The Truman Show

The Truman Show (1998)
An unassuming film:
It is thought provoking on so many levels, well acted and thoroughly enjoyable piece of craftwork. This is a deep movie, bound to become an art film. Too few films ask us to question the world around us.

Starting as a comedy, I am always taken by how well the film moves to become more and more interesting but yet never loses sight of those audience members who have come for the basic story. Of course by seeming to tackle so many subjects and issues in such a short running time, the film never really gets its teeth deep into any one of them but this is not a major problem because it leaves us to do that in our heads after the film finishes.We grow to care for Truman and this makes the ending an emotional and satisfying one even if some viewers will bemoan the fact that (to them) it appears 'open ended'. That it is also a very thought-provoking affair is only a bonus, with the satire working on many levels.
I came away from 'The Truman Show' feeling inspired which is the goal of good filmmaking. Jim Carrey (Truman Burbank) was outstanding as Truman, underplaying him, not making him too comic or too dramatic, but giving true sincerity when asked. Ed Harris (Christof) has always been a good actor, but in this movie he's a great actor. He plays Christof with such arrogance and bullheadedness that you don't know whether he's helping or destroying Truman. He and the director, Peter Weir, deserved their Oscar nods. The cast is roundly superb even if the majority of them are in minor roles.

First off, a logical individual knows the whole premise of "The Truman Show" could never happen. So we must look for a deeper meaning to this film. To me, it is a re-statement of the old saw "it is better to be free and risk the perils of life than to be confined and protected in an artificial world." When the lady comes on the bike with the basket, then the dog and then the yellow Volkswagen it reminded me of how repetitive life seems at times, when we think that nothing is going to change and we want changes. The Director was like God, the creator, I think that all of us have questioned God and have been angry at him. Truman's world seemed so "perfect"! Our world seems much like that, everything is a matter of perception.
This movie is also testament that the inquiring mind cannot be contained no matter the inculcation. Truman WANTS to discover new horizons; to think outside his box. When computer glitches alert him to his being watched, it inspires him to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The film wants to take a philosophical look at free will versus a higher power and reality versus fantasy. It doesn't always work as the satire often keeps you from thinking too deeply about the underlying themes and the philosophical stuff keeps the satire from biting as well as it could.
The film's surrealistic nature is frightening when the viewer realizes the legal feasibility in today's society, and it offers a great message about who or what we assume God to be and how He (he?) would react to our personal drives for discovery to challenge a world we treat as an aquarium. Some things to note and ponder: The way the real-life viewers ignore the real lives of their compatriots and customers while focusing on a false life on screen; whose life is more real and whose is worth living?

In the end this film is closer in spirit to psychological dramas and sci-fi movies where a person suddenly realizes they are the pawn in some grand experiment or a prisoner in an alien world than it is to anything in our current "reality TV" obsessed culture. Eventually it touches on a very basic conflict all humans must face: The universe does not revolve around us. In the closing moments we are excited for Truman because he finally realizes there is a whole new world out there to explore, but also slightly saddened because we know all to well that he will never be able to return to that idyllic "childhood" existence.

The paradoxical and disturbing messages in this movie should be examined for decades to come. Instead, the insight aspect of The Truman Show has been catapulted by a society that would more readily watch "reality" than live it. The film raises some interesting points about our fascination with life as seen through the magnifying lens of television, and the morality of real lives viewed as so much entertainment. The audience that watched the Truman Show in the movie was a self-indulgent audience of consumers who wanted to be entertained no matter what the cost to Truman, reminded me of the soaps opera & Paparazzi, of how we like to know about the celebrities, and ultimately of how the product could be the death of someone such as Princess Diana or Truman Burbank.

At times poignant, at times funny, always an undertone of darkness, The Truman Show is a metaphor for the pioneering spirit which cannot be contained; never more apparent than the final scenes .The final scene is a majestic, long-awaited finish to an intellectual movie. Those are the same viewers who prefer slapstick, obvious humor to the subtle layers presented here. This is a thinking person's movie. If you can't see the underlying message here, of course you won't like it!

