FTII People

Review written by Vinoo

Language : Marathi
Director : Paresh Mokashi

‘Harishchandrachi Factory’(Harishchandra’s Factory) is the story of the making of India’s first full-length feature film. Dadasaheb Phalke gets to see an English film on the resurrection of Christ. He decides that very day to make a film for Indians, and the obvious decision is to make something about India and its culture. Beginning with his brief experimentation on the germination of a Pea plant he will go on to make a trip to England and will not rest until he makes that first film ‘Raja Harishchandra’ way back in 1913. His occasional trips to the red light area scouting for an actor to play his heroine is hilarious, particularly so his wife saying “Yes! I know he has gone there. So?”. Brilliant performances by the entire cast, particularly Phalke (Nandu Madhav), his wife (Vibhawari Deshpande) and the kids. A Biopic told in a way that is very interesting and funny at the same time. This film is definitely a very well-made tribute to Dadasaheb Phalke. The Director’s (Paresh Mokashi) theatre background is very evident and he has adapted very well the style onto film. This film stood out as one of the better films at the IFFK 2009, Trivandrum. The ‘Factory’ in the title comes from Phalke’s suggestion to his actors to use the foreign word to make it sound respectable at a time when cinema was unheard of and looked down upon. Releases on 29 January 2010. Don’t miss this one.
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Review by Vinoo
Language : Sinhala / English
Director : Uberto Pasolini
‘Machan’ is the story of a non-existent Srilankan National Handball Team put together by a bunch of Srilankan’s looking for any which way they can make money and escape their current state of poverty. A few slum-dweller’s, people not economically well off, neck deep in debt and individuals not able to make it in life think up a novel way of making it abroad. Each one of them has their own story to tell and going abroad is seemingly the solution to all their woes. None of them are able to make it until one fine day they see an invitation for a World Handball Tournament in Bavaria. They decide to put together a Handball team, and one after the other everyone joins in, and after a few futile attempts they fudge papers and they soon get an invitation from the handball federation. Now that they have an invitation to a World Handball Tournament they have a better case. Finally a motley crew of people, all with one motive that is escape to a world of riches rather than play handball, head out to Bavaria. The team now includes people who have helped them get a Visa, a forger and a couple of others as well. The getaway plan is foiled, at least temporarily, when the welcoming committee is at the airport to receive the Srilankan National Handball Team. The team gets a thrashing in the first game, and the second. The third game sees them get thrashed badly but then that single goal they manage to score calls for celebration like they have won the World Handball Tourney. Very soon things catch up with them and their con. The Srilankan government sends a letter to the Bavarian Federation that, leave alone a national Handball team, Srilanka doesn’t even have a Handball Club. By the time the letter gets to the relevant authorities in Bavaria, the entire team makes their getaway. The film ends with a note that most of them are currently working some place or the other in Europe. While the script has its flaws, it offers quite a few hilarious moments. I quite loved watching it at IFFK last year. Hoping for some surprise package this time around too. ‘Harishchandra Factory’ (fabulous), ‘Looking for Elly’ (My pick for the Best Film here this year), ‘True Noon’, ‘Shirin’ been good so far. And as always ‘Antichrist’ by Lars Von Trier has been a riot including a few fainted delgeates, and ‘Dreams’ by Kim Kiduk has been running to packed houses. I let that one pass cos I am not a great fan of Kim Kiduk except ‘Spring, Summer…’ and ‘3 Iron’ that is. Malayalam Cinema disappointing so far. Missed ‘Kerala Cafe’ and can’t comment about it.
The inaccuracies in this review attributed to things I have missed out when recalling the film from the last festival.
Uberto Pasolini has also produced ‘The Full Monty’ and also the in production ‘Bel Ami’. ‘Machan’ is his debut as Director.
Useless trivia : ‘Machan’ is apparently a true story, of a non-existent Srilankan Handball Team. I remember Uberto Pasolini, the Director, mention as he accepted the standing ovation in Trivandrum, “the script isn’t funny, the situations are.”
Anyone in Srilanka who is aware of this story? Quite an amazing true story methinx J. What lengths people will go to, to get to the other side really amazes me.

