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June 11, 2008

Flashback #15

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Kakukshi-Toride No San-Akunin (1958) (aka The Hidden Fortress)
Japanese
Akira Kurosawa

“Get away from me! You stink of dead bodies!”
 

Hidden FortressJapanese cinematic master Akira Kurosawa has always been a source of inspiration for both contemporary and future film makers. Right from Sergio Leone to Kamal Haasan, every one who has come across his films have been entranced by it. Kakukshi-Toride No San-Akunin (1958), which is considered one of Kurosawa’s finest, apparently inspired George Lucas to script the characters and the narration in the Star Wars franchise based on the two slaves of the film.

Tahei and Matakishi are two slaves who dream of making big business during the war time. They are always fighting and trying to pull each others’ leg. They escape from a concentration camp and stumble upon some pieces of gold and discover that there is more where that came from. They are led by Rokurota Makabe who seems to have all the gold hidden at a secret place. They strike a deal with him wherein they get a share of the gold if they help him smuggle the gold across the heavily guarded border into another country. The gang go through a variety of dangerous situations, every time being saved by Rokurota Makabe. Gradually, they learn that Rokurota Makabe is not a lay man but he is the general of the Akizuki country and is in charge of getting Akizuki’s national treasure and its princess to the right place. The journey not only enlightens the princess about the plight of her subjects but also acts as a medium of settling the differences between the bickering duo.

“Unconventional” doesn’t start to describe this film that refuses to go traditional. Right from the starting conversation that is introduced without an establishing shot (that is reminiscent of the Tarantino age) to the style of narration of the story as viewed my the minor characters of the plot instead of the protagonists, the film breaks the canons of film making one by one with the action and thrill kept intact. Toshiro Mifune is majestic as ever with the right blend of the arrogance and humour. The film was the recipient of the FIPRESCI award at the Berlin International Film Festival in 1959.

 

June 10, 2008

Super Scenes #6

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Raging Bull (1980)
English
Martin Scorsese

Raging Bull (1980) is my favorite Scorsese for many reasons apart from the extraordinary performance Robert De Niro as the troubled boxer Jake La Motta who was deservedly honoured by the Academy next year. The mutually reinforcing Cinematography (thanks to Michael Chapman) and the spectacular editing by Scorsese regular Thelma Schoonmaker match the intensity of the lead’s performance.

In the final scene of the movie, a slightly overweight Jake La Motta is sitting in his dressing room staring at his mirror (a la Taxi Driver) just before his stand up show (a la The King Of Comedy!). He is smoking a cigar and moves into a monologue:

Jake: Some people aren’t that lucky… like the one Brando played in “On the Waterfront“, a down-and-outer. Remember the scene in the car with his brother Charlie? It went like this. It wasn’t him, Charlie. It was you. Remember that night you said, “Kid, this ain’t your night. “We’re going for the price on Wilson”. “This ain’t your night.” My night. I could’ve taken Wilson apart. So what happens? He gets a title shot. I get a one-way ticket to Palookaville. I was no good after that, Charlie. You reach a peak, then it’s downhill. It was you, Charlie. You was my brother. You should’ve looked out for me just a little bit. You should’ve taken care of me… instead of making me take dives for short-end money. You don’t understand. I could’ve had class. I could’ve been a contender. I could’ve been somebody instead of a bum. Let’s face it. It was you, Charlie. It was you.
(Enter the event manager)
Manager: How you doin’, champ? Everything OK?
Jake: Yeah.
Manager: Ready?
Jake: Five minutes.
Manager: OK. Need anything?
Jake: No.
Manager: You sure?
Jake: I’m sure. Lot of people out there?
Manager: It’s crowded.
(Exit manager)
Jake: Go get ’em, champ. I’m the boss. I’m the boss. I’m the boss. I’m the boss.

Jake warms up and starts shadow-boxing as he leaves for the stage. THe screen fades to black. The following text from the Bible appears before the credits roll on:

So, for the second time, the Pharisees
summoned the man who had been blind and said:
“Speak the truth before God.
We know this fellow is a sinner.”
“Whether or not he is a sinner, I do not know,”
The man replied.
“All I know is this:
Once I was blind and now I can see.”

