Dus Saal Pehele - Chapter 2

2002

2002 was a lackluster year in comparison to 2001. This year would be remembered for the debut of a wonderful actress who would eventually carve a place for herself by the end of the decade (so much so that writers would write roles with her in mind) – Konkona Sen Sharma. A young girl, with unusual looks who really got her break only because of her celebrated mother – Aparna Sen. It is ironical that Konkona would play a role of a struggling actress in a 2009 film who is unable to find success in Hindi movies as a result of her not being “heroine material”. More on that in 2009. Her debut film Mr and Mrs Iyer was directed by Aparna Sen and touched upon the subject of communal riots. As soon as you saw Konkona appear on the screen with those burning dark saucer eyes, you knew she was here for a long run.

Other notable movies of the year:

Devdas - Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s rendition of this classic tragedy had an excess of everything: color, opulence and melodrama. To its credit the movie is all that it claimed it would be. SRK goes ballistic (complete with quivering lips and intensely arched eyebrows), Aishwarya Rai as Paro looked sufficiently coy and demure and Madhuri Dixit illuminated the screen with her portrayal of Chandramukhi . If you walked in expecting all this, you got your money’s worth. The movie was a colossal hit locally and worldwide. Personally, I am not a fan of this version of Devdas, but that’s my taste. But I do get the point Bhansali makes with his movies and for his vision alone I admire him - the man is true to HIS convictions. This would also be the last time we would see Madhuri Dixit for a long time. 2009 would see another director do his own version of the Devdas saga by giving it a here-and-now twist. (This is exactly why I love movies, you cannot get tired of the same plot given there is honesty and novelty in the presentation).

Makdee – Vishal Bharadwaj’s debut feature film was targeted for the younger audience. Shabana Aazmi goes to town in her portrayal of a witch while the young actress, Shweta Prasad, who plays the twin role was a rare treat to watch. She would eventually prove to that she is not a one film wonder in another movie about a deaf and dumb cricketer. Vishal showed a lot of promise with his first film and would prove to be an important filmmaker in the coming years. So much talent in one guy: Director, Music Composer, Singer, Producer, Dialogue writer, Scriptwriter.(It’s over-achievers like him that makes me look like a Neanderthal.)

Company – Ram Gopal Verma does Bombay underworld like no one else (Satya in my opinion is the best in this genre). Company was a fictional narration of the gangwar between Dawood Ibrahim and Chotaa Rajan. The movie had all the stylized elements of a mafia caper with slick camerawork, intense chase sequences through immensely cramped spaces and lot of unexpected violence. Ajay Devgan turned in a spirited performance as Malik the leader of one of the underworld companies.

The Legend of Bhagat Singh – In my honest opinion this is the best biopic of the decade. Raj Kumar Santoshi does a fine job in the direction department and Ajay Devgan as the ultimate martyr of the Indian freedom struggle gives a spirited performance. A soaring score by A R Rehman only assists in stirring the patriot inside you.

Bend it Like Beckham – Not exactly a bollywood movie, but this Gurinder Chadha movie from the UK about a second generation Indian girl’s struggles to balance between her ambitions in football and her Indian family values became a sleeper hit around the world.

Movie of the year: Devdas

Actor of the year: Ajay Devgan (Company, The Legend of Bhagat Singh)

Actress of the year: Konkona Sen Sharma (Mr. and Mrs. Iyer)

Director of the year: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Devdas)

Music director of the year: Ismail Darbar (Devdas)

