Back after a long hiatus.. actually it is this movie that moved me to write..I do not want to forget it's layered, explorative, richness..the questions it raised in my mind and the answers it provided to queries I did not know existed there. Its take on 'the burden of free will' in an oppressed environment..and it's dominoe effect on lives.
The movie is by writer and director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck. The film involves the monitoring of the cultural scene of East Berlin by agents of the Stasi, the GDR's secret police. It stars Ulrich Mühe as Stasi Captain Gerd Wiesler, Ulrich Tukur as his chief Anton Grubitz, Sebastian Koch as the playwright Georg Dreyman, and Martina Gedeck as Dreyman's lover, a prominent actress named Christa-Maria Sieland.
That is the context. Now for it's resonance.What moved me the most is the movie's ability to communicate deeply with what is being unsaid. By choosing not to act or react in a given circumstance, each of the characters reveal the emotions, that define them and their lives.
For Captain Gerd Wiesler - his black and white world slowly moves to the grey and for a very brief period dabbles in a riot of colours. He grapples with this new burst of light in his otherwise colourless soul but slowly and surely moves to nourish it. Alas, his sincere attempt at a symphony between beauty and his conscience ends in a tragic requiem.
Does he love Christa-Maria or is he, as he frequently positions himself before her - simply her adoring audience? How does he reconcile his perception of beauty and dignity in her- with her penultimate 'betrayal'..the ultimate one being her death?
Sad but true for so many is the fate of Christa-Maria.. a thing of beauty, grace and love - that is lusted after and destroyed by the unscrupulous - worshipped and protected by the others - albeit with the subject itself almost never in a position to appreciate or take courage from it. Be it democracy, dignity, commitment or valour - the above seems applicable in reality.
Dreyman's final tribute to his secret spy - ' Sonata for a Good Man' - honours Wiesler's attempt to find his conscience knowing fully well that the consequences will be dire. But, what we are left wondering is this - where a rat like Hempf assimilates and metamorphises in a unified Germany, where a reluctant convert like Dreyman can rise again like a pheonix,where a mere audience like Wiesler is ultimately so personally honoured - why isn't there a place for Maria - the one all the above three once coveted though each for a different reason?
Was her crime beauty,love,ambition or just her conscience that wasnt as elective as it was for the others?
Finding an answer to the above, will I think , for me - crack the puzzle of life.
My rating : 8/10
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Friday, May 30, 2008
Pyar hua iqrar hua
Every couple have a song(s) that mean something special to them. This is one of our two! Truly timeless..I always feel lyrics are as important as the score.. could never enjoy a song with bad lyrics however good the score might be..Cant really spot the difference between Latha Mangeshkar then and now! The male lead is Manna dey, score is by Shanker Jaikishan and lyrics by Shailendra. Posted by Yours Truly ;)
Stanley and Iris by Martin Ritt
A movie I never wanted to end but go on and on.. Starring Robert De Niro and Jane Fonda. A simple story about a working class woman and a man who doesnt know the letters. The movie brings home with sensitivity the kind of a silent world that an illiterate man resides in - something very close to how a person who cannot speak will go through. Robert De Niro's struggle with himself and his illiteracy is poignantly presented. Jane Fonda is the gentle and encouraging teacher, who refuses to judge him but sees the best in him that he himself doesnt see.
The lesser said about the movie the better enjoyed it is.
A lovely evening watch.
My Rating: 8/10
The lesser said about the movie the better enjoyed it is.
A lovely evening watch.
