Monday 16 April 2018

'CZECH LION'..MILOS FORMAN NO MORE!


 - Manoj Kulkarni

Czech Master Filmmaker..Milos Forman's Bye!

Pioneer of Czechoslovak New Wave..Filmmaker, Screenwriter & Actor..Jan Tomas "Milos" Forman..passed away recently!
Pioneer of Czechoslovak New Wave..
Milos Forman directing film outdoor!


Grown up in Nazi occupation region during World War..Milos Forman studied screenwriting at the Academy of Performing Arts, Prague. In 1954 he made his screen debut as an actor in Czech film 'Stribrny vitr' (Silver Mind). 
Forman wrote film 'Stenata' (1957) 
acted by wife Jana Brejchova!

Then Milos Forman wrote film 'Stenata' (1957) in which his first wife Jana Brejchova acted!

In 1963 Forman became director with film 'Kdy ty muziky nebyly' (Why do we need the bands?). After this he wrote & directed film 'Loves of a Blonde' (1965) in which his sister-in-law Hana Brejchova played the main role!
Forman's 'Loves of a Blonde' (1965) acted by Hana Brejchova!

Film 'Loves of a Blonde' considered one of the most significant example of a 'Czeck New Wave' movement! 
It took advantage of relaxation of totalitarian control over creative artists to use cinema as a means to explore new narrative strategies! This film was nominated for 'Oscar's best foreign language film!
Forman's film 'Taking Off' (1971)..romantic moment!

Then Forman's film 'The Firemen's Ball' (1967) was a biting satire on Eastern European Communism and banned for many years! In 1968 during Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia he left his country and moved to US! In 1971 he made American comedy 'Taking Off' which was his first film made in USA! Then he made documentary 'Visions of Eight' (1973) there.
Jack Nicholson acted 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' (1975).

Then his film 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' (1975) was based on the novel of same name by Ken Kesey. Famous American artists Jack Nicholson & Louise Fletcher acted in it. Forman and these two artists won 'Oscars' for this..which considered to be one of the greatest films ever made!

Amazing scene of..Milos Forman's film 'Hair' (1979).
After 'Hair' (1979) an anti-war musical Forman made film 'Amadeus' (1984) adapted from stage play of same name by Peter Shaffer. This was a fictionalised biography of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His music heard extensively in the soundtrack of this film. This film won 40 international awards which includes eight Academy Awards!

Forman discussing with artists on the set of  'The People vs Larry Flynt' (1996).
In 1989 Forman made French-American film 'Valmont' which was based on French novel 'Les Liaisons dangereuses' by Choderlos de Laclos. In 1996 he made.. controversial film 'The People vs Larry Flynt'. A biographical drama which focused on the clash of pornographic magazine publisher-editor with religious institutions!

Great Czech Filmmaker Milos Forman with 'Oscar'!
He last directed film was Spanish-American 'Goya's Ghosts' (2006). After that he last appeared in French film 'Beloved' (2011) made by Christophe Hono!

Forman was a professor emeritus of film at 'Columbia Universiry'. He also wrote poems and in 1994 published his autobiography 'Turnaround'. Then in 2009 Milos Smidmajer made a documentary on him!

Forman won many awards in prestigious film festivals like Cannes & Berlinale. And he received various honours like from 'European Film Academy', 'Golden Globe', 'BAFTA' & conferred as 'Czeck Lion'!

Humble Homage to this Czech master filmmaker!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
['Chitrasrushti', Pune, India]

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