The Battle of Algiers and One Eternal Principle

It was really amusing to see this Italian masterpiece, The Battle of Algiers (1966). It depicts, in an unbiased and quite an accurate manner, the independence struggle of the Algerian people against French Colonialism.  Same French, who were proudly and passionately involved in the anti-Nazi resistance movement during the 40s were brutally suppressing the resistance of the Algerian people in the 50s. Sometimes, I wonder if the Westerners started screaming about the human rights just because the lands occupied by them had slipped from their hands and they didn’t want to allow anyone else. They’ve developed new methods of economic colonialism and imperialism. When the rest of the world reaches at this level, they would start condemning this form of imperialism as well and proceed on to other innovative methods, that’s for sure.

In the end, it all boils down to one eternal, absolute and realistic principle of existence: “Might is Right!” – It’s the mighty who scribes down the laws and the weak and the meek are supposed to follow them willy nilly. Morality and Human Rights are pretty little farce to make them to fall in line. But only when they decide to utilize their human spirit and react in the language of the oppressor, is the oppressor forced to act upon justice.

Of Cinema, Cartoons and Classics

My ardent love for Cinema and cartoons is as old as my love for books, or adventure, or solitude, or chocolates and ice-creams, that is, it’s deeply ingrained within me since ever. I vividly recall the countless evenings spent with The Three Stooges, Laurel and Hardy, Oliver Twist, Tom n Jerry, Bugs Bunny and the list is actually infinite. I and my siblings used to imitate the cartoons characters and to cite one such imitation, I was Theodore while my elder sisters were Alvin and Simon. We used to sacrifice the cool air-conditioned environment of the sleeping-room and slip out in the scorching summers of Bahrain just to watch the cartoons.

Eventually, as time passed, my love for Cinema and Cartoons only intensified. While I kept loving and cherishing the timeless Bugs Bunny and Tom n Jerry, the cinematic craze shifted towards more serious aspects. Not that I ceased to enjoy comedies; quite the contrary: I enjoyed them all the more, only the aesthetics of cinema gripped my attention and stiffened it with time. Of course I started with the usual thriller and horror stuff but eventually and inevitably got tired of them and it was in my late teens, during the college, that I started moving back in time, towards the classics and in the recent years particularly, I’ve turned into something that friends call a ghost from the past, thanks to my passionate love for the golden classics from olden days.

If the chords of my memory serve me right, the first true classic that I savored was the timeless masterpiece Gone With The Wind, and it left me mesmerized for several days. Thence commenced my passion for the classics which with time only enhanced beyond bounds. December 2005 introduced me with The Godfather phenomenon, triggering the Pacino-fanaticism, which actually persists to the day. I watched the movies of Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, indulged in heated debates on the movie forums comparing and discussing their mastery over the art of cinema and started a movie blog. During the process, I made acquaintances that shared my craze for cinema and learned to appreciate the artistic intricacies of direction. Marlon Brando’s work during the 50s was an eloquent testimony of his being one of the undisputed Kings of his art. In the ocean of direction, the genius of Stanley Kubrick left me astounded and his 2001: A Space Odyssey drove me into philosophical mood for quite some time. Hitchcock-ean twisted thrillers satisfied the enigmatic tastes while Scorsese’s psychological masterpieces proved to be one of their kind. Leon and Ford’s Westerns quenched the romantically adventurous side of Self.

After this post-70s era I dived into the golden era of Hollywood, and this dive was worth priceless gems and everlasting treasures. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, GWTW, The Philadelphia Story, It’s A Wonderful Life, Grapes of Wrath and many other classics are meant to leave everlasting impact on you. Cary Grant, Humphrey Humphrey Bogart and James Stewart were the very epitome of a true movie star with all their classical sophistication while Katharine Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman and Audrey Hepburn were the divine sprites of beauty and artistic breath. The Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby are two of my favorite romantic comedies of all time. Katharine Hepburn, the name that simply transcends all praise. With the passage of time, I’ve found myself compelled to agree with the notion that the Golden Era was indeed matchless.

Eventually, I turned me attention towards the European cinema and the first thing that hit me left me dumbfounded: the genius known as Ingrmar Bergman. No words can explain the artistic and cinematic genius of Bergman and no movies have surpassed him in dealing the subjects he masterfully portrayed in his movies. The Seventh Seal and Winter Light are the movies that get into your head and you find yourself hurled into the Bergman’s world, living as it’s anguished characters, facing the same conditions and crisis. Persona caused psychological convulsions, and if you ask me at present, Bergman is my favorite director without a second though. This journey into European cinema, which would eventually take the turn towards the Asian cinema, continues to quench the literary, aesthetic and philosophical thirst.