2003

After a disappointing 2002, 2003 saw three big movies score big at the at the Box Office. Dharma Productions' Kal Ho Naa Ho, Rakesh Roshan’s Koi Mil Gaya and Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Munna Bhai MBBS. While Kal ho naa ho in my opinion was an intensely manipulative movie (in the sense that you are forced into sympathizing and pitying the deified SRK character), Koi Mil Gaya was a formulaic entertainer loosely inspired by E.T. and adapted to the Indian palate (complete with a typical filmy Maa – a hammy Rekha). Kal Ho Naa Ho can be credited with the first open display of homosexuality by mainstream actors in Hindi cinema (albeit, used in a comedic perspective). Munnabhai MBBS was a largely original idea and Vidhu Vinod Chopra must be lauded for trusting his fortunes with this novel material in the hands of a first time director – Rajkumar Hirani. Munna and Circuit became the poster boys of the new millenium’s idea of bromance and Jadu Ki Jhappi became a phrase heard in Nanded and Nagaland. Sanjay Dutt’s portrayal of the lovable don is one of the iconic characterizations in Hindi Cinema. It becomes even more fascinating to watch him play Munna knowing his own personal ups and downs and trysts with the law. (Is it me or does everyone see that flawed heroes are more loved than the perfect god-like characters: i.e. most Aamir Khan characters?) Having Sunil Dutt play his father in the movie was a cause of much "warm-fuzzy" in the audiences.

Other highlights of the year:

3 Deewarein: Nagesh Kukunoor’s small yet powerful movie based on the life of three prisoners on death row and documentary filmmaker was a wonderful experiment with some fine performances by Naseeruddin Shah, Juhi Chawla, Jackie Shroff and Gulshan Grover. (Did anyone else see a mild Rashomon inspiration here?)

Ek Hasina Thi: Sriram Raghavan’s stylish revenge drama of a girl wronged in love was an under-rated debut. Urmila and Saif pitched in decent performances to this taut psychological thriller and has one of the most riveting climax sequences in recent years. (The poster art of the movie in itself stands out as piece of art in itself)

Pinjar: Chandra Prakash Dwivedi (he of the classic Chanakya) directed this tale of a girl trapped in a wrong relationship on the wrong side of the border during the partition years of India. Based on a novel written by Amrita Pritam the film had fine performances by Urmila Matondkar and Manoj Bajpai. Awaiting Dwivedi's next movie supposed to be based on the life of Emperor Ashoka's son, Kunal.

Baghban: Ravi Chopra’s social (melo)drama about sons and daughters neglecting their older parents became a rage in the senior citizen circles. Every 50 something was apparently throwing venomous judgmental looks at the younger generation for months to come after this movie was released, so I am told.

Other newsmakers included:

- the many kissing scenes of a certain Ms Sherawat in Khwahish,

- a fairly passable romantic comedy Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula by newcomer Parvati Balagopalan (wonder why hasn’t she made anything after this movie)

- a completely forgettable movie by the name “Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon” - just noted here to further underscore the popularity of this last female superstar – they made a movie with her name in the title (no other movie actor can claim that).

- Following the Ameesha Patel footsteps, Gracy Singh who featured in the two box office smash hits of recent years – Lagaan and Munna Bhai MBBS will be forgotten in the coming years.

Movie of the year: Munnabhai MBBS

Actor of the year: Sanjay Dutt (Munnabhai MBBS)

Actress of the year: Urmila Matondkar (Ek Hasina Thi, Pinjar)

Director of the year: Rajkumar Hirani (Munnabhai MBBS)

Music director of the year: Shankar Ehsaan Loy (Kal Ho Naa Ho)

Dus Saal Pehele - Chapter 1

In the last 10 years, Hindi cinema (and in general Indian cinema) has undergone some significant changes so much so that this decade can be termed as both evolutionary and revolutionary- new subjects were tackled, new technology was used, collaboration between studios and the corporate world took place, Hollywood studios entered the Indian market, digital film distribution was introduced, full length animation feature films were produced, overseas markets became an influential factor, independent movies saw a wider acceptance, mainstream actors and producers took leaps of faith in the kind of movies they associated themselves with etc. All healthy signs of growth and progress. However, all was not well (no matter how much Hirani and Co would like us to believe) - quality films targeted for the younger audiences were conspicuous with their absence (although sporadic juvenile attempts were made, but nearly not enough for such a huge and demanding audience), women were still largely treated as disposable objects of desire in a majority of the scripts and the low rung workers in the industry still remain an unorganized bunch with no formal forum to voice their needs and concerns.

