JAWS (1975)

Neha says
I didn’t step into the pool for months thanks to Spielberg’s adaptation of Peter Benchley’s bestselling novel. Now I’m older and know better but when I watched JAWS again recently that familiar dread snuck up on me and once again I jumped at all the intended places. From the opening credits that give us the killer shark’s point of view shots underwater to the theme song- one of the best movie soundtracks of all time- Spielberg prepares us for what lies ahead. The first half is dark, enveloped in paranoia and eerie in its suggestive brutality, establishing the conflict of how a small tourist island is at the mercy of shark attacks with the Chief played competently by Roy Scheider sandwiched between protecting the people and safeguarding the economic interests of the island and the Mayor whose a different kind of egoistical shark. As we move into the second half the film molds itself into an adventure story at sea with Chief Broody, shark expert Matt (Richard Dreyfuss) and shark hunter Quint (Robert Shaw) coming together to catch the pirate monster that’s threatening the independence of the island. (It’s definitely not coincidental that the film builds up to the 4th of July weekend.) In lesser hands maybe the scare tactics, coincidences and premise would seem frivolous or forced but with Spielberg at the helm, the breathtaking action centerpieces underwater, ashore or aboard a dilapidated ship are genuinely exciting and the chemistry and camaraderie between the three men underscored by the high stakes of the story keep you on the edge with anticipation. An even tone and intensity, oodles of suspense and scares, good performances (I’m turning a blind eye to Shaw who mumbles inaudibly about a submarine shark attack that I was forced to watch with subtitles) and a wonderful marriage of pot boiler fanfare with an intelligent approach to characters, set-up, fear psychology and the relationship between man and nature had me riveted. A visceral experience and a terrific crowd pleaser makes this event movie stand tall and proud as one of Spielberg’s most thrilling contributions to cinema.

Ira says

“I used to hate the water”
"I can’t imagine why!”

Lull, lull, boom. Lull, lull, fin. Lull, lull, shark! When I first saw Jaws, I must’ve been eight or nine and the eloquence of the last words spoken as above, flew right over my head because by the end of this one and for many years hence, I did hate the water, and I could imagine why! By far the best shark movie ever made, Spielberg’s masterpiece is an action adventure, a frightening thriller and a suspense drama all at once. Taking us in with underwater credits and an unforgettable theme motif that for me till today, personifies the movement and onslaught of a shark (thank you John Williams) the director slips into a moody campfire scene on the beach late at night, where the free of heart play the guitar, romance each other and a young girl goes skinny dipping. She never returns and the aura of terror and doom is palpable. Carefully juxtaposing an eerie tone and the lurking presence of the unseen with a cheerful, sunny setting of a naturally and brightly lit Amity Island, Spielberg builds suspense from the word go through superb camera work, crowded frames, and a naturalistic, often overlapping or deathly silent, effective soundscape. Amity island, a beachy haven, a huge tourist destination, a summer town where everyone knows everyone and relationships are close knit, has got a problem and its out there in the water , beneath the multicolored bathing suits and behind the tingling, silvery splashing and laughter.

The second half becomes a different movie all together; and the three central male characters (all of whom are excellent particularly Robert Shaw as shark hunter, Quint) along with a boat, an open ocean and a deadly great white rule the screen, and I realized this time around that JAWS also has a great screenplay, and one I could now fully appreciate. Man versus beast, small town, big commerce, politics, its ugliness, science and experience, war and camaraderie, men of honor and experience and men of knowledge and expensive colleges all come together in this story where a cop, like a fish out of water, goes from the crime of Manhattan to the relatively quieter demands of a town only to discover a far more powerful mortal threat in nature. While when I was younger, images of bloody waters and the superbly timed, well-executed attacks stayed with me for years after, heck I couldn’t even close my eyes in the shower without thinking huge teeth were going to break through my bathroom wall, this time I got a whole lot more out of the film. This isn’t just an entertainer, the first commercial Hollywood movie to release ‘nationwide’, the father of the summer blockbuster and a hallmark movie in Hollywood’s business history, its a good film and one of the first ever ‘high concept’ ones ever made. Spielberg gives a simple premise with flesh and blood characters and a strong cast. He tells his story with clarity, sharp focus, an immense amount of tension and horrifying, explosive glimpses of that ‘things’ incredible jaws. Nature is bigger, grander, more frightening, close to home and real than we know. Darn hell, you better believe it and after watching this one you wont forget it.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959)

