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The Motorcycle Diaries

Freakingly brilliant movie, about the transformation of Che Guevera from a medical student into a communist revolutionary. Brilliant photography capturing the landscape of Latin America. Watch it even if you are not a Che Guevera admirer.

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18 Responses to “The Motorcycle Diaries”

  1. Jahan Bakshi on October 16th, 2008 12:07 am

    Awesome film. Gives you goosebumps everytime you watch it. Walter Salles’s Central Station is another must-watch that beautifully captures the Latin American landscape and mindscape, though it is slightly overlong.

  2. Sameer on October 16th, 2008 12:15 am

    It’s Guevara.

    Also, it’s actually based on two books,

    “The Motorcycle Diaries” by Che Guevara, And “Travelling with Che Guevera” by Alberto Granado.

    Another South American movie that’s not to be missed is ‘Machuca’… Very often shown on UTV World Movies.

  3. Ratnakar Sadasyula on October 16th, 2008 12:20 am

    @Jahan: have not seen Central Station, will try to catch it. But Motorcycle Diaries is no doubt awesome. And trust me i am pretty much right wing, but i still liked the central theme of the movie.

    @ Sameer: Yes,i have not read the Alberto Granado version, but got a translated version of Che’s. Again will check out Machuca. Am on a Latino, East Asian movies trip nowadays.

  4. Ratnakar Sadasyula on October 16th, 2008 12:21 am

    Also i believe that the upcomming movie Heroes, is based on Motorcycle Diaries. The promos don’t look great, and Sohail Khan in the lead role, just puts me off.

  5. Oxy on October 16th, 2008 1:46 am

    Absolutely… Trip down the memory lane… and for Heroes, I told my bro by looking at the promos that I feel it is inspired from Motorcycle Diaries but then few other scenes could not confirm that. Air Force and Army Jawaans? Strip song of Sohail and Vatsal?

  6. Ratnakar Sadasyula on October 16th, 2008 1:51 am

    Oxy, i guess the basic theme of 2 youths undertaking a road journey and discovering themselves, is taken from Motorcycle Diaries, and there are some great scenic shots too.

    But Sohail Khan in the lead role, puts me off big time. And his hamming in some of the promos, made me puke. I mean just look at Gael Garcia Bernal’s understated dignified performance in the lead role.

    On a side note, i must say Salman Khan and Preity Zinta, look pretty convincing as a Sikh couple. That could be one of the interesting factors.

  7. Oxy on October 16th, 2008 2:18 am

    Sohail is a clown. And he should remain that. Taking him for the lead is not crime but if it’s for something based on ‘MD’ then it is non-punishable offense.

    Salman looks sober. But what about Deol Bros? They are too in that and they both look tired.

  8. Antz on October 27th, 2008 3:21 am

    The movie’s an absolute delight. I guess its a mix of various genres of film making. light,semi-docu, serious, humourous and of course beautifully shot with a great soundtrack and that too an oscar nominated one (donno if it won!)…this film seems to be the inspiration for the Hindi film, Heroes.

  9. Mainak on October 27th, 2008 12:35 pm

    Ratnakar
    Can you explain what you mean by Freakishly Brilliant?

  10. ravptor on October 27th, 2008 12:46 pm

    i din’t know it shows his transformation to a revolutionary??? Hmm… i thought it only dealt with his journey.

    mainak?

  11. mainak on October 27th, 2008 1:01 pm

    In his journey he is transformed. But we don’t see him as Che. Ravptor haven’t you seen this film?

  12. DPac on October 27th, 2008 3:06 pm

    ‘i am pretty much right wing’??!!
    what do u mean ratnakar?

  13. ravptor on October 27th, 2008 4:13 pm

    mainak I have, multiple times but I never saw a transformation angle.

  14. Ratnakar on October 27th, 2008 8:17 pm

    @Mainak: No nothing specific, just a term i used.

    @ Dpac: Well what i meant was i am not a supporter of Left Wing Ideology, nor am i a big admirer of Che. I hope that does not prevent me writing out here :)

  15. Ratnakar on October 27th, 2008 8:24 pm

    @ravptor:

    The final scene, when Che, swims across the river to go to the leper’s shack, is kind of metaphorical, in the way, he chooses to reject the comfortable life he was leading, and be among the masses. The transformation is depicted in a more implicit manner here.

  16. Ratnakar on October 27th, 2008 8:28 pm

    @Dpac: Also i call myself right wing, as i support capitalism, but then some of my capitalist or Liberterian pals feel i am a socialist, as i feel capitalism does need Governmental support at times, because the market can’t do everything. Or you could say i am more a supporter of FDR’s economic policies, rather than Reaganomics or Bush’s cowboy style capitalism.

  17. mainak on October 28th, 2008 2:10 am

    Ravptor
    Ratnakar is right about the transformation. Though I would argue that its not implicit at all. Its in your face. But then you didn’t feel it after multiple times. Which means subtlety is a subjective thing. Whats subtle for someone, maybe is obnoxious for others.
    So my new theory is that the masterpieces are the ones where its subtle for everyone.

  18. ravptor on October 28th, 2008 3:34 am

    I don’t know Mainak, I have no clue how walking into the lepers shack was transformation. Of what i remember from the book (read it long time ago) the transformation to a revolutionary happens way later than that.

    Nut this is something we can iron out very easily, Oz has the book on Che at HQ, we can talk about it at IFFLA or probably before that.

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