On a personal front, I can say that I rediscovered my love for Indian cinema. As a child growing up in the 80s I grew up on the Amitabh “angry young man” movies and the NFDC movies showed on Doordarshan. Although I did not quite comprehend most of the movies (let alone the art of making movies), I did feel a deep connection with them. My love affair with the movies experienced some rough weather in the early 90s and towards the last few years of the millennium I had given up on the relationship –we were officially on a break. The new millennium reinstated my love for these movies all over again and I can now say that I understand these movies and their purpose a lot better. I have a new affection towards all those who work in this dream-factory - the title sequence of Luck By Chance gets me a little emotional , for this reason.

Having said that, I felt compelled to write about the highlights of the last 10 years and got to task. This is not a “best of the decade” list, but a cinematic journey into the last 10 years to highlight some key movies and the people behind them. So in the next five chapters I have tried to highlight the important moments in the Hindi film world – two years at a time.

(The title of this series is a homage to an oft used way of narrating past incidents in many Hindi movies of the 50s through the 90s)

2000

The new millennium dawned and the world had survived the Y2K devil. Although, Mumbai was still surprised by the shocking success of the low budget independent Hyderabad Blues in the closing years of the millennium, not many people showed interest in producing independent movies just yet (the seeds were sown though ). 2000 will primarily be remembered for the launch of a new superstar - Hrithik Roshan with the smash hit Kaho Naa Pyar Hain. Papa Roshan’s production and direction was a perfect launch vehicle for this star. The entire nation was enamored by his physique, his dancing skills and his light eyes - he was a complete package (apparently, many newborns were named Hrithik that year).

Other notable movies of the year :

- Kamal Hassan’s under-appreciated Hey Ram which had some fine performances by Kamal, Rani Mukherjee, Shahrukh Khan and Atul Kulkarni

- Mahesh Manjrekar’s Astitva which portrayed Tabu as an adulterous woman defending her actions

- Aditya Chopra’s Mohabbatein saw him return to direction after a 5 years break. The movie offered nothing new and was a huge letdown (creativity wise) in comparison to Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge

- Another star son-daughter Jodi that debuted this year who would make

a big name for themselves in the coming years was Abhishek Bachchan and Kareena Kapoor in the JP Dutta opus “Refugee”.

Movie of the year: Hey Ram

Actor of the year: Hrithik Roshan (Kaho Naa Pyaar Hain)

Actress of the year: Kareena Kapoor (Refugee)

Director of the year: Kamal Hassan (Hey Ram)

Music director of the year: Anu Malik (Josh, Refugee)

2001

2001 was a defining year for the rest of the decade and was also a stellar year at the cash

registers. People flocked to the cinemas in hordes to watch Aamir Khan's Bhuvan and his underdog team beat the crap out of the Angrez on the cricket pitch and Sunny Deol's Sardar Tara Singh beat a Pakistani army single-handedly to get his wife and child back into India . With the massive success of Lagaan and Gadar the industry found confidence

in big budget cinema and a lot to cheer about. Lagaan also brought “Bollywood” (I still hate this term, but will have to make my peace with it eventually) to the red carpet at the Kodak theater in Hollywood, however it was Dil Chahta Hain which would set the tone for the rest of the decade. More on that later.

Other significant movies from 2001:

- Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” displayed a slice of the various social strata of Indian urban society effectively, also Delhi looked sumptuous through Declan Quinn's camera

- Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham preached the “love thy parents” mantra and Dharma Productions got richer by millions.

- Another director who would eventually make some important films in the decade debuted in 2001 - Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra. His psychological thriller “Aks” was an inspired attempt but failed to grab the attention of the audience.

- Madhur Bhandarkar of the pseudo-socially-relevant-expose` genre, hit the limelight with a movie about the life of a bar girl (portrayed by a phenomenal Tabu) in Chandni Bar.

2001 will be remembered for Dil Chahta Hain, a turning point in Hindi Cinema. Farhan Akhtar’s style, his characters and their on screen interactions were something to which the person on the other side of the screen could relate to. The urban Indian youth found a new voice in Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music and the trio will continue to dominate the rest of the decade along with A R Rehman. Aamir Khan was a key in both Lagaan and Dil Chahta Hain, and the end of the decade will only prove this star’s consistency and staying power. He will emerge as the star of the decade. On the flip side, Ameesha Patel who was the leading lady of two of the biggest movies of 2000 and 2001, would be a forgotten name by the end of the decade. Another proof that the hit movies don’t stars make.