– John IX, 24-26
the New English Bible

The video is given here:

Scorsese, being a cinema enthusiast himself, uses a classic scene from the Brando vehicle On The Waterfront (1954) where Terry (Brando) regrets his spoilt career and what he has become to his brother. Jake La Motta, contrite of all his mistakes that have brought sorrow to himself and many around him, quotes those lines verbatim. The scene does not involve verbalization or melodrama as many directors would be tempted to employ. Rather Scorsese simply asks his character to repeat the already famous lines and leaves the rest to the viewer to interpret. La Motta, as suggested by the biblical passage, has “woke up” and goes towards his new life with the same vigour and passion as entering his boxing matches as The Raging Bull.

 

June 9, 2008

Flashback #14

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Kaidan (1964) (aka Kwaidan)
Japanese
Masaki Kobayashi

“We forgot to write the holy text on his ears”
 

KwaidanVery few films have come out that are based on mythology of their country of origin. Except for the slew of animations films, there are no mainstream mythological films from India, a country with the richest mythology. Japan, on the other hand is conscious of its heritage and has adapted the same in various forms. Masaki Kobayashi’s Kaidan (1964) is based on a compilation of ghost stories from Japan and consists of four segments.

The first segment “Black Hair” follows a jobless samurai who has divorced his wife in exchange for a prestigious social position. He repents his decision and decides to return to his wife only to discover that she is dead. The second sequence titled “The Woman Of The Snow” has a young woodcutter witnessing a beautiful female ghost in a snowstorm and is haunted by the vision. Years later he comes to know that his young wife is a human form of the spectre he had seen. The third story “Hoichi, The Earless” tells about the mysterious disappearance at nights of the title character who is a blind monk living in a temple. When the senior monks conclude that it is a work of the spirits of the Heike army which perished near the temples years ago and tries to clear the situation. Things become worse when the discussed plan is not implemented perfectly resulting in the loss of ears of Hoichi. The final segment called “In A Cup Of Tea” involves a samurai who consumes a soul residing in a cup of tea, refuses to respect it and faces the consequences. The film ends in a rounded manner that reflects the structure of the final story.

The film does not frighten the viewer nor is it its intention. Amazing production design reflect the quality of investment of this multi-million project. Almost the whole of the first three stories is shot indoors in fabulous sets that set up the required eerie environment. For its rich visuals and exquisite cinematography in the widescreen, the film won the special jury prises at the Cannes Film Festival in 1965

 

June 8, 2008

Super Scenes #5

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Taxi Driver (1976)
English
Martin Scorsese

Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) is hailed as the one of the best American movies ever made. The tale of the single male, his alienation from the ultra urban society and his voluntary involvement in the mires of the underworld definitely has its own share of lovers and haters. This post is about the classic scene from the movie where the protagonist, Travis Bickle talks to himself!

Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is fed up by everything that is going on around. He decides to end it all and purchases a few guns. He prepares a setup on his robe so that holstering of the weapon is easier. He stands in front of a mirror and tests the setup. When he is about to finish, he enters a monologue similar to that in Raging Bull (1980).

Travis: You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are you talking… you talking to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to? Oh yeah? OK.

Here is the video:

Scorsese uses the power of the mirror once again to carve out his character. Travis Bickle has always been a loner with his only attempt at love also failing. In this situation, Travis sees his only companion in the mirror – his image. His arrogance is also visible that establishes his hatred and inability to accept a stranger’s company and the “society” in general. The social isolation coupled with the rot of the society eventually leads to his mental disintegration and hence his choice of violence. Interestingly, the whole monologue is rumoured to be an improvisation by De Niro himself.

 

June 7, 2008

Flashback #13

Posted by Just Another Film Buff under All Posts, Cinema of Sweden, Flashback | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Nattvardsgästerna (1963) (aka Winter Light)
Swedish
Ingmar Bergman

“God, my God! Why hast thou forsaken me?”
 

