Last Showdown | When Actors Just Completed The Movie | Under Lens

Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight: Much fabled last performance as maniacal Joker and stories which followed to release of The Dark Knight, rarely an actor literally overshadowed the lead actor by his real life absence. Bruce Wayne saw the real world. Images are revered. Heath Ledger whose claim to fame before Joker came along was his role in eternally romantic Brokeback Mountain. When Joker came by, he was a difficult choice for many film buffs but Heath was able to play that character even better than any predecessor with his determination and reclusiveness. As drug overdose news came by, people were not surprised. Such was Joker’s impression.

 

Balraj Sahni – Garam Hava: Traumatized by his own daughter’s death, one of the finest actors of Hindi Cinema played an intense role of a Muslim trader who is not ready to go to Pakistan. For him, India remains land of dreams and aspirations. Place he calls country. That must be a poignant moment when he played the scene where his on-screen daughter dies as well. Balraj Sahni’s Salim Mirza is one of Indian Cinema’s iconic character who embodies the torment of millions who suffered the birth of nation by means of partition and were forced to keep a strong face. In an alternate world, they too would have cried profusely in the darkest and remotest corner of house.

 

Spencer Tracy – Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner: Known for a likeable personality exuding drama and bravado without gruesomeness, Spencer Tracy, in last leg of his career, chose films which had an everlasting impact on the social dynamics. Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner was one such film. As Matt Drayton he highlights the dilemma of a father who is at crossroads of his own teachings. As an open-minded person he always asked his daughter to treat people as equals irrespective of race and creed. But he never imagined that his daughter can fall in love with someone who is not white. Tracy and Hepburn strongly believed in the civil rights and despite of Tracy’s failing health, they fought his illness and completed the film.

 

 

 

 

 

Reincarnation In Films | Part 02 | Under Lens

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud blended the element of eternal revenge so well that many films followed the suit in coming years.

Reincarnation of Peter Proud was a story of a man troubled by his visions from his past life where he was killed by his wife. Taking a cue out of it, Subhash Ghai made Karz which will be long remembered as the most popular film about reincarnation. Ravi is killed by his wife Kamini. He takes another birth as Monty and takes revenge the way it should have been taken. Haunting theme music became the recurring element. It inspired films like Enakkul Oruvan, Yuga Purush and Om Shanti Om. Success and popularity of Karz can be gauged by the facts that many film titles were based on blockbuster music of this film.

In 80s and 90s, many films were woven around reincarnation. In India, films like Karan Arjun, Suryavanshi, Hameshaa etc. and in west films like Déjà vu, Made In Heaven etc. were made. Keeping aside BO collections, content wise nothing notable was introduced. New ideas and better technology literally meant a closure for a dated idea. Then came films like Cloud Atlas and Eega. Their technical brilliance is one thing and content driven plot is another. These films worked and got critical acclaim as well. Especially Cloud Atlas which involved karma and reincarnation with such a brilliance that even sages from ancient India would feel proud. Though in between some good films came but they failed to move on from the oft repeated ideas and plots.

The idea of rebirth is so natural to human that despite of logical failure and absence of concrete evidence, it remained one of the most popular formulas of filmmaking.

Reincarnation In Films | Part 01 | Under Lens

Films, like religions, across the globe are fascinated by the idea of reincarnation. Though West feels detached from the idea, East is simply enamored with it. However there are enough reference in popular culture across the boundaries that we can assume that every culture, in a way or other, has shown some interest in the idea. From Mark Twain and Edgar A. Poe to Anthony Horowitz, literature explored the idea. In a similar fashion, films toyed around the idea in great detail.

In silent era, cinema was highly influenced by folklore and fantasy stories. Though reincarnation was not as popular as morphing as an idea, it was still pretty much valued. Especially in Indian films which were woven around Indian Mythology. Stories of Nala Damyanti, Harishchandra, Vishnu Avatars etc. were huge resources incorporated the idea of reincarnation in Hindu scriptures. These stories became very popular among masses and even caught the imagination of West. West, however, didn’t explored this concept in great detail despite of having it as a recurring theme in Greek and Roman mythology. There are certain lost films in which characters died to take rebirth or transformation into an animal. These ideas were rarely detailed beyond a point. Europe was exploring abstract which had great influence on story telling in coming years.

