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Reviews
8½ (1963)
Greatest Film of All Time
I don't want to write a review. I just want to dedicate a few words to the greatest film of all time. Along with 'Last Year At Marienbad' this would be discussed and dissected even after a thousand years. People then, would also stand in awe. Tears of joy will roll down their cheeks. Art is immortal. And this is the highest point of art.
Exactly 50 years ago, 8½ was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. 50 years have gone by. A 1000 more will pass by, but the most exciting, ethereal, magical, exhilarating, brilliant, astounding piece of art, ever created on celluloid, will remain immortal.
My favourite film of all time. Il Maestro and Marcello and Rota will live on forever. So will 'Asa Nisi Masa' and 'Saraghina'. And we'll hold hands and dance to the ending tune till eternity. Here's raising a toast to the film where the law of diminishing marginal utility doesn't apply :)
Cinema is 8½
Khane-ye doust kodjast? (1987)
All About Abbas Kiarostami
This has become a bigger favourite of mine than even his best work 'Close-up'.
Kiarostami is one of my favourite filmmakers. He introduced a new form of cinema language and took Godard's 'direct cinema' concept to a new and better level.
The simplicity and purity is what will strike you first. The poise, the naturalistic acting and lighting are the trademarks of Kiarostami's films.
The iron doors metaphorically represent the children, that's why the school's doors are also the 'old' doors. The new doors which are replacing the old doors represent those people who are not concerned about the child's feelings or emotions, like for eg:- the nagging door maker. In the end, its an old door maker who gives Ahmed the flower and the story invariably depicts that adults do need to understand the children, their feelings and emotions and guide them to a better world. The solution is not beating them up every other fortnight, even if there is no reason. Certainly Kiarostami sheds light on the prevailing society pretty subtly.
The ending with the flower is a trademark Kiarostami ending. So subtle his style that minimalism is the triumphant element.
Some sequences are really worth remembering. Throughout the child's journey, there are many beautiful situations. Towards the end, the child's haunted face as darkness descends and wind blows strong is brilliant. The child actor is amazing. God knows why he doesn't act anymore. Stands out with one of the best child performances along with Ana Torrent in ' The Spirit of the Bee-hive'.
My favourite part is where Kiarostami chooses to focus on the old man instead of Ahmed as he runs away towards his home at the very end. Kiarostami follows the old man to his house as he walks up the stairs slowly, removes his dress and finally closes the window which first revealed him. This is terrific film making showing the end of a phase of a narration. Kiarostami could have chosen to follow Ahmed with the camera but he has done it throughout the film and he may prolong it unnecessarily, if he does so again. Then next cut shows Ahmed has reached his place and doing homework. The sense of 'completion' is brought out beautifully and certainly that's the poise that makes a master.
Salute
Il gattopardo (1963)
Greatness To Cry For..
Magnanimous in one word..I am quite enchanted with the storyline,the screenplay,the cinematography,the dialogues & Of course with Visconti's brilliant portrayal of how a man,who at first opposed the new change fearing the downfall of aristocracy and adopted different ways in compulsion & confusion just to save the aristocracy but all throughout the process emerges out as the real 'Leopard'----The only Leopard who finally understands and realizes how crude they actually are as even for the sake of their own state,Sicily,they are not ready or unable to sacrifice their grandeur,power,dignity,etc..
The scenes With Don Ciccio & Don Calogero & The Chevalier are so brilliantly portrayed,so great in quality that its hard to single out 1..my favourite are 1) the partin scene around 15 secs with Don Ciccio & 2) When the Chevalier proposes the offer of the senator to 'The Leopard'....Both Of The scenes Underline The Film's core hidden meaning wonderfully and delicately...
The Ballroom sequence is a trademark long last sequence of Visconti..Its in that sequence when Angelica proposes 'The Leopard' to dance with him,at that point u understand that the film is not only a detailed study of the minuets of aristocracy....even the dance sequence of Angelica & 'The Leopard' has inner meanings..when they converse casually about the marriage while dancing,u understand the real meaning behind the words..even the love-making is shown brilliantly .....while every object is placed in the room in a proportion,at the same time it takes place in a shabby and wretched surrounding..showing the stability acting as an axe..huh! there has never been a marriage gunned down like this one before :P..Eventually Visconti tried to focus on the main character 'The Leopard' as he alwes does and thru him has shown the personal confusions, the political turmoil,the aristocracy,etc..prevalent in mid 19th century.The 40 minute long ballroom sequence acts as a great build up to the eventual climax..
But it is more than that...It has so many elements,personally i could relate to it as a bit of Godard's Breathless,a bit of Renoir's 'The Rules Of The Game', a bit of Bertolucci's 'The Conformist'...& also Renoir's 'La Grande Illusion' ..he he..
But to conclude,'The Leopard' is a unique masterpiece,an epic period piece...Wish people understood this movie,though i admit its not that easy...and i hope next year the AFFI wil place it in the Top 50s of all time at least...Its the first film for which i really cried for its greatness....An Unbelievable Achievement.The greatest film of self-realization and self-suffering..