Inglorious Basterds

After having watched this movie thrice (as that’s the best way to watch it), it is inappropriate to say nothing. So….

See it.

Sean (Robin Williams) in Good Will Hunting

So if I asked you about art, you’d probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life’s work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I’ll bet you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You’ve never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that. If I ask you about women, you’d probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can’t tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You’re a tough kid. And I’d ask you about war, you’d probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, “once more unto the breach dear friends.” But you’ve never been near one. You’ve never held your best friend’s head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help. I’d ask you about love, you’d probably quote me a sonnet. But you’ve never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell. And you wouldn’t know what it’s like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn’t know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms “visiting hours” don’t apply to you. You don’t know about real loss, ’cause it only occurs when you’ve loved something more than you love yourself. And I doubt you’ve ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you… I don’t see an intelligent, confident man… I see a cocky, scared shitless kid. But you’re a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fucking life apart. You’re an orphan right?

Either it happens instantly or over time, both are equally honourable.

No Smoking

Having seen this, I believe this movie has nothing to do with ’smoking’! This is how I understood the movie (a better handle on Hindi would have been of immense help…Will wait for DVD release!)….

Anuragh is trying to capture how one’s nature diminishes (and eventually dies) because of the demands put by various societal elements like family, friends, morals etc. The non-linear/noir/surreal screenplay used to convey the plot doesn’t seem to be necessary, IMO. It isn’t hurting though, it just makes it very difficult to follow! There were references to Kafka, Schindler et al..they kinda made sense to me.

Vishal Bharadwaj and the cinematographer (don’t know who) have done a splendid job. So has done Paresh Rawal (I’d like to see Om Puri in that role!!). JohnA wasn’t bad either – this was the biggest surprise when I saw the movie.

Thats all I could think about the movie. I have to see it again, with sub-titles, to grasp more of it.

One beautiful movie song

யமுனை ஆற்றிலே ஈரக் காற்றிலே

கண்ணனோடு தான் ஆட

பார்வை பூத்திட பாதை பாதை பார்த்திட

பாவை ராதையோ பாட

இரவும் போனது பகலும் போனது

மன்னன் இல்லையே கூட

இளைய கன்னியின் இமைத்திடாத கண்

இங்கும் அங்குமே தேட

ஆயர்பாடியில் கண்ணன் இல்லையோ?

ஆசைவைப்பதே அன்புத் தொல்லையோ?

பாவம் ராதா….

யமுனை ஆற்றிலே ஈரக் காற்றிலே

கண்ணனோடு தான் ஆட

பார்வை பூத்திட பாதை பாதை பார்த்திட

பாவை ராதையோ பாட

எழுத்து: வாலி

இசை: இளயராஜா

இயக்கம்: மணி இரத்னம்

This is one song where I feel the music score and the presentation (/direction) made the song so beautiful in spite of the not so deserving lyrics.

Leadership…

In the climax of the film Scent Of A Woman, Lt Col Frank Slade, memorably portrayed by Al Pacino, defends his young protege, Charlie Simms, who’s about to be expelled from his school, Baird, for refusing to reveal the identity of his fellow students who played a prank. Slade’s speech remains one of the finest expositions on leadership in a work of fiction.

What is your motto here? Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide — anything short of that we’re gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen, when the shit hits the fan some guys run and some guys stay. Here’s Charlie facing the fire; and there’s George hidin’ in big Daddy’s pocket. And what are you doin’? You’re gonna reward George and destroy Charlie… I don’t know who went to this place, William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell — whoever. Their spirit is dead — if they ever had one — it’s gone.

You’re building a rat ship here. A vessel for sea-goin’ snitches. And if you think you’re preparing these minnows for manhood you better think again. Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham. What kind of a show are you guys puttin’ on here today? I mean, the only class in this act is sitting next to me. And I’m here to tell ya this boy’s soul is intact. It’s non-negotiable. You know how I know? Someone here — and I’m not gonna say who — offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn’t sellin.’