Winter LightFaith and doubt in God have always been a critical theme in most Bergman films, especially the ones in the so-called “Faith Trilogy“. Nattvardsgästerna (1963) is the second installment in this trilogy following Såsom I En Spegel (1961). Having established the concepts of God as love and God as a monstrous spider that can be simplified as “Godlessness” in the first part of the trilogy, Nattvardsgästerna puts these two concepts into test.

Tomas is a pastor who has lost his wife few years ago. As a result of this he has created, for himself, a Utopian world where nothing is deadly and God is always benign. He ignores the harsh realities of the world such as the Spanish Civil War and the nuclear race. Hence, He is unable to impart faith to people who come for help. There is Märta, an agnostic who loves him and desperately seeks to snap him out of his facade of belief and fantasy. Märta’s belief will depend on Tomas’ reciprocation of love which does not seem plausible yet. After a spiritual conversation with a believer about causes of suffering, Tomas realizes that his apathetic attitude towards love has cost him more than the cruel reality itself. Having recognized his isolation from society and hence love and communication (also addressed in the sequel), Tomas proceeds towards the pulpit with what seems to be a “revitalized belief”, thus providing a reinforcement for Märta’s faith, if not his own.

The film can be viewed as a bridge between absolute faith in God (as love) suggested in Såsom I En Spegel and absolute disbelief (as absence of love) as will be shown in its sequel. Symbols and metaphors galore, Nattvardsgästerna boasts of fantastic performances by Gunnar Björnstrand as Tomas and Ingrid Thulin as Märta. Nattvardsgästerna was followed by Tystnaden (1961), the final film in the trilogy that describes a colder and more apocalyptic premise of the “belief theory”.

 

June 6, 2008

Super Scenes #4

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The Pianist (2002)
English/German/Russian
Roman Polanski

Hollywood has always had a constant flow of World War movies coming from it. But not more than a dozen stay in memories of the average film goer. Writing off the Clint Eastwood double bill and a few forgettable ones, Roman Polanski’s The Pianist (2002) may be considered the last successful World War movie. Adrian Brody’s chilling portrayal of the Polish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman won him the Oscar in 2002, making him the youngest to do so.

In one of the best scenes in the movie, Wlady meets an old friend who promises to provide him a refuge from the Nazi army. As he leaves for the hideout he watches his friend Dorota play the Cello. Upon reaching the house, his friend’s spouse informs him that no one knows he is here and it is a locality frequented by the Nazis. After the person asks Wlady not to make any kind of noise and leaves, Wlady notices a piano and sits in front of it. He takes his hand towards the keys on the piano and we cut to his face. A music piece is being played. It is only after some seconds we notice that the music is actually playing in his mind and his fingers are just hovering over the keys. He is happy for the few minutes he “plays”.

I have uploaded the video in Youtube for your convenience:

Polanski, who has been in the industry big time, is at home directing the film. Though the scene has not a word spoken, it conveys so much about an artist and the influence of political situation on his work. In contrast to Dorota, who is free from any trouble from the Nazis and is playing her music peacefully, Wlady is under a pressure from the ruling government and is unable to produce his music. This is true of any artist who works within the boundaries of political restrictions. Not all of the artist’s true intent is put forth to the world. Right from the medieval (even before that, in fact) painters (featured in the Tarkovsky classic “Andrei Rublev“) to film makers such as Kieslowski, artists have not been given freedom of expression owing to the clash of ideologies of the creator and the ruler. This scene sums it all up with effortless ease.

 

June 5, 2008

Flashback #12

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Yume (1990) (aka Dreams)
Japanese
Akira Kurosawa

“Yesterday I was trying to complete a self portrait. I just couldn’t get the ear right, so I… cut it off and threw it away.”
 

YumeThe first thing that strikes everyone about Japanese cinema is the Samurai culture. And the first thing that strikes about Samurai films is Akira Kurosawa. Akira Kurosawa’s later films, however, were not received well even though they were offbeat works such as Dodes’ka-den (1970), Dersu Uzala (1975) and Yume (1990). Yume presents itself as a episodic collection of eight vignettes apparently based on the director’s dreams.