Review by Vinoo
Language : English
Director : Jules Dassin
Film noir at its best. Harry Fabian (Richard Widmark of ‘Kiss of death’, ‘True Colours’, ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ etc) is a hustler and all his plans go awry one after the other. He is onto something else this time or so he thinks and for this he will pledge just about everything. He has in his hands the chance “to control professional wrestling in all of London”. And to meet this end he would use, Gregorius (Stanislaus Zbyzsko who was a wrestler in real life too, which explains his performance), the famous wrestler against his son and underworld don, Kristo, who now controls the wrestling scene in London. Harry gets his money from Phil Nosseross, his boss, while at the same time secretively getting money from his boss’ wife as well. He pulls off the biggest fight ever when he pits Gregorius’ man against ‘The Strangler’(Mike Mazurki). Harry Fabian has it all set up and nothing can come between him and fame. But then, circumstances conspire to add to his woes. There is a brawl before the real event in which the wrestler’s ward breaks his wrist, and Gregorius and The Strangler take on each other. While Gregorius wins the unofficial bout even before the real event, he is fighting for his life and ultimately dies. Now Harry Fabian has everything at stake and no fight. The wrestler’s son, Kristo, wants him, the cops want him, his old boss will not let him go that easy and the only one he can trust is seemingly his girlfriend (Gene Tierney of ‘Laura’ fame which I haven’t seen, ‘Iron Curtain’,etc). And the ever-inventive Harry Fabian comes up with one final plan even as he is about to meet his end. Why not let his girlfriend, Mary, become a police informant, and collect the reward for spilling information on him? For once Harry Fabian seems to have a fool-proof plan. The set up is brilliant and so is the climax.
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written by Vinoo
Language : Hindi
Director : Sunil Dutt
‘Yaadein’ is an experimental film made way back in 1964. Directed by Sunil Dutt, who also happens to be the only actor in the entire film, it tells the story of Anil. Anil comes back home one evening to find that his wife, Priya, is not home. He initially thinks she, along with the kids, Pawan and Geeta, are playing a prank on him before it begins to dawn on him that they have left him forever. He reminisces his past beginning with the initial days of courtship with Priya, followed by the birth of the first kid and so on and even traces the small husband–wife tiffs. He is also reminded of his infidelity (whatever that means), which results in a showdown with his wife and her leaving him. Every single object at home seems to rake up some memory or the other. He is consumed by everything around him and ultimately contemplates suicide. What happens is revealed in the climax. Nargis’ shadow appears in the film towards the climax. Mario Miranda’s illustrations are used to good effect. So also the use of voices, particularly so the phone calls and even the birthday party celebrations and his soliloquy when in the midst of his kid’s toys are worth a mention. Quite commendable that a one-actor film manages to hold your interest through nearly two hours even if the dialogues don’t always deliver. Watch this one simply for the gall this man had to experiment with something like this, and way back in 1964. Also has a lovely and rare Lata Mangeshkar song, ‘Dekha hai sapna koi’

This film finds mention in the Guinness Book of World Records in the category ‘Fewest Actors in a Narrative Film’ (Courtesy : Wikipedia).
Other films of Sunil Dutt include ‘Waqt’, ‘Humraaz’, ‘Khandaan’, ‘Mujhe jeene do’ (where Waheeda is fab in the ‘Raat bhi hai kuch bheegi bheegi’ number), ‘Gumraah’, ‘Sujata’, besides directing ‘Reshma aur Shera’ (among the first few films of Amitabh Bachan) which I hope to revisit this week, ‘Rocky’, ‘Yaadein’ etc.
‘Yaadein’ is written by Akhthar-Ul-Iman who has written dialogues for films like ‘Humraaz’, ‘Ittefaaq’, ‘Waqt’, ‘Mera Saaya’ and the story and screenplay for films like the brilliant ‘Dhund’, ‘Pathar ke Sanam’, ‘Chirag’ etc.