Neha says
You don’t need to be told you’re watching an Alfred Hitchcock movie- there’s just a trademark tone, paranoia, suspense and style that’s as distinctive as it is repetitively enthralling. If North By NorthWest was not made by Hitchcock it would seem as homage to his own 1935 classic 39 STEPS (the parallels are uncanny) but if your more inclined to compare the film with the more traditional Hitchcockian psychological thrillers like Psycho, Vertigo, Dial M for Murder or even Rear Window, then North By NorthWest is a different Hitchcock experience. While the Master of Suspense plays to his strengths with a story that plays out like a detective thriller enveloped in mystery and intrigue, there is an epic quality to this grand outing. Train rides, shifting landscapes, a hair raising climactic chase at Mt. Rushmore and another one that involves our hero trying to outmatch a menacing airplane on his trail would give the action/spy movies a complex. In fact Hitchcock shows us he can do FUN as well as he can do creepy with a great balance of an old-school, passionate romance and adventure, wry humor, drama and action making this fit into a genre of its own that’s both entertaining and pulse-racing. The premise is simple with a suave bachelor Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) caught in a case of mistaken identity, accused of stealing and murder and on the run trying to absolve himself of crimes he did not commit while unearthing a far more sinister conspiracy along the way. But Ernest Lehman’s multi layered script and Hitchcock’s maverick eye for detail makes sure “simple” is the last term you would associate with this one. Trust him to know how to hold on to a moment be it comic, thrilling or dramatic. The pacing, Bernard Herrmann’s suspenseful soundtrack and the exhausting focus with which revelations, twists and confrontations are handled keep you on edge. My favorite scene has to be the one at the art auction where Cary Grant confronts the nefarious Phillip Vandamm (James Mason) while simultaneously sparring with his love interest Eve Kendall (Eve Marie Saint). Hitchcock gives us a master class in conflict management with such a heightened awareness of setting. We are so caught up in a moment that we don’t even realize Hitchcock is actually setting up a plot device that will catch us unaware at a later point in the film. Cary Grant even at 50 is the epitome of cool, debonair and sexy. He would have made such a brilliant James Bond. James Mason plays a great foil to Grant and makes for one of the most enigmatic villains of celluloid. Eve Marie Saint, the femme fatale of the story holds her own and brings a certain class and dignity to Kendall. North By NorthWest is everything you would expect from a Hitchcock-Grant movie and more…Hold your breadth because this creative synergy (the last, final and best of the four films they’ve done together) is in one word “explosive.”

Ira says

If you think the Bourne series is slick and suspenseful, Catch me if you Can is smart and clever and Date Night is funny, you’re missing out on the sophistication of a Hitchcockian classic NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Marked with the natural charisma, old world sex appeal (yes, he does seem to be irresistible to the opposite sex especially in this one) and coming timing of a dashing Cary Grant (his 4th spy thriller with the director), the rich and pulsating music of long-time Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann, the original and ingeniously plotted screenplay by the prolific Ernest Lehman who blends the intelligence of an espionage caper with drama, tension, humor, politics, action, adventure and sizzling romance (watch out for the train sequence in the film) in a typically Hitchcockian cloak of storytelling in tandem with the director, as well as the siren-like presence of the master filmmakers favorite female character, the evil seductress or femme fatale (an arresting Eve Marie Saint) this one is a thoughtfully told, and superbly made film.

Despite being one of his most commercial ventures in terms of its scale and exciting plot, as Hitchcock always likes, there is a sense of immediacy and intimacy to his storytelling that is unique to him. Shots are meticulously conceived, the camera alert, watching and involved, frames are carefully constructed, scenes are played out to their fullest, and in terms of story and characters, nothing is forgotten, everything is relished and little surprises provide sudden thrills or moments of wry humor. The film is long, yes, but one to be noted not just for is technical brilliance and action whoppers, as in the famous crop dusting airplane sequence where Grant is being chased by a plane or the famous climactic Mt. Rushmore set piece (where do you think our Hindi films got their inspiration from then?), but for the nuances in the color tones, the camera angles, the performances, the touches that Hitchcock is famous for and only he could achieve. Savor the master at his most entertaining best and get ready to feast your eyes on one of the first of what the international espionage thriller we know today looks like way back in 1959.