2001 also permanently altered the civilized world after the tragic events of 9/11. These events and the aftermath would become plot points for a number of movies towards the end of the decade.

Movie of the year: Dil Chahta Hain
Actor of the year: Aamir Khan (Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hain)
Actress of the year: Tabu (Chandni Bar)
Director of the year: Farhan Akhtar (Dil Chahta Hain)
Music director of the year: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (Dil Chahta Hain)

Movies for a lifetime - 3

The Sandlot (1993)

All of us have memories of the summers from our growing up years - from that carefree age of about 7 to 8 through mid-teens. It does not matter what city or country you are from: we all have done utterly stupid, ridiculous things in these years, have had friendships that you thought would last forever and days and nights that you thought would never end. If you have forgotten those years, go watch "The Sandlot"....those years will come back to you in vivid details.

It's a simple movie about a summer in the life of the narrator Scotty Smalls. It's about the friendships he forms playing baseball with the neighborhood kids and a particular incident about a much dreaded dog. The script is the standard protagonist narrating his past life to the audience and thus it is always his perspective that we get to see and is a bit exagerrated where required (just like a 10 year old would remember it). The rest of kids of the sandlot are a motley bunch with character traits that will remind you of the bunch you hung out with at the soccer field, cricket field or just spending late nights talking about absolutely nothing in particular.

The movie's success lies in the way it evokes just the right nostalgic feelings of what it was like being a child. If I come across this movie while channel surfing, this is where my search ends and the 101 minutes of this movie transport me right into the hot summer days spent on the cricket field and the warm nights spent with friends on each other's terraces. I sleep with a smile on my face and wake up having lived through those magical summers yet another time.

Luck By Chance - A Review

With Luck By Chance, the Akhtar’s have proven it that it’s not Luck when it comes to their family – the genes are replete with talent. Zoya Akhtar’s directorial debut is a confident film from a confident filmmaker. Luck By Chance is a more mature debut than her brother, Farhan’s debut film, Dil Chahta Hain. (Note that the comparison is not between the two movies and it’s not saying that DCH was a lesser movie).
Luck By Chance is the story of Hindi cinema, of the inner workings of the industry where thousands of people come to realize their dreams and only a few amongst them make it big – by luck or by chance or by talent!! Farhan plays Vikram who is a confident struggling actor who knows that he has to seize the opportunity (or even create one) to succeed. He believes in his abilities, is aware of his charms and is ready to leave his moral self at the doorstep if required. Konkona Sen plays Sona Mishra, another struggling actress who believes in other people giving her the opportunity to succeed. She is willing to go to that extra length should a need arise but relies on the outside for an opportunity.

I cannot recollect the last time I was able to write about well rounded characters in a Hindi movie (based on an original screenplay). All the other characters – big or small have been well etched: Rishi Kapoor as the King-maker producer Romy Rolly, Juhi Chawla as Minty Rolly- his trophy wife, Dimple Kapadia as Neena Walia, a queen bee of the yester era now pushing her daughter to be the next star (Rishi Kapoor’s character defines her in one memorable line in the movie), Hrithik Roshan as superstar Zaffar Khan, Anuj Mathur as Abhi - another struggling actor and a friend of Farhan and many more. The friends, sisters, brother-in-laws are not mere props to fill up the frame; they have personalities and character traits of their own.

Zoya’s attention to detail is remarkable in the locations, costumes, art design, a few examples: the slightly torn sofa in Sona’s kholi, a wicker basket covering a light bulb to give a romantic lighting effect. Romy Rolly’s garishly decorated bungalow and, Juhi Chawla’s costumes are in tune with their character which scream - money cannot buy class.

Jaaved Akhtar’s dialogues are witty, funny, sharp, satirical and have that edge which is required in a self-referential script such as this. Here’s a writer who is in complete sync with the current times and the generation. The dialogues simply sparkle!