Useless trivia : Sunil Dutt, born Balraj Dutt, started his career with Radio Ceylon, and was apparently a popular announcer on the channel. For aspiring stars there may be a hint : start with radio.
Sunil Dutt started his film career in 1955 in a film called ‘Railway Platform’. He didn’t have to wait too long before he became a name to reckon with when he acted in ‘Mother India’ in 1957. I will spare you the oft-repeated Sunil Dutt – Nargis story from ‘Mother India’.
NB : Today happens to be the last day for registration at IFFK. Here is the link www.iffk.in
Hope to see you there.

(review by Vinoo)
Author : Joseph Conrad
‘The Return’ is apparently Joseph Conrad’s tribute to Henry James, and his style of writing. It was made into a film ‘Gabrielle’. Conrad’s other works include ‘The Heart of Darkness’ (yet to read that one), ‘Sabotage’, (made into a movie by Hitchcock), ‘The Secret agent’ (also a movie) etc. Conrad famously said “Those who read me know my conviction that the world, the temporal world, rests on a few very simple ideas; so simple that they must be as old as the hills. It rests, notably, among others, on the idea of Fidelity.”
I haven’t read too many of Joseph Conrad. I liked this one and I would presume this one is different from the rest of his books. ‘The Return’ is a peep into the complexities and insecurities of human relationships. Half the book is about Alan Harvey revisiting his life and reasons why his wife left behind a letter the way she did and the rest is plain, lovely conversation and analysis of emotions triggered by an act, in this case a letter left behind by his wife.
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(Written by Vinoo)
Language : Greek
Director : Michael Cacoyannis
‘Stella’ is a carefree woman who will let no moral rules hinder her quest for life. She is a Rebetiko / Rembetiko (Greek Blues) singer. Stuck between her love and her desire to be free she would choose the latter. “Men wan’t to own everything and Stella just wont be tied down” she says as she refuses one man after another until she meets the football star, . They are deeply in love and he proposes marriage. She fails to appear in church and only in death can she be somebody’s. Adaptation of ‘Carmen’ this one is simply brilliant. As for the Greek language I simply like the ring to it.
I remember watching he brilliant ‘Zorba the Greek’ by Cacoyannis. Also hope to watch ‘Ifigegeia’ soon.
Useless trivia : Melinda Mercouri met her husband-to-be, Jules Dassin, at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. The movie ‘Stella’ failed to win an award for Marcelo Mercouri for best actor / actress at the cannes Film Festival. It raised such a controversy that Isa Miranda, one of the jury members, gave her a special ‘Isa Miranda Award’.

Review by Vinoo
Language : Italian
Director : Paolo Sorrentino

‘The consequences of love’ belongs right there among the classics. It has been shot so well that it actually accentuates the main protagonist’s state of mind. It is the coming together of some lovely cinematography, very apt music and brilliant editing and direction. Titta Di Girolamo (a brilliant Toni Servillo) lives in a hotel in Switzerland. He sits alone reading while at the same time observing people, one of who is the hotel waitress, Sofia (the most beautiful Olivia Magnani), who he falls in love with. ‘Future plans : not to underestimate the consequences of love.’ He also eavesdrops on the conversation of the couple, in the adjacent room, who he gathers used to own the very hotel they stay in before turning bankrupt. Gradually, from Titta’s conversation with Sofia, we get to know he has been living in the same hotel for eight years. And besides spending time by himself he is an insomniac and administers himself with a dose of heroin every Wednesday, without fail. ‘Respectable society tends to oversimplify drugs. Dividing the world into addicts and non-addicts. It doesn’t take into account the many intermediate stages.’
Quoting from the film :
‘Insomniacs have one obsession : to sleep’. I don’t know about that .
‘Luck doesn’t exist. It’s just an invention of losers, and the poor.’
‘You felt needed. That’s why you came. I don’t need anybody.’
‘Stop giving me this mute performance, it doesn’t always work. You’ve got to say something.’

