tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post5604730157361948329..comments2024-03-29T15:45:04.867+05:30Comments on Jabberwock: Cinemas of India: Dharavi, Party, Suraj ka Satvan Ghoda, Salim Langde pe Mat RoJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-18367229894976879342016-11-06T07:30:02.612+05:302016-11-06T07:30:02.612+05:30Jai, the only reason I haven't bothered to buy...Jai, the only reason I haven't bothered to buy the restored DVD of my favourite movie Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron (am shocked that the existence of which was unknown to me till recently) is that it's listed by NFDC as being 110 mins long, but places like IMDb and Wikipedia (not the most reliable, I know) list a running time of 132 mins. Moreover buyers on Flipkart and Amazon have also complained about numerous cuts, and I for one am simply appalled that NFDC proudly talks about this version as if it is the definitive one. Also I have never seen a single site do anything but praise this re-release, with ZERO mention of a shocking 22 mins being missing! Is it that the reviewers have seen the film so many times that they simply scanned this version quickly, got awed by whatever little restoration has been carried out and proclaimed it to be the best version yet?<br /><br />What's your take on this? Having written an entire book on this seminal film, I'd love it if an expert like you can truly write an in-depth review of the 'restoration'. If the 22 missing minutes can be verified then it's high time we had respected voices like yours help all us common folk raise a massive hue and cry about this fiasco.<br /><br />We absolutely need to demand that our classics be treated in a far better manner so that we can enjoy them just as foreigners do with all their well-preserved and restored films. Even our best preserved or so-called 'restored' prints of movies from a few decades back likely can't compare in quality to restored prints of the nine decades old Metropolis for example, which is a real shame. What's worse is that it's not even that we lack the expertise, because I read recently that there's a restoration lab down south (AP I think) that does cutting-edge contract work for respected foreign directors and studios. Why can't our directors, producers, govt. entities like NFDC etc. tap into that local expertise then so that we can all experience our own great films today just as they were meant to be enjoyed when they were released all those years ago?Surajnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-49045932299281897252012-11-04T21:54:08.307+05:302012-11-04T21:54:08.307+05:30Brilliant post. I have fond memories of cutting cl...Brilliant post. I have fond memories of cutting classes and watching Suraj ka Satvan Ghora in theater, either at Nandan or Chaplin, in Calcutta during the first week of its release. Been tempted to revisit, but scared of touching the pirated copy I bought from an Indian grocery store a few years ago. Also strongly nodding my head in approval for your appreciation of Party.Dipanjanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01615918701165933620noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-90873079694313526492012-11-02T09:36:02.222+05:302012-11-02T09:36:02.222+05:30soblownaway: I need to do a lot more watching of I...soblownaway: I need to do a lot more watching of Iranian cinema myself before I can write with any intelligence about it. But will keep it in mind...Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-15159564000004989752012-11-02T09:35:02.938+05:302012-11-02T09:35:02.938+05:30Rahul: yes, I wrote about Shafi Inamdar in the lon...Rahul: yes, I wrote about Shafi Inamdar in the longer post about <i>Party</i>. Interesting comparison with Quinn as Gauguin!<br /><br />Don't know about Pavan Malhotra. Could be a combination of not getting the right opportunities (the sorts of opportunities someone like Nawazuddin Siddiqui is getting these days, for example) and lacking the right amount of that mysterious "it" quality required to strike a chord with even a parallel-cinema audience (the sort of quality that even Naseer and Om Puri have in spades). But really can't say.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-17535823027626979632012-11-02T09:20:50.879+05:302012-11-02T09:20:50.879+05:30Party had many acting big wigs, but the performanc...Party had many acting big wigs, but the performance that has stuck with me is Shafi Inamdar's. Its similar in impact to Anthony Quinn's 10 min role in Lust for Life for which he got the Oscar. Though there was an issue central to it, to me it never felt didactic. I have not seen Exterminating Angel, but in theme, though not in construct, I felt some similarity to another Bunuel movie - Discrete Charm of the Bourgeoisie.<br />Wonder what you think about the acting career of Pavan Malhotra. He had a way of blending in with the surroundings, and always gave a strong performance. But somehow he never got the roles nor the respect in public memory as Om, Naseer etc. Is it because of his understated style of acting?<br /> <br />Rahulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08600228969911790479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-67509484865350924822012-10-31T23:09:56.616+05:302012-10-31T23:09:56.616+05:30They're priced at Rs 179 on Flipkart - a steal...They're priced at Rs 179 on Flipkart - a steal, considering these are really priceless.<br /><br />Jai, I'm a big fan of Iranian cinema and have watched quite a few of them - a couple from your blog posts (A Separation, Poulet aux Prunes).<br /><br />Not intending to influence your posts, but I'd love to see a write-up on some of the other gems - The White Balloon, Baran, Bashu, the Little Stranger, The Cow (Gaav)soblownawayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00865702926061416244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-20191642726125387992012-10-31T17:20:01.965+05:302012-10-31T17:20:01.965+05:30Prashila: they are priced at Rs 199, which is good...Prashila: they are priced at Rs 199, which is good value for money for these prints. And last I checked you could get them for Rs 170 or so on Flipkart.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-31518824017748534652012-10-31T12:31:22.403+05:302012-10-31T12:31:22.403+05:30Ahaaa , such a nice article this one . Applause!
T...Ahaaa , such a nice article this one . Applause!<br />That's a great initiative by NFDC. Its such a pity I haven't even heard of so many of the films in the little poster that you have put up. These movies need to be more well known .I hope they publicize these prints a little more . How are these DVDs priced BTW? <br />And its interesting you think , lesser known faces would have worked better in place of Om Puri and Shabana in Dharavi . OK Shabana maybe , but Om Puri to me was just perfect in that movie , in that role and would love to read a more detailed post on both Dharavi and Suraj ka... from you . And am I the only one who saw a strong influence of Rashomon on the latter movie's execution ?Prashilanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-26936124691045307992012-10-31T04:06:58.918+05:302012-10-31T04:06:58.918+05:30Suraj ka Saatwaan Ghoda is by Dharmveer Bharti and...Suraj ka Saatwaan Ghoda is by Dharmveer Bharti and not Dharmeer Bhatiya. <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dharmveer_BhartiNanga Fakirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12543806919378042339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-87690892720295832192012-10-30T22:49:13.897+05:302012-10-30T22:49:13.897+05:30This is really good news. I bought the Shemaroo Ja...This is really good news. I bought the Shemaroo Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro some years ago to show my children and it was such a disappointment. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com