Sunday, December 30, 2007
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Top Ten - Western Movies
1. The Magnificent Seven (1960)
2. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
3. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
4. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
5. Mackenna's Gold
6. Gunfight at the OK Corral (1957)
7. Unforgiven
8. They call me Trinity (1971)
9. Trinity is still my name (1972)
10. Lonesome Dove
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Hornet's Nest
Too Late the Hero
GANDHI
Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Maulana Azad meet with the British after the Jalianwala Bagh Massacre. Kinnock, played by the famous actor from "Yes, Minister" is on the other side.
Gandhi asks the British to leave India. The British are sceptical and ask him if he really believes that the British would leave India, "just like that"? Yes, replies Gandhi. He talks of non-cooperation. A really cool video clip, that presents the courage, humility, pragmatism and the sensibilities of that time.
A violent reaction to the Jalianwala Bagh issue would perhaps have destroyed the freedom movement. Cinema history, about history... Excellent.
My Fair Lady
"Luverly" - A classic video song montage featuring Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, using the London Vegetable Market situation to excellent advantage.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Lawrence of Arabia
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
The Sound of Music
My Fair Lady
Monday, September 3, 2007
Reba McEntire - Take the mountain
The famous video from Reba McEntire - "I'm gonna take that mountain" - is significant of the approach that women should hold within themselves.
As a movie media by itself, I am most impressed by the video. It's totally complete within itself and does not require any story before or after the video.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Lonesome Dove - A Photo Album
Tommy Lee Jones - as Woodrow in "Lonesome Dove". A classic role. A King in his own right.
The Book by Larry Mc Murtry. Several fiction titles in Westerns. But after "Lonesome Dove", he does not even have to write another word.
Robert Duvall as "Gus" in Lonesome Dove. A role that was starkly different from that of "Hagen" in Godfather, or later as "Lenin" in Lenin.
All photographs are with copyright of their owners. I am merely paying a tribute here.
Gregory Peck - A tribute
Friday, August 31, 2007
Quo Vadis - The Movie's Trailor.
Quo Vadis - Often mentioned as the "greatest movie ever made" - with the most stunning performance by an actor - in Peter Ustinov playing the Emperor Nero. This is the movie's trailor that introduces you to the movie in its splendor. Watch the complete movie with patience. When you have watched it entirely, stop, breathe, and see it again. There's nothing better than this.
Audrey Hepburn receives the Oscar for her performance in Roman Holiday
Audrey Hepburn receives the Oscar for her performance in "Roman Holiday". This is part of Cinema History. I got the shot from YouTube.
I will delete it if anyone objects to copyright infringement, if any.
Roman Holiday 1 - When Princess Anne rides the Lambretta in Rome
The scene where Princess Anne rides the Lambretta with Joe Bradley in the streets of Rome. From http://www.audrey1.com/
The video will be deleted if the web manager from audrey1 objects.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Perhaps, one of the most under-rated westerns and movies of all times in India, at least. But maybe not so, among buffs.
Indians perhaps saw, really really saw Robert Redford as a true genius in this movie. What struck me most, was the movement of the story from the US to South America and the cowboys and lifestyle in those locations.
The cycle scene, with Robert Redford and Katharine Ross is of course Cinema History. And the last gunfight, almost similarly depicted in Sholay, Mera Gaon Mera Desh and a score of other movies, ... but not enough to beat the last move... leaves you gasping for breath, scene after scene after scene.
A Bridge Too Far
Stalag 17
The Godfather
Omar Mukhtar - Lion of the Desert
Kagemusha
Most film addicts in India would never have even heard of Akiro Kurosawa. I was one of them untill I saw Kagemusha. And, after that I was totally a fan of Kurosawa. I was always jealous of friends from Japan, because they were closer to Kurosawa's movies in the Japanese language than others around the world.
When I was in Okayama, in December 2006, I kept asking for VCDs and DVDs of Kagemusha and other Kurosawa movies, but was very disappointed that most friends in Japan actually laughed at my fascination.
Kurosawa, David Lean, Satyajit Ray - in one breath. And the people from that land could not guide me to a decent DVD store for Kagemusha.
The movie itself - breathless. Is what it makes you, breathless. The classic story has been the inspiration, perhaps for Don and several other such movies. And perhaps if it is not based on a true story, can also be related to Alexandre Dumas' "The Man in the Iron Mask". Or is it vice-versa?
I hope someone makes it in good colour renditions, and dubs it in English so that the entire world can enjoy it.
Lonesome Dove
Mackenna's Gold
Lawrence of Arabia
The Guns of Navarone
The action movie to beat all action movies about the 2nd World War. Gregory Peck plays Mallory, the mountaineer, who had earlier climbed Mount Everest in the movie. Anthony Quinn and David Niven make the movie that much more better.
The Guns of Navarone was followed by "Force 10 from Navarone" but had Harrison Ford, if I am not wrong.
Both the movies were from novels written by Alistair MacLean, and the books are equally good.
But there is nothing to beat watching Gregory Peck, in the rainy night, at the helm of the Fishing Boat, cool and steady, with a hot cup of coffee... a scene for cinematic history.
I must have seen this movie more than 25 times, and at least more than 5-8 times with my Grandfather.
Quo Vadis
Again, an excellent movie. The story line is extremely thin. The movie has to be seen again and again to see Peter Ustinov acting theatrically as Emperor Nero. The movie actually has a scene of him "fiddling while Rome burnt"...
Peter Ustinov also later played in "Fiddler on the Roof" and became a documentary director. He was the last person to see the late Smt. Indiraji Gandhi alive. His interview was completed barely 30 minutes before her assasination.
Roman Holiday
What a movie! My topmost of my top 10. Who will forget Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck as they move around Rome. I must have seen it at least 25 times or more. I cannot forget all the elderly Parsi ladies on Pateti, way back in 1973, at Regal (Mumbai) in the night show, crying and sniffing through the last scenes.
Audrey Hepburn when she emerges with the haircut - brought a gasp from the entire audience in Regal in 1973, in Aurora (Kings Circle, Mumbai) in 1975 and kept wowing audiences always.