Celebrating 100 Years of Indian Cinema: 10 movies that made the difference

This post is little late. On 3rd May 1913, Dadadaheb Phalke released first ever full-length Indian feature film - Raja Harishchandra(1913). I was little late to act and post something on 3rd but better late than never. To commemorate this occasion, I give you 10 films that made difference to the industry, in many ways, to take it where it stands currently. Even though the title says Indian cinema, for this list I will concentrate on Hindi cinema since except for Marathi film Industry, I have no real expertise to judge other regional cinema. That would imply Satyajit Ray won't make an appearance here, though I have no doubt whatsoever about his place and legacy. There also won’t be obvious choices like Raja Harishchandra above or Sant Tukaram(1936), first ever Indian film to be screened at an International Film Festival. Now, making a list on such a broad topic is very subjective. There is no one way to define 'making a difference'. So, this is just my take on it. You may agree on some of them, you may disagree on some but I hope you'll join me in saying that all these movies substantially contributed to the Indian cinema, for better or for worse. Another thing I must mention, this is not the list of my favourite films. I may not even like some of the films on the list. Though it is impossible to completely avoid personal biases seeping in, I have tried to look at it objectively through my limited knowledge of cinema and this list is a result of that. Hopefully, some of you will find some value in it.

In chronological order,

1. Alam Ara(1931): This is a by-default entry in this list on the virtue of being ‘First ever Indian talkie’. Unfortunately, this movie has been long since lost and hence off course I haven’t seen it. Director Ardeshir Irani was just one of many directors trying to make a talking film and gauging its importance, made a conscious effort to finish it as soon as possible. After release, he turned out to be right as the movie turned out to be such a big hit, they needed police to control the crowds. But even in 1931, it wasn’t just talking; it was singing too and was 124 minutes long(Now you know why Indian movies are long or have songs).

2. Neecha Nagar(1946): Directed by Chetan Anand, it is one of the three films being credited for the rise of Parallel Cinema in Hindi film industry. Other two being Nagarik(1952) by Ritwik Ghatak which I have never seen and Bimal Roy’s Do Bigha Zamin(1953) which I have already written as an Essential film in Bollywood. So I guess I am giving Neecha Nagar its due credit by including it in this list, after all it is the oldest movie of three and was a winner of Grand Prize at Cannes. All these films also introduced the theme of neo-realism to the industry which became very much prevalent later in a lot of mainstream films as well.

3. Mother India(1957): First Indian movie to be nominated for the Oscar and it probably was the pinnacle of neorealism that Neecha Nagar introduced. The period from ‘40s to some early ‘60s is usually regarded as ‘Golden Age’ of Hindi cinema. Lot of movies which are still held to the highest acclaim were made during that time. As usual, I was trying to spread the wealth as much as possible in this list but this is 4^th film from that period; there is a reason it’s called golden age. Mother India sometimes gets flacked for being too melodramatic and to tell you the truth, I even agree. But what makes it great is the accurate depiction of social and economic conditions in India at that time.

4. Madhumati(1958): If you watch this movie today, I am sure nobody will think world of this movie because, to tell you the truth, there is nothing extraordinary about this movie that you see on screen. What’s extraordinary is its legacy. There are hundreds of trivial things that we take for granted in horror films that were first used in Madhumati like inhibited mansion in the middle of nowhere, suspicious looking caretaker of that house who is the only living soul in miles, even something as trivial as cracking main door or the walking candle. I strongly believe that every single thriller, horror movie made since owes something to Madhumati. 

5. Mughal-E-Azam(1960): In many ways, Mughal-E-Azam is Indian cinema’s Metropolis(1927). There is no connection with the subject matter but the first thing that comes to my mind about it is K. Asif’s epic vision. But that’s not the only similarity. Asif started working on this film in 1944. By the time it released, everything that can be changed about it was changed and it drove Asif to bankruptcy becoming the most expensive film then. However, he always kept his eyes on the target and relentlessly pursued it, to the last detail. He also made sure it never became style over substance. As a result, there are not many films even today that have such an epic scope but still have solid cinematic foundations.

6. Sholay(1975): No list talking about the greatest movies in Bollywood can be complete without the inclusion of probably the most iconic Hindi movie of all time. What the hell! Why do I even need ‘probably’? It is THE most iconic Hindi movie of all time. I really don’t think there are many people who’ll think of that as going too far. Sholay is just that solid. 1975 was a great year for Bollywood. There are few more films that year that left their mark on the industry including Deewaar(1975). In 1975, Deewaar was a bigger hit; it won most of the awards over Sholay as well. But after so many years, I think not only Sholay has endured the test of time better but it has contributed more to the industry to substantiate this place.