Dead Poet's Society

Dead Poet’s Society (1989) There are certain films that get under your skin, never to come out. They change your life, subtly altering your perceptions of reality, almost always for the better. Dead Poets Society is one of those few films. Dead Poets Society is, to use a cliche, a cinematic masterpiece. Dead Poets Society was a movie that took some in-depth realization. It's an intelligent film, both gripping to watch and thought provoking afterward. Engaging plot, memorable characters, meaningful theme, wonderfully done scenes and atmosphere... Dead Poets Society has it all. Special kudos to the cinematography; clearly, it should have won an Oscar for the final scene alone. However, every time I mention this film, I can gladly say that this movie went far and beyond the 80s, and the power and inspiration of the message can be felt every day.

Any film about any sort of greatness faces one particular challenge: how to depict that greatness. For example, to write a great film about a great poet, would you also need to be able to write great poetry? In fact, 'Dead Poets Society ' is a film about not a great poet, but an (allegedly) great teacher.

'Dead Poets Society' is a beautiful movie from start to finish. The setting is Weldon Academy, a very traditional New England boys' prep school in 1959. The 'four pillars' of the school, "Tradition, Honor, Discipline, Excellence display the foundation of the system." Robin Williams plays Mr. Keating; the English teacher who brings warmth, passion, and an endearing quiet humor to the role. The "Dead Poets Society", and the boys on which Mr. Keating has such a profound impact, include an interesting mix of characters : Neil Perry (the passionate young man at odds with his father's clearly defined expectations for his son's life), Todd Anderson (the classic shy adolescent, through whose eyes we view the unfolding drama), Charlie Dalton (the quintessential rebel), Knox Overstreet (the teen with whom most viewers can identify, deep in the throes of first love), and Richard Cameron (the mindless conformist). Then we have the performances. Robin Williams continues in stride as one who has to-date remained the most touching, heart-wrenching, awe-inspiring comedians with inarguable acting talent.

John Keating is a man who embodies every professor who you thought was cool and respectable, every person who taught or enlightened you in something out of the ordinary. In fact - dare I say it? - He teaches something EXTRAORDINARY! And, although Williams' name appears above the title, he's not really in it very much. The picture is really about the boys, who get most of the screen time. And each of them is given a character trait, more or less In a sense, this movie is really Todd's story, his best scenes are sometimes when he has no dialogue at all. Your heart will ache for him. The best thing about Keating's classroom technique is the way he analyzes his students until he can determine their needs and see through their defenses. Keating sizes up the boys' attitudes and problems and then openly teases the kids about them. In the process, he disarms them, helps defuse their hang-ups. And in these moments, we see what makes him a valuable teacher. But Keating's noble ideas about passion and beauty are stifled as much by the movie that contains him as by the school that employs him.

Robin Williams did a fantastic job depicting individualism and how to walk on your own. He realized that these young men were going to be shaped in either a bad way or could shape themselves into the type of men they wanted to become. Sure, everyone around them was jerks and stiffs but that is the environment of the school. People just didn't go up against all odds, and everything was OK. That is exactly what Dead Poets Society was showing. Even though there were consequences to the boys being inspired and re-forming "Dead Poets Society" they still learned to march to their own drummer. They could be boys and go for their own dreams. Standing on desks may not make everything better, but it shows the real meaning of the movie. These boys had been taught to conform and put their beliefs aside, but Williams opened up their hearts and made a lot of people, whether they liked it or not, realize that tradition is not always the way to push your children.

An older, more experienced teacher questions whether 15- to 17-year-old kids are really ready yet to handle Keating's brand of freedom. This smells like the set-up for a promising battle of philosophies, but Keating's sympathetic intellectual sparring partner promptly drops out of the movie, reappearing only occasionally and then as a mere background figure. Needless to say, Mr. Keating's unorthodox approach meets with obstacles from his fellow teachers, from the school's ultra traditional Headmaster, from Neil's overbearing father and the other parents, who are depicted as a conservative, status conscious lot.

The direction by Weir is great. There are some really beautiful sequences such as the winter ones and when the boys go out in the dead of night for "society" meetings. Incidentally Dead Poets Society is the boys getting together in a cave late at night and reading poetry or telling tall tales to each other. Sounds strange, but it works in the context of the movie.