With Sound and then Color Era, the idea of Reincarnation went a step ahead and beyond mythology. Films like Mahal and Madhumati became big hits. In sixties, Neel Kamal and Milan followed the trend in India. The Three Lives of Thomasina and Patton too had strong references of rebirth. Around this time, films were more romantic and the element of eternal love was put forth. It worked well with the audience. But more was in store for them.

Love stories were fading away and changes were challenging them.

That Cuckoo Definitely Flew Over | Part 2 | Under Lens

Based on a novel by the same name, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was made by Miloš Forman starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher in lead roles. Rated as one of the finest films ever made, this film bagged all five major Oscars – Actress, Actor, Screenplay, Director and Film. In an illustrious history of Academy, this feat has been achieved only thrice – It Happened One Night and The Silence Of The Lambs are two other films with the distinction.

OFOTCN was story of a maniacal character Randle McMurphy alias Mac who is in asylum for evaluation. Asylum is his way to soft sentence. In asylum nurse Ratched is the cause of fear induced mental trauma for most of the patients. Her means are mean and barely helps the patients to recover from their respective issues. Mac shows his rebellious streak and fights for the rights of patients who are in need to care and compassion. The end reflects the social paranoia existing in systematic world against the outliers and rebels.

There are few parallel lines between Deep Jwoley Jaye and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest prompting some filmmakers to blend the elements.

Made in 1986, Malayalam film by Priyadarshan Thalavattam starring Mohanlal and Karthika in lead roles successfully blends the element of both the films. A compassionate doctor played by Karthika fall in love with mentally traumatized patient played by Mohanlal. When he recovers, they decide to be together. This, however, is not agreeable to doctor’s father who is head of the institution. He lobotomizes the patient. In the end he realizes his mistake when his daughter becomes mentally sick after she learns about her father’s misdeed. Thalavattam was remade in Hindi by Priyadarshan with Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles.

That Cuckoo Definitely Flew Over | Part 1 | Under Lens

Ashutosh Mukherjee’s Nurse Mitra was considered to be a taboo idea to show on screen but for a progressive filmmaker like Asit Sen, it was a story worth sharing with mass. Can a nurse providing affection to patients suffering from emotional trauma become victim of the same ailment? The very sanctity of  the relationship between a patient and nurse in a rather motherly role takes a hit when she start developing emotions for the patient. The tragedy is that the patient upon recovery detaches himself leaving behind a emotionally distressed nurse.

Frankly for people saying cinema has grown, watch films made in 50s and 60s. That was the apogee of the cinematic brilliance.

Asit Sen’s Deep Jwoley Jaye made in 1959 is remembered for music by Hemanta Mukherjee and inspiring performance by Suchitra Sen. Her performance inspired actors like Waheeda Rehman, a brilliant actor in her own right. When she played Suchitra Sen’s character in Khamoshi opposite Rajesh Khanna and excelled, she noted that her performance was nowhere near Suchitra Sen. These films are considered to be finest performances by these two actresses.

The theme of Nurse Mitra and deviants are recurring ideas in World Cinema. Remember One Flew Over Cuckoo’s Nest?  

Worth Noting –

1. Many literary works by Ashutosh Mukherjee were made in Bengali and Hindi Films – like Safar, Bemisaal, Kora Kagaz, Maar Kantak etc.

2. Asit Sen made successful films in Hindi and Bengali. Safar was probably his most well known film in Hindi.

3. Chivaraku Migiledi (Telugu), Thalavattam (Malayalam) and Kyun Ki (Hindi) are some of the Indian remakes of the Bengali film apart from Khamoshi.

