Banal notes on the ‘recently imbibed’ : Thiruda thiruda, and Zodiac.
Thiruda thiruda - It’s decent. The amateur acting didn’t help much though. Surely not a damp squib, as it is claimed to be. There were few good moments, but inconsistent for a fun-filled entertainer. Unlike Mani’s other films which deals with *sensitive* issues, this one doesn’t. This, along with Agni Natchathiram, are just pet-projects, I reckon. While AN had that Godfather-inspired-scene (while Nayakan could be labeled a montage), this one reveals Mani’s love for the westerns! Now, what makes you forget the pathetic acting, amateurish plot and mediocre execution? – PC Sreeram’s cinematography, ARR’s music. But all the while, you wonder whether RGV and Mani wrote this script together!
I made a video with PC’s visuals and ARR’s music, hope you like it.
Zodiac - I read that the film is ‘messed-up’ and Se7en to be more complete. The comparison was obvious as both the films are about investigation of a serial killer(s). But as the film rolls, you find it to be an absurd comparison. You get engrossed into it right away like any other Fincher film. The film starts with an assault. And as it progresses, you find that it’s about the ‘obsession’ over the case files. The film itself is a case-file of three ‘obsessive minds’, Graysmith, Avery and Toschi. The film succeeds with Graysmith, it fails with Avery, it almost succeeds with Toschi. Paul Avery, the SF chronicle reporter, is neither defined nor developed. He’s a cartoonish figure indeed, played by ever-so-loony Downey Jr. Robert Graysmith, played aptly by Jake Gyllenhal, is a political cartoonist in SF herald, He is ‘obsessive and addicted’ over Zodiac. He develops an interest to solve the ciphered messages,and inevitably puzzled over the case, he goes on to write a book. Dave Toschi, is shown realistic than over-the-top (like one of his inspired characters, Callahan from Dirty harry). In an interview, the writer of the book, Robert Graysmith (the real one) has praised Mark Ruffalo who played Toschi and believes it to be closest portrayal of the SFPD inspector.
Fincher has played a projectionist of the evidence and investigations through Zodiac. It’s a film which avoids those sensational spine-tingling scenes a la Se7en. But it has well-placed moments which helps the narrative more than appealing as a cheap thrill, and notably, He pulls off an Hitchcock in one particular scene, when Graysmith goes to poster-man Vaughn’s mansion. You’re with Graysmith, your heart rattles with him, you’re frightened of the killer’s footsteps above, you’re as panicked when he rushes from the basement to the car. Had this been the mood of the film throughout, an average audience would have lapped it up with ease. But clearly the intent isn’t that, just like how the ciphered text is far less mysterious than the circumstantial evidences which leads to the suspect. He doesn’t sensationalize things. In the process of it, he enthralls the viewer in a different way. Finally, It’s no circumstance or luck that Fincher has successfully achieved what he set out to do. Years of research and interest is reflected in his work. And, When you got an impressive filmography with Se7en, Fight club, The game, Panic room & Alien 3, you can claim yourself to be a modern master of cult thrillers. Alien 3 is criminally under appreciated, had this not been a sequel (as we know the term) to not just one but two brilliant films, it would have been rated higher. The Game was a neat thriller. Fight club and Se7en, cult films which doesn’t need any adjectives, I guess. Panic room was a detour, but it was fairly decent, I would say. Some detractors say that past achievement and work has gone to his head. Nah, Zodiac is a slight change of style and a welcome one. It has his trademark shots and build-up alright, but it takes that nostalgic dusty look (with the subtitles indexing the timeline), and I found it to be intriguing murder-mystery. Well worth your time.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
A good post, to start with. I couldn
thilak, thanks for reminding me that i need to add both of these to my rental queue…
A few thoughts on the first half…..
I wouldn’t trivialise Agni Natchathiram so much. There was a father-with-two-wives theme (supposedly inspired by Karunanidhi-Stalin-Azhagiri). But Mani does attempt to make some movies a bit frivolous to make it more digestible for the audience. Anjali too was similar in that way; there too, most of the audience took to the kids and the songs and forgot the basic story.