This is a must-see movie, for everyone ... not only but a certain phrase from a Walt Whitman poem will take on incredible meaning and be remembered forever."Carpe Diem, lads! Seize the day! Make your lives extraordinary!" as he fosters individualism in a school environment of total conformity, endeavoring to teach these young men both the beauty of the English language and the importance of living life to the full. I don't want to give the plot away, but Dead Poets Society has the most powerful ending I've experienced in the cinematic world. I could watch it over and over, and tears would either come to my eyes or virtually stream down my cheeks every time. I watch it at all; I did. And yes, I feel I changed a bit from there on.

A web link for English Teachers and Poetry lovers..

Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is not just a motion picture for entertainment and enjoyment, but as an amazing experience to move and astound the viewer. Not many films besides this one have that quality, and the movies that do have that quality are all regarded as some of the best films of all time. The Shawshank Redemption is based on the short story Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by the best-selling author of all time, Stephen King. King was put on film after the many mediocre horror movies based on King’s Novels. The entire film is basically told from Red (Morgan Freeman)'s perspective, and much of the film is revolve around the theme of observation, perception and seeing - especially Red's observation of the other main protagonist, Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins).

Andy has been accused of killing his wife, so he is sent to the Shawshank Facility and his experience in this prison would change his life forever. This film recounts Andy's almost twenty years in the prison as he meets friends like Red and enemies like the Warden, Mr. Norton. However, the most amazing thing about Andy's prison stay is his unconventional status in the prison. He is different from fellow prisoner and the first impression of the Andy on red was that he looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over. Andy makes many friends over the almost twenty years of his time. Despite this, roll call is being taken in the morning when something spectacular happen involving Andy which baffles all the prisoner workers (and the warden). This moment reveals the true magic of The Shawshank Redemption, as well as sets a new standard for emotion that all movies to follow would eventually be compared to. Simply put a life in this film.

As this film has its uplifting moments and also heart-wrenching dramatic moments. There is not a scene throughout the whole movie that is not enjoyable in some way. You will definitely find this to be true as you watch the movie, but you will only fully realize it after finishing the film .The Shawshank Redemption illustrates the unbend-able human spirit. Even a wrongful imprisonment, a corrupt warden and enemies within Shawshank can not get the best of Andy Dufrane or any man as long as hope never dies. The Shawshank Redemption is an incredible movie and if you do not watch this film sometime during your life, you will miss out on a cinematic experience you would have enjoyed . This line will set a pattern of the film which we can view in the end.

Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

Sparsh

Sparsh refers to the sensation and feeling of touch upon which blind people rely in the absence of sight. Sparsh is partially a love story depicting the blindness in the society with psychological analysis of characters:The sweetness of movie covers its minor flaws and make it enjoyable for viewers.

It is a sensitive movie, with intense performance by Naseeruddin Shah in the role of a self-respecting visually-impaired principal of a blind school, who hates and become enraged on the society for pitying handicapped people. He works towards making his students self-reliant and full with honour. Shabana Azmi plays a social worker who has a troubled personal life supporting him as a volunteer. The movie depicts the relationship between the two. The pride of the man and the sympathies of the woman are the cause of turbulence in their relationship.

Kavita (Shabana Azmi) is a depressed widow living alone. When she accidentally meets Anirudh (Naseeruddin Shah), a rough but charismatic a visually impaired man who runs a nearby school for blind children.He works towards making his students self-reliant and hates the society for pitying people like him. He offers her to teach in his school, also her close friend Manju (Sudha Chopra) urges her to re-join society . Reluctant at first, Kavita eventually joins the school and begins reading to the boys. Kavita is enjoying the company of the blind children and begins to welcome warmth and happiness back into her life.

As Kavita spends more time at the school, she begins forming a friendship with Anirudh. A affectionate relation flourishes between them with time and they get engaged; But their personalities and feelings are different. Anirudh is of strong character: he firmly believes that the blind need help not charity.
Kavita, recently sorrowful, looks to the school (and Anirudh) as an ideal way of sacrificial service and hospitality. However, after some time the romance sours when Anirudh gets hint of this, and assumes Kavita is simply seeking to fill the void in her life with this form of assistance. Due to some incidents, Anirudh begins to fear that Kavita accepted the proposal not out of love, but for care of a hapless handicapped man. Now Anirudh starts having doubts whether this marriage is going to succeed. He feels he is being humiliated by the aid of Kavita, and hence breaks their engagement. He even tells Kavita not to come to school anymore. Will Anirudh realize her passion and take her for what she is or left her alone sidelined from his life? A well-wisher has to step in ultimately to bridge the gap.