Bollywoodization Of Romeo And Juliet | Under Lens

Recently released Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela brought epic romance of Romeo And Juliet back in focus in India. Though the film got hype for all wrong reasons, amongst the critics there was a nod of appreciation for Sanjay Leela Bhansali who came out of his comfort zone and came up with something so un-Bhansalish.

When Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak came, it was not the first film to explore love between children from warring groups. Earlier divides were for different reasons. There was poverty, there was religion and language. Like Bobby, Betaab, Love Story, Ek Duje Ke Liye. All these films had an element or two borrowed from Shakespeare’s most popular work. For example in Betaab, estranged family friends defined the core of opposition. In Ek Duje Ke Liye, language and cultural differences became the barrier. Love Story had an interesting take. Fathers of both girl and boy once loved same woman. Girl’s father though was able to marry her, was never able to digest the fact.  Moreover, there were screen adaptations as well like one made by Akhtar Hussein in 1947 – Romeo And Juliet. QSQT’s success opened up barrage of adaptations. In 90’s we saw many films on similar lines. Most of them hardly added any value.  

Ram-Leela adapted Shakespearean tragedy with gore of warlands in India. Based in a fictional village, Ram-Leela is about two warring communities confronting each other for over five centuries. Film might have disappointed many but it managed to check some points. At no point any character in the film was able to shake the faith these characters had for each other. Even when they were against each other, the burning passion was all over the screen. That was probably the only think that justified lust at first sight between Ram and Leela.

After Romeo And Juliet, its Hamlet time. Will Shahid’s Haider come any close to his father’s Maqbool?

  

Lost Films Lost Heritage Part 2 | Under Lens

Films which are lost might not be discovered ever but the people We continue with our list of lost films with introduction to few more such films:

L'Arroseur (Watering the Flowers): It is said that only 4% of Georges Méliès’ cinema is available. This might be a little exaggeration, but the fact remains that most of his works are lost.  L'Arroseur, made in 1896, is one such film. Based on another classic - L'Arroseur Arrosé – film was appreciated by the audience of the time. Méliès’ influence on global cinema is huge. Martin Scorsese’s Hugo is a beautiful reminder.

Madonna of Avenue A: This silent film lost during the phase of transition is remembered for two major reasons – it was one of last few silent appearances of Dolores Costello, The Goddess of the Silent Screen and it was also first film of Michael Curtiz – the legendary director who made films like Casablanca, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Mildred Pierce and many more.

Farewell Performance: Relatively new film, made in 1963, Farewell Performance had David Kernan in lead role. David, more known That Was the Week That Was show in early sixties, was a known figure in music world of his time. The film, as one would expect, was a murder mystery woven around death of a pop-singer. A deserving BFI 75 Most Wanted.

Lost Films Lost Heritage Part 1 | Under Lens

Many films are literally wiped off from the face of this earth. They are artifacts deserved to be preserved for humanity. TRM makes a note of some brilliant films which are lost.

The Fall Of The Romanovs: Made in 1917, film was about fall of Czars and was released shortly after Nicholas II ‘s abdication. This movie was woven around Rasputin and his influence on the Russian monarchy. This movie was one of the inspirations of 1932 film Rasputin and the Empress. This movie was a strong statement against the monarchy. Rasputin’s confidante turned foe Iliodor played himself.

Different From The Others: One of early sympathetic portrayals of homosexuals, 1919 German film Different From The Others was targeted by Nazis in 30s and this was the major reason why this film lists here. Film shows life and struggle of Paul Körner with the world around them. It also made an attempt to understand the science involved.

A Woman Of The Sea: Also known by its working title Sea Gulls, this is probably only film in which Charlie Chaplin neither directed nor acted in. It was supposed to be made exclusively for Edna Purviance and remained in production for half an year. However, Chaplin was not happy with the outcome and shelved the project. Prints of the film were burnt for tax purposes.

We will talk about a few more films in next edition.

Un-filmable | How Did They Made A Movie Out of This | Under Lens

“Books are a man’s best friend”.  Quite a true quote but at TRM we are in love with films, but people say friendship is ruined if mixed with love. Is that really true ?

