Dawn Of The Dead (1978)

Director: George A. Romero

Cast: Ken Foree, David Early, David Emge
Genre: Action/Comedy

Plot: Zombies! Dawn of the Dead continues with the phenomenon that started with "Night of the Living Dead (1968)". Only this time, the epidemic has spread on a much larger scale. The film primarily focuses on a pilot, his girlfriend, and two S.W.A.T. team members. The entire film reflects the change in their psyche as the epidemic worsens.

If I assume it's a horror movie--that's what IMDB says--then I won't rate it anything above 4/10. Won't label it a comedy either. 

It is more like a character study where the actions of those affected are identifiable. The undead are on a prowl and there is no law and order left. Everyone is going haywire. All of this means, there is freedom to do anything. And in freedom, there is Power; and we all know with Power comes great Responsibility. Sadly in this imperfect world not everyone is responsible. The end result--Dawn of the Dead.

We do hear about such acts when a tragedy/calamity strikes. Like when there was Tsunami in Sri Lanka or when the Earthquake hit Haiti, we all saw some people looting shops and damaging property. Though, generalizing such a behavior is too farfetched for me. As there are always strong minded people who come up gold in adversity and lead by example.

Dawn of the Dead for me is a mockery of human psyche and a pretty good one!

Don't expect any horror treat!

7.4/10

The Elephant Man (1980)

Director: David Lynch

Cast: Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft

Genre: Drama/Biography

Plot: John Merrick (Joseph Merrick actual name), a severely deformed man, earns his livelihood by working in London freak show.

Based on true life story of Joseph Merrick, The Elephant man is a another classic Lynch. Beauty of the movie lies in its Black & White filming which gels so well with the 19th century England, even though it is made in 1980.
It is still not clear what was the disease John suffered from, if it was a disease at all and not plain deformity.

The movie has been adopted from the novel by the same name by Frederick Treves- the surgeon in the movie played by Anthony Hopkins.

In the movie we get to see a man - dubbed as the elephant man, amusing Victorian era audience in freak side-shows.A drunkard named Bytes claims to be his owner. Fredrick Treves saves John from the clutches of Bytes.
He brings him to a hospital and is successful in convincing everyone to let John be a permanent resident there. Several tests are carried out on John and it is revealed he is only in his early twenties!
In the hospital care,after initial apprehension of the staff, John regains his confidence a bit and everyone realizes he is not an imbecile rather an educated young man. Merrick soon starts to open up and this brings forth his creative side as well.
He soon gathers a lot of fame and is regularly visited by many affluent Londoners, especially ladies. John knows he is a subject of curiosity for the rich and famous but he doesn't mind it. Though this affects Fredrick's conscience as he finds himself guilty of turning John into a show-biz item, especially after being blamed by the head nurse who is in-charge of john's care. Fredrick's beautiful wife and John himself help him clear is conscience.
A greedy man in the hospital staff sees Elephant man as an opportunity to earn a few quick bucks and brings in curious, drunk visitors every night to John's room, turning it into a freak show again. A scared John keeps mum about this night business.on one such night Bytes manages to kidnap John again and runs to Europe with him, where once again John is turned into a Freak show attraction. Merrick escapes with the help of his fellow freak show attractions, and somehow makes it back to London.
In London he is chased by young hooligans and accidentally knocks down a little girl. His appearance further infuriates the crowd and they all mock him while he is running away. Finally he is cornered and can run no more, so he gathers the courage to speak up , telling everyone "I am not an animal, I am a human being" . Whole crowd is taken aback by this act, soon policemen rescue him and take him to the hospital.
He begins to recuperate in the hospital and one of the admirer of his sophisticated charm- Celebrity Mrs. Kendal, arranges a musical theatre for him. john enjoys the show thoroughly and is pumped up again.He finishes his miniature of nearby church.
For years, John's condition has forced him to sleep upright.He longs for a good night's sleep which is evident by all portraits of peacefully sleeping persons in his room.
One night he finally decides to lie down and goes to a satisfied sleep with his mother's picture by bedside.His last words being "Nothing Will Die".

Astonishing performance by John Hurt. Watch out for the scene when John is invited over tea by Doctor Fredrick to his house.
He has never been treated well before so the care and love shown by Mrs. Fredrick bring tears to his eyes.This also causes Mrs. Fredrick to break down. A very well shot, sentimentally authentic scene.

8.5/10

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Director: Victor Fleming
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, George Reeves, Fred Crane
Genre: Drama/Romance/War

PLOT: Not a mere 'love story' with the civil war in backdrop; there is so much more to this all time great classic.

Aah!! Where to begin? If I start writing about it in detail it'll probably be somewhat lengthier than my Lawrence of Arabia review, if some of you remember that!!

Watching 'Mutiny On The Bounty', I felt the ever magnificent Clark Gable was slightly overshadowed by the immortal Captain Bligh, but in 'Gone With The Wind' he has been completely outperformed by a class act from a Goddess-like Vivien Leigh, i.e., until just before the climax scene, of course! The final words used by Gable while walking out on her left his mark on the film like no other!

