"The Post" (English)

In the twilight years of his career, director Steven Spielberg has been trying to tell different stories in different genres. The latest film "The Post" is quite an exciting story - the story of how rival newspapers tried to pip each other to the post (pun unintended) in publishing "The Pentagon Papers" (the papers which reveal damning confessions about how the American public in particular and the world at large was led to believe that the Vietnam war holocaust was fought without a cause. Playing the key roles in this episode is Meryl Streep as the legendary Katherine Graham, publisher and owner, The Washington Post and Ben Bradlee, the famous editor, The Washington Post. In approximately 115 minutes, Spielberg gives a riveting account of those episodic moments in his typical fluent but linear style of story-telling, though following the same drumbeat routine - a prologue of a war where an element of reporting takes out a chunky box of classified information by subterfuge and the narrative afterwards as to how two of America's most vibrant newspapers, The New York Times and The Washington Post trying to assert each other's snoopy adventures get to the finishing tape by reaching the source. And finally, the brilliant climax where a celebration of the Freedom of the Press ushers in with a dramatic Supreme Court verdict and a lot of maudlin moments for Kat Graham and Ben Bradlee.

On the whole, the movie is absorbing with all the details that Spielberg narratives reconstruct - the excitement of how newspapers worked in the times when nobody else , not even the Television was breaking news by the minute and mobiles and internet were unthinkable and the humongous pressures that newspaper editors and publishers went through during the worst Presidency years that American media has ever seen. The good part is the vividness and the emotionalities retained without too much fussing, aided by persuasive and nuanced performances by Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. Music by Speilberg's favorite composer John Williams is piercing yet non-invasive - the director and the music composer have shared so many lifetime's work between each other that they don't need to make an effort to fall in sync with each other - once again proved by the output of BGM in the film. The ending is a bit dramatic and formulaic with self-congratulatory glances exchanged by the two protagonists- Streep and Hanks as if they have done iconic expose. All they did was to publish papers and re-interpret history of several presidencies before and during Nixon's tenure  as to the true motives of the Vietnam's war. Spielberg's strengths have been in story-telling but his weaknesses are in ignoring the larger pictures that emerged later on giving some post-script insights.

For instance, more than 3.5 million people were killed in the Vietnam war and over 58,000 American soldiers died during the war leading to devastating economic consequences. No cursory mention of the same is made except just dramatizing the efforts to reach custody of the secret papers. Do those who followed the  war know that those war years are what changed the economic landscape of the world forever- Nixon was forced to abandon the Gold Standard as the dollar took a beating and hyperinflation rose? There were two books written by the protagonists - "Katherine Graham: A Personal History" and "Yours in Truth: A personal portrait of Ben Bradlee" which give exquisite insights into the effects of the War and the fallout on the American economy as well as on the Foreign policy (of which nothing has changed). This being a limited excursion into the adventurist spirit of a noted American publisher, Spielberg can be excused lapses of interpreting the larger unintended consequences of historical blunders but in my view, it is a golden opportunity missed by the director in enhancing the reportage value of the narrative. Was "Platoon" a better film than this on the Vietnam War? Unfair because the anecdotes depicted are totally different but just a food for thought whether Spielberg has the objectivity of an Oliver Sone in re-imagining political potboilers. What we can take home from the film is the general depreciation in values of Press Freedom and an unhealthy uptrend in generating "fake news" and whataboutery. Two golden lines from the film will resonate with everybody who values press as the fourth estate to keep an eternal vigil on democracy: "The principal duty of the press is to safeguard the interests of the governed, not the governors". And "The only way to assert the right to publish is to publish it." A good film to watch if you care about   some of these lofty ideals which are becoming rarer than rare-earth metals. Spielberg could have also used a narrative to mention the episodes which later led Warren Buffett to bite into the shareholding of The Post and later, much later, how Jeff Bezos took hold of the venerable newspaper just as it was about to fold up.

My rating: 3/5

#ThePost #StevenSpielberg #JohnWilliams #TomHanks #MerylStreep #TheWashingtonPost #Amazon #WarrenBuffett #VietnamWar #PentagonPapers

James Horner - The composer who revived interest in Classical Music through film scores

James Horner’s unnatural death in a plane crash has made the world of music-lovers sadder and poorer. The man has given us some of the most memorable original music scores, creating exhilarating instrumentations that blended the orchestral mastery with Afro-Celt rhythms which stood the test of time in every decade. Much, much before “Titanic”, his film scores in “Balto”, “Aliens” and “Braveheart” topped the charts. But undoubtedly, “Titanic” swelled his fame to near and far, from India to China and music-lovers poured their devotion and dollars to buy this soundtrack like never before. It is still rated the second-most-sold OST of all time. Released in 1997, “Titanic” soundtrack showcased what happens when you make John Williams pour out precise notes into the wild and imaginative soundscapes of Hans Zimmer - the soundtrack had that kind of eclectic mix - it hit the high notes of pure classical music, chorals and celtic sounds, sonorous instruments contrasted with the majestic pianos and percussions rarely used in puritan classical music. Many of the scores used in “Titanic” were re-invoked by the world’s leading Orchestras and composers and re-interpreted for years since 1997. “Back to The Titanic” was another re-introduction by the master composer himself after the stupendous success of the film’s OST. 

