I hope that you enjoy reading this post on the weekly Friday Loose Bloggers Consortium where ten of us write on the same topic. Today’s topic has been chosen by Shackman who is unfortunately temporarily out of the LBC postings. The nine other bloggers who write regularly are, in alphabetical order, Delirious, gaelikaa, Grannymar, Maxi, Maria SF, Padmum, Paul, Rohit, The Old Fossil and Will. Do drop in on their blogs and see what their take is on this week’s topic. Since some of them may post late, do give some allowance for that too!
Unlike the other LBC writers I am afraid that I will have to write about two films. One English and the other Hindi.
The English one has always been Spartacus. This is one story that I first came across in the film format before deciding to read the novel of that same name. The story and the one scene when all the slaves stand up and claim to be Spartacus, is indelibly etched in my mind. I have used that particular scene in a number of motivational classes to devastating effect. A story where a very human hero appears and inspires. I would also imagine that Kirk Douglas has not acted better in any of his other films.
The Hindi film was Guide. I had read the book by R K Narayan prior to seeing the film and had thought of the hero of the story to be an impossibility. But the film and Dev Anand’s interpretation of the role changed my mind about it. I was in Ahmedabad when it was released and since there was little other entertainment those days in Ahmedabad, I saw it seven times within a couple of months. I subsequently saw the version made for the Western audiences too which was not as effective an interpretation of the original story. And as a bonus, all the songs in the film were hits and became ear worms for me for many years.
If I had to choose between these two to decide on the favourite, I would not be able to. So, dear Shackman, you will have to forgive me for choosing two films.
Now for a parting gift:
I know of a family who never miss Spartacus on TV. At the iconic moment, just beforehand, timed perfectly, the phone will always ring, and the the son of the family will be on the other end, to utter those immortal two words to coincide with the soundtrack of the film – I Spartacus.
Crazy.
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It is a very moving picture and like it there are other TV serials here where families get hooked and use such ploys as well, particularly in our Mythological serials where children get quite engrossed.
Spartacus was a boys film as far as I was concerned, thought we were brought en masse to sit through it. Pure noisy torture for me. The other one, I am unfamiliar with.
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I have heard that reaction from some others too. It just shows that we can have different tastes in films too.
I like spartacus too. I also loved recently about walking dead and I miss their next episode…
Girls don’t poop, for me is hilarious! 🙂
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Am I ever glad that I didn’t have to answer this question. I can’t just identify any one movie, much less identify any one book or song. If I had to take one with me on a desert island, well, I wouldn’t be going, because I’d be trying to select just one!
So, Ramana, what is your favourite book and song? Can you choose just one? (Seems to me that you may have written about that, somewhere along the years!)
Suffi
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Favourite book – The Bhagwath Geetha.
Favourite song – Our national anthem.
Dear Uncleji,
I have not watched English movie so can not comment on that. For me 1 English movie will be difficult to select – my choice – The Matrix and The instinct, may be Persuit of Happyness too
On Guide –
1. I never read the book, but after watching the movie several times, I think that not reading the book is equally fine.
2. Dev Anand and Vijay Anand both have done justice with acting and direction respectively.
3. All the songs in the movie just flow with the story, except one – Gata rahe mera dil (Kishore Kumar). To your surprise this song is first Music Direction of RD Burman. Heard the story that SD was not well so RD composed this song. I am an RD fan but when I saw the movie, I felt that the song was out of sink (little loud), check other songs they flow with the story with the ebbs and lows, but suddenly Gata rahe comes and you feel “?whats that!”
4. The end is very impressive where the protagonist talks some lessons of Geeta and some thoughts on Adwait. I could not see any other such story (except Mythological stories) or movie at least until now. The closest I could see were dialogs of Morpheus – “Dont think you are know you are” et al.
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I did not know about RDB’s introduction through the back door in that film. We live to learn. Having said that however, I must admit that Gaata Rahey is one of my all time favourites, though a bit illogical in the context of the film.