Before this Joan Fontaine's character in 'Rebecca' as the second Mrs. deWinter was most complete and well researched one for me. What Vivien brought to the screen in 'Gone With the Wind' is yet to be bettered.

She has done it all here. From a bubbly teenager, to a jealous adult, to a treacherous married woman, to a greedy, few-times widow, to a caring family member, to a courageous woman in adversity, and above all a ever-in-love woman who never gives up. Her role-play is a synonymous for the term hope floats.

And the title is aptly justified, no where more than in the just before climax scene where Gable finally holds his own against Vivien for the first time in the movie and is actually "gone with the wind". This is a scene that bears witness to not only the greatness of Clark Gable as an actor but also to the genius and vision of the Director.

It also features one of the best narrative opening scene that bids farewell to the aristocracy of South and welcomes the ever toiling, gritty North.

GWTW is a kind of cinema which can not be limited by a word like Genre. It's not a love story as the misconception goes rather an authentic, thorough composition of art.

Never once--all through the 3 hours 58 minutes--does the movie loses it's grip on you, even for a second.

'Gone With the Wind' basically signifies fading away of British-like noble culture of South (Gentlemen/Noble class and their assistance/servants/slaves who loved their masters but not of fear, and were mostly well treated) and the advent of North in the civil war.

9.5/10

Sin City (2005)

Director - Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino

Genre: Action/Crime

A film noir based on Frank Miller's graphic novel series by the same name.

 

After the third RoboCop film bombed at the box office, Miller was adamant about letting anyone direct a movie based on his stories without his assistance, fearing a similar result.

So, Rodriguez eager to direct it filmed a test scene which later became the opening scene as well. He even gave credit to other directors for direction.

Movie shows three of Miller's Sin City adaptations:

• The Hard Goodbye: About an ugly brute(Mickey Rourke) out to avenge death of his one night stand love.
• The Big Fat Kill: Which focuses on a street war and treaty between a group of prostitutes and police.
• That Yellow Bastard: Shows Bruce Willis as an aging police officer who protects a young woman Nancy Callaghan from a pedophile,serial killer(Nick Stahl) and later saves adult Nancy(Alba)from Yellow Bastard.

Cinematography is classy, unique, and retains the dark look of the original novel. Most of the film is in black and white with highlighted coloring for select objects. Film was digitally treated for heightened contrast so as to more clearly separate blacks and whites. This was done not only to give a more noir look, but also to make it appear more like the original comic.

Sin City is a genius movie with an awesomely huge star cast; a rare combination. The movie stars Bruce Willis, Alexis Bledel, Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Clive Owen, Michael Clarke Duncan, Rosario Dawson, Benicio del Toro, Michael Madsen, Nick Stahl, Powers Boothe, Josh Hartnett, Jaime King, Brittany Murphy, Elijah Wood and Rutger Hauer

A strong-point of the film was writer being a director too; therefore, every fictional character can be experienced so intimately by viewers. Especially Marv (Mickey Rourke) as a bit insane but morally sound brute on medication and payroll under drop-dead gorgeous lesbian payroll officer Lucille (Carla Gugino).

Kudos to other directors, Robert Rodriguez, and master Tarantino for getting the hang of the graphic novel so artistically well. Tarantino was "Special Guest Director" for directing the car sequence between Clive Owen and Benicio del Toro.

Bruce Willis has always been one of the top notch kick-ass Hollywood macho man but here Mickey Rourke has toppled him by an inch or two.

Something like never before and yet to be bettered!

8.5/10

Witch Hunt (2008)

Director: Don Hardy Jr. Dana
Cast: Sean Penn, Jackie Cummings, Jack Cumming
Genre: Documentary/Crime

You find it hard-to-believe that, at times, world is full of stupidity and pomp beyond imagination? Watch this!!

Witch hunt is one of the most hard hitting and unbelievable documentaries which account the events in American county of Bakersfield in 1980s to present decade.

The newly appointed DA goes all out on a blind and scandalous arrest spree plus convictions, which are based on nothing but some partial and tampered facts gathered by an overtly enthusiastic social workers group--clearly lacking any professional training.

At the core of the movie are the parents of young children’s labeled as Pedophiles. These true events and subsequently generated publicity changed the mindset of America back then, in a big way.

The irony is culprit is still at loose--not just loose but in an esteemed government position, which I am sure most Indians will relate to easily :)

One might argue this is only telling one side of the story but if watched attentively, your argument will fail. Moreover, the real culprits choosing not to be part of documentary (citing some other commitments) further indicates their involvement.

The fact that a person had to serve an excruciatingly long term (20 years!) and many others a little less; plus some are still unclear and some have died convicted as molesters--for no clear fault of their own, shock you more far than any blood-gore thriller.

The emotions can't be acted out like this unless they are real. A clear-cut peek into the truth.

8.2/10