All I can hope is to one day deliver – even one true masterpiece would suffice – like these giants of cinema, the most exquisite form of art.

Deciphering Kubrick.

The art of cinema is a superior and exquisite form of art and direction is the undisputed crown of it. A good direction possesses this unique capability to turn an average script and just-about-the-mark plot into something which can be categorized as a masterpiece. Every once in a while, we witness such strokes of genius on the screen.

Whenever the term direction and good direction pops up, a handful of names emerge in mind right away. Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, John Ford, Sergio Leon and Alfred Hitchcock are among the godfathers of modern art of direction. Among them, Kubrick’s genius and unique style glisters bright and high. Although most of his masterpieces were controversial yet they depict the depth of his imagination and  the vastness of his vision. His sci-fic masterpiece “2001: A Space Odyssey” happens to be, undoubtedly, one of the greatest movies of all time. I don’t think so any other movie has ever sparked such heated discussions and debates. I personally have seen hundreds of movies, positively the number exceeds 500, but I don’t recall any movie that almost involuntarily compelled me into deep meditations, both from scientific and philosophical aspects. It happens to be one of the most enigmatic, mysterious, thought-provoking, original, imaginative and visionary movies with ground-breaking special effects and score. Beginning from four million years ago and culminating at 2001, this is the story of mankind’s evolution, mental and intellectual more than physical. A tribute to restless and boundless human spirit. Interestingly, the movie contains only 45 minutes of spoken dialogues over a running time of two hours and twenty minutes!

 

Amidst the countless ramblings and renditions, Kubrick never offered any ‘official’ interpretation of the storyline of 2001:ASO. In an interview, he remarked:

 

“… If the film stirs the emotions and penetrates the subconscious of the viewer, if it stimulates, however inchoately, his mythological and religious yearnings and impulses, then it has succeeded.”

 

Clockwork Orange, and ultra-violent film, takes us deep into human nature, morality and complex psychology and the consequences of it being supressed by force. The movie was so controversial that once it was nominated for Oscar, no one was willing to come up and announce the nominations and the winner for best picture, as none wanted their name associated with this controversy. Jack Nicholson, however, an ever-dare-devil, finally plunged in.

 

Kubrick is not for those movie buffs who seek pure entertainment or action. His movies are food for positive though, an intellectual nourishment. And that, to me, is the most important purpose of the art of cinema.

Price of Sanity.

Plainview: I’d like you to tell me that you are a false prophet… I’d like you to tell me that you are, and have been, a false prophet… and that God is a superstition.
Eli Sunday: …but that’s a lie… it’s a lie, I cannot say it.
[long pause]
Eli Sunday: When can we begin to drill?
Plainview: Right away.
Eli Sunday: How long will it take to bring in the well?
Plainview: Should be very quick.
Eli Sunday: I would like a one hundred thousand dollar signing bonus plus the five that is owed with interest.
Plainview: That’s only fair.
Eli Sunday: I am a false prophet and God is a superstition. If that’s what you believe, then I will say it.
Plainview: Say it like you mean it.
Eli Sunday: Daniel…
Plainview: Say it like it’s your sermon.
Eli Sunday: This is foolish.
[long pause]
Eli Sunday: I am a false prophet! God is a superstition! I am a false prophet! God is a superstition! I am a false prophet! God is a superstition!
[pause]
Eli Sunday: Is that fine?
Plainview: Those areas have been drilled.
Eli Sunday: What?
Plainview: Those areas have been drilled.
Eli Sunday: …no they haven’t…
Plainview: It’s called drainage. I own everything around it… so I get everything underneath it.
Eli Sunday: But there are no derricks there. This is the Bandy tract. Do you understand?
Plainview: Do you? I drink your water, Eli. I drink it up. Everyday. I drink the blood of lamb from Bandy’s tract.

Scarecrow (1973): All Hail Al Pacino!

Saw this remarkable yet overlooked classic today and boy awesome it was! Al Pacino, man, Al Pacino. He’s the GOD of acting. Gene Hackman was no less. Perfect combination and a suberp masterpiece. Plus, screw academy, Al Pacino transcends all awards and honors!
A beautiful and emotional movie portraying two lives coming together by chance and the impact that one life has upon the other. It’s about the things that we learn from others through this journey of life, and the things we teach them….intentionally or unintentionally. It’s about the beauty of friendship and trust.

 

Lion (to Max): You’re laughing, Max. And guess what? I taught you that!