A novel is deemed un-filmable probably because of its difficult or controversial source material or just that it delves so deep into imagination, that it seems impossible to bring it to life. According to critics some books, are simply un-filmable— until, of course, one day they get filmed. TRM picks few such works (random order), which leave us with an awed expression, “how did they made a movie out of this…”

1. Watchmen(2009) –One can argue that a graphic novel is easier to adapt, after all its already a visual medium. But Alan Moore’s classic comic presented enormous challenge due to its scope. Also, behind the scene story was that the author hates adaptation of his work. It was deconstruction of the superhero genre and had to be adapted with great care. Zach Synder finally succeeded, amongst mixed reviews. The movie is incomprehensible, if one has not read the book. A bold, daring attempt though.

2. Life Of Pi (2012) – Yann Martel’s imagination of a boy with a tiger in the middle of an ocean after a shipwreck and then getting stuck in a living island sounds easy to pen down. Ang Lee has turned this novel to remarkable work of cinema. With the advancement of technology in 3D cameras and animation, you wonder how a wild beast could act so good. They have slightly altered the ending, but this one increases your faith in successful adaptations.

3. Lolita (1962) – Stanley Kubirick’s whole idea was to make profit over Vladimir Nabokov’s controversial novel being considered unfilmable. The problem with this one was the scandalous taboo content, which made the book seemingly impossible to legally adapt in early 60’s. However movie alters the events and majorly the female protagonist is elder than mentioned in book to tone down the effects. The film boasts of some remarkable performances, though author disagrees that film is not what was actually written.

4. Catch 22 (1970) – This one was too introspective, with time jumping structure, varying narrators, which made it difficult to translate to screen. Its famous that complex novels don’t make good movies, but, Mike Nicholas did an admirable attempt. It had back luck of being released soon after M*A*S*H and was not well received by audience. But it has aged gracefully and donned with some stunning cast, excellent acting and individual scenes.

5. Where The Wild Things Are (2009) – Most of the directors have problem in condensing a book’s story on screen but Spike Jonze had to make a full length movie out of children’s short story of just 48 pages. The audience was skeptical about losing its emotional directness and simplicity. But with writer Dave Eggers he expanded the story, yet keeping respect for its inspiration. The digital effects were kept light to let the wild giant creatures as real as possible. It has a fierce take on childhood and growing-up and cannot be dismissed as just kid’s film.

Written By: Neha Jain

Anatomy Of A Coincidence | Part 03 | Under Lens

In High Court, Nanavati was found guilty and convicted for a life term. However, different media sections and people from community kept the issue alive and demanded pardon. Government wanted to balance the rage of both the communities and in an extraordinary string of events where a Sindhi convict of respected background was pardoned along with Nanavati. 

In 1973, Gulzar released a movie with Vinod Khanna in lead role – Achanak. Loosely based on Nanavati trials, Achanak was perhaps the second film on this subject plot. Sunil Dutt and Leela Naidu starrer Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke was the first. But was Yeh Raaste Hai Pyaar Ke based on Nanavati Trial?

In an interview, Leela Naidu claimed that the story and screenplay for the movie was written before the Nanavati case came to fore. Another co-incidence? Well, though the film didn’t work, it is considered to be one of Sunil Dutt’s better performances by the people of that era. Perhaps, relevance played some role here.

Note:

1. Anatomy Of A Murder attained reputation of one of the finest courtroom dramas ever made. It inspired many lawyers like 12 Angry Men.

2. Nanavati case served as a benchmark and reference in many cases. Nanavati left India and settled abroad with family.

3. Jury system was abolished else we would have seen Sunny Deol screaming against twelve of them in Damini.

4. Achanak became a successful film and established Vinod Khanna as a strong actor.  

Anatomy Of A Coincidence | Part 02 | Under Lens

KM Nanavati comes to know about his wife Sylvia’s affair with his friend Prem. They were cheating while he was away on long assignments. Nanavati realized that their relation damaged beyond repair. Only natural progression was a separation. Despite of all this he wanted his wife to be happy and a security for children. He decided to take the matter in his hand.