7. Mr. India(1987): Of all the films on this list, this is probably the least expected film to appear on such list but I think it is worth that honour. Despite being a very mainstream film with every aspect of a typical ‘Masala’ film present, this is probably the only example Sci-Fi film done right in the industry. Yes, I called it a sci-fi film. Well, the man disappears! So, if Hollow Man(2000) is sci-fi, so is Mr. India. I can think of many other movies that attempted this genre but in my opinion almost every single one of them fails miserably. The fact that Shekhar Kapur at least successfully entertains you in Mr. India is enough for me to put it in this list. Add on one of the most iconic villain and Hawa-Hawai to it and I am sold.

8. Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge(1995): Since '90s, a typical Bollywood movie can be summed up as a ‘Family-centric Romantic Musical’. I know that is lot of genres together but on an average, any Hindi film fits into about 5 genres. So bear with me. In my opinion, success of DDLJ played an instrumental role in shifting the pendulum towards it. In the intro, I said that these movies changed the industry, for better or for worse. In the hindsight I think what followed it was for worse but I am not about to blame this movie for incompetence of those who tried to cash-on its success. It does have its weaknesses, I won’t deny that but if you want to watch a typical Bollywood masala movie, why not go for the best? That’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge for you.

9. Satya(1998): There aren’t many movies that can boast something Satya can – it made it necessary to introduce whole another genre in the industry. Mumbai Noir. Ramgopal Verma’s Satya is first gangster movie made in Hindi. This legacy alone guarantees it a spot on many lists, executing it as well as it does was just an added advantage to solidify its position in the history of Hindi cinema. Genre made popular by the likes of Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese came to India in the form of Satya and I don’t know if it reflects positively or negatively on the industry but despite many other movies made since, it still remains to be ‘the best’.

10. 3 Idiots(2009): This movie is Bollywood equivalent of Fight Club(1999) for me because I might be one of 7 people on this earth who have seen this film and does not think that it is the greatest thing in the world. In my opinion it goes way too over the top too many times to take it seriously. But at the same time I cannot deny the fact that this is the highest grossing movie of all time, first one to cross INR 1 billion mark and the reason it’s on the list – to open many overseas markets for Indian movies. It’s not the first time Indian movies have had success overseas; Karan Johar has been making movies exclusively for that market since late ‘90s but none did the business like this one did and I believe 3 Idiots is an important reason why there have been film festivals going on in Japan or regular releases of Hindi movies in many other markets of East Asia.

20 Favourite 'New To Me' films of 2012

2012 was the best year as far as blogging is concerned for me. Well, the fact that this was the ONLY full year of blogging I have had thus far made it very easy. But, Still it was pretty incredible year. First full year of blogging, documenting and cataloging the movies I have seen throughout the year and my brief thoughts on them and off course, other bloggers that have already done similar lists made me want to do this list. So, this is the list of 20 movies that I liked the most out of 305 movies that I saw in the calender year of 2012 for the first time. In all likelihood, as and when I update my Top 100, most of them will make it into that list, if they already aren't. Most interesting part of making this list was sifting through all the movies I have seen and realizing that it has been less than a year since I have seen, City Lights(1931) or The Game(1997). For a strange reason, I feel like I have loved these movies for a long, long time. And yes, I have left all the 2012 releases out of the list since at some point of time, most likely mid-February, I will eventually do the list of my favourite 2012 movies. So, they will have there time in limelight. It's time for some older movies to shine. Lets get to it then.

Honourable Mentions: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof(1958), The Lost Weekend(1945), Away From Her(2006), All About Eve(1950), Cache(2006), Brokeback Mountain(2004).

20. Black Narcissus(1947): After watching The Red Shoes(1948) last year, which really impressed me and introduced me to the duo of Powell and Pressburger, Black Narcissus took it a step further. I am arguably a little partial towards it because of the Indian settings and using them well but then I look at that last scene and it feels like it deserves it. It really does.

 

19. Paths of Glory(1957): Let me start with the usual. Not a big Kubrick Fan but that's what makes Paths of Glory special that despite not belonging to the Kubrick camp, I loved it. It is Kubrick at its usual acerbic best. He still uses the platform to criticize but it is little restrained and is for the right cause which makes it exploratory and not exploitative. 

