tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703076346434344743.post7268038422158475529..comments2023-07-01T05:05:31.938-04:00Comments on Films Worth Watching: The Apu Trilogy (1955-1959) - Directed by Satyajit RayJonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10656287096270976604noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703076346434344743.post-4149508370350905112011-09-05T14:13:13.109-04:002011-09-05T14:13:13.109-04:00Sam thanks for your wonderful comments here. I am ...Sam thanks for your wonderful comments here. I am beginning to find more of Ray's films available and am looking forward to seeing The Music Room as it's a new Criterion. I agree with you about Pather Panchali and think it just might be the best of the 3, but it's a close call. Thanks Sam!Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10656287096270976604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703076346434344743.post-18320057432852195852011-09-04T23:01:51.606-04:002011-09-04T23:01:51.606-04:00This is one of the greatest series of film in the ...This is one of the greatest series of film in the history of the cinema, and as you note many rightful think it's the pinnacle of humanist cinema. Ray is a very great director, one of whom Kurosawa famously said:<br /><br />"To have not seen the films of Ray is to have lived in the world without ever having seen the moon and the sun."<br /><br />Shubhajit mentions that some critics maight rate Ghatak higher, but as much as I adore THE CLOUD CAPPED STAR, he hasn't much work to argue his case. Ray is ten times more prolific, and in addition to this great masterpiece trilogy (the first film, PATHER PANCHALI is the best methinks) Ray has several other masterworks--DEVI, DAYS AND NIGHTS IN THE FOREST, CHAULATA and THE MUSIC ROOM. But still others there push close.<br /><br />This is a masterful review full of passion and authority that well serves it's subject, Jon.Sam Julianonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703076346434344743.post-35020052746662512202011-09-01T22:04:31.146-04:002011-09-01T22:04:31.146-04:00Shubhajit,
I absolutely know that Ray is your all...Shubhajit,<br /><br />I absolutely know that Ray is your all-time favorite director, and it reminded me that I wanted to re-see this trilogy and also find some more films of his. Looks like The Music Room is a new Criterion DVD. I definitely defer to you on the topic of Indian cinema, and don't doubt that perhaps there are other brilliant Indian directors I'm not aware of, so this is a good mention of another director that people should seek out. I should have probably said "most famous" rather than "greatest" when referring to Ray, although I'm sure in some circles he would still be considered the greatest. Thanks for your tremendous comment. I can definitely see why you would pick The World of Apu as your favorite. It is filled with immense feeling. I agree with you about the regret that Apu feels when his mother dies. He is really torn up about sacrificing his time away from his mother.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10656287096270976604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703076346434344743.post-78593213614613962122011-09-01T15:18:33.118-04:002011-09-01T15:18:33.118-04:00Great review of one of the truly great trilogies e...Great review of one of the truly great trilogies ever made. Each of the films, individually, rank among my favourites. However, if one were to ask me to pick my favourite among the three, my personal view would be Apur Sansar (The World of Apu) was the best among equals.<br /><br />Given the enormous fame that the first & the final chapters of the series garnered, it is unfortunate that Aparajito (The Unvanquished), despite its brilliance, at times tend to get lost. The most memorable aspect about Aparajito, for me, remains the kind of guilt conscience that Apu suffers from when his mother expires - his sudden heart-wrenching realisation that he has been neglecting his mother in order to pursue his education.<br /><br />I'd recommend that you read about the making of Pather Panchali (Song of the Little Road), if you haven't already. The kind of ordeals that Ray had to go through to raise money to complete the film, as well as the strokes of luck that he had in the process, make for an incredibly interesting read.<br /><br />Satyajit Ray ranks as my favourite filmmaker. And, quite interestingly, if you were to ask me to rank his works according to my personal favourites, Apu Trilogy wouldn't make it to the top - that shows the quality of his filmography.<br /><br />During your review you made a statement that Ray clearly remains the best Indian filmmaker of all time. He clearly remains the most universally recognised of all Indian filmmakers. But, you might be interested to, a sizeable chunk would opine that Ritwik Ghatak (one of Ray's famous contemporaries, along with Mrinal Sen & Tapan Sinha) was even greater than Ray. Unfortunately for Ghatak, unlike Ray, he isn't as well-known outside Bengal, leave alone India, though only recently people have been slowly coming to recognise his contributions to cinema. Ghatak was a staunch Communist, highly anti-establishmentarian & a big-time alcoholic - so there's no surprise he was shunned by the puritans during his time. The fact that he was the polar opposite of what Ray stood for, and yet that they both tremendously respected each other's works, is a great subject for study.Shubhajithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02040495040897333606noreply@blogger.com