The Touch is representation of feeling of blind people in the world.They learn the surroundings and persons mainly by touch.The movie focuses on characters as individuals rather than representative of blind and sighted. Two main characters are handicapped with blindness and heartbreak. This disability first help them in coming together ,then bonding them and then tears them apart. They are hard in their characters but fragile also. Anirudh is proud, and that pride makes it hard for him to let Kavita care for him. Kavita, for her part, is eager for a way out of her loneliness but not quite ready to move beyond her husband's death. They are fortunate in discovering each other, both are devastated by society and need a lot of time & work to overcome. They are both navigating strong emotions, but they are also both uncertain in their thoughts to other. The reserve nature of both characters makes it difficult for them to mingle with each other. It makes the characters warm, sympathetic, likable to us.

Anirudh forms a life-affirming relationship with Kavita, left a lasting impression. They yield a very muted tone love, with few outbursts of emotion. There are some engaging scenes between characters and also with the kids. The sequence where Anirudh describes his sensitivity of Kavita's beauty in her fragrance, the sound of her voice, the softness of her touch. This scene deserves special laurel for its poetic situation.

Sai Paranjape's films always deal with situations and characters, which one can easily identify with and unify with it. Sai Paranjape made a sincere attempt to tell both sides of the story with a rare unsentimental equilibrium. Story line deals with the complexes and rigid thoughts rooted in the minds of both the characters. The psychological view of two protagonist with help of blind children makes it a beautiful movie.

The film upholds an important principle that the disabled want to live independently, to be accorded the dignity and respect other sectors of society are granted. They don't want sympathy; rather they want and need normal behaviour towards them.

Both Naseer and Shabana excel in their performance and a must watch film. This film is better and gives mature treatment to subject like blindness than a drama like "Black".

Abre Los Ojos

A Spanish Matrix:Abre Los Ojos (Open your eyes)
From there Amenábar launches into a romantic thriller developing into illusion mixed of thriller-mystery and finally verging on science fiction drama, in which real life becomes inter-meshed with programmed dream-life.
Ingenious, imaginative film keeps you guessing until the end. Although the plot is confusing at times, a second viewing helps to untangle and resolve the complicated story about dreams and reality. Most of the time, I was not sure if what I was watching is really happening or whether it is a intensely disturbing nightmare. The ending is tense, mysterious and it keeps you guessing to the last what really the truth is.

César (Eduardo Noriega) has been left rich by his restaurant owning parents. When he meets the beautiful Sofia at a party he uses her as a way to escape his jealous ex girlfriend Nuria. After a night of talking with Sofia, César is picked up by Nuria who crashes her car deliberately killing her and horribly disfiguring him. With surgery limited as to what it can achieve César despairs at his loss (his looks, not Nuria) and tries to pick up with Sofia. However, when surgery returns his looks he thinks everything is solved – but his dreams become more vivid blurring his sense of reality. In flash forwards we also see César talking with a psychiatrist in a guarded mental hospital where he waits trail for murder . César is wearing a mask because he thinks his face is still messed up. The psychiatrist tells him that his face looks normal, he asks him if he remembered anything. He tells his fragmented story to a psychiatrist. His life in shambles, Sofia beyond reach, and virtually a freak of nature, he decides to take one last step in regaining his lost life... and here is when the film becomes something totally unpredictable.

The last act, in which everything gets explained (or does it?), is truly inspired. As Cesar finally understands the implications (this bad dream is one he himself has invented) the film becomes truly impulsive. It's a deranged but entirely gripping climax to a movie which takes one unpredictable turn after another. At the level of writing, you have two friends, one the protagonist, the other his conscience. The protagonist deals with two girlfriends, one affirms his self-image, one destroys it; Towards the end of the film, we are presented with two alternating theories of what is going on.

