students being taught here. The miscreants known as the Chaos Class are the worst, finding every way in the book to cheat, smoke, wag school, and more. But they'll have their work cut out for them as they try and scare off their new enemy, just as Mahmut does in trying to turn them into productive students...
Based on a series of books by Turkich comic Rıfat Ilgaz, 1975s Hababam Sınıfı (translating to Chaos Class, or Rascal if you prefer) is still a great time even almost half a century later. It's your typical school comedy, and never tries resinventing the wheel. It simply does a great job at being what it is. Simple but very effective.
The story is devoted entirely to the various shenanigans the Rascals get up to as they try and trick their teachers, and one-up Mahmut. It goes hand-in-hand with the comedy, which never fails to get a laugh. While it may be a bit lowbrow for some (70s lowbrow mind you, not modern), it's inoffensive and often very funny, with great comic timing.
The film has some heart to it too, and a couple of dramatic or serious interludes, such as the whole class banding together to take care of Ferit's baby, or when it seems their geeky friend is going to be kicked out of school because his parents can't pay. Moments like these really help the characters be well-rounded, and good deep down. The ending itself is a poignant and effective way for the movie to conclude.
The characters are a memorable and distinctive bunch. Cheeky but likeable, without ever being annoying. There's Groom Ferit, Cow Şaban, Stubby (Shorty?) Necmi, and Dumdum Ali, etc, each with their various quirks. It's Şaban who 'suffers' the most, with the others n the class often cracking about his bovine namesake, or pulling other pranks on him. Despite these barbs, it is clear they enjoy each-other's company.
The cast assembled here is a great one. Pretty much anyone who was anyone in is here (except for Hulusi Kentmen, shockingly enough!), from heartthrob Tarik Akan, toothy funnyman Kemal Sunal, diminutive Halit Akçatepe, the cute Adile Naşit and her distinctive witch's cackle, and Münir Özkul. The supporting players are great too, from the other teachers, to a welcome Ayşen Gruda.
Something I really dig about Hababam Sınıfı is how the cast actually look. Tarik Akan is your typical handsome guy, but the rest of the cast have 'bad' skin, pockmarks, crooked teeth, etc. This extends to many supporting/minor characters too, including the students from a girls school we see later on. It's refreshing to see so many real looking people in a film!
The direction by Ertem Eğilmez is very good. A film set almost entirely in classrooms could appear flat with the wrong touch, but this manages to look vibrant. The ending is pretty visually spectacular too, and must have involved the entire population of Turkey!
There is a great colour palette too. From the bright clothes the characters wear, to the colours of the walls, everything blends together well (or clashes together well).
The film opens with a comedy montage, and it's good, but my only concern is that it kinda spoils several moments in the film. Not in a really bad way, but it's a slight nuisance all the same.
The music here is fun, predominately made up of a catchy main theme, and some softer rescorings. There's a musical sequence near the end, where three of the leads don Oriental maiden garb and perform local girl band classic Delisin.
Hababam Sınıfı is a comedy classic for a reason, and if you're looking for a good introduction to normal Turkish cinema, this is a great entry point!...
Hababam Sınıfı Sınıfta Kaldı
Returning to school for another term despite their best efforts at cheating, the Chaos Class meets their new English teacher-The young graduate Semra. Accustomed to old duffers, they are shocked to see an attractive woman as their teacher, and are smitten with her at first. Bemused by their childish antics, she soon becomes a target for their pranks. The goodhearted Semra tries to deal with it, but it threatens to become too much for the inexperienced teacher...
How there even can be a sequel to Hababam Sınıfı when all the Rascals graduated at the end is explained in the opening minutes of this first follow up, in an amusingly irreverent fashion. It does undermine that film's conclusion in a way, but I guess that's the price that had to be paid to have a sequel. In any case it's absolutely worth it that we got one, because Hababam Sınıfı Sınıfta Kaldı (Chaos Class Failed the Class) is a more than worthy follow-up!
Going into the film I assumed Mahmut and this new female teacher would have a May-December style romance, with him being 50 or so, and her 30-something. But it turns out she's actually 20! So that's a no then. She's also younger than most of her students! Most surprising of all is that there is no romance! She is a hot young female character who manages to get a complete story without getting a tacked on romance!