18. The Birds(1963): I live less than 100 miles from Bodega Bay and the fact that this happens on that location made me scare for my life. Not Really, just joking but this is true that I was more scared while watching this movie than most of the so called scary/horror movies I have seen. Over the time, this has even made into my favourite Hitchcock's as well.

17. Life of Brian(1979): After being long overdue, I finally caught up with Monty Pythons last year. This year, I caught up with Life of Brian. It sure still is one of the funniest movies of all time but I have been amazed by its power to infuse a discussion and to prove my point I will point you to the only thing that is even better than this film is this interview.

 

16. The Discreet Charm of Bourgeoisie(1972): Bunuel's movies are a challenge. However the fact that this is not the only Bunuel in the list should certify to the fact that I like this challenge. Walking into this movie, almost without knowing anything about it makes it an even bigger challenge and I think I almost gave it up but I realized what's happening at the last image. It all suddenly made a lot more sense then. I have rarely had such 180 turns based on 1 still.

15. A Separation(2011): Last year at around this time everyone was getting excited about this movie. As usual, I arrived little late but this movie hit me equally hard, just like everyone else. I flat out deny to draw any conclusions from this about Iranian policies but what I really do admire is earnestness and honesty of the script and in the performances. It is also really hard to believe that there is absolutely no sappy melodrama in it.

14. The General(1926): I can say that one of the highlights of my self movie education this year will be my introduction to Buster Keaton. What I appreciate the most about this movie is that it is not just a collection of some gags but there is a real story to it. I still belong to the Camp Chaplin but if Buster Keaton can make anything as funny and fluent as The General, the other side has got a damn strong case too.

13. The Double Life of Veronique(1991): After his Three Colours Trilogy last year, this was the next logical step for Kieslowski for me and personally, this was even better than anything in the trilogy. Even in the trilogy, Red was my favourite and there is one big reason for that - Irene Jacob. There is something in her face or the way Kieslowski presents her that keeps me fixated on her, almost hypnotized.

12. Viridiana(1961): As I said, there are more than one Bunuel on the list. Cynicism of this movie astounds me. There really isn't much worse that you can do to defame any regime. Spanish authorities promptly banned this movie right after they saw the final cut. I wouldn't have been surprised if they tried to kill it completely and we never would have known that such a film once existed. But it takes real courage to make such movie and do it so well.

11. Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf(1966): In the past year, quite a few of my fellow bloggers turned in their lists of various favourite performance. Truth be told, I won't be able to do such a list. I only know that my favourite male performance is Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will be Blood(2007) and its female counterpart would be Elizabeth Taylor in this movie. I swear to god that I never imagined in my wildest dream that anything like this was ever possible.

10. The Game(1997): It feels a little weird that it has been less than a year since I saw The Game for the first time. It feels like it has been quite a while because it is the movie that made me fall in love with the city of San Francisco. Off course, it does have a great concept executed exquisitely which keeps your adrenaline pumping and which doesn't fail you in the end, once the secret is revealed. 

9. Shame(2011): Just like A Separation(2011), Shame never made into my Top 10 in 2011 just because I wasn't able to catch up with it anywhere close to the end of last year. I got to it almost 6 months into 2012 but once again, just like A Separation, realized that it indeed is that damn good. Carrey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender's performances, only topped by very harsh and honest representation of an addiction.

8. Judgement at Nuremberg(1961): It was more than two years ago that I heard such movie existed. I spent almost one year trying to find a copy of this movie until I finally found it by complete off chance. I spent some more time before watching it even after owning a copy of it but when I did watch, I understood why people recommend it so highly. Since the day I have seen it, I haven't been able to shake off Burt Lancaster's monologue in the court.

7. Metropolis(1927): Thanks to Netflix, I saw the most complete version of it and I am thankful I did because I had no idea about the existence of multiple versions when I saw it. I am sure that many agree with me when I say that what amazes me the most about it is the vision of this movie. In my opinion, making this movie in 1927 was an exceptional feat. However, making it in such a way that it remains relevant even after so many years is nothing short of miracle.

6. Boogie Nights(1997): I had heard a lot of good things bout this movie and I found most of them to be true when I actually checked it out. It has the amazing opening tracking shot that introduces almost the whole cast in a single shot, it also has one of the most incredible ensemble cast assembled where every one delivers. However, what I find interesting about it is these are great actors playing bad actors on screen and doing a great job at that.  