Coming back to TT, I believe only the story plot was given by RGV. The basic knot was just 2 petty thieves breaking into a house finding a girl trying to hang herself. Isn’t that a brilliant idea to build on? Mani just badly goofed up.
Some trivia: Ramu and Mani collaborated on 3 movies till date. Thiruda-thiruda and Dil Se were helmed by Mani and flopped, while Gayam, directed by Ramu, was an okay hit. While TT has shades of Ramu’s Khshana kshananam, Gayam reminds you of Mani’s Nayakan.
TT was Mani’s attempts to fuse two different worlds shown in in movies in one script. The big bad robbers and the small time village thieves. However the screenplay that is supposed to nicely combine these things goes haywire with all kinda loose characters (a shocker when it comes from mani) robs us of the fun that it could have with all ARR and PCSriram magic. I saw the movie thrice for the following.
1. ARR sound track
2. PCSreeram camera
3. Salim Ghouse in his most stupid yet brilliantly executed role closely following his good performance in “Chinna Kounder” I was keyed up to watch him in this movie and he didn’t disappoint. Is he still doing theatre in Mumbai? I wish he acts more thamizh movies. This thamizh diction is so beautifully correct with a “zing” to it. If you care grab “Vetri Vizha” *ing Kamal – a Bourne Identity adaptation by Prathap Pothen. Ghouse had executed and memorable “Zinda” role in it.
“unnoda kadhula oothura dhrvagam” the famous line.
Tushar,
TT ‘the movie’ isn’t a classic (I know you meant ARR’s work). It isn’t bad either. As I said, it’s decent!
Hmmmm, Zodiac is very unlike Fight Club! Yes, you should get out of that mode. And, I find Se7en to be more complete than FC, but thats just me
As for Trainspotting, yes, it’s another cult classic. The quotes, characters and almost everything are memorable and fantastic.
And, you’re right, It’s difficult to judge a filmmaker’s works, when one of his work still flashes subconsciously and you couldn’t get out it.
Striker,
Zodiac should be at a higher priority, of course
Randramble,
You’re right. It works against Mani. All those visuals and acoustics (not always and not to everyone) takes away the actual ‘crux’ of his story.
And Yes, Mani goofed it up in TT. It could have been taken better. So, the ‘writer’ may not be sidelined alone. The direction had an equal part to play, as ‘execution’ decides the final product.
About AN, you’re right again! :p It’s gross injustice to actually call it a ‘pet project’. One should appreciate the way Mani juxtaposes the brother’s duel(with each other), their relationship with their dad, mom, Girl friends :d, and their families. Didn’t know that it was inspired by MK’s family. Thats news to me, but yeah, it makes sense! AN is better than TT in content but not in ‘visual presentation’ where TT scores well above AN (coincidentally PC sir in both the films). As you might well know, IR’s music in AN is still a huge phenomenon in TN, actually more than ARR’s songs in TT. And, AN has Amala. >:)
Wb,
Thanks for the trivia.
Prefer Dil Se from their combos. But I saw it long back. Should revisit them. Gayam and TT are both ‘decent’.
BTW,
RGV’s Khshana kshanana(still laugh my ass off when I see it, not to mention Sridevi’s performance) is recommended over their jointly made, TT (RGV co-writes, Mani directs), anyday.
Mani’s Nayakan is much better than their joint effort, Gaayam (Mani co-writes, RGV directs)
VPJ,
What would you think of using SPB, SS Chandran, Malaysia Vasudevan in the film? Did you like the other “mini” characterizations?
About Salim Ghouse, he has also done well in other Southern languages, most notably, another RGV film, Drohi and Thazhvaram with Lalettan. But yes, he is fondly remembered in TN for Chinna Gounder. I forgot Vetri Vizha as soon as I watched it, much like the protagonist :-s
And yes, Salim Ghouse did what he could but the “character”, Mani saar!!!!! :o
Off-track digression:
ippo vara villain ellam paathingala? ‘aaye’ sound, long hair, supposedly ‘repulsive’ looks would fetch a negative role in a film! :-t :(
Vishnu
Thats right. But I remember this one more than others, “10 cipher”. when SPB starts counting. =)) :|