The characters are once again a misbehaving presence without ever going out of line. Their relationship with Mahmut takes a bit of a dive though. After coming to an understanding by the last film's conclusion, they're right back to slacking off, and so he's back on their case. This leads to them swearing him an enemy again, but this doesn't last.
Ferit doesn't get much to do this time round. I'm grateful at least that the movie didn't try and force a romance between him and Semra, which would have undermined his story in the last film (namely that he already has a wife and baby).
Semra is a nice newcomer. If I did have a criticism it's that we don't really see much downtime for her. She's mostly distressed by the Rascals' pranks, either sad or angry. We don't get to see her let her hair down much, so to speak.
The movie is full of little vignettes, like karate class with the new gym teacher, or Şaban's birthday. The other students are clearly happy, while also taking the piss, gifting him with a charming little necklace...that just so happens to ring.
The most impactful of these is the inspectors visit. I like how it's not direct action on the rascals' part that causes the misunderstanding, but a longstanding gag, and how the nearsighted Mr. Akil happens to react to it. The resolution to this subplot shows off the Racals' humanity, and how they aren't all bad.
The film's climax addresses the role their parents play into their development. The reason the Rascals are able to stay in school year after year is because their parents are both rich and inattentive. As long as the kids are out of their hair, they don't care, and the school certainly isn't complaining when they get a big fat paycheck every year.
The montage this time round is like a photo slideshow, which helps not spoil any of the moments its showing off.
The music here is predominately made up of recycled tunes, which is fine, and gives a nice familiarity to events. The climax has a neat musical medley, where three songs are performed by the main cast. They are short, and each stand out from the other.
Hababam Sınıfı Sınıfta Kaldı is a very enjoyable time, and made me look forward to the next entry...
Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor
As another term emerges for Çamlıca school, the Chaos Class receives a new student-The pleasant and hardworking Ahmet. A favourite former-pupil of Mahmut's, he helps the boy find a place after paying his way, determined to see him graduating. The Rascals meanwhile are keen to corrupt the nice new kid, and get him into trouble if it means getting revenge against Mahmut...
Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor (The Chaos Class is Waking Up) is another successful entry in the series. Things are back to the status quo, which is perhaps for the best. That way there's not
a constant push and pull between tones. Helping this is the absence of a lot
of previous students, meaning characters haven't regressed, but Mahmut is simply butting heads with the next generation (for the most part, since
some familiar faces are still present).
The Rascals are as misbehaved as expected, jealous of the special privilege Ahmet gets. While we the audience knows he deserves this treatment, you also do feel for the others. This invariably backfires, and with each punishment they recieve, Ahmet is spared, which only incenses them further.
The teachers are just as much a part of the action as the students, getting their fair share of funny moments.
Ahmet is likeable, and not traditionally nerdy. Maybe a little naive in some ways, but also perceptive, and sweet overall. Ahmet's identity adds some further depth to the story, and some pleasant character connections.
His interactions with the other 'kids' is an interestingly portrayed. He's not totally onboard with their antics, but he also doesn't grass them out/on them. While this can be silly of him at times, it does show his sense of honour. Likewise, when he gets pissed at them, he gets pissed! And this isn't fixed until the end of the film either, lending it weight when he eventually forgives them.
The ending here is sweet, and leaves a nice impression (despite how silly it is that Ahmet is giving such an impactful speech to kids too young to possibly understand it). The overall message to Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor is a good one, and hopefully inspirational to others.
The comedy is once again great to watch, with many hilarious gags and scenes. The inspector makes a return in a classic scene with Hafize. Şaban and Stubby have a feud this time round, which leads to some fun. Other great moments are Şaban's 'son', the exercise war, olympics, and the antics in the opening montage.
The Great Escape section
is a little over the top, and feels a bit random ,but isn't bad, and has
an amusing ending. We have another quiz this time. I was surprised they didn't enlist the help
of smarty Ahmet, but it's fun seeing things go pearshaped, also serving as karma for
their cheating in the first movie.
