Gulaal - 2009

I re-watched Anurag Kashyap's Gulaal recently.

I vaguely kept remembering snippets from Piyush Mishra playing a very interesting Prithvi Bana. One piece where he talks about people with round spectacles.. himself, John Lennon and others as a fraternity of enlightened souls was very interesting.

The re-watch did not disappoint me.

Anurag Kashyap, whose more recent work has not lived up to my sky high expectations, clearly got everything right in this movie. The cast is very capable. The various layers of college politics, national politics, caste politics, family drama, sexual politics and what not is presented in a seamless story with a simple narrative which holds your attention till the very end. Piyush Mishra, who has written the music excels and sets new standards for himself. The use of colour is delicately handled, as opposed to the garish collages that we often see in movies set in Rajasthan.

The entire cast is good, but Abhimanyu Singh stands out in a very well cast role.

Apparently, it was not very successful commercially. Although artsy, it is very much mainstream entertainment, and I am surprised why it fared poorly.

The cast is exceptional, direction good, cinematography complementary and a very enjoyable movie.

  

Now You See Me

I watched this movie on HBO recently. It has a rather big star cast and impressive credits. A tollerable watch, some thrills but not exceptional in any way. Apparently two more sequels are being planned. It was a commercial success.

Now You See Me

A frog in my garden

Siddhartha - 1972 - Conrad Rooks

Based on the Hermann Hesse novel of the same name, Siddhartha was controversial at its time because it featured a nude scene by Simi Garewal. I watched it a few days back. Unfortunately, I have not yet read the book.

Hesse attempts to both admire and criticise the Buddhist ideal of enlightenment under a tree.

I often mock the idea of attaining enlightenment under a tree when I speak. I have time and again felt that enlightenment is a process, a journey of great distance rather than a momentary realisation. Everyone is enlightened. Everyone is on the path. Everyone has a long way to go. Some may be a little further than others but it is not of consequence as each has his own path. The path is not a straight one. Not that it is crooked but rather that it is more of a maze that a path. There may be many ways out. There may be different ways for different people.

The movie itself is good. The controversy is dated as the the nudity in present cinema is clearly more than what we see in this movie. More over it is tastefully done. I think, the controversy was perhaps because of the poster. I do not know if the poster in the Wiki page is the one used originally, but I can see how it may cause some debate. Certainly not gratuitous, but the nude scene, perhaps, is not essential to the movie.

The movie is set in the time of the Buddha. The lead characters live in the context of buddhism, shramanism, jainism and perhaps upanisadic philosophies. There is no conflict or friction between these ideas but a natural flow of ideas. The flow itself is metaphorically represented as a river that the characters cross.

The cinematography is good but could have been better. It may have been due to budget constrains.

Visual and historical accuracy is clearly lacking. The use of bengali songs, modern chants, modern clothes as distracting to an informed viewer but do not affect the underlying message.

The actors do a good job. The direction is also impressive. The movie was a extensively restored in the 90's. Although it was distributed in the west I an unaware if it was ever commercially released in India.

From the 2011 Lalbagh Flower Show

Yes Minister & Yes, Prime Minister 80's BBC Show and Indian Bureaucracy today

I binge watched all the episode of Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister along with the specials. I have only watched the 80's series and not the revival of 2013.

I have vague recollection of watching Ji Mantri Ji which was an Indian version. I thought it was on doordarshan but the Internet does not agree.

I went in it to be a satire of politics. At least, that what we generally hope for in India. The show progress from mocking the politician to outright ridiculing the civil service of Britain. Some research, helped me to realise that the then people were very disillusioned with the bureaucratic set up. The attempts of Jim Hacker at political manipulation appears mild compared to the desperate desire to hold on to power by Sir Humphrey.

It led me to think of the present situation in India. It is true that the civil service played a very big role in integrating and administering the country after independence. Especially during volatile political situations, the bureaucracy compensated for the lack of legislative will.