ROCKY (1976)

Neha says
While Sylvester Stallone plays Sylvester Stallone and Rocky Balboa is a real to reel extension of the man himself I have no qualms about it because Stallone has two things going for him. 1) He may be limited as an actor but boy as a bum turned champ he sure has HEART- an emotional honesty that gets under your skin. 2) He sure looks like an “Italian Stallion” and brings a rugged personality to his down on his luck, backstreet boy Rocky Balboa with screen presence, sensitivity, humility, charm, aggression and intensity fusing together to give us and the 70’s an iconic pin-up action star. Stallone’s script (yes he wrote it himself) found its inspiration from the Muhammad Ali-Chuck Wepner fight back in 1975 but Stallone shrewdly takes the key event and weaves a classic fairytale story around it that speaks of defining the boxing movie genre as we witness the likes of Rocky get that “million to one shot” against world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. But it’s more than a sports movie and an uplifting and inspirational underdog story in my eyes- poignantly crafting a love story alongside a character study of a man who journey’s from hopelessness to hope, solitude to surrender, diffidence to determination, fear to fulfillment finally seeking redemption and glory. The quiet, reflective moments in the film and the dramatic, gripping and unleashed outbursts (Watch out for the confrontational scene between Balboa and his trainer Mickey.) create a moody tone for the film that only serves to beautifully heighten the impact of the essential climax and action centerpiece that not only provides a knock out in the ring but its Hollywood at its cathartic, emotionally soaring best. Rocky’s motivations set him apart as well. He knew he was outmatched and accepted he couldn’t defeat the likes of Creed but all he wanted to do was “go the distance” i.e. 15 rounds and prove he wasn’t “just another bum from the neighborhood.” With a superb musical score that elevates the emotional tone of the movie; with a solid supporting cast of characters including Rocky’s introvert girlfriend Adrian (Talia Shire), Adrian’s brother and Rocky’s hot-tempered best friend Paulie (Burt Young), Rocky’s trainer and mirror Mick (Burgess Meredith); with relationships that sensitively reflect how behind every success story there is a woman and a support staff; with a pro American sentiment that makes for a great American hero yet the emotional pulse of this story makes Rocky so uniquely universal- this one for me is the quintessential crowd pleaser that makes for great repeat viewing-each time reinforcing how the sequels paled to capture the balance of humor, heart, vitality, action, romance and purpose that made Rocky Balboa and consequently Sylvester Stallone a household name.

Ira says

You can't go wrong, albeit a bit bloody and at times rocky perhaps, with the story of The Italian Stallion Rocky Balboa, the quintessential underdog, boxer with the beginnings of a nobody, the body of a champion and the heart of gold. One of America and Hollywood’s most defining epic sports movies and rags to riches stories about a man from nowhere who had what it takes to go the distance, ROCKY, the original, more exciting, alive and vivid in its sheer arc from nothing to stardom, the most memorable of the series because it has novelty, simplicity and no fuss, is an entertaining film with enormous repeat value, however you look at it.

And that’s mainly because you love “Rocky” or rather Stallone, who wrote this and all the Rocky movies himself, who came out of nowhere and rose to stardom with this film, who pushed to make it on a shoe string budget without big names, went on to make it one of Hollywood’s highest grossers ever to date, and who gets the uneducated, but large-hearted debt collector and part time boxer, Rocky Balboa’s walk, talk, punches, smiles, and Italian drawl down to the T. Right from the start you cant help but root for him so once the final half hour creeps up and that famous moment as he runs up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Art unfolds, you find yourself waiting breathlessly, cheering him on till that final match unfolds. From the way he plays with dogs and his domestic turtles, ‘Cuff’ and ‘Link’, to the way he woos his friend Paulie’s sister Adrian (a silent and strong Talia Shire who would grow into her own with the series), a shy bespectacled girl who works at the corner pet store with an infectious, direct, honest charm and poor jokes, to the way he vents his anger at local boxing gym owner Mickey (Burgess Meredith) who took him for a failure till he came begging to Rocky to make him his manager, he’s that simple, decent, capable good guy who may not be too quick on the intellectual uptake, but certainly is on the physical one, an overgrown, lovable fellow with a kind-hearted spirit you cant resist . (NB: Fans may feel this one has less in the ring than they would like but hey come on now, you’ve got the next three films to go).