The Ataturk scene is funny at first, with a great twist. It becomes earnestly
patriotic without being phoney about it. In fact the very words they recite
make it impossible to be jingoistic. Another effective poignant moment comes with the arrival of former student and now soldier Ismail. This breaks the
shenanigans up and allows for some downtime, as well as sincere
friendship between the rascals.
The opening montage this time round isn't to be missed, as it's not showcasing upcoming scenes, but is a montage of moments that happen offscreen! Whether these were deleted scenes that didn't make the final cut, or (more likely) were deliberately shot to create a more standalone] intro, I'm not sure, but I heartily approve of the decision!
The cast are once again very good. Tarik Akan is gone this time round, but the rest of the cast still remains. The biggest new addition is Ahmet Sezerel, and he does very well. He's visually distinct too, because of how good looking he is, in stark contrast with the comical features the rest of the class possesses.
As with the last movie, we have all the familiar tracks, along with even more of a musical side than ever. We get a fun rendition of Neler Oluyor Hayatta in the dorms, and then a triple medley during the grand finale, courtesy of the Rascals, and Hafize.
Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor is another great entry in the series, showing it still has plenty of steam, and not falling into the curse of threes...
Hababam Sınıfı Tatilde
A shake-up is happening at Çamlıca school when it begins accepting female students. Together with the arrival of a young new teacher, this spells chaos. The Rascals are first head over heels for the new girls, but soon become bitter enemies. Provided there's a school left after the crossfire, they soon end up facing perhaps their biggest obstacle yet...
Hababam Sınıfı Tatilde is a highly enjoyable 4th entry. There is no shortage of story, with us having new students (plus a new dynamic), a new teacher, a big camping trip (featured so prominently on some posters I went in thinking it'd be the whole film!), as well as the climactic dilemma everyone faces.
The characters are as always the main selling point. The students still have enough edge to make them all convincing troublemakers, while being innocent enough that they're never mean-spirited. I just wish we'd seen more class-disrupting shenanigans, but most are feuding pranks. Which is fine, of course. It's just that those scenes were always highlights.
This film contains Şaban's final appearance. He's funny as ever, and his sojourn as a spy for the girls is a hoot. While we're on the subject, Tatilde does what each previous entry does, and has new jokes about cows that always feel fresh. They don't overdo it, and it never feels like we're just getting the same joke over and over again. They keep enough familiar, while also giving it a fresh touch.
One weird element I didn't pick up on till fairly late is the complete absence of all other students. We only ever see the Hababam class, and literally no other kids. You'd think they were the only ones in the school.
Onto the teachers. Mahmut has his smallest role in the series to date. He has a more passive role this time round. He's also grumpier and less sensitive,
though not to an inhumane degree. The status quo has come back once again. This time round the Hababam
class has a completely antagonistic relationship with Mahmut (lasting until the end, naturally).
The rest of the teaching staff appear even less, though each at least get one or two funny scenes. They are thankfully not overshadowed by the newcomer, though only because he's pretty underused too!
Mr. Avni is a good character. I like how accommodating and friendly he is with the students. He takes part in their little games, while also laying down the law and being tough when need be. His problem is that he's a bit too trusting with the Rascals. It's not that he blindly trusts them, but his concern for student wellbeing can cloud his judgment. The film does highlight the importance of really getting to know a school before you rock the boat, or else the students or teachers could hang you with your own ignorance. This is highlighted in a conversation, where Mahmut admits to being no greater than any other teacher, he's simply experienced.
The adorably excited Hafize is at her cutest here. Likewise, coach Ekrem gets his best role yet. It's already funny enough seeing his kung fu classes, and his yelling is funnier than ever, but he also takes the reins for much of the camping trip.
While Hababam Sınıfı Tatilde is otherwise great, there are two problems I have here. The first is Mr Avni's screentime. The poor bloke vanishes from the movie for damn near an hour! This is connected with the next issue. The eviction from the school is an effective dramatic moment, and the response and solution is all great stuff. But it all happens to quickly, so late in the game. There's only about 15 minutes left when the movie's gotta do all this stuff. It does succeed, but only through the skin of its teeth!
The cast is all on top form here. The newcomers do well too, especially the girls (one of whom is a returning Ayşen Gruda).
The music is much the same, and the routine concert returns once again. Despite the simpler surroundings and lack of fancy costumes, they still manage to deliver a nice song and dance.