My Rating: 8/10
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Titanic
I recently chanced upon the tales of the Titanic passengers on this site. There are several interesting thoughts that came to my mind
a) Even in acts of God, there is some amount of control given to human hands. For example, some men even after the first jab of the iceberg made a bold decision to get on to the lifeboats whereas some others thought it was safer on the Titanic since it was supposed to be 'unsinkable'. Thus the first lifeboat only had 28 people on it - half its capacity. Now, at this point , getting on to the cold black waters vis-a-vis the still relative comfort of the Titanic is a calculated risk. Those who took it survived and those who didnt perished. And it is a change from the status quo. An action. In most high-pressure situations, it is easier to lay still and let fate unfold. That is what some seem to have done, only to pay a heavy price later.
b)If you go through the biographies of all those who escaped and those who perished - you will find a mix there. Noble ones ( Like the woman who let her friend go since she had 'Children waiting back home') when there was only one last place left, or the gentlement who helped all the woman and children on board - they perished. But those who dressed as women to escape and those who even later in life cheated and swindled public money went on to live a 90+ years. But even this is not black and white. Good ones like 'Molly Brown' also survived to live a good life. So there really is no reason or logic! I know.I know. It is foolish to seek for logic in God's handiwork but couldnt help looking for one!
c) There are survivors who beat the odds in any situation. There is a business man who - not waiting for the life boats - vacuums out his suitcase, wraps a fur coat around it, ties it with a belt and buoys himself in the water - till one of the Carpathia boats / other life boats could afford to help him! A man who truly took his fate into his own hands.
d) A man who's mother was born on board a ship in almost the exact same place 82 years ago, drowned there. One of the ladies had an egyptican prophecist tell her that she will face a sinking ship, an earthquake and a motor accident and she will die in the last calamity. She did. One 62 year old woman declared to 'Molly Brown' that she could feel an ill omen foreboding her even before she boarded the Titanic. She was proven right!
Truth is, at most times, stranger than fiction.
a) Even in acts of God, there is some amount of control given to human hands. For example, some men even after the first jab of the iceberg made a bold decision to get on to the lifeboats whereas some others thought it was safer on the Titanic since it was supposed to be 'unsinkable'. Thus the first lifeboat only had 28 people on it - half its capacity. Now, at this point , getting on to the cold black waters vis-a-vis the still relative comfort of the Titanic is a calculated risk. Those who took it survived and those who didnt perished. And it is a change from the status quo. An action. In most high-pressure situations, it is easier to lay still and let fate unfold. That is what some seem to have done, only to pay a heavy price later.
b)If you go through the biographies of all those who escaped and those who perished - you will find a mix there. Noble ones ( Like the woman who let her friend go since she had 'Children waiting back home') when there was only one last place left, or the gentlement who helped all the woman and children on board - they perished. But those who dressed as women to escape and those who even later in life cheated and swindled public money went on to live a 90+ years. But even this is not black and white. Good ones like 'Molly Brown' also survived to live a good life. So there really is no reason or logic! I know.I know. It is foolish to seek for logic in God's handiwork but couldnt help looking for one!
c) There are survivors who beat the odds in any situation. There is a business man who - not waiting for the life boats - vacuums out his suitcase, wraps a fur coat around it, ties it with a belt and buoys himself in the water - till one of the Carpathia boats / other life boats could afford to help him! A man who truly took his fate into his own hands.
d) A man who's mother was born on board a ship in almost the exact same place 82 years ago, drowned there. One of the ladies had an egyptican prophecist tell her that she will face a sinking ship, an earthquake and a motor accident and she will die in the last calamity. She did. One 62 year old woman declared to 'Molly Brown' that she could feel an ill omen foreboding her even before she boarded the Titanic. She was proven right!
Truth is, at most times, stranger than fiction.
Monday, May 19, 2008
St Paul's Cathedral, London
Visited StPaul's Cathedral on Saturday. It was an amazing experience. The beauty of the Cathedral with its expanded style, the stained glass paintings, the etched images, the gate of tijou, the American Chapel, The light of the world image.. it was overwhelmingly beautiful. The minute you enter the cathedral, there is a settling feeling of peace. The tall and wide structure - as intended by Christopher Wren,the architect- opens your heart wide open and lets it free. If you ever visit the place do not forget to opt for the audio guide. It is non-intrusive and very well directed. At appropriate places, the audio stops to play some music that so soothes and refreshes you. When we went there was a marriage in the Cathedral plus a crowd of atleast 500 people. But there was such a silence except for the wedding march that nobody would have guessed such a crowd was inside. I plan to visit again for the place is really something. It also takes a good half a day - if you really want to appreciate every inch of the place. You could sit in front of the American Chapel and the Light of the world image for a good half an hour just absorbing their beauty and richness of detail.