There are many cameos by leading personalities from the Hindi film industry – AB Jr, Aamir Khan, SRK, Rani Mukerjee, Diya Mirza, Akhsaye Khanna etc. They are not obtrusive to the narrative and flow in and out quite seamlessly. Watch out for a line that Ranbeer Kapoor says – you will know what I mean. Also watch out for the senior Akhtars in a scene where they show up in the background. These cameos further help the script in showing the industry a metaphorical mirror.

The music of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy to Jaaved Akhtar’s lyrics is weaved in at the right places in the movie. The opening credits are beautifully done with the song ‘Yeh zindagi bhi’ and the real workers of the hindi film world: the carpenters, the poster painters, the tailors, the accountants, the box office cashiers, the extras, the make-up men, the hair dressers, the drivers, the trolley operators – these are the people on the ground. Who knows they too might have come to Mumbai to become an SRK or a Kareena Kapoor. Their dreams never really materialized, yet they keep dreaming on and toiling in this unforgiving fickle world of cinema:
“Samjhane se kab mana hai

Dekho karta zid hai yeh dil

Choone hai Taare ise

Chahiye Saaare ise”

The film ends with the song “Raahi re” with the camera on Konkona’s face. Her expression is that of contentment, loss, confidence and resolve. It’s not a text book happy ending as many would like it to be, but an ending which is immensely satisfying to me personally.

All the performances are spot on - Farhan Akhtar and Konkona Sen are superlative, Isha Sharwani as Nikki (the daughter of Dimple’s character who lives in a cake) is well cast. Rishi and Dimple the lovey-dovey couple of Bobby are fantastic as Romy Rolly and Neena Walia. Rishi is hilarious in a scene where he uses an airplane taking off as a metaphor for a stars career taking off. Also watch out for his reaction when the director (played with the required annoyance by Sanjay Kapoor) of his movie announces that the movie they made is a huge hit and adds “Jabalpur mein chakoo chal gaye ticket ki line mein, suna hain ek aadmi mar gaya” and Rishi raises his glass of beer and glees “Oye cheers to that yaar”!! Dimple Kapadia lives the role of Neena Walia, check her out when she blasts an editor of a glossy over yellow journalism! Then there are the fringe characters – Konkona’s friend, Juhi Chawla’s sister and her husband (they portray the parasites who cling to their more successful family members), Farhan’s friends, Nikki’s entourage, Farhan’s mausi, all small bits but well defined characters. Watch out for Anurag Kashyap’s cameo : he is hilarious.

There are numerous scenes which stay with you after the movie, such as (without giving them away): Hrithik Roshan's scene with the little kids, the one with the Godrej refirgerator, the one with Sona in the producer's van, Farhan's fight and then making up with his friend, Konkona's response to Farhan's attempt at redemption - and many more.

Zoya has said that it took her seven years to make this film; I must say the wait was well worth it. With Luck By Chance, a much needed sensibility has arrived in Hindi cinema. Hopefully, this movie will pave the way for many more movies which deal with its characters and its audience like real human beings. Just as DCH was a path-breaking movie, so is LBC. Regardless of how it does at the box-office, 20 years from now, this movie will be discussed, analyzed and studied.

Slumdog Millionaire

Watching Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire is an experience you will not forget anytime soon. This is the same man who gave us the sticker-shock laden Trainspotting in 1996, a doomsday dystopian world thriller in 28 Days Later and then an about turn with a heartwarming Millions in 2004. With Slumdog he has once again proven himself to be a the unexpected film-maker. What I mean by that is one cannot put him in any "genre-director" bucket. Example: Hitchcock, Scorsese etc.