What differentiates James Horner from other composers is that he competes with the film director in energising the scenes that forces the director to re-think. Look at the shots of his films like “Braveheart”, “The Mask of Zorro”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “Troy” and “Avatar” and you will understand this obsession and orientation of James Horner to throw all his musical genius into the shots which heighten the director’s cut. This gives energy and impetus to the audiences making them connect better than with other composers. Hollywood’s greatest music composers of the modern era have each established their niche but James Horner is special because he listened to the director but added his own charms of re-interpreting the scene with maximum evocativeness and impact. That sets him apart as a populist composer and a clever composer who knows when to minimise classical overtures and when to highlight new repertoires of music. John Williams is hailed as the greatest music composer of our times - and he has got nominated for the Oscar atleast 45 times (the maximum number of times for any individual after Walt Disney); he has been magnificent in subjugating himself to a George Lucas or a Steven Spielberg in film scores but his box office success has been less consistent than James Horner, should you discount some of Spielberg's collaborations. James Horner rarely got nominated for the Oscars but the few times he got nominated, he went home with one and many of his films outside of “Titanic” and “Avatar” coasted home as blockbusters, perhaps insinuating that his music played a bigger role in the popularity of the film reaching the masses - “Apollo 13”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “Braveheart”, “The Mask of Zorro” etc. There were other talented composers like Michael Kamen and Hans Zimmer but the world had room for only John Williams and James Horner for the top spot. As Hollywood became more success-led, and budgets soared, and music needed neo-classical and Eurasian sensibilities, John Williams lost out to James Horner and Hans Zimmer in getting diverse subjects from gladiatorial themes to animation projects. The new directors are moving on to new music directors and selecting more directors without the baggage of an orchestra conductor or the trappings of an old-world composer, for example, Steven Prince, Trent Reznor. Many of them appear to score unconventional music with new sounds without adherence to sheet music and classical notations but the modern movie world is once again moving away from pure Western Classical music. It takes the grasp of geniuses like James Horner (or John Williams) to get the grooves back to the basics of orchestral beauty blended with vibrant instruments rather than chasing new sounds with impure range of syncretic instruments and technobeats.

With James Horner’s untimely death, an era of music composers who were passionate and committed to resplendent classical music ends. The mantle still falls on the remaining legends like John Williams (who is still a nonpareil Maestro) and folks like Hans Zimmer and Michael Kamen. But James Horner was a trailblazer in fusing divine interpretations for earthly visuals whether it is Jake entering the Na’vi world in “Avatar” or Mel Gibson rising to avenge his enemy’s deeds or those unfathomable waters speaking through the ship moving at a pace that ensured its end in sight. All of us have different choices for James Horner’s top scores because he has collaborated with many directors attempting different flicks. His music will endure this age and forever -because it truly belongs to the ages. R.I.P James Horner. The broad message is clear - Don't save the best for the last, you may go to grave with your best song yet to say, "My heart will go on...". James Horner didn't do that - he may have had many scores uncomposed yet, but he almost died empty by giving his best to the world of music.

Here are my top 5:

Titanic
Braveheart
The Mask of Zorro
A Beautiful Mind
Avatar

‪#‎JamesHorner‬ ‪#‎Titanic‬ ‪#‎OST‬ ‪#‎ClassicalMusic‬ ‪#‎Avatar‬‪#‎HollywoodMusicScores‬ ‪#‎HollywoodMusicComposers‬ ‪#‎JohnWilliams‬‪#‎HansZimmer‬ ‪#‎MichaelKamen‬

"Man of Steel" (English Film Review)

Hollywood and least of all, Times Warner never lets go of films with milkable franchise value. "Superman" is one of the themes that keeps coming back into our multiplexes even if Superman has never visited this planet from any of the satellites of planet Jupiter in recorded history, in real life. Come to think of it, "Superman" has also drawn less crowds than the other comic strip superheroes especially "Spiderman" In a citation of the 300 best-ever blockbusters by George Lucas, "Spiderman" parts one and two made it to the top 50 way ahead of "Superman" and even "Batman". For the records, though, "Superman-the movie" made in 1978 and "Superman II" (starring Christopher Reeves) made it to spot no.57 and 163 respectively with combined takings of  $600 million between the both of them. So, it is not surprising to find a renewed effort by DC Comics, Times Warner and producer Christopher Nolan to make one more film that reboots the magic of the primary colours superhero - this time for the new generation.  