Very well maintained, well organised by the admin and finely appreciated by the visitors.
Click below for a virtual tour for you to get a sense of what I am saying..
http://www.sphericalimages.com/stpauls/virtual_tour.htm
Can't deny the sense of regret at the thought of our ancient Indian architectural marvels, that - if only appreciated and looked after as much as this one, would inspire as much awe and respect- if not more.
Very well maintained, well organised by the admin and finely appreciated by the visitors.
Click below for a virtual tour for you to get a sense of what I am saying..
http://www.sphericalimages.com/stpauls/virtual_tour.htm
Can't deny the sense of regret at the thought of our ancient Indian architectural marvels, that - if only appreciated and looked after as much as this one, would inspire as much awe and respect- if not more.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Moham Ennum - Sindhu Bhairavi
One of my most favourite pieces of music..Ilayaraja and Jesudas - an eclectic combo. The lyrics, the score and the action have set a level that cannot be crossed. A rare score that allows a man to feel, to give voice to his struggle between conflicting commitments, without being effete.Dont know if you can as finely appreciate it if you cant understand the lyrics or the context. But I wouldnt be surprised if you did!
Thelma and Louise by Ridley Scott
A poignant movie about the unrelenting friendship between a housewife and a waitress. Starting out on an innocent weekend trip the pair's life takes a dangerous turn. One evil man's interruption in their lives dooms them forever. But in those 24 - 48 hours between the time they start on the trip to the heart-breaking finale, these two women live a life that they hadnt in their entire lifetime before those hours.
As different as chalk and cheese, they bicker, they are prejudiced against each other, they tear each other into pieces but are fiercely committed to their friendship without ever having the need to say so. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis do a brilliant job - surprising that they lost out on the Academy awards. The movie has won one for the Screenplay though. The movie wonderfully captures their metamorphosis like an amoeba in directions they themselves havent fathomed before..
Brad Pitt - the cowboy petty thief- didnt realise he was used in movies as a 'dish' even back then ;)
No woman will come back from this movie without missing their closest friends..past and present..and identifying themselves as Thelma and Louise seperately and together.. No man will be able to resist saying ' pfffff.. women! what were they thinking..'
My rating 8/10
As different as chalk and cheese, they bicker, they are prejudiced against each other, they tear each other into pieces but are fiercely committed to their friendship without ever having the need to say so. Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis do a brilliant job - surprising that they lost out on the Academy awards. The movie has won one for the Screenplay though. The movie wonderfully captures their metamorphosis like an amoeba in directions they themselves havent fathomed before..
Brad Pitt - the cowboy petty thief- didnt realise he was used in movies as a 'dish' even back then ;)
No woman will come back from this movie without missing their closest friends..past and present..and identifying themselves as Thelma and Louise seperately and together.. No man will be able to resist saying ' pfffff.. women! what were they thinking..'
My rating 8/10
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Coming Home..
Coming back from a stranger's arms
To mum's own
Rushing from school
To find mom and sis and bros and dad and hot bhajjis!
Returning from an exhilirating inter-collegiate programme
To the hostel
To familiar room-mates
To banter through the night
Looking forward for the weekend
To catch up with by now scattered friends
And old books that remind you of the carefree days
In a far way city that is home to your job
And now..
Just closing the day
With somebody who knows-not to judge you in anyway
And where 'Being You' makes you endearing and a delight to be with..
'Coming home' is truly a pleasure..
Knowing this will further evolve..