Prem, however, was interested in a fling than a relationship. He didn’t had any ambition to marry Sylvia. He stated that categorically to Sylvia. Having casual relationships was not an alien concept for him. But when Nanavati came to know about it the equations changed. Nanavati asked him if he wants to honor the relationship or not. Prem responded with a ‘No’. Nanavati was not ready to accept that as an option. He killed him.

Much like Lt. Manion, Nanavati surrendered with a cool demeanor which was in his favor when the trial began. He was not deemed to be a danger. His uniform and Parsi background also helped him. Sylvia also stood by him. He regretted her affair with Prem and knew that Prem never inteded to marry her. It was a proud defense personnel against a lecherous backstabber. Jury was prejudiced and Nanavati was found not guilty by Jury. Case was referred to High Court.

That was the last time Jury decided fate in a court trial in India. Case was identified as an example where Jury was misled by external factors and were not able to hold tenets of justice. The issue became political. Sindhi community backed Prem as Prem was a Sindhi and they believed that killing was unnecessary. Parsi community backed Nanavati as he did it to keep his honor intact. This trial became a milestone in Indian judiciary and questioned constitution on many points. It also affected the political dynamics and cinema of yesteryears.

Anatomy Of A Coincidence | Part 01 | Under Lens

April 27^th, 1959 -  Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati, a reputed commander in Indian Navy kills his friend Prem Ahuja.

July 01^st, 1959 - A movie based on a 1952 bestseller is released. Lieutenant Frederick Manion kills restaurateur Barney Quill.

Two totally unrelated events had their own share of co-incidences. In the movie, Anatomy Of A Murder which was based on novel by the same name, a small town attorney Paul Biegler played by James Stewart takes on two attorneys prosecuting his client. His client pleads non-guilty on account of temporal insanity. Barney Quill takes advantage of his wife and he murders him in rage. Movie allows the plot to remain in grey area as viewer is made to believe that it is possible that Manion killed Quill in an irresistible impulse, the other scenario where subtle witness doctoring led to fooling of Jury is equally possible.

Decorated officer Lt. Manion who kills a person with dubious record and character and has molested his wife is deemed to be guided by an irresistible impulse to kill and Jury finds him non-guilty. The USP of the movie lies in the trial and the way motive of the murder is used as a trigger to temporal insanity. With few evidences and high emotional voltage Biegler is able to set up the case. He slowly invalidates the solid evidences provided by the prosecution and establishes his case on a weak but emotional foundation. The case is less about establishing a fact but more about establishing it in front of Jury.

Approximately two months back, a similar incident happened in the other part of the globe – in Bombay, India. -  Kawas Manekshaw Nanavati, a commander in Indian Navy kills his friend Prem Ahuja under similar circumstances but for different reasons.

Haji Mastan | A Template For Indian Gangster | Under Lens

It’s difficult to tell how many films Haji Mastan influenced. One can always count a few at the top of his mind, the number and popularity in reality would be close to Al Capone’s influences. May be a less or a more. Haji Mastan, a controversial figure of Bombay of 70s and 80s, has been a template for on-screen gangsters; especially the one with Anti-hero touch. Two films which proudly claim influences are – Deewar and OUATIM – critically acclaimed blockbusters made in different eras.

Deewar is among the best performances of Amitabh Bachc

han. Many iconic scenes from this movie still define the 70s of Bollywood. ‘Mere paas Maa hai’ must have been referenced more than ‘Kitne aadmi they’. The USP of Deewar was the rise and poetic fall of a smuggler. With tragedy in heart and abuse tattooed on wrist,  Amitabh Bachchan literally spoke with his eyes in many scenes. Haji Mastan was not only referenced in mannerism, he was paid a tribute of sorts. Amitabh Bachchan made note of this numerous times in different interviews.