…I’ve been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there isn’t nothin’ like the sight of an amputated spirit; there is no prosthetic for that. You think you’re merely sendin’ this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say you are executin’ his soul! And why? Because he’s not a Baird man! Baird men, ya hurt this boy, you’re going to be Baird bums, the lot of ya…

As I came in here, I heard those words, ‘cradle of leadership’. Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here; it has fallen. Makers of men; creators of leaders; be careful what kind of leaders you’re producin’ here. I don’t know if Charlie’s silence here today is right or wrong. I’m not a judge or jury. But I can tell you this: he won’t sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That’s called courage. Now that’s the stuff leaders should be made of.

Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here’s Charlie. He’s come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It’s the right path. It’s a path made of principle — that leads to character.

Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy’s future in your hands, committee. It’s a valuable future, believe me. Don’t destroy it! Protect it. Embrace it. It’s gonna make you proud one day — I promise you.

PS: Thanks Times of India.

Funny!

A dinner shared by Ingmar Bergman and Woody Allen is documented here (search for “Woody” in that page).

Dearest Rajnikant,

There is a significant difference in the way I saw you when I was in my teens to the way I see you now. In those days, I enjoyed the way you smoked, the way you kicked baddies’ butts etc. But I stopped enjoying those in the same way as before. And I started to like the subtle performances of yours. As such performances stopped (as you aren’t doing any such movies anymore), I started yearning for the actor in you. Yes, I haven’t watched Shivaji. I stopped watching your movies close to the release date after watching Muthu.

Supremely egotistic, yet loving brother in Mullum Malarum..

The unwilling guardian of a business empire in Nallavanukku Nallavan.(Radhika too gave a sterling performance in that movie)..

Two loners who are diametrically opposite in Johnny..

The acid mouthed, but yet sophisticated and scheming husband in Avargal..

The innocent and mischievous youth in Thillu Mullu..

The normal husband to a blind wife in the middle of corrupt neighbors in Kai Kodukkum Kai..

The village brat in Murattu Kaalai..

The confused son-in-law in Moondru Mudichu..

The Alex Pandian of Moondru Mugam..

The old man with unlimited libido in Netri Kann..

I started yearning for the actor who did all these roles…who had the versatility and sincerity to become these characters. Where are you? Why don’t you act? (Heck!! I am not a Kamal fan…He can’t give me what Rajni gave purely in terms of acting performances – call it a bold statement or whatever, this is my statement.)

When I hear you request (in a function honoring K. Balachander) KB to make stage dramas and attest that you would act in it, I see the actor in you. But when I hear your fans say “He can’t act in such movies anymore, they won’t be accepted” to me, I find it sad. If you can put your reputation down the line and act on a stage drama, why can’t you act on good movies? Which is true?? Are you solely interested in the business of your movies? Or, Have you decided that your fans will only like your movie if it is in a formula?

With the advent of creative young film makers in Tamil movie field, I feel worse!! How refreshing and fulfilling it would be to see them direct you in new plots? Sigh!

I beg you not to underestimate your fans. I am one too.

With Respects,

~A.

Top notch professionals

Two of the very best that I have seen.

Good read

I came across a good treatise on Steven Speilberg by Steve Dubner (oh yeah! Freakanomics!). The article is written well, it doesn’t say anything to the contrary of what I think on Speilberg. It concludes thus “the artist who wants to tell a story, the man who is unwilling to offend. It is a friction that Steven Spielberg may never resolve“. While Speilberg might say he doesn’t want to resolve it, I believe he can not. Anyways, there is a funny phrase which Speilberg uses to refer Robin Williams – “my software pimp”.

Niroic Dialogues

Got to read a very recent (and decently longish) interview of one of the followers of method acting – Mr. De  Niro.

I liked question and the answer on the land mark dialogue “You talkin’ to me??”…Here it goes..

Q: How many times a week does someone ask you, “You talkin’ to me?”

A: Time to time. I get a kick out of it if it’s kids.