MONTAGE OF ODESSA STEPS!

Remembered this great sequence of  The Odessa Steps..on the current scenario! It's from great Soviet filmmaker & theorist Sergei Eisenstein's 'The Battleship Potemkin' (1925).

Eisenstein editing a film!

This sequence of 'imperial soldiers massacre the Odessans' introduced Eisenstein's "Montage" technique to world cinema!

Latter various filmmakers got inspiration from it. Even our Bollywood filmmaker N. Chandra used it in his 'Tezaab' (1988).

A Tribute to original masterpiece!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Great Russian writer Maxim Gorky's this quote is very significant now!

SALUTE TO OUR INDIA'S "BA"! 🙏 

"Behind every successful man is a woman!"

Here, behind Mahatma Gandhi ji there was Kasturba Gandhi ji!

Humble homage on death anniversary!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Today 2-2-22
Just a Power of 2?
I think Togetherness!

- Manoj Kulkarni

TARKOVSKY'S 'MIRROR' & CURRENT SCENARIO

 

On the curretn scenario, remembering great Russian filmmaker Andrei - Tarkovsky's 'Mirror' (1975) which incorporates poems of his father Arseny Tarkovsky, who was a native of Ukraine!

Great Russian filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky with camera!

This nonlinear - narrative unfolds around memories of poet in Soviet culture! These are related to childhood, personal moments & war too! In it cinematographer Georgy Rerberg made experiments between black-white & colour. And for its effective oneiric images editor Lyudmila Feiginova did good job!

 

Tarkovsky's wife Larisa and mother Maria Vishnyakova also acted in this film. 

It's loosely his autobiographical work!

A Tribute!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

BEAUTY QUEEN OF INDIAN CINEMA..MADHUBALA!

What a beautiful coi-incidence..on this romantic date..14th February - (Valentine's Day) it's a Birth Anniversary of one of the top-most beautiful actresses of world cinema..our India's Mumtaz Jehan Begum Dehlavi.. best known as MADHUBALA!

Beautiful Tribute to her!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

TAMIL PARALLEL FILMMAKER BALU MAHENDRA!

Eight years are over..Sensitive South Indian Filmmaker, Screenwriter, Editor & Cinematographer..Balu Mahendra left this world!

Sridevi & Kamal Haasan in film 'Sadma' (1983).

Balanathan Benjamin - Mahendran known as Balu Mahendra was widely regarded as part of the first in a wave of directors and screewriters from Chennai film industry..who revitalized Tamil cinema!

 

Balu Mahendra with camera!

 

 

He contributed a lot in South Indian Parallel Cinema during 1980s & 1990s with his outstanding films like..'Moondram Pirai', 'Veedu' & 'Sandhya Ragam' (all Tamil), 'Olangal', 'Oomakuyil' & 'Yathra' (all Malayalam), 'Nireekshana' (Telugu) and 'Sadma' (Hindi).

 

Balu Mahendra won five National Awards and numerous states awards!

Remembered meeting him in 'FTII', Pune!

A Homage!!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

TRUFFAUT 90 & 'JULES ET JIM' 60!

One of the pioneers of French New Wave..legendary filmmaker François Truffaut's 90th Birth Anniversary just happened!

In above picture, he is with actress of his 60th anniversary celebrated romantic master- piece 'Jules et Jim' (1962)..Jeanne Moreau in front of poster of his new wave pioneering film 'The 400 Blows' (1959).

I met legendary Jeanne Moreau in our 'International Film Festival of India' (IFFI) held at New Delhi 25 years ago!

Tribute to Truffaut & 'Jules et Jim' in this romantic week!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

MONICA VITTI..NO MORE!

Sad to know that one of my favourite actresses of classic world cinema.. Legendary Beautiful Italian Actress Monica Vitti passed away day before yesterday!

She was best known for acting in great Italian film maker Michelangelo Antonioni's classic films. She gave memorable performances in his trilogy...'L'Avventura' (1960), 'La Notte' (1961) & 'L'Eeclisse' (1962).

Monica Vitti superb in Antonioni's colour film 'Red Desert' (1964).

 She acted in more than 50 films with different genres in her about 35 years of film career. 

She won various awards and was honoured with 'Venice Film - Festival's 'Career Golden Lion'!

Recently I wrote an article on Monica Vitti at her 90th birthday!
Now very sad that..she left this world!!

She was really Queen of Italian Cinema!!
My Homage to her!!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

ZHANG ZIYI & SPRING FESTIVAL!

It's the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival there!

On this occasion, I rememberd this scene from one of my favourite international films.. Chinese 'The Road Home' (1999) made by renowned Zhang Yimou!

Pretty Zhang Ziyi in Chinese film 'The Road Home' (1999).

 

I wrote a lot about this romantic film which showed a lyrical love between country girl & young teacher, on the backdrop of socio-cultural history!

One of my favourite contemporary world cinema actresses, pretty talented Zhang Ziyi portrayed this character very sensitively!

Coincidentally it's her birthday week!

Best wishes!!

- Manoj Kulkarni