5. Pather Panchali(1955): Satyajit Ray is probably the most well-known Indian director in the world and his Apu Trilogy is his most well-known work. I was really glad when I got a chance to watch them this year because of a friend. Like lot of others, I really think this is one of the Best Trilogies in the history of cinema but out of the three, Pather Panchali made a greater impression on me because of the way it celebrates the small joys of life. It made me nostalgic.

4. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans(1927): If it wasn't for that ending, I would have killed everybody related to that movie. It should be a crime that they get us to care so much for the characters in such a little time and then send us home as a blabbering mess that I would have been, if not for that ending. But they did the right thing and so I am doing it too by including it in this list. Seriously, one of the most iconic silent movies.

3. Dr. Strangelove(1964): Did I say that I am traditionally not a Kubrick fan? And then sound like a hypocrite putting two movies on this list? Well, that's an occupational hazard I guess. But this was the perfect place, perfect scenario for all the criticism, cynicism that Kubrick's movies are full of; up to the brim. There are very few films that take a dead serious issue, turn it into a broad comedy and do in successfully. It also has one of the most iconic dialogues ever.

2. The Seventh Seal(1957): 1957 was an amazing year. There are so many movies made around the world in that year which are still considered as some of the best works of art. However, even if we only look at Ingmar Bergman, he made The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries. Two of my favourites and I love that they are really deep but at the same time so accessible. For a movie that is primarily about death, I was surprised by how much of hope there is in it

            

1. City Lights(1931): I have been watching Chaplin since I was kid. That's why I was really surprised when I realized that it has been less than a year since I saw City Lights. It seems like I have known him much longer. His Tramp has an uncanny ability of making you laugh so hard that it would make your stomach hurt but then do something so innocent, so pure, so beautiful that a single drop of tear would drop out of your eyes and you wouldn't even know it. Watch the last scene of this movie if you need any proof.

Breaking the Silence: Pre-1930 Silent Movies

Since few months ago, I started keeping track of movies I have seen from '1001 movies' list. Just for the sake of convenience I arranged my page according to decades. What I realized because of this arrangement was there was only 1 pre-1930 movie I had seen. Moreover, if we don't count any Chaplin or Laurel & Hardy movies, I had never seen a silent movie before. While looking out for them, I found quite a few of them available on Netflix Instant, some others were available to watch legally online courtesy Internet Archives. Now, I had everything I needed to watch them, a reason, a resource and time. All I needed was one final push and I knew I will get onto it. But as usual they just sat their in my queues waiting to be seen for well over a month. Finally, Tyler became the catalyst to start this thing when while doing his Liebster Award post, he tagged me and asked 'What is your favorite pre-1930 movie?' as one of the questions. I didn't have one as I have only seen 1. But that did the trick and over the last month I went on a binge and saw 7 pre-1930 silent movies. Believe me when I tell you this has to be the single most biggest learning experience for me, as far as movies are concerned and hence I had to record it in some way. Here is that record in order of personal preference.  

Metropolis(1927): I saw the restored version of this which clocks in at about 150 minutes. Initially when I read the synopsis of this movie, knowing that it was made in 1927 and its a silent movie, I was little skeptical about how good it will be or rather how will it be brought on screen. Add to it the fact that it runs for almost two and half hours and I got a reason to put it further back in my queue. But then I got couple of references assuring the quality of this movie and I finally gave it a try on the last day of last month. I don't think I use this term too often but I was, by every sense of this word, "blown away" by this movie. This movie is a product of astonishing vision brought to life on grandest of scales possible to man then. I am not really surprised but rather sad to know that it nearly bankrupted the studio after failing to make a profit. For a movie made in 1927(I think I will used this term in almost every movie here but it really is true), this movie is not only a technical masterpiece but is also a lesson in great storytelling. Besides there are so many themes this movie explores that stay true even after more than 85 years. The way whole story unfolds on multiple fronts which entangles various characters to each other and leads to its eventual ending is riveting stuff. And with the all the history behind countless cuts and prints it has gone through, it also gives a whole new meaning to the concept of 'Directors Cut' and many more versions that have become fashionable in Hollywood now-a-days. I can only imagine how much this movie must have influenced cinema over the years. People usually talk about Breathless(1960) or 2001: The Space Odessey(1968) as the movies that influenced the generations of movies after them. I do not have anything against them however, if someone asks me, from today onwards I will always answer it as Metropolis.