One is that the hero is living in a virtual world that he can only be revived from when he "dies" in it, and the other is that people who want access to his money want to con him into making that happen, only for real. The final act of the film is a constant struggle between these two theories that the viewer is only made aware of when they both teeter on the edge of victory.

Only when mystery gets "explained" to him does he realise how ridiculous it all is. Thin line between dream and reality disappear. He tries to achieve realistic (or illusionist) death in the end and then the nightmare starts again. It would appear that in the world of "Abre los ojos", anything is possible.

This review is impossible without mentioning Vanilla Sky .I mean not only is it a remake of ALO(Abre Los Ojos) but it's almost scene for scene the exact same movie .In fact Penelope Cruz in the exact same role as the original! The ending of Vanilla Sky pretty much explains everything. Abre Los Ojos leaves most of it up to interpretation and the viewers' imagination.

The acting is very rich, believable and many times raw with emotion and character. The visual imagery is absolutely stunning at certain points. A scene that takes place in a park when Penelope Cruz and Eduardo Noriega meet for the first time after his accident is incredibly beautiful and emotionally devastating. There is quality photography in the film: The rain in the park and before that the reflections of foliage flashing in the car windows with glimpses of tense faces. This surrealist fantasy from Spain is a unbelievable piece of cinema. Despite pain of watching it with subtitles, Open Your Eyes is a tale of beauty.

Pather Panchali

Pather Panchali(1955) : A Film By Satyajit Ray.In spite of poverty and death the film leaves one not depressed but moved, filled with the beauty, and subtle glare of life. The film suggests an intimate relationship between loss and growth or destruction and creation. Simply this movie depicts human documentary in the native village of Bengal.

The word Pather literally means "of the path" in Bengali. Panchali refers to a type of narrative folk song. So the name of movie is "Song of the Road". It's based on a novel by a Bengali author named Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay. Plot of movie is around of time of 1920’s. I have watched this movie recently and feel bit boring but very realistic at era in which it was made. The movie is not melodramatically sad but it is realistically sad. Although Ray did take liberties with the plot, he couldn't change so much so as to remove all the negative aspects from the story altogether. Sorrow and grief are inseparable from the real life. We have few moments of cherish that optimize us in the ages of gloominess. These emotions of happiness & sadness are mutually exclusive to each other. For the cinematic material dictated in the movie, a very slow rhythm determined by nature, the landscape, the country was necessary so that ray can stick to authentic version of novel.

The character of Sarbajaya, Apu and Durga are the three main storytellers through which whole movie was narrated. Ray reveals the love between members of a family in every situation.

The relationship between the brother and sister is so nice to watch. The sequences of Apu and elder sister Durga, exploring their little world and sharing secrets are most remarkable aspect of the film. These include the scenes of - discovery of train by Durga and Apu in field of white Kash flowers and the candy seller sequence.In the inspired 'candy-seller' sequence, as Durga and Apu secretly relish tamarind paste, their mother is complaining about hardships to their father. Durga hears a faint bell. She knows it is the candy-seller. Both go out and look longingly at the the pots with sweets in them. Durga sends Apu to ask for money from their father. Mother intervenes, and Apu returns empty handed. But the site of the pot-bellied candy-seller caring two bobbing pots of sweets is too tempting to resist. Both start following him. A stray dog joins the procession as it is reflected in a shimmering pond. The shadow of them in ponds just fuses the external world of theirs into internal silence inside us. The film develops its characters and the atmosphere slowly and resolutely. The narrative builds up to a powerful climax as we begin to attach to the film.

The ending was quite tragic personally for me. We see speechless Apu, for the first time taking the center stage in the story. Till now the story was seen through the point of view of either Sarbajaya or Durga. It is only in these final moments that we see Apu as an independent individual. Now his father decided to move to Varanasi, a city and leave behind all the past. In last scene the home of ancestor, a civilized place shows to be destroyed in ruins and human life still going despite death, grief and pain. Generally looking at broad prospective look how it shows the migration of people in India from villages to cities due to problem of poverty and other thing faced by them. The villages suffered a lot due to feminine or floods. Today the shift in population from village to cities (local to global) is seen in the back 1955.