The first dream “Sunshine Through The Rain” presents a kid witnessing the wedding procession of foxes against his mother’s warnings and his subsequent punishment. In the second segment “The Peach Orchard” has a boy witnessing her sister’s dolls (which represent peach orchards) performing a dance and later scolding him for cutting down peach orchards. The next dream “The Blizzard” portrays a few mountaineers trying to scale a peak against all odds posed by the harsh nature. “The Tunnel” sequence is a chilling account of a Japanese army official who meets a dead soldier from his squad who refuses to believe that he is dead. In the “Crows” dream where Martin Scorsese plays Vincent Van Gogh, we are given a tour through the works of Van Gogh. The “Mount Fuji In Red” segment shows a nightmare portrayal of Nuclear explosion. In the seventh dream “The Weeping Demon”, a man meets a demon who explains that a large scale mutation took place that resulted men such as him. In the final dream “Village Of The Watermills”, a man looks at a village that abandoned the use of modern technology and has decided to live in a clean and peaceful environment.

Spectacular imagery and and amazing production design spells class all over. The film, without doubt, provokes mixed reactions from the audience. But it is indisputably, a daring work of art by all measures. Let’s face it. Which other director has the guts to make a picture based on their dream! The film was nominated for the Golden Globe for best foreign film in 1991.

 

June 4, 2008

Flashback #11

Posted by Just Another Film Buff under All Posts, Cinema of Iran, Flashback | Tags: , , , , |
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Bicycleran (1987) (aka The Cyclist)
Persian
Mohsen Makhmalbaf

“His name is Nasim (Breeze), but he resembles a typhoon. He rides bicycle blindfolded. This man has stopped a train in India with his eyes. In Pakistan, he’s lifted two bulls on a finger and this time he is gonna ride and live on a bicycle for 7 days round the clock.”

 

The cyclistThe objectives, outlooks and needs of different levels of a community, naturally, do not concur. One man’s grief is another man’s pleasure. Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s Bicycleran (1987) captures this difference in the context of an event as viewed from people from different sections of the society. Though a bit more dramatic than most films then from Iran, Bicycleran has enough raw power and truth value to be classified under the neo-realistic genre.

Nasim is a Afghani labourer whose wife is sick and is in need of immediate treatment. Times are hard and labourers cannot expect more than 50 Tomans per day for their work. But Nasim’s requirements are higher and he tries everything he can including a feigned suicide attempt to blackmail people into giving money. Finally, through a bookie, Nasim agrees to put up a show where he would be riding a bicycle for 7 continuous days. The show begins amidst a lot of objections and . with time pedestrians and vendors begin to gather around him. Nasim witnesses his own exploitation by various people from different strata of society – vendors making it their sales hub, middlemen betting and common people getting relief from his plight. In spite of a lot of physical, emotional and social obstacles Nasim manages to finish the 7 days. At the time of glory, Nasim is asked to dismount from the bicycle by the reporters. He is indifferent to all the commotion (possibly because of the physical and mental fatigue) and continues to ride in the circular path.

The film can be viewed as an allegory of the struggles of the working class, a society that exploits them and an upper class that views them as objects of amusements. The recurrent themes of roundness that occur through the images of wheels, cycles and structures signify the vicious circle of fate and inevitability that the working class treads in. The film won the best film at the Hawaii Film Festival in 1987.

 

June 3, 2008

Super Scenes #3

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It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)
English
Frank Capra

The grandmother of all feel-good flicks, It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) , may seem very mellow and even stereotype when viewed today, but Frank Capra‘s financial bomb gives the viewer full satisfaction at the end of the movie, every time. George Bailey’s (James Stewart) “Oh, Shucks” and “Gee, Whiz” make him a very lovable character that is a rarity in this generation.

The scene I am writing here is the final one in the film. George Bailey has committed suicide after he has gone bankrupt. His guardian angel resurrects him and shows him how the world would have been if he weren’t there. George is convinced that his life was better and wishes to live again. After he comes back to life carrying all the positives, he returns home to find that all his friends and relatives have put in small amounts of money to save him from his present situation. Yes, it is good wishes everywhere. George is saved.