In terms of setting Rocky up as a character, building and cementing his relationship with Adrian, the only word he repeatedly calls out at the end of the film, and still providing a gathering momentum that leads up to a spectacular final match between Rocky and the worlds heavyweight champion Apollo Creed (an excellent and unintentionally humorous Carl Weathers who’s character is openly inspired by Muhammad Ali), director John G. Aveldson (Save the Tiger, The Karate Kid) does a great job. With a strong and concentrated cast, few secondary characters (of whom in addition to Meredith and Shire, Burt Young as Paulie and Joe Spinell as loan shark and generous father figure, Tony, stand out) and fewer distractions, Aveldson givesyou a focused, straightforward tale about one man and his journey. With a flavor of downtown Philadelphia, insight into its cultural fabric, into the world of boxing and difficult living, loan sharks and meat packers and what it takes to be a champion in any sport, with enough humor and strength to get at your heart and punch your gut, Rocky, quite simply, is a well-made, but crowd pleasing underdog tale with a fiery hero and a tender love story to go with it. Its feel good, its die-hard, its simple, its got romance and action and an unsung star Stallone at its centre.

And lets not forget it’s about dreams and opportunity, not just freak luck after all. And in that, it shall always be remembered and beloved, because as champion Creed points out at one point in the film, the decision to give an unknown the chance of a lifetime, is not just ‘American’, its ‘smart’. Even though Rocky is known for anything but, in being true to what it is, the film remains strong, popular and smart.

THE GOLD RUSH (1925)

Neha says
Charlie Chaplin claimed GOLD RUSH as “The picture I want to be remembered by” and while personally I rate City Lights as the essential Chaplin film, Gold Rush in many ways reinforces the recurring themes and essences of almost every Chaplin outing- where our “Little Tramp” character with his twirling cane and little dictatorial mustache and with his two-sizes too short coat, two-sizes too big pants, shoes and hat is always on the hunt for the big Dream- food, shelter survival and a sense of belonging and love. This time round, a high concept tale takes Chaplin to Klondike in search for gold but first he must battle a wanted criminal, starvation, hardships, heartbreak, storms and bears before he realizes his dreams. Yes unique to the Chaplin world of film making, our lone prospector’s journey from Little Tramp to Millionaire is a reality!!! While the plot is marvelously simple, the inventive comic routines that occasionally do seem a tad overstretched stand out for the way in which Chaplin defined the genre of tragicomedy, combining pathos and sentiment, slapstick and pantomime routines, physical comedy and farce with social commentary in a way that can’t help but put a smile on your face. Some of the memorable, well-crafted comic centerpieces include Chaplin eating his shoes and the wick of a lantern; him struggling against the wind; Chaplin changing into a chicken; his shoe catching fire; his dancing act with Georgia while dragging a dog behind him; the wonderfully see-sawing cabin and of course “the dance of the dinner rolls” is my favorite. These elaborate comic routines work because of a character like the Little Tramp who is just simply the perfect vehicle to extract rib-tickling laughs and your emotions. Seeing him waiting with anticipation on New Year’s Eve for the beautiful Georgia will remind you of that sense of isolation that’s such an integral component of his Little Tramp character. You can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Chaplin once said “I don’t need interesting camera angles. I am interesting.” Well with Chaplin in almost every frame of the film, your attention never wavers from how he masterminds the moment and pulls you in any direction of his choosing.