 

Pacino’s meltdown at the fountain and Hackman’s drunk scene are two of the cinematic gems I’ve ever seen. One of Al Pacino’s most creative and brilliant characters ever and same goes for Hackman.

Lion: Hey Max, you ever heard the story of the scarecrow?
Max Millan: No.
Lion: You think crows are scared of a scarecrow?
Max Millan: Yea, yea, they’re scared.
Lion: Yea? Why? Nope, cause they’re not scared, believe me.
Max Millan: Yea, the goddamned crows are scared!
Lion: No! The crows are laughin’.
Max Millan: No, that’s bullshit.
Lion: That’s right, the crows are laughin’. Look, the farmer puts out a scarecrow, right, with a funny hat on it and it’s got a funny face. The crows fly by, they see that, it strikes them funny, makes them laugh.
Max Millan: The goddamned crows are laughin?
Lion: That’s right, they’re laughin their asses off. And then they say, “Well, that ol’ farmer Jo down there, he’s a pretty good guy! He made us laugh so we won’t bother him any more.”
Max Millan: The goddamned crows are laughin…
Lion: Ooh, they’re laughin…

Gran Torino – signs of a good year!

After a pretty bad year for movies, 2009 starts with a great movie ‘Gran Torino’, once again proving Clint Eastwood’s immense talents as an actor and director ( Let’s for a while forget the bad acting by most of the characters and concentrate on the movie itself) The movie has quite similar themes to Eastwood’s  previously directed movies like ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and ‘Unforgiven’. A lonely character consumed and wearied with the remorse and regrets of past mistakes and life he thinks was not the way it should’ve been, and in the end finally gets a chance to redeem himself off this burden. Of course, a great theme!

 

Other than this usual beautiful theme, the movie touches the emotional gap between generations and unsaid and unfulfilled love. The selfishness of human relations and the purity of human feelings, redemption and sacrifice. What the priest teaches in the church, Walt had practically experienced throughout his life, especially the years he spent in the Korean war. He despises the standards of the church and the priests. It’s clearly manifested when the young priest asks him why does he dislike him so much and he answers:

 

“I think you’re an over educated 27-year-old virgin who likes to hold the hands of superstitious old ladies and promise them everlasting life.”

 

And:

 

Father Janovich: Let’s talk about life and death.

Walt Kowalski: Life and death. What the hell do you know about life and death?

Father Janovich: I’d like to think I know a lot. I’m a priest….

Walt Kowalski: yeah, you get up and preach about life and death. But all what you know is what you’ve learned in the priest school. Right out of the rookie Preacher’s Handbook.

 

And then the horrible incident that drags the priest a little towards reality out of the hypothetical world of Bible:

 

Father Janovich:  I knoow you’re close to these people, but this pisses me off, Mr. Kowalski. Damn all this.This just isn’t fair!

Walt Kowalski: Nothing is fair, father.

 

It was one of those movies which I thoroughly enjoyed and loved because they are realistic about the joys and pains of life and because in the end, we have good lessons to learn from them.

 

The directing was superb, plot was good, dialogues and score was good and the only thing that went a little bad was the acting of most of the characters, but of course, that’s not as important as other things. Eastwood does a superb job as an actor, director and producer as he always does and with this movie marking the start of 2009, one can hope good for this year while highly anticipated movies like “Public Enemies” and “Inglorious Bastards” are already on the list!

You Talkin’ to Me?!!!

                                       

If you ask me to compile up a list of my favorite  film characters of all time, Travis Bickel may not be the first one. He may not be even in the top three characters. But, there’s something so special about him, I’m compelled to write this.

 

The only other character that I can remember and relate with Bickel is Sonny Wortzick in “Dog Day Afternoon”. People may not agree but that’s what I feel. Seldom has any characters dominated the screen simultaneously with it’s intensity and it’s silence. Seldom has any character spoken so eloquently with his eyes.

 

May be I like him so much because I found quite a few similarities between him and myself. Travis was the guy who lived at the extremes – now completely numb to everything, to any pain and pleasure, and now ready to explode with ever increasing frustration and anger. There are people who are lonely but still they push other people away from them to retain their loneliness, even though the same loneliness is the source of their agony.

 

“Loneliness has followed me everywhere. In cars, in bars, sidewalks, stores. There’s no escape. I’m God’s lonely man!”

 

He was another introvert who had some serious psychological problem but could not figure out what problem that exactly was. He was sick of all the hypocrisy and void pretentious morality prevailing.

 

“One day a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets!”

 

This was one of those very rare movies that run on a single character, one of those films where the film means the character, and when you try to think of that film by taking that particular character out of it, you really can’t think of anything!