The film foregoes a montage this time round in favour of showing a simple sports match. It's a nice enough intro to the film, if a little basic compared to what's come before.
Hababam Sınıfı Tatilde has only minor issues, which don't detract from what's otherwise a great time, trying enough new with plenty of the old magic...
Hababam Sınıfı Dokuz Doğuruyor
The chaos class gets a new student when the son of a tribal chieftain enrolls. He begins throwing his weight around and is immediately about to learn the hard way what the rascals think of him, until they realise he can give them all free cigarettes. Now they have a new idol. Meanwhile, a new teacher spells trouble in more ways than one, and a pair of students fall hard for each-other, leading to trouble...
Hababam Sınıfı Dokuz Doğuruyor (look, it's an analogy, I'm not even gonna try translating it) was one of the entries I was most worried about, not only due to its spot as 4th sequel, but also the absence of all the old major players. Thankfully it did not disappoint!
This is a very dense movie, in a good way! A lot happens here, in a short time. 5 minutes will pass, yet so many events have happened you could swear it was 20 minutes! This could easily feel overstuffed, but a good sense of structure keeps it strong.
The pregnancy plot is similar to Ferit's subplot in the first movie, but handled in a different way. There it was just a matter of babysitting for him, whereas here we see the class prepare for a birth, and help hide the girl's condition, all leading up to the big event.
The students are almost entirely new now, with all the original major players gone. Only Dumdum Ali and Ismail remain, with the former getting the majority of the action. While the others are missed, and one can always question the wisdom of continuing the series without them, at least a school-based series can get away with such cast changes to an extent, since they graduate and new kids come in. This also solves the problem of the class's newfound respect for Mahmut clashing with the status quo flipback to raise trouble/cause a ruckus.
as soon as Bilo can offer cigarettes, suddenly a greek chorus of friendliness
"I haven't read this much since primary school"
funny "Merhabalar" made me piss myself laughing.
The big new student here is Bilo Ağa. When I heard the film was about a tribal chieftain's son, I was expecting a Central Asian kid with a giant fluffy hat and = robes, but he's only from a local tribe, meaning he dresses normally. He's a fun presence, and does ok to replace the likes of Şaban. Unfortunately he does take a bit of a backseat as the movie progresses. And as goofy as his moustache was at first for a high schooler, its absence is felt when he melts into the background.
While Bilo's inclusion gives this sequel a goofier element, Ömer's presence brings it back down to earth with a very normal, sweet, and sensitive lead, whose romance with Ayşe gives the film an emotional centre. They share great chemistry. My only complaint is that it feels like we come in halfway through their story. They already know each-other, and despite seeing them for the first time we're expected to know them.
The teachers are on top form here. The ones who get the most attention are Ekrem, who's funny as always (yelling like a champ, and having an adorably dorky run), and new literature teacher Hürrem, perhhaps the film's most distinctive character. She's a fierce feminist and man hater, not to mention strict disciplinarian. She raises hell for everyone in the school, students and staff alike. This results in a plan of action to try and 'tame the beast', by finding her love. She's hilarious all round!
The acting is fun. The new students do well, and even though they can't replace the old guard, the movie never really tries to replace them. Ilyas Salman is a good newcomer, while the two romantic leads are so normal in comparison with the others. Perran Kutman is an amusingly over-the-top presence, and you get the impression she looked at her stage directions and thought she could stand to double them.
Out of the returning cast members, the majority are in the staff-Münir Özkul, Adile Naşit in all her coffee swinging glory, Sıtkı Akçatepe, and Şener Şen. Most don't get large roles this time, but at least the story never pretends otherwise, so while they are missed, we also don't feel too shortchanged.
Another positive I'll give Dokuz Doğuruyor is that it looks like it has more extras running about, and we see more of the school, both of which go together in making it feel like a proper lived-in location. It also hasn't forgotten the progress made by the previous film, since not only are there still female students, there are a lot more!