‘It’s ok. I like aggressive and rude people.’
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written by Vinoo

Language : English

Director : Sophia Coppola

There is no ‘man meets woman, and jumps into bed in a jiffy like that is the only reason they met’ scenes like oft happens in English films. Bob Harris (Bill Murray) is a movie star, and father of two from his 25-years of marriage, who is in Japan on an ad-shoot assignment. He is an actor well past his prime and featuring in ads just for the buck. Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) is the newly wed, bored wife of a fashion photographer. She is trying to discover herself. The two American’s are in a totally new country, Japan, and situations bring them together. They start spending time together and gradually begin wanting to spend time together. They engage in long conversations about life and just about everything and in each other they find a rare comfort that has been missing in their lives. A really bored Bob says ‘I will be at the bar for the next week’ when Charlotte asks him where she can find him. Also the scene where he is in a shoot where the director hands out instructions in Japanese is quite hilarious. As also the scene where his wife sends him option of colours for the furniture saying she prefers burgundy. ‘Which is burgundy?’ he asks. Bob and Charlotte share moments that have an unusual warmth and poignancy to it. Once the two of them are done with their stay in Tokyo they realize the relationship has to come to an end. Bill Murray as Bob Harris is hilarious right through and Scarlett Johansson as Charlotte is brilliant. Very very apt casting indeed. To me Bill Murray is just the guy he plays. Bill Murray can almost walk out of bed and fit into this role he has almost perfected over the years. ‘Groundhog day’, ‘Broken flowers’ comes to mind. And I am a sucker for these conversation films. Also loved the mood right through. I would call this movie a very mature version of ‘Before sunrise’ and ‘Before sunset’. Bob whispering something in Charlotte’s ears (not audible to us) is a lovely touch on where their relationship is / could be headed.

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review by Vinoo

Language : English

Director : Lars Von Trier

‘Antichrist’ is very painful watch but then a must-watch. I don’t claim to have understood the film in its entirety but here is roughly what it is about. The film begins with the brilliantly choreographed high-speed shots of Him (Willem Dafoe) and his wife, Her (Charlotte Gainsbourg) making love. While they are between the act their little toddler son, Nick, walks past them and climbs onto the table and reaches for the snowflakes outside and falls out of the window to his death. She (Nick’s mom) registers their little son walk past but is seemingly lost and does not, rather cannot, do anything to save him. Their son’s death will haunt her no end and almost makes her a lunatic. He (Nick’s dad) who is a Psychotherapist, brings her home from the hospital and takes her to a cabin in the woods. Rather than ask his wife to forget her trauma he asks her to imagine her worst nightmare and believes the best way to get over it is to reinforce it to the point where it becomes a blind-spot. I hope that made sense J. The film is divided into sections: prologue, grief, pain, despair, the three beggars and the epilogue. I’d rather not mention some of the scenes that reek of Masochism and Sadomasochism. In the woods He discovers some things about his wife from the research she had done on Gynocide and witchcraft. The surreal elements like an almost defiant and fearless  deer with a dead fawn hanging out of its back, the abrupt finding of a fox in its burrow, a live crow buried in the soil, all these visuals totally psyche you out. The acorn seeds falling on the roof and the accompanying music is used to devastating effect. Nietzschean influence can be seen even in some of the dialogues ‘tragedy is an affirmation of life’. That calls for some Nietzschean reading. A fair understanding of the Bible and Christian philosophy, which I don’t claim to have, would help when watching this film. Brilliant performance by the entire cast, which is just the two of them, He and She, and of course flashes of Nick the kid. Just watch this one and send me a review.

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