And hoping that
I will be 'Home' too someday to somebody..
Is one of the few reasons..
Tomorrow looks promising and worth planning for..
To mum's own
Rushing from school
To find mom and sis and bros and dad and hot bhajjis!
Returning from an exhilirating inter-collegiate programme
To the hostel
To familiar room-mates
To banter through the night
Looking forward for the weekend
To catch up with by now scattered friends
And old books that remind you of the carefree days
In a far way city that is home to your job
And now..
Just closing the day
With somebody who knows-not to judge you in anyway
And where 'Being You' makes you endearing and a delight to be with..
'Coming home' is truly a pleasure..
Knowing this will further evolve..
And hoping that
I will be 'Home' too someday to somebody..
Is one of the few reasons..
Tomorrow looks promising and worth planning for..
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Good Fellas by Martin Scorsese
My first ever Martin Scrosese movie was The Taxi Driver. Bad choice for somebody who had no clue. The movie disturbed me to no end.Since then I have consciously kept away from his movies. Until now.
If you can cross the first three scenes in this movie without barfing.. then congratulations..you have passed the litmus test to handle the rest. I think what is most disturbing is the gore and blood is so matter of fact. No loud background scores, no close-up shots, no nothing. Three guys on a road, a banging noise from the boot, loads of profanities and before you realise it, the guys get down, check the boot, realise that the half-dead man is throbbing, one of them pulls out a knife and whack, whack,whack.
Now for the not-so-faint hearted.. the story.The movie is through the eyes of Henry (Ray Liotta) who has 'as far as he can remember, always wanted to be a gangster'. He takes us through his growth from a teen flunkie of the gang to one of its 3 very powerful members. This 3-some also includes his one-time idol Jimmy (Robert De Niro). Paul - the head guy keeps warning them to keep of the drugs business but they just dont. In the end it destroys their friendship, themselves and their families. The movie draws you in and leaves you with regret as though you have been part of the gang and all that they have been through. I have seen Ray Liotta perform better though his scope in this movie is quite huge despite the other talented cast. De Niro is understated and just right for his part. I personally found the head guy Paul funny though he is meant to intimidate. He has what Sidney Lumet calls 'Search light' eyes that take aeons to pass from one person to the other! Karen (Lorraine Braco) Henry's wife - seems the smartest of the lot - except for her loose possessiveness for her husband. You keep an eye out for her in the movie and you realise she is more rational and shrewd than the whole gang put together!
My Rating : 7/10
If you can cross the first three scenes in this movie without barfing.. then congratulations..you have passed the litmus test to handle the rest. I think what is most disturbing is the gore and blood is so matter of fact. No loud background scores, no close-up shots, no nothing. Three guys on a road, a banging noise from the boot, loads of profanities and before you realise it, the guys get down, check the boot, realise that the half-dead man is throbbing, one of them pulls out a knife and whack, whack,whack.
Now for the not-so-faint hearted.. the story.The movie is through the eyes of Henry (Ray Liotta) who has 'as far as he can remember, always wanted to be a gangster'. He takes us through his growth from a teen flunkie of the gang to one of its 3 very powerful members. This 3-some also includes his one-time idol Jimmy (Robert De Niro). Paul - the head guy keeps warning them to keep of the drugs business but they just dont. In the end it destroys their friendship, themselves and their families. The movie draws you in and leaves you with regret as though you have been part of the gang and all that they have been through. I have seen Ray Liotta perform better though his scope in this movie is quite huge despite the other talented cast. De Niro is understated and just right for his part. I personally found the head guy Paul funny though he is meant to intimidate. He has what Sidney Lumet calls 'Search light' eyes that take aeons to pass from one person to the other! Karen (Lorraine Braco) Henry's wife - seems the smartest of the lot - except for her loose possessiveness for her husband. You keep an eye out for her in the movie and you realise she is more rational and shrewd than the whole gang put together!
My Rating : 7/10
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