Sunrise: Song of Two Humans(1927): I know many people who consider this as the Best Silent movie made Ever. Though I have to disagree with that, I certainly understand why people might call it that. Even I thought it to be very simple but delightful story of regular couple going through a difficult time in their relationship. In contrast to Metropolis, everything is very mundane and simple now but even then director Murnau, who makes another appearance a little down the list,  kept me interested from very start to finish. I will rather compare it with Bicycle Thieves(1948) as both movies have simplicity as their biggest asset and their biggest success is they use it to invoke so many emotions in you. I laughed when they laughed, I cried when they did and I became concerned when they got in any trouble. Getting into it, knowing that it is a story of a couple where a husband falls under the spells of a seductress from the city and tries to get rid of his wife but falters at the last moment and then spends all the remaining time convincing her of his change of heart, 'And They lived Happily Ever After' story was all I hoped for but this was so much more where the real highlights were Janet Gaynor, the Wife and first ever Oscar winner for Best Actress and that crisp Black and White cinematography giving it another Oscar as well. This was first of the whole lot that I got to and it certainly set the mood right for others to come.

The General(1926): My first ever Buster Keaton. I have practically been brought up on Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy and even though Buster Keaton is usually compared with Chaplin for obvious reasons, I hadn't even heard of him until couple of months ago. So, when I decided to dip my toes in silent movies, I wanted at least one of it to be Buster Keaton and I went for The General because to my knowledge this is his highest rated movie and the one with the most past to it. I certainly know why now. There were multiple moments where I laughed out loud but what impressed me more is even though it is a slapstick comedy, it had a great structure which worked perfectly with descent story. Definitely the biggest highlights was Buster Keaton with his stone face and great automotive chase which goes on for almost half the running time of the film. Add to it the fact that he used to do all his stunts on his own which even though are done at a little slower pace are still very physical and quite dangerous and most certainly effective. I am not really surprised to know that Jackie Chan(for the record, I have immense respect for this man solely based on his dedication to do all his stunts himself) took a lot of inspiration from him, in his stunts, in his comedy. However another highlight for me was a delightful soundtrack as well. Hopefully some of his other movies will be just as good. 

Nosferatu(1922): I have never seen or read any versions of Dracula but from what I know in bits and pieces, I kept on thinking this two are very similar stories. It turns out that I was right and Murnau was even dragged into the court by Stoker's wife. Despite this, if you have read my previous post you would know that I still think that this is a largely successful movie. Roger Ebert in his review said that "It doesn't really scare you but it haunts you". Yes, it did not scare me and yes, it did indeed haunt me. He goes on to say that "It shows not that vampires can jump out of shadows but that evil can grow there, nourished on death." and again I have to concur. Watching this movie 90 years after its release, it is very easy to disregard this as an inferior product and believe me, even I can certainly find 100 faults in it but what we are forgetting is the legacy of this movie which has given us so many movies with similar themes. However there is only one thing that makes me really sad and that is today we have gone from this to Twilight. Twilight fans, think like this - if it wasn't for Nosferatu, you might never had Twilight.

The Phantom of the Opera(1925): You know what, I can just copy - paste everything i said above here and it will be almost true here as well. The Phantom of the Opera probably isn't as good as previous one but the Phantom in it is nothing short of work of a Genius. It is almost sure to make you cringe in that now famous revealing scene. I certainly have never seen anything as hideous as him and I really mean it as a compliment of the highest order. It isn't as haunting or even as influential but believe me when I say that for a horror movie, being inferior to Nosferatu is not a bad thing at all. In few departments it even fairs better like in my opinion, this one has a better storyline and succeeds in holding your attention even when the Phantom is not on screen. Nosferatu suffers a little with its vampire off the screen.

Battleship Potemkin(1925): Being a propaganda movie about 1905 mutiny when the crew of battleship Potemkin rebelled against the officers of Tsarist regime, this one has a distinct feel of documentary rather than a movie. Even though I appreciate the effort put into making it, unfortunately it didn't really work well for me. I usually try and consider the time an surroundings in which a movie is made. Maybe it is my lack of much background here but I don't have much to discount here. Most of the scenes are actually good but looked way too long and the worst part is not with real reason behind it, even the famous Odessa Step sequence. 

Sherlock Jr.(1925): Second Buster Keaton of the month but with quite the polar opposite results for me. All the reasons why I loved The General are exactly why I didn't really care much for Sherlock Jr. It lacks any real format to it, almost all the comedy in it is too coincidental and even a little lazy.

I still have few more silents in queue but I would love to have your recommendations as where do I go next from here. That's what comments are for.