Ira says

In Hollywood, there’s comedy, there’s comic timing, there’s farce, there’s satire, there’s the Marx Brothers, there’s even Laurel & Hardy, but there is only one Charlie Chaplin. Master of mime, brethren to the common man, ambassador of humanity, fool of the heart and artist of the highest order, our little Tramp was and always will be something of a little genius.
And in The Gold Rush, the movie that Chaplin himself has claimed he most wants to be remembered for, the maestro’s ability to provide comedy, laughter and relief soars even today as it did back in 1925.

A simple, complete, original, and thoughtfully made tale, The Gold Rush tells the story of The Little Tramp and his quest to be a part of the Alaskan Gold Rush, where he encounters a prospector named Big Jim McKay played by Mack Swain who has made a discovery of gold and an escaped fugitive Black Larson played by Tom Murray. Opening with the images of hardship that are common in much of Chaplin’s work, the men come together with a comic turn of fate. As they face difficulties of storms and no food, Chaplin’s unique blend of pathos and humor takes over till the 3 are parted and he finds himself in a small town where he falls hopelessly in love with a saloon girl, Georgia played by Georgia Hale (who would become Chaplin’s real-life sweetheart during the making of the film) who doesn’t quite reciprocate the feelings.With a refreshing new landscape (a snowy Alaskan world courtesy Chaplin Hollywood studio and set), a plot fuelled by just a few characters with enough supporting ones to add an authentic flavor and give the film texture and richness, and above all, with a screenplay that seamlessly integrates classically Chaplinesque themes; The Gold Rush, one of the highest grossing silent comedy films of all times is a classic and an entertainer. The little master is superb, in control and mesmerizing as always to watch and his insightful, thoughtful writing incorporates mans primal instincts, universal human values like greed, hunger, and generosity, with moments of farce, comedy, adventure, action, dancing, and romance, and a rags to riches, boy meets girl tale all at once.

The Gold Rush also has some of Chaplin’s most visually beautiful, simple, and elegantly shot and executed, comic and action oriented sequences, like the famous ‘roll dance’ where Chaplin pokes two forks into a couple of bread rolls and makes them dance as if they were living things with rhythm and motivations of their own to hilarious sequences between the three men, particularly Big Jim and Chaplin, struggling not to devour each other, quite literally, to holding on to one another for survival when a storm spins their cabin onto precarious terrain. And along with the somber, the quiet, or the farcical comes a lyrical alive sound score and Chaplin’s incredible ability to create a spirit that is tangible, energetic and boisterous. It has often been said that Chaplin’s films became remedies, and relief for a world made gloomy by the atrocities of the World Wars, that they had an uncanny and timely ability to uplift and entertain. Well, that is the true purpose of great art, and in the world we live in today where things are not much different and gloom of all kinds persists, they still do.

NASHVILLE (1975)

Neha says
I just didn’t feel like I was in a small town, laid back country music haven called Nashville. Well at least not at first. In fact add a few skyscrapers and people in suits and the pulsating opening of the film resembles something more like New York. Did that work for me? Yes…Yes and Yes… Why? It manages to lend a vitality and urgency to the moment and captures the chaotic minds and emotions of these 24 characters whose lives intertwine and evolve during the course of a 5 day music festival. Robert Altman in his interview said Nashville with all the music talent migrating there, trying to maintain or attain success is like a “microcosm of the Hollywood syndrome.” And while there is no denying that, I would go one step further and add that it felt more like a microcosm of the American syndrome, reflecting the political sentiment, nationalistic pride, the common man’s angst and silent rebellion, country music euphoria and the spirit of America in that space and time. I like how on many an occasion Altman manages to reflect all of the above all at once with a technical eye that shrewdly overlaps images and character insights with voice-overs of a politician’s campaign speech and media reports. The greatest and most evident challenge was to balance 24 key characters without getting overcrowded. At first I admit it did feel overwhelming but as you settle into the pace and rhythm of Altman’s narrative, as the characters slowly begin to unfold before you, as the relationship between man and politics and art and politics slowly begins to converge bringing mostly all the characters together, moving intelligently towards a conclusion that makes sense and gives each character a purpose or perspective, the 160 minutes spent with or rather at Nashville feels like an education without really trying too hard to be one. Balancing human drama with slice of country life with the comedy of life and with music that doesn’t look to spoon-feed the narrative’s subtext as much as it does to capture the beat of the people, sometimes having nothing to do with story threads seems to all come together so skillfully- increasing the momentum at will, slowing down the pace on its own accord, pausing to take stock of the moment but most importantly Altman has this sixth sense of just knowing what he needs to do when and how to keep us right where he wants us. As for the wonderful ensemble cast, they simply rise to the occasion.