If I have to categorize Slumdog in some genre then I will call it an escapist-realistic-romantic-thriller-comedy movie. At the core, it's a simple story of the underdog emerging victorious in the end. The story is about a boy from the slums of Mumbai who ends up winning the "Who wants to be a millionaire?". No, I am not giving away the plot to you, believe me , I am not. It's how you arrive at this climax is what makes for a wholesome, satisfying journey. You know the feeling you get after eating a simple, delicious meal after being hungry for hours - watching Slumdog is the cinematic equivalent of that feeling. It's the brilliant screenplay of Simon Beaufoy (adapted from Vikas Swarup's novel Q & A), Anthony Dod Mantle's camerawork and AR Rehman's background score which takes the movie to the "good-just-got-AWESOME" level. They colelctively infuse tremendous energy right from the first frame of the movie which continues till the very last frame. They capture the images, colors and sounds of the underbelly of this city in a manner which has not been seen on the screen before (I can think of Meera Nair and Declan Quinn doing the same for Delhi in Monsoon Wedding). The movie offers a heady mix of sappy melodrama, realism, humor and those silly-courageous acts that you come to expect from the main protagonist.
Go watch Slumdog this winter, you will walk out with a wide smile and a full heart - despite the depiction of the grim lives of thousands of children living in these slums. Ohh, and did I mention the end credits: Spectacularly Groovy!!

Viewer Discretion : The movie is laden with profanities (Hindi and English) and some shockingly violent scenes involving children.

P.S.: To all those cynics who will say "the West only wants to see the ugly India to garner good reviews for movies set in the Indian Subcontinent", six words: Context and Honesty to the Medium.

P.P.S: I watched this movie when Mumbai was under siege by 10 terrorists in the last week of November 2008. The movie further cemented the fact that there is so much life in this city, it will take millions of terrorists with millions of guns and millions of bombs to take it away.

Movies For a Lifetime - 2

The Apartment
Director: Billy Wilder
Year: 1960

Countless movies of the ROMCOM genre (romantic comedies) owe it to this gem by Billy Wilder. It has it all - the boy-meets girl situations, the funny one liners, the smart coincidences and the “awwww” inspiring moments – the whole package.
The Apartment is a story of a single man CC Baxter (Jack Lemmon) who lives in a New York apartment and has a desk job at an insurance firm. He lends his apartment after work to his supervisors for their various extra marital liaisons. In return for these favors the bosses give favorable reviews for CC Baxter’s evaluation at work.
One such evening, Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the elevator girl, who is having an affair with Mr. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), the big boss at the firm has an argument in Baxter’s apartment and tries to commit suicide. Baxter and his doctor neighbor save Fran and hide the fact from the police and Fran’s family. Fran spends two days in Baxter’s apartment recovering and the predictable happens. Both Fran and Baxter end up loosing their jobs and Baxter eventually falling for Fran.
The Apartment won the best picture academy award that year. The movie is more than a romantic comedy, it shows the white collar working class struggle that was emerging in the United States of the 60s. Some of the scenes in the movie - like the opening sequence when Baxter steps out of his apartment, takes the elevator to his floor in the skyscraper where he works and settles at his desk is brilliant piece of cinema. It’s a wonderful satire on the miniscule existence of an individual in the daily grind of the corporate world. Look around, you will see many Baxters (you included?).
The dialogues are full of witty one-liners that seem effortless and appropriate. There are many instances of the play with words by adding “-wise” at the end of sentences or words. For example – “And that’s how it crumbles….cookie-wise”.
Shirley MacLaine’s portrayal of Fran Kubelik is a combination of the right portions of fragility, strength and a puppy-esque innocence. Jack Lemmon plays CC Baxter with tremendous nervous energy. His journey from an opportunistic single man struggling to make his mark in a vast organization using whatever means possible, to a self-confident person taking ownership of his acts and his life in general is a treat to watch.
Classics are movies which stand the test of time, 48 years later, “The Apartment” still makes you smile and feel the chemistry between Fran and Baxter. The screenplay of this movie should be (it might be) part of the syllabus of a film school. It has the right balance of comedy, satire and sadness.

Just when you think the script is headed towards the typical formula-esque direction, the movie ends in the famous scene of Baxter and Fran playing a game of rummy on New Year’s eve. Baxter says to Fran “You hear what I said, Miss Kubelik? I absolutely adore you”. A typical script would end with Fran looking at Baxter all teary eyed and then kissing him. Well not here, she hands him the deck of cards and says “Shut up and Deal!” Now that my dear friends is one reason why this movie is many Everests above the rest.

Sydney Pollack - R.I.P

He was no Spielberg, Hitchcock, Wilder, Welles or Scorsese when it came to making movies that were trendsetters or genre-benders, but he did make movies that made a distinct mark of their own. Sydney Pollack - the director, producer and actor died today at the age of 73.

