Tuesday, 24 March 2020


Great Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa's another masterpiece after 'Ikiru' (1952)..which spoke on life!

'Madadayo' (1993) shows the relationship of professor with his students! In this after many years they again plays game called "Madadayo".. means "Not yet!"


I remember it's climax in which professor says to death in dream.. "Madadayo!"

It was so touching!

A Tribute!!


-Manoj Kulkarni

Sunday, 22 March 2020

World became one family... 
All sharing same sorrow.. 
Together against virus enemy 
I know...Humanity will win!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Universal emotions!!


Making short life happy!

[Left] Japanese master Akira Kurosawa's Takashi Shimura acted 'Ikiru' (1952) and [Right] Inspired from it our Indian Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Rajesh Khanna portrayed 'Anand' (1971).

Such films also tells utilise short life in spreading happiness!

All the best!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Thursday, 19 March 2020

CONTEMPORARY PICTURE!



Monica Vitti and Richard Harris in renowned Italian filmmaker.. Michelangelo Antonioni's first colour movie 'II deserto rosso'.. 
('Red Desert'/1964).

A Tribute!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Wednesday, 11 March 2020

AND HE LOST GAME AGAINST DEATH.!


Honoured Swedish Actor Max Von Sydow!

Legendary Swedish Actor Max Von Sydow passed away recently at the age of 90. And remembered his character Knight from Ingmar Bergman's film 'The Seventh Seal' (1973)..challenging Death in playing chess with him! But now we can say..ultimately he lost the game of life with Death!
Max Von Sydow and Bengt Ekerot in an iconic scene from 
Ingmar Bergman's Swedish film 'The Seventh Seal' (1973).

Max Von Sydow acted in more than 100 films; but he became famous with his roles in great Swedish director Ingmar Bergman's films. Among those 11 films I remembered his role from - 'Oscar' winner..
'The Virgin Spring' (1960) in which he played father of victim powerfully!

Max Von Sydow with Birgitta Pattersson and Birgitta Valberg 
in Ingmar Bergman's Swedish film 'The Virgin Spring' (1960).
He also acted in other European films like..
Danish 'Pelle the Conqueror' (1987) and American too like 'Exorcist' - (1973) and.. 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' (2011). His roles were notable in such films!

He was honoured in international film festivals of Cannes & Venice. And he received Royal Foundation of Swedens' cultural award and French honour 'Chevalier de Legion d'honneur'!

Homage to this great actor!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Thursday, 5 March 2020

CONGRATULATIONS..'NFAI'!


Glad to know..'NFAI' got the prints of our silent films 'BILWAMANGAL’ (1919), 'MADHABI KANKAN' (1930) and Bengali talkie 'DEVDAS' (1935).

Now hope to see prints of these lost films..important in history of our Indian cinema:








(left side) Our pioneering social silent film 'SAVKARI PASH' (1925) made by 'Maharashtra Film Co.'s.. Baburao Painter and..




(right side) Our India's first sound film (talkie).. 
'ALAM ARA' (1931) made by 'Imperial Movietone's.. Ardeshir Irani!

 




Best luck for that!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

Tuesday, 3 March 2020

'BEFORE SUNRISE'..SIMPLE INTENSE ROMANTIC..25!



American director Richard Linklater's independent kind simple but intense romantic film 'Before Sunrise' (1995) now completed 25 years! Actually it's plot..man-woman meet on a train and their love..started by master filmmaker Frank Capra's 'It happened one night' (1934); But 'Before Sunrise' relate with the common people's feelings about simple happiness & love!

Director Richard Linklater
Director Richard Linklater himself wrote this American-Austrian film 'Before Sunrise' with Kim Krizan. In this young man from US meets French woman on a train in Europe and they spends romantic evening at Vienna! American actor Ethan Hawke and French actress Julie Delpy played these roles very naturally with intensity of feelings! Lee Daniel nicely cinematographed this film.. which precisely edited by Sandra Adair. And Fred Frith composed romantic tunes for it!

Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke in 'Before Sunrise' (1995)



'Before Sunrise' was critically acclaimed. Then Linklater made it's sequels..'Before Sunset' (2004) & 'Before Midnight' (2013) with same artists as Jesse and Celine! On this, I remembered my favourite romantic French film 'Un - homme et une femme' (1966). After honoured at 'Cannes' and 'Oscar', it's renowned filmmaker Claude Lelouch also made sequels of this with same artists Anouk Aimee & Jean-Louis Trintignan.

I think 'Before Sunrise' was in our 'IFFI' that time!
It's a tribute!!

- Manoj Kulkarni