The situation appears to have changed now. Although, there is no great public opinion against big bureaucracy [most of the anger is directed against corruption] it is very true that the state machinery has become large and unruly. The elected members find it hard to manage the officials and the official will often perseveres.

I do not think there will be any efforts shortly to reduce the size or the role of administrative services. There may be some political will at the topmost levels, but lacking public awareness and opportunity for political and bureaucratic collusion in corruption makes any action unlikely.

I, some time back, read, I do not remember where. the attitude of the Indian people towards their political leaders, the MAI BAAP, attitude is unhealthy and dissimilar from all mature democracies. Mai baap means mother and father. This was told in the context of the annual budget. The Finance Minister stands up to dole out schemes and benefits to the people as a provider and protector. The Annual Budget is a big deal in India. A widely watched event and followed by almost everyone [including my mother, who is retired and has nothing to gain or loose from it] it often turns into a exercise of patronisation.

It is time we look to the politician as people doing a job and not as mai baap, and the civil service as the means and not the end. Attacking the inaction and failures of the bureaucracy should not be put off till it becomes a disease. If done at present, it will give added dividends in undoing the nexus between corrupt politics and corrupt civil servant.

Flop Show and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Flop Show was a Doordarshan comedy show I used to watch as a kid. It was the brain-child of Jaspal Bhatti. It satirised pretty much everything about India. I remember watching the reruns umpteen number of times and never realised that only 10 episodes existed. Although some of the themes may be dated for the present audience the humour itself is universal.

Like most of the people from DD Jaspal Bhatti came from relative anonymity. He went on to have a small career in Hindi movies but mostly returned to doing stage show in his native Punjab.

The ten episodes were very enjoyable.

Flop Show - Wiki

The western, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is something I listen to watch as a child. I remember my friends passing around cassettes of it. I knew nothing of English movies and seeing that it was an audio cassette I assumed it must be a song or perhaps a story.

Much later I learnt about movie sound track and realised that my friends were listening to the sound track of the movie.

I must admit the sound track is very good. I watched the movie a few days back. I haven't watched the earlier movies of the Dollar's trilogy. Although I have no great fondness for the western genre, this is a very good example of it. The story is kept tight and paced. The violence although excessive at its time is normal for these days. The violence itself is integral to the story. The development of the characters would be incomplete if their violent traits were left out.

The cinematography is a must mention. A very healthy mixture of wide-screen shots and extreme close ups takes the viewer to the wild west very effectively.

The music scored by Ennio Morricone uses elements that would have been common in the west at that time. Whistling, gunfire and  coyote howls with minimal instruments aptly captures the music and sound of the time.

An enjoyable watch.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Wiki

From my Garden

Casino Royale - 1967

This is not the Daniel Craig movie.

Having a star cast that would put any big budget Hollywood production to shame, unfortunately falls short of common sense. The list of stars is endless. Peter Sellers, Orson Wells, Woody Allen, David Niven, Ursula Andress, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, ..... and so on. I think it is not the list of stars that was the problem but the list of directors. Five credited and one uncredited directors. Almost a dozen writers most of the writing being rewriting and done mid-schedule.

It is based on a novel by Ian Fleming.... barely.

I had wanted to see this after watching the movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. I had very high expectations from it. The movie has no clear structure or theme. Most of the jokes fall flat and the eccentricities of the actors written into the script.

The characters are too many. Although the idea of having numerous characters in a satire is popular and successfully used in recent times, and the idea of having multiple themes in a parody has been seen, this movie clearly is not a good example.

Spies, thrillers, slapstick, real spies, children of fictional spies and real spies, atom bombs, sex comedy....well, it gets a little off.

BUT, it was one of the most expensive movie of its time, and it made money. Yes, actual profit. Many critics lampooned it, but few, perhaps very few, thought it was a 'psychedelic masterpiece' [not my words.]

I has been about 50 years since it has been made. I think enough time has passed for it to stand the test of time. It may have grown to become a cult classic or a source of inspiration for future satirists, but I doubt it has happened.