What makes cinema different from a book is clearly depicted in this film. It is the way one represents the world. To draw it, color it, giving it a whole form... which can be touched. This movie transferred into huge canvas on which painter, Ray makes a pattern of human nature. I liked the movie because flow of emotions was so strong despite its boredom, affection for it never ends. The best thing of the movie was that Ray could convey the message through the medium and content both. The artistic creation of a characters and the intensity of emotions in cinematic way was touching. It is a living example of chaos of the struggle between internal and external world of human beings. This film brings to us happy moments as well as moments of grief and pain. Indeed, Rare and exquisite is work of Ray.

Ray's comment on this film: "It is true. For one year I was trying to sell the scenario, to peddle it... since nobody would buy it, I decided to start anyway, because we wanted some footage to prove that we were not incapable of making films. So I got some money against my insurance policies. We started shooting, and the fund ran out very soon. Then I sold some art books, some records and some of my wife's jewelry. Little trickles of money came, and part of the salary I was earning as art director. All we had to spend on was raw stock, hire of a camera and our conveniences, transport and so on... I had nothing more to pawn."

Awards:

President's Gold & Silver Medals, New Delhi, 1955
Best Human Document, Cannes 1956
Diploma Of Merit, Edinbugh, 1956
Vatican Award, Rome, 1956
Golden Carbao, Manila, 1956
Best Film and Direction, San Francisco, 1957
Selznik Golden Laurel, Berlin, 1957
Best Film, Vancouver, 1958
Critics' Award - Best Film, Stratford, (Canada), 1958
Best Foreign Film, New York, 1959
Kinema Jumpo Award: Best Foreign Film, Tokyo 1966
Bodil Award: Best Non-European Film of the Year, Denmark, 1966

Boot Polish

BOOT POLISH(1954) - Boot Polish is an awesome creation about world seen through child eyes.This film ranks as one of the finest thought provoking social dramas asking how we look at ourselves given the limited resources and choices and faced with overwhelming odds. Raj Kapoor's presentation of the humble lifestyle of two children who wish to overcome the obstacles of abject poverty shows the importance of the spirit of endurance and dedication in the face of adversity. We can view deeply in film when children try to face challenges in the world created by greedy souls. I saw this film once when I was a small child of 8 years and I never forgot some scene of it till today. Some scenes are still floating in front of my eyes.

Boot Polish is a pure example of Classical Hindi cinema that made its presence in the world. It is filled with songs and dances, stylized skill in Cinematography, idealized characters, myriad sub-plots, and in end with an inspiring message. Though technically not a musical, the joyous and hypnotic songs on the soundtrack are interwoven into the plot in a way that both enhances the drama and reminds you that it is a “movie” not a boring documentary. It won the 1953/54 Filmfare awards for best picture, best supporting actor, and best cinematography. Director Prakash Arora was nominated for Golden Palm and Baby Naaz won special mention to a child actress at Cannes Film Festival (1954). It was really a moment of proud for any sensible cinema loving Indian.

It is really a movie worth watching in context to any cinema in the world on the condition of children in slum areas. Struggle for survival of both children is depicted wonderfully in movie that makes you disturb again and again as you watch it. The movie tells a human story of two destitute children belonging to a slum area in Bombay. BHOLA an innocent boy of ten and his younger sister BELU aged seven shares an uncertain future when their mom dies in the plague, and their dad is imprisoned. Their aunt, KAMLA CHACHI is woman of low morals, a distant relative who had provided the kids with sleeping space in her shed. They are then left in the uncaring care of cruel aunt, who works as a prostitute in slums of the city. They were well trained in the art of begging by her so that they can earn their living for their needs and do not become load to her. The worse thing a child faces when someone takes their life of childhood and put them in the cruel and greedy world to stand on their own feet. She is cruel, abusive and forces them to take to a life of begging on the local trains, on beaches and crowded areas in Bombay. The constant abuses and beatings from aunt had made the lives of these kids an absolute hell. The age of innocence becomes age of suffering for the children. This is how they grew up in this world of humankind. Now, they want to lead a respectable life. Their only ray of hope was the neighbour, JOHN an old eccentric man with a sharp tongue but a golden heart. He earned his living by polishing shoes in the streets of Bombay. With the help of John they get a shoe-shine kit and start shining shoes on busy sidewalks and railway platforms. Their John's simple words ""Starve, die, but don't beg. Do something with your two hands"" - inspired the kids to stop begging and start the work of polishing boots. The idea of shining shoes fascinated him so much he resolved to become a bootblack. A new sense of dignity and pride comes to the Bhola when he started to do this work of shining shoes or boot polish. Their destinies face more uncertainty when enraged Kamla finds out about their new-found profession. She beats them up and turned out of the house for not begging and polishing boots instead. They temporarily seek shelter with John, but the arrest of John took from their lives the little love and consolation they had. They were left crying and helpless with no one to go to with their troubles.