Though this scene is sugarcoated to the maximum possible extent and perhaps too good to be true, it portrayed something that Hollywood would be repeating for decades to come – The indomitable nature of the human spirit. Aped in every forms possible, this scene reminds you that it’s a wonderful life indeed!

 

June 2, 2008

The Lost Crusade

Posted by Just Another Film Buff under All Posts, Hollywood, Review | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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George Lucas: “This ain’t gonna be easy”
Steven Spielberg: “Not as easy as it used to be”

Lucas and Spielberg are at it again. After the intensely dramatic Munich, Spielberg freaks out and does what he does best – getting people on their feet. I don’t know why he chose Indiana Jones for that. Probably, he didn’t want to bring in aging sharks or senile aliens. Surprisingly (and commendably), he has banked on Harrison Ford once more to deliver. Does Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008) live up to the expectations set by its first three installments? Yes and No.

Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal SkullSpielberg has chosen a very simple plot in order to not distract the audience. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) escapes from of group of commies led by Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett) who are in search of an artifact. Removed from his college for getting involved with the communists, Dr. Jones is called for action by Mutt (ShiaLaBeouf) , the godson of Prof. Oxley (John Hurt), a long time friend. Henry informs him that his mother Mary Williams (Karen Allen) and Prof. Oxley have been kidnapped in South America while in the hunt for a so-called crystal skull. It his up to Jones to hunt for the skull and return it to its proper place. In the journey, he finds that there are others vying for the skull too and discovers his true relationship with his family and friends.

The film promises enough twists and turns required for a franchise such as Indiana Jones till the central act after which the plot takes a back seat and action takes the driver’s (literally!). The last act succumbs to predictability and acts as nothing more than fillers. The characteristic wry wit of Indy is still intact and is charming as ever. There are numerous references to earlier Spielberg films as well. The chaotic party in 1941, the terrorizing truck shots of Duel, shots similar to the massacre the Omaha beach landing in Saving Private Ryan, the famous rear-view shot in Jurassic Park, the best moments of its prequels and even a few beings that look like the grown up versions of E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial!

Expecting a 65-year old Indy to be weaker than his former self is nothing but normal. More of brain work is expected from him during perilous situations. Even Indy expects that early on. But his vulnerability stops there and it seems that no one cares that he is fit to receive pension. Indy seems to go on and on like a 30 year old. Hats off to Harrison Ford for performing those larger than life stunts with the same vigour as he did in the opening installment. Only he could have pulled this off without shattering the audience’s perception of Indiana Jones. Cate Blanchett’s character, Irina Spalko is reminiscent of Yuri of Command & Conquer: Red Alert game. With her cold witch-like eyes, Blanchett is the perfect foil as the megalomaniac Russian scientist. But the character neither has the depth to suit such a performance nor poses any threat to the juggernaut of the protagonist. It was disappointing to see George McHale (Ray Winstone), Indy’s friend, portrayed as a thorough stereotype that one expects only in bottom-of-the-barrel movies such as The Mummy and the like.

Hands down, Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull has the best action sequences filmed in recent times. The stunts and the choreography have quality written all over. The production design has deliberately (and effectively) retained the look and feel of the post-war cold era. Spielberg regular Janusz Kaminski , who gave us a glimpse of hell in Saving Private Ryan sizzles in the action sequences. His cinematography has given the director the best possible output for his effort . A definite Academy Award nomination. The other regulars Michael Kahn and John Williams maintain the pace and excitement to support his work.

In this age of special effects, it seems easy to churn out a high-octane action flick and Steven Spielberg knows it by heart. He has put forth his trump card (Indy, of course) into the game. But has relied on it too much that he has neglected the finer aspects of plot and characterization. It is compensated by the other side of the balance with spectacular action and stunt sequences that characterize Indy. But the bottom line is: ” It’s Indiana Jones and what else do you want? Go to the theaters now“.

Verdict:

 

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