Film genres, Naushad's melodies, short films...
K.S. Sivakumaran
This week I would like to talk about sundry notes I gathered on
different aspects of films. Let's take the different genres in Feature
Films particularly in the west. The European Continental Films, the
American Hollywood Films, the South American Latin American Films, the
Films of the World that include films made in various languages in Asia,
Africa and the films made in West Asia (Middle East) give us rich
experiences in knowing the cultures of the globe. I need not digress on
this point in a short piece like this.
Straight we go. We notice that nearly 30 kinds of films are made for
the entertaining pleasure and even enlightenment of cinegoers. These are
some of the categories:
Films of Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crimes and Gangster, Drama, Epic
/ Historical, Horror, Musicals (Dance), Science Fiction, War or
Anti-War, Westerns, Biographical, Chic, Detective and Mystery, Disaster,
Fantasy, Film Noir, Guy, Martial Arts, Espionage, Thrillers, Black
Comedies and so on.
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Hindustani film musician Naushad |
Of the above I like most the genres of Drama, Epic / Historical,
Musicals, Anti-War, Biographical, Detective, Mystery, Film Noir,
Espionage, Thrillers and Black Comedies.
As a teenager I might have liked other kinds more than what I like as
a senior citizen .now. And sure you have your own choices.
That's understandable.
Haunting Melodies
The other day in Singapore I bought a CD featuring unforgettable
melodies of the great maestro of Hindustani film music - Naushad.
What a delightful dish of beautiful melodies based sans heavy
orchestration has he produced since the 1940s. As a young boy and later
as a teenager I was crazy over Hindi film music
The All Asia Service (the Hindi beam) of the SLBC (Sri Lanka
Broadcasting Corporation) is still very popular in India, Pakistan and
the Middle East primarily because it plays evergreen melodies that the
older and even younger generation enjoys.
Singers like Norjehan, C H Aathma, KN Saigal, Mukesh, Manna Dey,
Shamshud Begum, Lata Mangeshkar, Geeta Roy (Geeta Dutt), Aasha Bhosle
entertained us all then.
Besides Naushad there were other Hindi Music directors continued a
tradition of refined music encompassing Persian, Spanish, and indigenous
music of India and now even Thamilian maestros like Rahman and
Ilaiyarajah create fine Hindi music.
Take some of the films in which Naushad made remarkable contribution.
That include: Rattan, Anmol Ghadi, Mela, Andaz, Dillagi, Dastan, Mother
India, Ganga Jamuna, Amar, Dulari, Babul, Deedar, Baiju Bawara,
Kohinoor, Uran Khatola,, Mughal e Azam, and so on.
Short Film and Documentary Festival
The Kerala State Chalachitra Academy is holding the second
Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala in Thiruvananthapuram from
June 19 to 25.
The Artistic Director of the Academy Bina Paul Venugopal writes in to
say that an attractive National Level Competition and International
curetted sections have been organized.
At the International Film Festivals of India I usually skip short
films and documentaries for want of time and to concentrate on world
cinema. But there will be many amongst our readers who prefer short
films and documentaries.
If they are interested in knowing more about the forthcoming festival
here is their website:www.keralafilms.com
The Thamil Arts Society of the University of Peradeniya is holding a
full day seminar on Short Films on May 16, 2009 in the campus premises.
Among knowledgeable short filmmakers, yours truly is also invited to
attend the discussion.
[email protected]
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