Ajay Devgan playing Sultan in OUTIM is very close to real Haji Mastan story, more than any other film. Not only rise and fall of Mastan is shown (except the death part) in a dramatic way, film highlights the larger than life persona of Mastan in real life that earned him friends in all circles. His relationship with Sona and empathy for downtrodden is also underlined in bold. 

Many films like Agneepath, Company, D, took subtle references from life of Haji Mastan. Some of them were inspired by lives of other gangsters of that era but took the liberty to take cues from life of Haji Mastan to make character more benevolent. One fine example is Nayagan. Nayagan was based on life of Varadarajan Mudaliar however some references can be attributed to Haji Mastan. Interestingly, Varadarajan and Mastan were very good friends. Well, that’s a long story.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh

Knowing Gotham | Under Lens

Why Gotham? Why was Gotham City named so? Gotham was inspired by the darker alleys of New York City however Writer Bill Finger wanted to keep the template generic so that people from any Metro can identify with his imagination. Having a fictional name for the city was logical. Amongst many names like Civic City and Coast City, Gotham attracted his attention. It was a subtle reference to New York as it was a sort of nickname for the metropolitan.

How Does Gotham Look Like? Gotham is glorified in night. It rains in Gotham and it rains hard. Its chilly. It reflects the mood of the city. Common man are terrified and cons are at loose. Corruption is rampant. There is no hope even in existence of a vigilant like Batman. The divide between rich and poor is great not comforting by any means. Buildings of Gotham are inspired by Gothic Revival architecture that rose to prominence in mid-1700s. It has a strong Catholic  overture.

Crime World In Gotham: Crime is the only thing that made Gotham so famous. Batman comes close second. There are families – Italian families Falcone, Galante, Maroni, Sabatino and others like Dimitrov and Odessa, Black Mask and their successor Great White. There are Gangs like Ghost Dragons, Golden Dragons, Penguin, Sprang Brigade etc. Also there is Arkham Asylum and casual visitors like Joker. Gordon has a dirty job to do.

On Screen Gothams: On Screen we have seen New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Newark, Tokyo, Hong Kong etc. doubling as Gotham City.

Greatest Hindi Comedy - Gol Maal | A Study | Under Lens

IMDb rating of 7.8 hardly reflects the right picture. Gol Maal, directed by maverick director Hrishikesh Mukherjee, is rated at par with finest Hindi films ever made. Rank #1 at Uttkrishtt 2013 backs the opinion. But what makes Gol Maal such an iconic film? We had a discussion and came up with certain thoughts –

1. Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt: Chemistry between these two extremely talented and equally underrated actors reflected well in their comic timing. One scene where Amol starts bluffing and creates story of his non-existent brother, their chemistry is something to look out for.

2. Story: A guy lies about having a twin brother and finds a job for him as well. For another little innocent lie, he creates a mother and also an aunt. His boss’ daughter falls in love with his non-existent persona and hates his true identity. Lies, deceit and chase, all in good humor. Story was the pillar of this film, something Hrishikesh Mukherjee always ensured.

3. Situation Based Comedy: Instead of having slapstick and non-consequential jokes, film relied on situational comedy that carried the story along. Not a scene stands out as a misfit. Hrishikesh Mukherjee had an eye of an editor. That was perhaps the reason why Gol Maal was so well trimmed.

4. Reel Reflects Real: Having a good job was on the top of wish list of contemporary youth. Little lies to get and maintain one were acceptable. Gol Maal exaggerated and romanticized the idea. By creating a romantic angle between boss’ daughter and employee, writers checked all the points.

5. Cameos And Casting: Apart from Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt, actors like Deena Pathak, Deven Verma, Shubha Khote and Yunus Parvez formed the supporting cast. Cameos by Amitabh Bachchan and Om Prakash added the typical Hrishida feeling. However, the masterstroke was casting of Bindiya Goswami  instead of first choice Rekha who would have taken away a share of attention from Amol Palekar and Utpal Dutt pair.