There is this pulsating energy with which Nashville has both been written and edited that never feels like a western, laid back haven of country music but more like a bustling New York. There is as the title suggests a specific focus on Nashville and how the lives of 24 characters get interweaved with one another over a 5 day festival but the film manages to encapsulate a universal America of that time and space with both political sentiment, cultural fabric.

There’s something to be said about the bustling and tight energy of this film that never feels like we are in a laid back country music haven of Nashville but feels so much like a New York.

Ira says

Robert Altman’s films (MASH, THE PLAYER, GOSFORD PARK) are never as light-hearted as they appear on the surface. Widely known as an actors director and for his unique experimental technique that combines several plot lines, multiple characters and an extremely naturalistic slice-of-life style, Altman’s films require patience and often force you to pay attention to the small things. So, while its great to have lyrical moody tunes to help you along in the opening credits of his critically acclaimed, NASHVILLE, he instantly sets up the dichotomies of his storytelling right there in a recording studio where two kinds of music are being recorded; patriotic country and gospel. Altman doesn’t let you forget for a second that this is a film that’s set at a time in Nashville, Tennessee, circa 1975, where music, be it country, gospel, alternative, folk or rock isn’t just a way of life, a form of artistic expression, a cathartic release, or entertainment, it is religious, spiritual, personal, communal and most certainly, as the director intends, political. Not the kind of ‘politics’ that’s in the oval office, but the kind that’s part and parcel of everyday life for ordinary people. The kind that’s in the films visual images of American flags, in the parades and crowds gathered at concerts, the omnipresent voice of unseen candidate Hal Philip Walker on a loudspeaker emanating from an omnipresent van in the film. And the kind that’s preached by its characters like clever political strategists, or evident in the film’s mixed raced themes and characters, and its variety of music. The kind you realize, as much as the films characters do which, you cannot disconnect from.

On the surface, Nashville is very specifically about the coming together of several characters during a musical weekend where a ‘replacement’ party candidate for presidency is holding a political rally, but its also a statement on politics, its methods, role and machinations; a wonderful compilation of memorable music (‘I’m Easy’, written and performed by Keith Carradine won him and the film, several awards fro Best Original Song) and a character driven relationship story at the same time.

The film’s 24 characters, its 13 released soundtrack songs, and over a dozen more used in the film, its languid pace, Altman’s trademark overlapping dialogue, parallel stories, intertwining narrative threads and the way you sense he places his camera in situations and lets his actors do the rest, provide an authentic flavor and an absolutely realistic feel to everything that happens. Blending elements of race, (note subtle touches like the white and African American girls in the band of young female performers in the opening parade sequence), with social, cultural and religious sentiments seamlessly and without a heavy hand, Altman creates a solid fabric for his characters who use music as a release and a tool of sharp political, personal, and emotional commentary. Even as you feel not much is really happening till about halfway through, as gentle drama unravels, you are drawn into this world and feel as if you are actually getting to know its people, and in terms of plot, while nothing feels discordant, much is still surprising. Wonderfully made, this is a film that lingers with you and somehow makes you feel richer, informed and wiser.

Altman gets some superb performances out of his large ensemble cast here too. Most notable for me are debutante songwriter Ronnie Blakely as Barbara Jean, Nashville’s ethereal, fragile country music sweetheart who falls apart in more ways than one despite some beautiful musical performances, Henry Gibson as Haven Hamilton, Nashville’s most beloved, traditional and respected singer and the central force of the films political motivations, Geraldine Chaplin as a neurotic British journalist who provides an outsiders perspective and becomes a sort of narrative point of view for us in the film, Lily Tomlin as Linnea Rosse, mother of 2 deaf children, wife to Hamilton’s lawyer and a woman who has darker secrets than we first know along with Barbara Harris as Winifred, an aspiring singer and Jeff Goldblum as a hilarious silent biker who does card tricks.