The climax involves Ayşe going into labour during the middle of the musical show, resulting in a mad dash to eliver the baby, and distract everyone from the noise. It's an effective scene, though it's a shame to see the concert take a backseat. The girls becoming amateur nurses is ridiculous, and stretches credibility, but is cheesy in the best way. The ending itself is decent, but a little abrupt. They discuss what the baby's name should be, and I thought of a few great ideas (like Mahmut, Hafize, or Hababam), but instead
The montage this time round shows some general horsing around, while also 'establishing' the romantic couple. It's neat, and made me curious how (or indeed, if) these scenes would play into the rest of the film.
Hababam Sınıfı Dokuz Doğuruyor's biggest problem is that it could have easily been two different movies. But considering they'd both be good movies either way, that doesn't mean too much negative for this penultimate entry...
Hababam Sınıfı Güle Güle
Many years after its previous heyday, Çamlıca has an all new chaos class, and a new literature teacher is coming. Country boy Mehmet has signed up for one of his first gigs as a teacher, and faces fierce opposition from the students, who mock him for his upbringing, his accent, and values. But he strives to educate them, or die trying. And maybe by the end of it, they'll all have learnt something...
Hababam Sınıfı Güle Güle (Goodbye Chaos Class) is the final entry in the series, and is both the dawn of a new era, and the final end. Coming after a 3 year hiatus (due to political upheaval), the all new cast suggests this will be a new beginning, but the title says the opposite, like they fully intended this to be the last entry in the series.
There's a good balance of plots and subplots here. The film juggles them well, and they never get to be too much or too confusing. By the end I felt it had one of the stronger stories in the series. In a way that's different to the norm, feeling more like To Sir, With Love, but as a comedy.
There's no opening montage this time round, with the credits sequence simply showing us Mehmet coming into town. It's nice enough, and it's a change seeing the bays and stations of Istanbul in this otherwise very localised series, but I did miss the traditional style of montage.
Among the other changes, there's also a different set for the school. It's pretty distracting at first, given how consistent the series was, though I eventually got used to it. In terms of visuals, this reminded me of Mind Your Language Season 4. Only in appearance, thank god, not it quality! It too came after a long gap, was missing many cast members, and had a totally different set.
Not only are all the old students gone, so is Mahmut himself, the series' other big mainstay. The film makes no attempt to replace him, thankfully. There are five familiar faces, two in the form of returning actors, while the rest are also returning characters. Ilyas Salman was Bilo Ağa in the previous entry, and here plays a teacher! Ayşen meanwhile had two different roles in two previous entries. As for the returning characters, Hafize returns, as does Pasha Nuri, and daffy lab professor Şevket.
The series began in 1975, and there was a brief hiatus, so the remaining students would have looked far too old. With that in mind I can understand why there's been a total overhaul, especially when only a couple of the originals remained anyway. But it's still sad to truly see the last of the old guard gone, and it makes for a bittersweet final entry when you don't recognise anyone.
One positive is that the cast here actually look like teenagers (except for one guy who looks like he's 40!). Also, I didn't pick up on this right away, but they're all a lot more conventionally attractive. They also have regular names rather than fun ncknames. Whereas some of the students in the classic films were more recognisable by actors, or their appearances, here we hear their names fairly consistently.
The students include Ali, a proud and rude boy, but a big softie at heart. Kerem, a romantic sap with a love for women and awful poetry. Ekrem meanwhile is a little pervert, who is just asking for a beatdown. As for the girls, there's Gamze, who is an enemy to Mehmet at first, before becoming something more. Then there's Ayşegül, who's a real troublemaker, and daughter of Hafize! She's ashamed of her mother having such a lowly job, and lies and steals to try and improve herself, before learning the error of her ways. All in all, I eventually warmed to these kids, and they never felt mean-spirited.
The latest literature teacher for Çamlıca school is villager Mehmet Bülbül. While not a man of harsher discipline, he is not a pushover, and has enough verbal barbs to keep the Rascals at bay. They get surprisingly strong for a sweet young country boy! How the film handled the 'romance' between him and student Gamze is also very mature, even if it does lead to a melancholy ending (I get him not wanting to puruse the relationship, but why'd he have to leave??).
Science teacher Şevket is his usual self, managing to blow up the lab on occasion. This time he leaves the gas running while busting a student with a porn mag. I thought for sure he was gonna absentmindedly set the thing on fire (BOOM!), but it never happened! Still, it does blow up eventually, as we knew it would. Beyond that, he gets a fun new dynamic as he competes to to woo the female teacher.
