Panels and the festivities at the Ronapalooza (especially my lousy paper) wore me out completely. Yesterday, I didn’t have the energy to post my conference notes nor did I feel like writing on Rajkumar’s historical film, Ranadhira Kanthirava. Today seems to be no better but this being a monday - and also a day filled with work related activities - here is something to mull over, as we return to work.
Last week, the Guardian published a list of fifty best film adaptations of books - both fiction and non-fiction. ‘Word’ people like me are often disappointed with the film adaptations of classic novels. I am partial towards the word than the image and a word does more for me than a photograph. Anyway, Guardian’s list seems quite good and since non-Brits aren’t allowed to vote in the poll, let us have our own chat. Here is the list, alphabetically:
1984
Alice in Wonderland
American Psycho
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Brighton Rock
Catch 22
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory
A Clockwork Orange
Close Range (inc Brokeback Mountain)
The Day of the Triffids
Devil in a Blue Dress
Different Seasons (inc The Shawshank Redemption)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (aka Bladerunner)
Doctor Zhivago
Empire of the Sun
The English Patient
Fight Club
The French Lieutenant’s Woman
Get Shorty
The Godfather
Goldfinger
Goodfellas
Heart of Darkness (aka Apocalypse Now)
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Jaws
The Jungle Book
A Kestrel for a Knave (aka Kes)
LA Confidential
Les Liaisons Dangereuses
Lolita
Lord of the Flies
The Maltese Falcon
Oliver Twist
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Orlando
The Outsiders
Pride and Prejudice
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
The Railway Children
Rebecca
The Remains of the Day
Schindler’s Ark (aka Schindler’s List)
Sin City
The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
The Talented Mr Ripley
Tess of the D’Urbervilles
To Kill a Mockingbird
Trainspotting
The Vanishing
Watership Down
While we are at it, we being the post-colonial subaltern types, any nominations for the best Indian film based on fiction?
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Malgudi days? (I know its not a movie, but was good TV series) and the same author’s “Guide”.
Nagamandala was also good. So was Devdas recently. Well, those were the ones that crossed my mind as I write this comment
off to Zzzz… bye!
in Kannada: Samskara? i don’t recall the film that well, actually. also Phaniyamma. vague memories of sunday 2 pm doordarshan telecasts.
in Bangla: Ray’s Pather Panchali, Sonar Kella (there’s also Joybaba Felunath which I didn’t like). A more recent Bangla one: Saanjhbaatir Rupkathara.
in Marathi: Bangarwadi, Rathachakra (TV series).
I would actually vote for the K L Saigal version of Devdas. And then there are also some films in Hindi based on Bengali novels. Yeah, we should make a proper list. well, give me a day or two and I will try to come up with a preliminary list.
Kalyug - based on the Mahabharata.
Guide, imho, was a terrible film, with great songs!
Mysoru Mallige was made into a Kannada film, right?
What about Godhuli?
I have to follow our friend at CM and second Shatranj ke Khilari and Umrao Jaan, and also add Junoon (based on a Ruskin Bond story with dialogue by Ismat Chughtai). Are we accepting disporic South Asian fictions-cum-films? In that case, I think we need to throw My Beautiful Laundrette and Anita & Me into the mix.
Also to consider: Train to Pakistan, Garam Hawa, In Custody.
Also Chemmeen (Malayalam)? Just saw Ray’s Aranyer Dinratri (based on Sunil Gangopadhyay’s story) but I wouldn’t put that on top of the list.
Well, I will compile these, do some research and make up two lists: one for TV serials and another for feature films. There are also plenty of Hindi and Bengali classics which were made as TV serials and films.
kannada -Sharapanjara-good acting and direction;
kanooru heggadathi as an example of how not to adopt a novel;
Matadana- supposed to be good
Bhanu Mushtak’s Haseena - Girish Kasarvalli-dir; Tara won national award for acting
Bengali - tagore’s ghare bahare - really good
tv serial - Dodda Mane - i have forgotten how it was;
Malegalali Madumagalu
Nanna Ayike ( My selection )
1.Hrishkesh Mukherjee movies ..So simple yet we can relate
2. Dr.Rajkumar’s Mayor Muthanna ,Anna Thangi,Haalu jenu..and a whole lot .For Rajkumar.Narasimharaju,Balanna,Ashwath acting..wonderful and unparallel
3.Putanna Kanagal Movies : Most of Puttanna’s movies. Gejje Poojae,Sakshatkara,Manasa sarovara,masandha hoovu.he knew how to bring best of the artistes .’Kathe heluve ondhu kathe heluve’ in Nagarahaavu would just bring the entire story in one song. I always liked his portraying of situations and relating to nature.
Gurudutt Movies:The use of lighting and direction and the angles used certainly left artistic impression in every sense.
Rajkapoor : A true showman .
There are many more directors in kannada like Bhargava,Siddalingaiah etc .
Some other movies I like
1.Avasthe ,Bara,Thabbaliyu neenadhae magane.Upasane,Samskara,Ondhanondhu kaaladhalli,Light comedies like Golmaal radhakrishna , T.S.Nagabharana Movies ,
First movie of Nagathihalli chandrasekhar ‘Undu Hodha Kondu Hodha’..list is endless.
recently I liked Nagamandala , Maqbool,Shool,Teen deewarein,dweepa.
I have most of the movies listed above and a huge music.let me know if anyone is interested?
My nomination would be “Hazaar Chaurasi ki Maa” - excellently directed by Govind Nihilani - a literary masterpiece by Mahasweta Devi.
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[...] Oh wait! Let’s leave you with something to talk about. Here is a call from pdcs for nominations for the best Indian film based on fiction. My picks, Umrao Jan Ada, Pather Panchali, Shatranj ke Khilari and Maqbool… what say ye? Tags [...]
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