Italian Futurism | Under Lens

Noir genre, in particular, is heavily influenced from German Expressionism. Movies by Welles, Hitchcock and Curtiz are some of the examples cinebuffs can relate to. German Expressionism flourished during post World War I era – in 1920 and 1930s. Hollywood adapted it in ‘40s. Next few decades, in bits and pieces, German Expressionism’s influence was visible in cinema across the globe. But what was in the root of this new wave? Italian Futurism.

Futurism was a concept that was developed during 1920s. As the world was expanding with technology advancements, first phase of Industrial revolution opened the vision of filmmakers. Speed, machines and violence were themes. Architectural advancements also added elements to their vision. It was sort of breaking mold of old school and an emblem of human’s triumph over nature. Most of the experiments in this domain happened in Itally. Germany and Russia were two other nations contributing to this new movement, though their involvement was far lesser.

Vita futurista (Futurist life), Thaïs (Thaïs) and Il re, le torri, gli alfieri (The king, the rook, the bishop) are considered to be the milestones of Italian Futuristic cinema. However, its tragic that only  Thaïs is available. rest two, like many other movies of that era are lost. Human negligence and madness of War deprived humanity of its little innovations. By early 1920’s Italian Futurism was history. It was replaced by a more artistic and widely accepted German Expressionism, which was in fact an offshoot of Italian Futurism.

Even today, European cinema is heavily influenced from Italian Futurism. A tradition and legacy is being carried, though subtly. Today, it might be difficult to identify the emblems of Futurist cinema but nuances are difficult to ignore. While Hollywood and Bollywood has significantly moved on from legacy, European cinema is preserving them. If that’s being purist, I prefer being purist.

Written By: Sujoy Ghosh   

Influences Of German Expressionism | Under Lens

German Expressionism went a step ahead of time by using exterior surrounding to express internal turmoil. This worked as a brilliant cinematic device and influenced a whole breed of budding filmmakers across the decades of 30’s to 60’s. Likes of Hitchcock, Welles, Polanski, Curtiz, Burton, Ridley Scott were influenced and used in different proportions in their films.

The tide changed direction in early 20s when German Cinema was exposed to further West. This was the time when Germany went past the isolation phase and cultural exchanges were encouraged. Anti-German emotions were receding away. Italian Futurism was the first influence for German cinema of that era. Bold themes and futuristic outlook encouraged experiments with expressions and mediums. By the end of 20’s, Hollywood was exploring German Cinema like Bollywood was exploring Hollywood.

German Expressionism and influences are characterized by contrast, distortion and symbolism. Nosferatu used shadows to express the emotions of characters. Hitchcock used a similar device in the famous shower scene of Psycho. Tim Burton reinvented it to express gore and greyness in Batman films. Gotham’s angular structures of buildings had Metropolis written all over.  Similar interpretation was with the character Penguin. Nolan too used these elements in the reboot of Batman franchisee.  

As one would have guessed, noir and horror are two genres which are highly influenced by German Expressionism. As an outcome of Great Depression, development of pulp and world cinema, Hollywood explored these two genres in great lengths along with certain subgenres - mysteries and thrillers. As cinema lacked the power of audience’s imagination which novels take advantage of,  German Expressionism provided the means. The psyche of characters was exposed to audience through images and left to audience’s interpretation.

Cinema is a lot about how a filmmaker connects with audience. German Expressionism made it more of a two way communication than a usual dictation.

Napolean | Unrealised Dream | Under Lens

Whenever there is a talk about films which were never fade, Kubrick's Napolean is always a part of the discussion. With Spartacus, Kubrick experimented with an epic film. However, due to multiple reasons, Kubrick never had that control on the sets of Spartacus he would have desired. He stated once, 'Spartacus is the only film on which I did not have absolute control'.

