Exploration
I was pining for the great selection of pre-Code films at the library in Bergen, when I decided it was time to make the best of the situation: Namely, start exploring the many Indian films in stock at the Lørenskog library (they weren't there when I was growing up here).
I have seen maybe two films in Hindi in my entire life, so I had no idea where to start. I picked one that looked vaguely old and that advertized its many hit songs (I know Bollywood =! musicals, but being a Hollywood musical nut, I thought it was a good place to start). My pick turned out to be the 1965 musical Guide, which I learned was one of the milestones of Indian cinema!
It was great, and it certainly surprised me at every turn. Like, after Boy meets Girl, and Girl has captured Boy with her dance, and Boy has wooed and won Girl through his song, Boy then becomes an alcoholic with a gambling problem. Halfway through the movie. Did not see that coming. We get one of my favourite songs of the movie out of it though.
The absolute goosebump-inducing highlight of the movie though, is after Boy is mistaken for a monk and does all he can to end the drought that's killing the village (I told you this movie throws you a few curveballs). The prayer song that gets more and more and more intense absolutely kills me:
(Around the four minute mark it segues into a battle between Boy's egotism and religion which doesn't make a lot of sense without the sub, but the song preceding it is still absolutely heartbreaking). Definitely going to have to scope out more Dev Anand flicks.
I have seen maybe two films in Hindi in my entire life, so I had no idea where to start. I picked one that looked vaguely old and that advertized its many hit songs (I know Bollywood =! musicals, but being a Hollywood musical nut, I thought it was a good place to start). My pick turned out to be the 1965 musical Guide, which I learned was one of the milestones of Indian cinema!
It was great, and it certainly surprised me at every turn. Like, after Boy meets Girl, and Girl has captured Boy with her dance, and Boy has wooed and won Girl through his song, Boy then becomes an alcoholic with a gambling problem. Halfway through the movie. Did not see that coming. We get one of my favourite songs of the movie out of it though.
The absolute goosebump-inducing highlight of the movie though, is after Boy is mistaken for a monk and does all he can to end the drought that's killing the village (I told you this movie throws you a few curveballs). The prayer song that gets more and more and more intense absolutely kills me:
(Around the four minute mark it segues into a battle between Boy's egotism and religion which doesn't make a lot of sense without the sub, but the song preceding it is still absolutely heartbreaking). Definitely going to have to scope out more Dev Anand flicks.