Never the less, I must credit its strengths. The acting is good. Everyone brings their best to the table. Although, greatly disorganised, if we were to ignore it, or perhaps, see its structure as its strength, we may see it as an example of cinematic cubism. I don't think any later movie maker has credited this movie as an inspiration, and I doubt anyone will, but I am sure, at some level, it has influenced the modern genre of comedy spoof i.e. Scary Movie and company.

I think, my expectations were very unrealistic. Now that I think about it, in the movie The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, Sellers is greatly dissatisfied with his work and the movie.

Casino Royale was written, like all James Bond books, to be a spy-thriller. Making a spoof of it was a masterstroke and a blunder at the same time. I do not think, if it had fewer directors or better writing or all the advantages it could have had, it would have become a masterpiece. The genre is unfortunately self-limiting and very few works of spoof-satire have transcended the genre.

Overall, it could have been better. Or, couldn't it?

Casino Royale (1967 film)

Tirupati Brahmatosava 2011

Vertigo - 1958

Although, not considered Alfred Hitchcock's best, this is a movie I enjoyed watching.

Firstly I must mention the movie credit graphics.
I remember seeing these patterns as a child in fairs. There used to be a small toy consisting of two plastic gears with various holes in them. Putting a pen and running these gears along each other would generate numerous patterns. I used to be fascinated and wondered how so many patterns were created from such a simple device.
Of course later on I came to learn about these patterns  and the mathematical concepts behind them.
Never the less, the usage of these simple drawings to invoke a very primal reaction of disorientation, I think is real genius.

Apparently, Hitchcock also devised a cinematography technique to convey the lead characters acrophobia which went on to become popular as the Vertigo Effect.

The movie is based on a book by Boileau-Narcejac the story goes through several foreseeable twists. It is well paced and has several well played supporting characters.

Barbara Bel Geddes does an excellent job at playing a woman who has hope in half of her heart and despair in the other. The girl who is caught in, what would later be called, 'the friend zone.'

Kim Novak, is breathtakingly beautiful and gives a stunning performance.

Vertigo - 1958 - Wiki

From a Museum in Tirupati

Interview - 2003

An earlier work of director Theo van Gogh who was killed in supposed retaliation for making the movie Submission - 2004 which is critical of the treatment of women among Muslims.

The work itself is good to watch. There are only two actors. The characters appear to be amateur and untrained in the movie but seeing that they have an extensive body of work I am beginning to think that the lack of finesse in their performance was intentional.

Most of the themes are cliche and stereotypical but this does not affect the presentation of the psyco-sexual drama.

This movie was remade in English and Hindi. I am yet to see either. 

A good watch. Could have been a little more polished. 

Interview (2003 film) - Wiki

The Usual Suspects - 1995

A very well made film with and ensemble cast. Kevin Spacey stands out as and excellent performer. The screenplay is the real hero of the movie and deservedly won the Oscar for it. Some critics felt that it was predictable and others that it was confusing. How both are possible at the same time is beyond me, but, it does ask you to think and get involved which is the first trait of good cinema.

The Usual Suspects - IMDB

The Usual Suspects - Wiki

Sunrise

The Incredible Human Journey - BBC

I watched this documentary series from BBC. Dr Alice Roberts presents it in a very pleasant narrative about the spreading of human populations from Africa.

I too had at times wondered how humans look very different from each other if they have originated from a common recent ancestor. The explanation for the white skin of Caucasians and various other characteristic features of different races was explained. I personally would have liked more explanations and reference to the other theories regarding this.

I was disappointed by the little attention given to the migration of humans into and through India.

The arrival of humans in and migration throughout America was explained well with clear presentations of contradictory theories and disputed evidence.

Overall a good watch.

The Incredible Human Journey - BBC

The Incredible Human Journey - IMDB

The Incredible Human Journey - Wiki

In the Tirupati Zoo

I hope to start blogging regularly soon.

Other Miscellaneous Pictures from Ahobilam

Not very good quality, I am afraid.

The Udbhava Stambha at Ahobilam.

My Grandmother who died six months back.

From My Garden