I have seen some of the movies that he directed, which include his famous pairing with Robert Redford - Out of Africa (for which he received his only Academy award out of the three nominations), The Way we Were and Three Days of the Condor.

Out of Africa remains my personal favorite amongst the movies he directed. The movie had all the right ingredients of a classic - stellar actors in Redford and Streep, an epic tale, sweeping cinematography of the lush African landscape, a soul-stirring score and a great script . This movie is about a story of a married Danish Baroness, Karen(played with aching honesty by Meryl Streep) falling in love with a lonely, dashing and free-spirited hunter, Denys (who else but Redford could have played him) . If you have seen the movie you will realize the intensity of the following dialogue:

Denys:You've ruined it for me, you know.

Karen: Ruined what?

Denys: Being alone.

If you haven't seen it yet, go rent a copy today and experience it.

Sydney Pollack also appeared as an actor in movies such as Eyes Wide Shut , more recently in Michael Clayton (which he also co-produced) and had repeat appearances as Will Truman's dad on Will and Grace. He also formed the production house Mirage along with Anthony Minghella who passed away earlier this year. Together they produced movies such as Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr Ripley and Michael Clayton. Both of them will be missed.

Movies for a Lifetime - 1

This is a series about movies that have truly, deeply moved me: made me happy, horrified me, or made me sad – essentially movies that have left a mark forever. Some of them are universally acknowledged as timeless classics some of them not. It’s my list, not necessarily in any particular order of liking. They are all near and dear to me. The idea is not to review these movies, but to try and explain why I felt a certain way about them and why they are so dear to me. One thing is common for all these movies, at the end of each one, I found myself with a contented expression and a feeling of fullness in my heart. It’s kind of a feeling of eating a delicious meal after being hungry for a long time, or after drinking a cold glass of water after being thirsty for a long time. A word in Hindi/Marathi describes that feeling aptly – “Santosh” or “Trupti”.
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Psycho
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Year: 1960

Psycho is known as the most well crafted movie in the Horror/Thriller genre. Personally, yes it was scary and creepy; however, I was more saddened at the end of the movie than scared. When I first watched Psycho (the Hitch version not the Gus Van Sant one), I knew it was a horror movie but my knowledge about the movie ended there. As soon as the movie started, I was eating out of Hitch’s hands. By the end of it, I was shivering with excitement and yet was weighed down by the tragedy, by the loss of youth – of Marion’s as well as Norman Bates’. There will be folks who would call me sick or judge me for feeling sad for the Norman Bates character, but to them I say – “To each his own”!

The movie succeeds in every aspect of film-making –pacing, editing, camera-work, just the right combination of suspense, humor and anticipation. In the performance department, the Norman Bates character was immortalized by Anthony Perkins. This role was his claim to fame, and sadly became him for the rest of his acting career. Tony Perkins did many a good roles in films and theater but he could never get rid of the “Norman Bates” character from himself – just like the “Mother” had become “Norman Bates”.

One small quirky genius of a moment comes in the last few seconds of the movie. Pause the scene at 1:17 seconds, then pause it again at 1:18 seconds: do you see the skull of the mother super-imposed on Norman’s face? It might just be me, but if it truly is what it I think it is, then I bow to Hitch for keeping it so subtle, so so subtle!!

Anthony Minghella – R.I.P.

It was April 2000. I was living in Manchester, New Hampshire. I had been in the United States for barely 3 months. There was still snow on the ground and the temperature was in the teens. I did not know that April in New Hampshire could be that cold. I did not know anyone in town and thus movies were my only way of passing time. A blockbuster was a block away from my apartment. I must have watched one movie every weekday and probably half a dozen over weekends. It was the age of VHS tapes. One chilly night I rented the “The English Patient”. I am not sure what made me pick the movie, but then I would rent anything and everything in those days. From the first frame of the movie to the last, I did not realize how 162 minutes of my life had passed. The film consumed me completely, I was left exhausted and exhilarated. I was introduced to Anthony Minghella.