After 2001, he was established in cinema as a visionary. Post 2001, he developed the idea of a film on French emperor Napoleon. He spent two years on developing a screenplay he wrote long back in 1961. MGM agreed and the film went to pre-production. From day one everyone knew that Napolean will be a big budget film. The projected cost was deemed to be too high and just when Kubrick was ready to shoot, film was cancelled. The dream thus shattered. Kubrick never made Napolean. He wanted but economics had its way. This year March, Spielberg expressed his desire to make the film as a miniseries.

A life like Napolean adapted on screen by Kubrick would have been a just tribute.

Gangs Of Wasseypur | 100 Years Of Indian Cinema | Under Lens

Face of Indian Indie scene, Anurag Kashyap blended Sergio Leone and Tarantino with City Of God and created a film spanning over 3 generations. The epic was a two part film that shocked Indian cinema. It was a perfect amalgamation of mainstream and parallel cinema. GOW is a perfect example of how folklore can be adapted in modern context without losing the relevance.

GOW is story of three families – Singhs, Khans and Qureshis. Told from Khans’ point of view, film never becomes judgmental or holds a moral ground. The bottom line from the first act is revenge and in the end it culminates spirally. The narrative beautifully uses fiction and reality as the medium to present the story. At no point it tries to digress from the context.

Based in Bihar, the story is set in Dhanbad and Wasseypur. Infact, Wasseypur is the epicenter of everything that happens in the story. Qureshis were responsible for Shahid Khan (first Khan) ouster from Wasseypur. Ramadheer Singh was responsible for his death. Sardar, son of Shahid, vows to take revenge which is completed by his son Faisal. The saga successfully covers the span of over six decades and leaves a bloody trail.

Trivia: Tigmanshu Dhulia and Piyush Mishra were given the choice to pick a character – Nasir (cousin of Shahid) or Ramadheer Singh. Rest is history.

Characters In Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda | Learning A Masterpiece | Under Lens

Jamuna: Jamuna is one of the central characters. Her desire to find comfort in embrace of a man defines women at the turn of ages. Inhibited in public but extremely vocal and ready to risk everything for desires. Her courage is not in being righteous but in being happy.  

Tanna: Perhaps the most virtuous of the characters, Tanna evolves as a righteous and honest person. While he aspires to take care of his father, whose behavior has been far less than respectful, he also maintains sanctity of his relation with Jamuna and Lily. He is not a strong character in person but by his actions, he comes out as a character with strongest and infallible character. 

Maheshar Dalal: Maheshar is the most omnipresent character in the story. All events are either triggered by him or he plays an important role in the root cause. He doesn’t allow Tanna-Jamuna’s alliance, arranges Tanna’s marriage to Lily and molests Satti. At many points events are after effect of his action. Like Jamuna’s marriage to old Jamindar and Lily’s dysfunctional relationship with Tanna. As a negative character, he plays his part right. 

Ramdhan: Ramdhan, aptly, represents the working class. He supports the elite in different ways. He fathers Jamuna’s son on behalf of his employer and ensures that elite survives. When his employer dies, he supports his widow in all possible ways. His character is romanticized to bring in dry humor. Beneath that he is a person who wants to flourish in a rather hard world. 

Lily: Lily plays Manek’s companion whom he could not marry. This can be an extension of Manek’s imagination or he is putting himself in someone else’s shoes. Initially reluctant to marry someone other than Manek, Lily realizes how the world works and decides to go ahead with the marriage. After marriage and child, she is not happy with her life. Her father-in-law’s behavior and Tanna, her husband’s timidity could be the reason. However, it seems that her personal ambitions played a larger role.  

Satti: Lower strata of society relies on the rich for their development. By falling in love with Manek, Satti aspired on similar lines. She is fiery but not strong enough to keep Maheshar at bay. Her tragedy somehow represents the tragedy of this nation.

Manek Mulla: The protagonist, Manek is the passive audience in this story to a large extent. At each point, he was in a position to take a small step and ensure three women a better life. However, he chose to walk away. By the end of the story, he is already haunted by his failures. When he faces Satti in the end, he doesn’t walk away. He emerges as the ray of hope in an otherwise grim world. He is the Seventh Horse.