[New readers of this series are urged to read the Introduction post.]
E
Eight and Half
When I first watched Fellini’s Eight and Half on the big screen, I did not know exactly what I had seen, but I knew I had witnessed something great. It took repeated viewings to get completely mystified by this great film. Yes, you read that right – repeated viewings not to understand but to get completely mystified.
The film that brought ‘Felliniesque’ to the vocabulary. The greatest film about film-making. A movie about a non-movie. A film about a director facing director’s block, that is overflowing with creative inspiration. A movie where dissecting what is real and what is fantasy seems pointless. Deep introspection about self-indulgence. Visually intoxicating imagery, where the entire cast in the whole film seem to be choreographed floating in air, rather than walking. Fellini the director, Mastroianni the actor, playing Guido the director – the three blending into a psycho-visual collage that mesmerizes your mind. Long afterwards, you realize Fellini is a master magician, and there’s nothing you can do except submit and succumb to his magic.
A critic says:
Attempting to describe the film's meaning is sort of like the story of T. S. Eliot being asked by a woman in the audience at a poetry reading what he meant by a certain line, which she read aloud again. He replied that it meant exactly what she had read. 8½ means exactly what it says, and attempting to condense it is pointless and not even interesting.
[Note: I realize now that this should’ve been slotted in the 0-9 category. When I started, I had somehow slotted it as ‘Eight and Half’. Apologies.]
Runner Up
Ek Doctor Ki Maut
A scientist experimenting for many years in his laboratory. A socially handicapped inventor who is ostracized by society. A genius who appears arrogant to ordinary people. Sounds like a sub-plot from Atlas Shrugged? No, this is ‘Death of a Doctor’, a landmark film in Indian cinema by Tapan Sinha, who earlier gave us Ankush.
Talent is subject to ridicule. The more you excel, the more number of enemies you seem to have: Why this animosity towards Excellence?
This may not be great in terms of film-making, but seen in the context of Indian cinema, it is unique, and personally affected me immensely. This is the hugely talented Pankaj Kapur’s finest performance, ably supported by Azmi. Sinha made several films (that I haven’t yet seen) championing individualism.
I have always believed in individual courage and effort. I think, collective system of life hardly allows an individual to discover the infinite strength within him. I like the individual who has the courage to face any untoward situation, which is why I have shown an individual as a relentless fighter against all hazards in Aadmi Aur Aurat, Atanka and Ek Doctor Ki Maut. My protagonists in these films have practically done miracles by their own strength and self-confidence.
Like the protagonists in his films, Sinha the director stands as the indomitable individual in Indian cinema.
Noteworthy Mentions
Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, the best Indian adaptation of a Hollywood film. Basu Chatterjee one upped Lumet by shifting the sub-plot of the adamant juror’s son to the very end as a surprise revelation, leading to a more dramatic climax in the adaptation.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, probing the maze of romantic love.
Related posts:
Ok, that was the change you were refering to in Ek Ruka Hua Faisla. Yeah, so it was.
I haven’t watched other two nor in the alphabet D section. I guess I ahve lot to catch up.
Mahendra
Alas I can change my subscription but cannot produce >24h in the day.
Eternal Sunshine appears in my meme-response as my grown-up favourite. I wrote about films that I remember having seen as a child too. (Once you have finished your responses — which will be by end of May: see http://tinyurl.com/7lhs3k)
Mahendra, again very good films. Liked reading your description of 8 1/2. This film is so abstract that I almost gave up when I watched it. I think, like other films of this calibre, to really appreciate/understand this film, one needs to be understand the film art very well. This is a kind of film which legitimizes film as an ultimate art form.
I personally find Fellini’s Le Strada his best as I learnt a lot from that film. I watched that one as an exercise to understand how scripts are made in the context of book on screnwriting I read last year. But, have to admit, I havent watched many of his films yet..
Ek Doctor ki Maut was excellent! I have always believed that Pankaj Kapur is one of our finest actors..thanks for the information on Tapan Sinha..
Ek Doctor Ki Maut is amazing. Totally agree with your selection here.
After reading this entry, I went to wikipedia and this is what they had to say ‘Sinha’s first film Ankush was based on the Narayan Ganguly story Sainik, which had an elephant in the central character.’.
When you mention Ankush, are you confusing it with N. Chandra’s Ankush which is about 4 misguided youths (incl. Nana Patekar) and their saga of revenge? Even that movie was very hard hitting. This was before Chandra became, as critics would say, ‘commercial’. I saw it long time back and it did appeal to the rebel in my youth.