Things become bad to worse when Bombay enters the monsoon season, when people do not get their shoes shined; Hours passed and they couldn't get any business. The ceaseless rain has spoiled their chances of getting a single customer. They ran from station to station, from street to street only to be disappointed. Belu started crying and wanted Bhola to beg for some money so that she could get something to eat. A great conflict rose in his mind. He had sworn not to beg but his beloved sister was fainting from hunger. His troubles and trails mounted up to a new pitch of pathos till the question ""BEG or DIE"", poses itself once again. That is really a zenith of the internal crisis of a child. One cannot fight with the own conscious when he sees the plight and misery of his owns in front of the hunger. In order bring food to his sister, bhola went away. Then the duo is separated in that situation- with Belu adopted by a rich family. When she asks about Bhola, she is told that he is dead. The question remains is Bhola really dead, if not, what has been his fate? But when the darkness seems to take over everything, a single ray of light seems more encouraging than anything. One day she saw a bhola selling some articles on the street. She runs behind him and then Bhola, Belu and John Chacha met again on the cross roads of life. The trials and troubles of world were left behind; a new world of love and respect awaited them. This was the end of one period and the beginning of another. In their shining eyes and faces, the future of the children of the coming generation was glimpsed."

I find the movie a life-affirming and rich cinematic experience. The love of brother and sister for each other is very real, and their struggle for survival and social respectability is profoundly touching. Filled with positive energy and the "heroic face of innocence” Boot Polish is now more than ever one of my all time favourite classical films. I would recommend this film as a lesson in the triumph of the human spirit when facing the evils of man made adversity. We probably can relate to the two young characters of the film in our day to day lives. Life can be unfair and unjust, and films such as BOOT POLISH show the more dramatic encounters of what we call the human struggle not only to survive but to go forward with esteem in life. Read here a scene from boot polish.

Nuovo cinema Paradiso

Nuovo cinema Paradiso(1988)

There's something magical and timeless about the movies. The simple actors transform into stars in a moment.They are like fixed points in a firmament created out of the just imagination; Ageless reminders that despite the fact that our bodies deteriorate during the passage of time, in our minds we are forever young. Images projected across the distance and onto a screen like ghosts from far off memories and whole life seem to summarize and purify into some perfect, elegant essence -- We remember only the beautiful, moving and inspiring while the all other things falls away and is forgotten in the time.

Giuseppe Tornatore's glorification of the movies in CINEMA PARADISO is really a celebration of life and the limitless possibilities for the individual with determination and imagination.Ennio Morricone's unparalleled soundtrack make for exquisite, once-in-a-lifetime film-making. There are really three protagonists in this film; Salvatore, the principle character who's story is told primarily through flashbacks; father figure persona grata, Alfredo, projectionist and Salvatore's mentor; and the theater itself, Cinema Paradiso, that refuge for the weary. A place where dreams, if only for a couple hours, can be found. A place where, laughter, sadness and joy can be shared. Really a Paradise! Salvatore is fatherless and Alfredo childless. The two will form a special bond and remain virtually inseparable until Salvatore is a young man. A bond forged primarily in the projection room of the Cinema Paradiso, and fired by their mutual love for the movies. The years will be marked with tragedy, love won and lost and the realization that perhaps "life isn't like in the movies." When Salvatore finally does leave, making it big as a successful and respected filmmaker, it will take the death of Alfredo to bring him back after an absence of 30 years. A trip back in time that will inflame old wounds, but also provide an opportunity for them to heal, and after the final kiss of CINEMA PARADISO's inspirational last scene, any lover of the movies will find it almost impossible not to give into nostalgia."Cinema Paradiso" is the rarest of rare gems.