i thought it was sh-te

 

^^ I think we've found a replacement for Jonathon Ross on Film 2010

 

Thank you Barry Norman

 

could'nt agree more!!!!!! turned it off 10 mins into it!

 

How slum Dog beat Clint Eastwoods -The Changling, as best movie, still amazes me.

 

My largest client is a major Indian company and I have traveled in India being to many cities including Mumbai and was amazed how a UK director managed to capture the essence of India - the complexity and depth - and not being Indian not afraid to show the underbelly (like Monsoon Wedding).

What I find interesting is that all the Mumbaikers I know really hate this film.

If you watched the Kevin Mcleod programme it is obvious why. He went to a middle class party where the locals were completely in denial about the slum dwellers (not all are like this but it is a common view).

And yet when you fly in there are a half a million people in a huge slum right on the edge of the airport and you can see it when you land.

 

Yes, Boyle did it fantastic. By the way, poverty is not some hidden underbelly of India, it is a facial scar. It is there staring at you, right in your eyes. So, why hide???


Denial is a defence, obviously. You have picked upon the weakness i.e. them living in denial.

No society would accept unsavoury realities about themselves that easily. You will find that the majority in any country (no in just India) would deny their past and present shortcomings, and justify this-and-that, because these shortcomings are ugly and embarrassing. Obviously, those Indian middle classers are embarrassed of what is blatantly standing i.e. dirty slums right opposite to the skyscrapers. You might also have found it interesting through Kevin McLoud's programme that 85% of slummers have jobs, most kids go to school with the ambition of doing better for future, they respect their older members of their family, they share what they have with others; even when a family of 11 has to live in the same shed, and only have a common hole in the ground to ****.

I wish people took some positive message of the shortcomings and hardships like McLoud did, rather than looking at the holes and ridiculing weaknesses. I am not justifying their denial to the obvious, but I am pointing out at another human tendency of spotting the weaknesses. Perhaps it makes people feel good, just like some say in Britain that watching Shameless makes them feel better about themselves.

Human nature LOL

 

I almost did the same - but glad I stuck with it. In my opinion, while the storyline may not have been everyone's preference, the cinematography was excellent, and IMO Danny Boyle did a grand job depicting the dark undercurrents present in the country.

 

I've just watched this and thought it was BRILLIANT --- people who dropped out after 10 mins shud have stuck to it..

having watched the Kevin Mcleod programmes over the past couple of nights I even recognised some of the locations !!

 

Hi Turbo,

my point is that films made in India by Indian directors do not show this - so it is hidden. It is treated as an underbelly. Kevin's film was brilliant in that he captured what we in the west regard as 'squalor' and yet as you say, every morning the kids pour out in their immaculately clean school uniforms and get off to school. Maybe not all the kids, but a lot of them. Indians in my experience seem to know better than anyone that education is the key to social mobility.

In the same way that Monsoon Wedding demonstrated 'real' social issues (albeit very different ones) in a way that locally produced filmakers would never show.

And the deeper irony is that Mumbai is Bollywood - the most prolific film industry in the world.

Socially it is treated as an underbelly - the slum buildings on the airport perimeter were bulldozed a couple of years ago as they were perceived to be a dreadful eyesore for all the international passengers coming in. Of course they just grow back or grow somewhere else.

Slumdog is a great film that told the story as it really is - a hugely resourceful people, the sectarian battle lines, the greed and desire, the class hierarchies, crippling of babies or young children to be used as street collecting dupes, the rich colour (in all senses) and underlying need for love...

 

Trout, there have been very realistic films made by some very talented Indian directors e.g. Aakrosh, Ardha Satya and Saaransh. Such films have openly shown the corruption within the Indian judicial system, poverty, and victimisation of the underprivileged by the able and the powerful. Some won international awards, but they didn't break records at the international box office, because they were not made for such purpose nor did they include all the necessary ingrediants like Boyle's film did; to be a worldwide mega hit. Moreover, Indian directors usually make such films in Hindi and other Indian lanuages, which is another hurdle for their international success, even if they were dubbed or subtitled. I remember interviewing Om Puri (actor from Aakrosh and Ardha Satya) in 1989, where I asked him why he takes on work in such dark and harsh films, along with working in typical Bollywood fantasy productions. He answered- " Darkness is a must, in order to realise the importance of the light. This is why I act in such films." Therefore it is not true that Indian film directors try to hide the pain and suffering of India, to keep face in front of the rest of the world. The films I mentioned above are from mid 80's. I am sure that some cutting edge art directors and producers in India continue to make such films.

Fairy tale productions are nothing but an escape from the reality for the locals. You are right that the films made in India by Indian directors do not often show the plight to the severe degree. That is also because it is all around them, scattered everywhere. Indian population sees it on daily basis. Fairy tales offer them an escape from all that misery.

Now we are talking survival mechanism. It is like TH popping into SN in the middle of doing some stressful work-related tasks, at this odd hour of early morning. I think I will survive.

 

How can you turn a film off after 10 minutes, man that annoys me?! Transporter being an exception

 

I liked Transporter

 

Is slum dawg any good ?

Trout which one ?

 

I saw about an hour of it when it was on TV the other day but went to bed as I was knackered. Looked in Sainsbury on Friday and it was only £5 on DVD. Watched it last night and I think it's a brilliant film. One of the best I've ever seen once you get past the slow introduction.

 

The first one - the girl in it is very cute! And the car bits aren't bad either

 

Slumdog Secret Millionaire is on now on C4.

Really interesting.