There's a new gym teacher replacing Ekrem. It seems like a mistake after such an iconic character, but the film builds on this connection, giving us a replacement who's filled with inadequacy at his predecessor's memory. By the end I thought he was a decent enough character. The female teacher is plenty of fun too, a little too friendly with all the boys, and actively scornful of the girls. Unfortunately we don't see much of her teaching-There's nearly an hour between her classes.
The English teacher is a hoot. The bad dubbing is funny enough, as is the fact that this British voice work is clearly anything but. Where he really shine is in the content of these scenes, with this dope coming and expecting the students to teach him Turkish. Dude, you're the teacher here, don't expect them to do your work! Naturally, relying on the Rascals to teach you Turkish is a terrible mistake, as he learns.
Hafize gets a more dramatic role this time, and it works well! I only wish she had've gotten more goofy moments like in previous films, to balance things out. But it's still great seeing a new side to her. The way she's like a mother to all the Rascals, how Ayşegül could be so 'embarrassed' by her is crazy. Lastly, the new principal of the school is a pretty hardline guy, who favours beating the crap out of students. Mehmet, as strict as he can be at times, has absolutely no truck with this kind of behaviour, and publicly scolds him in a spectacular way!
The acting here is good all round. While none of these kids may hold a candle to the originals (and some overact a bit), that's hardly an enviable task. It'd be like expecting the Brat Pack to outshine Abbott and Costello. Ilyas Salman may look like no-one else on earth besides Ilyas Salman, but he still manages to successfully portray a totally different character to what he did only one entry prior. I was particularly impressed with Adile Naşit, who gets to stretch her dramatic chops more this time.
The music here is entirely recycled. Still perfectly fine, of course. It wouldn't feel like Hababam if the familiar music was missing. Although it is a little odd hearing old tracks over such a different cast and setting. The only major absence is that of a musical in the last act. That became somewhat of a staple, and while it's not something that needs to be in every entry (especially with such a different cast), it is sad to not see it one last time.
Overall, Hababam Sınıfı Güle Güle feels like it could've been a good beginning for a new series. If this had've even been the first entry in a reboot it may have worked. As part of this series it's a little weird, and as a grand finale it's lacking in some ways. But the important thing is that at least it's not bad. It might not be a classic, by any means, but it's a perfectly enjoyable way to spend 80 minutes. So in other words, if you're a bored student in class, this will serve as a nice distraction! [That means Hababam Sınıfı has done its job...]
Overall
The Hababam Sınıfı series is definitely one of Turkish cinema's best exports. I am impressed by the quality, consistency, and continuity here. With every new entry I went in expecting it to be good, but worried this might be the entry that breaks the camel's back. But no such thing happened. The only real point of concern was the final entry, but that proved to be a success too! It's not often when you can speak so well of a six-film series. Some can't even make it three without the wheels falling off.
The characters are a highlight, and the series wouldn't work half as well without them, and by extension the actors. They cycle out, but given a school setting, it makes sense. The students who don't return have presumably graduated, while any departed teachers may just be working elsewhere. Departed characters do sometimes get a mention, but the series never dwells on who's gone, only on who's here now. And the departures of older characters allows for larger roles for the existing cast, letting more minor players naturally expand. The only time this isn't the case (for the most part) is the final entry.
Getting to the continuity, there are a few little hiccups here and there, but nothing that can't be ironed out or explained. Ahmet is said to be the first student of the Chaos Class to graduate. This does beg the question of what happened to characters like Ferit, but maybe he decided to leave school early to be a full-time dad. Or perhaps he was offered a job that paid from the get-go, with no graduate degrees required. Either way it can be made to fit. Then there's Ismail, who left to enlist in the military, and has grown as a person. By the next film he is back in school again. How is anyone's guess, and he's back to his old ways, but it's never in such a way that regresses his character. I guess it doesn't focus on him enough to do anything that bad.
Almost 50 years on, Hababam Sınıfı has endured as a classic of Turkish cinema, and deserves some wider appreciation. It's received a couple sets of remakes/reboots, with mixed success, but these original 6 movies still live in the memories of millions...
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