The English Patient has one of the most memorable opening sequences – you see a shadow of an aircraft on the sand dunes of a vast desert, the camera slowly reveals a still, slightly sun-burnt face of a woman sitting in an open cockpit of a twin propellor aircraft with the wind blowing her scarf and her red hair. You don’t know what a beautiful woman like her is doing in that aircraft flying over a vast desert. As the story unfolds, you find out who the woman is, but the image of her in that aircraft keeps coming back to you and then comes a moment when you realize the purpose of it – and that moment stays with you long after the movie is over. The movie is filled with rich characters, sumptuous cinematography, crushing emotions, spirited performances and a background score to match the emotional high drama. The movie is almost lyrical, in a way it is like reading a book or listening to a symphony. There was a Seinfeld episode where Elaine and Jerry mock this movie – I smiled when I saw the episode – you know when Seinfeld makes fun of something, it’s earned its fame.

Minghella made “The Talented Mr Ripley” and “Cold Mountain” in later years- all adaptations of books. Minghella treated his characters with respect – you discover them one frame at a time, just like you would while turning pages in a book, gradually. The locations and backdrops of his movies formed an important part of the narrative - be it the Sahara desert in English Patient or Italy in Ripley or the North Carolina countryside in Cold Mountain. He captured the beauty of these places and made them integral with the story, never for once would the placement of the characters in a particular location seemed like a gimmick. The characters belong there. There is a clear purpose to their being in that precise place at that precise time.
Examples - The heartbreaking scene of Katharine (Kristin Scott Thomas) character dying in a dark cave all by herself, the scene between Hana the nurse (Juliette Binoche) and Kip (Naveen Andrews), the Indian Soldier in a dilapidated church in the Italian countryside.

It’s easy to dismiss it by saying that the novel already had these scenes written for him. However, it’s quite easy to get carried away with the visual representation of the written word. Minghella’s focus never deviated from the soul of the characters, he understood their bearings and their pulse, and he gave shape to them and brought them to life. This is what made him a great director when it comes to adapting books to movies. He will be missed.

The KING amongst all shots

Of all the various shots in filmmaking, a tracking shot by far is the most adventurous and most difficult to shoot (personal opinion). A tracking shot is essentially an uninterrupted single fluid take. What this means is the camera moves with the subjects without a “cut” for a significant amount of time. A tracking shot needs precision of all the subjects and the props to work in utmost harmony. It lends a visual fluidity. Even without any firsthand knowledge of making films, watch these shots and then put yourself in the director’s and the cameraman’s shoes. There is a lot of choreography involved in these shots. Here are a few examples of some great tracking shots:

Touch of Evil
Director: Orson Welles
The now famous opening sequence which was almost deleted from the movie. BRILLIANT!


Goodfellas
Director: Martin Scorsese
This is probably the most famous tracking shots of all times - its like a ballet. There is clear purpose for the use of the tracking shot here. The Ray Liotta character is taking his girlfriend to the exclusive Copa Cabana and wants to display his clout and power in a very unabashed manner. Lorraine Bracco who plays his girlfriend along with the audience gets to see the inner workings of the Copa Cabana, the kitchen, the butlers. The subjects are walking through the entire length of the shot, while the camera moves behind them through the narrow kitchen aisles and hallways. Every little detail adds to the overall experience.


Children of Men
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
This movie is so under-rated, it’s criminal. There are some amazing tracking shots in this movie. Here is a good explanation of what goes in shooting a tracking shot.


Now watch the output of the efforts. Of all the shots listed here, this one is my personal favorite. The shot lasts for 3 minutes and 57 seconds before the cut. Has no equals. Salud – Alfonso Cuaron.


Atonement
Director: Joe Wright
I believe this one shot might just get this movie the “Best Picture” academy award. I personally felt that this shot did not carry the narration of the story anywhere, it seemed as a deliberate shot just for the heck of it. Nevertheless, the shot as a stand-alone is extremely well choreographed. Take a look.


In today's films, you will not see a lot of tracking shots anymore. Its all about quick jump cuts. Next time you find yourself flowing with a shot, you will realize you are watching a tracking shot. If you know of any other good ones, drop me a line.