By the time you are finished, I’ll have quite the list of movies to watch. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a personal favorite of mine as well… Amongst many things I love about that movie is the color usage throughout the movie intertwined into everything (and the red jacket), along with the scene where the house is coming apart. Every time something is torn apart it is so symbolic.
This — Deep introspection about self-indulgence.
sums up my thoughts about 8 1/2. Although I enjoyed La Strada much more.
Mahendra, are you thinking of “Ankush” with Nana Patekar, by any chance? If so, that was directed by N. Chandra.
ETA. Just read the comment by Anand.
Never heard of 8 & 1/2. Looks like one of those movies you need to be in the right frame of mind to watch, if you know what I mean.
I really like the English Patient — cliched, I know. But the cinematography is excellent, love the score, and the cast. And the script
I think this is probably the first (and only) movie that I liked better than the book. I’ve seen movies that do justice to the book, but seldom has a movie (that I’ve seen) surpassed the book (I’ve read). Ok, that will be my last comment, promise. For a while 
i am spending more time on your blog than on mine
i love this series.
to your lot i will also add ET — the entire paranoia of the search for ET — almost like a witch hunt.
Yes, that was the change I was referring to earlier.
It is an intelligent change, and I actually liked the end result better.
Now, I’m beginning to think watching great movies is a much simpler task than writing about them!
Yes, I knew about Eternal Sunshine in your list. Of course, I have read your list (I linked to it as well, remember?). I only don’t read other meme responses just before I write a post to keep my writing fresh.
If any of my beloved readers remember my posts when they see one of these films for the first time: “मी धन्य होईन!” Loosely translated, I think it means I will feel blessed!
Dev, thank you. 8 1/2 was the most difficult of all films that I’ve written about so far. I spent hours wondering what to write and struggling to jot down some words!
I haven’t seen La Strada yet.
I highly respect Pankaj Kapur as an actor. He is indeed one of our finest.
Ah, I am glad I can bank on my astute readers to correct such gaffes!
The N. Chandra Ankush still remains a favorite of mine, and I knew it was definitely N. Chandra and had nothing to do with Sinha. But while eye-balling Sinha’s article, saw Ankush, saw Elephant, and mistook it for Chandra’s Ankush. I guess my mind had gone bonkers after writing about 8 1/2!
So thank you once again.
I hope that list leads to some quality time of entertainment!
I have watched ESOTSM only once, and did not appreciate many aspects. It was too overwhelming to keep up with the story. I am going to revisit it at least a couple of times to do justice to it. Thanks for sharing your appreciation of the film, it definitely helps!
I envy that you were able to sum up your thoughts about 8 1/2. I have never been able to do so. And I haven’t seen La Strada. Sigh.
Thanks for the correction. Check my response to Anand. As I said, I guess my mind was drained out after writing about 8 1/2!
I was going to mention 2 movies along with American Beauty in the (A) post. One was Ankush, but I saw that more than 15 years back and I wasn’t sure if it was a great movie or if I liked it only because I was young. The other one was Andaaz Apna Apna.
I had Ankush on VHS for many years until it became unusable and watched it many times. It was a powerful as well as thought provoking film. There were personal reasons for why I liked it more than some might.
Andaaz Apna Apna, on the other hand, is my wife’s kind of movie (and hence in our collection). I survived through it only because of and for her.
8 1/2 is gospel among film-critics. Yes, you are right. It should preferably be watched on the big screen. I did — two times!
Hmm. The English Patient. You know what my problem is? Seinfeld. I just love Seinfeld so much, that I couldn’t watch The English Patient without thinking of Seinfeld. Hence it is going to take another viewing with a determined and focused mind, to do justice to it.
And since I’m the illiterateuse, of course I haven’t read the book.
Welcome to my blog, Calamur!
Nice to have you here and happy that you’re enjoying this series.
Yes, I liked E.T. as well, but there were too many films to list. And another aspect is that it got somewhat downgraded in my mind when I learned about Satyajit Ray’s Alien script.
rofl. I know exactly the episode you’re talking about. In fact, that’s just what I had in mind when I wrote the comment. And well it did work for them, so what Elaine says doesn’t count
Watch it, trust me 
I’ll pretend I didn’t see gkm-#2.
g
Yes, as I said, I will watch English Patient again…
What is gkm #2?
gareeb ka mazaak #2
ref: illiterateuse tomna
Oh,
I thought it was some bollywood movie. You know I saw a reference to something like “OSO” on Dev’s blog as being a topic of debate between Dev and Ruhi. I actually spent more than 45 minutes trying to figure out which movie “OSO” referred to. That’s why this time I decided I better ask straight away what gkm#2 is, rather than spend another hour finding it out myself.