What did they do different this time that the older versions didn't pay attention to? Basic plot and detailing of how Krypton thrived, and disintegrated. Director Zack Snyder builds a skeletal storyline to dumb down the primordial origins of Superman in the wonderful planet of Krypton - built for scale of maginificent flying objects, mysterious reptilian creatures and reality-begetting thoughts where the spirits wander at will after death and the living meander without emotions. Rusell Crowe plays the natural father to Superman who is born to his mother in Krypton's first natural pregnancy labor but by then the villain annexes the whole planet as he overthrows the rulers. Krypton implodes as self-destruction engulfs the rulers and the rebels. Russell Crowe  entraps the genetic code of the Kryptonians in a codex carrying baby Superman and releases him in a rocket towards uncharted territories. This part shows good emotions. Superman reaches Earth and grows under the care and nurture of foster parents played brilliantly by Kevin Costner and Dianne Lane. As time passes by and the Superman comes of age and realises his power to save the world, the villains who were crystallized in space before planet Krypton imploded awaken to life and hunt down Superman as they come to Earth in "Independence Day" style satellite spaceships and threaten  Earthlings to surrender Superman to them. There is another sinister plot to this which only Superman knows - the plan to de-planetise Earth and reconstruct planet Krypton on the earth's crust. This is  the weakest part of the story however bizarre the plot is. This probably borrows from the concepts of Physics that matter can neither be destroyed nor created in a film that resembles many other franchises in the execution of some visuals and concepts. One gets a deja vu sense of seeing films like "Avatar", "StarWars", "StarTrek", "Batman", "Spiderman", "Matrix" in this offering. The first half, to be fair, is a great storyboard of stunning visuals and feast of Sfx on the Kryptonian origins of Superman, his journey to Earth, his coming of age. But from the second half, the director seems to have lost control of the cruise and lets the treatment go haywire as there's no depth in the story that has a trite ending and a weaker climax. What lifts the film are the performances by the elderly starcast - Dianne Lane, Kevin and Rusell. Henry Ceville as the Superman looks sturdy and convincing. From the feel and look of the film, it may be an unconvincing film for hardcore Supeman fans. If I can hazard a guess at what's coming next, it will be a full-flooded storyline  with better romance and neater screenplay and a beefed up storyline - this time directed by the venerable Christopher Nolan. This is meant to be a reprise dude for those who like to have a graphic retelling of how Superman really came into being. 

Technically, the film is outstanding and the 3-D effects are precious few, as is happening lately. With ever new technology, Hollywood outgrows itself into showing how to infuse new verve, energy and speed into the Mach-12 speed of the jetting Superman . One day, he may travel at the speed of light on celluloid. But this time, lets give the benefit of doubt to the Warner Brothers for making a caper that lets them wake up and smell the money. One more surprise for hardcore fans of Superman is the missing music of John Williams. It is Han Zimmer now  - "The Gladiator" composer who steals the show and the thunder from the effervescent theme that haunts us as we know. A mixed bag and a basic re-introduction of Superman, if nothing else. Watchable in the first half. But for the effort, it deserves 3.5 on 5.

"Lincoln" Film Review (English)

"Lincoln" is a moving film about one of the noblest American Presidents in history. Its a film strictly based on the life of Abraham Lincoln but director Steven Spielberg has based it on a riveting book called "The Team of Rivals" which talks about those crucial second-term Presidency years of Lincoln where he had to garner the support of 22-odd Senators to get the crucial "Bill of Emancipation" passed in the Congress. The entire film focuses on this play where the Republicans egged on by President Lincoln use all the tricks of trade to persuade, incentivise, mollycoddle and even coerce some of the rival Senators to accede to the Bill which seeks to abolish slavery.



Daniel Day-Lewis has played the title role of Lincoln remarkably well. He looks the part exceptionally good - his gait, unique beard, unkempt hair, nonchalant looks, brooding shoulders, unsmiling yet sincere facial expressions and disarmingly slow but assertive Chicago accent (which today's President cheaply imitates). Spielberg has got limited screenplay opportunities to telescope the many-faceted personality of Lincoln, so he uses few frames to highlight them and these are inter-mixed with the story from the book above. And so you see some brief but poignant picture frames of Lincoln as a good husband (with a wife who "drove" him till the end), Lincoln as a born-story-teller (he never tries to win an argument with logic; he brings a story with an embedded message that does the trick), Lincoln welcomed his son's distractions at office and doted on them, Lincoln felt for the poor, kept his promises and never lost an opportunity to bring humor. Spielberg shows all these glimpses within the tight script of the story - and those images haunt you even if you haven't read a word about this man. Music by John Williams is apt and under-stated. Steven Spielberg's films have become so inseparable from John Williams' music that you see the duo's output as one unit. Credit must go to John Williams - after Walt Disney, he has got the maximum Oscar nominations - 46 times! (Disney got 52).



The greatness of Spielberg continues in the way the film starts off with Lincoln in the silhouette facing the troops in a Civil War station and the way it finishes with news of his assassination. No flashbacks, no room for over-dramatisation, no bawdy display of Americana just a mesmerising straight narrative with an elegant under-statedness. Starcast has some American greats as rival senators who stood out on screen. Set Design and Costume Design must deserve an award; re-creating a period setting like that before motors and moving images came is tough. What made such a fine film which got 12 Oscar nominations fare poorly at the BO is understandable. It got timed with the US elections, and then there was a more imaginative "Vampire Hunter" movie on Abe which got the wind out of Spielberg's film. A few more shots of the gory Civil War and a few more popular anecodotes about Lincoln might have made the film more dramatic to watch. But Spielberg being Spielberg, he wouldn't compromise on his adherence to an authentic story within a taut script. Hurrah! Anil Ambani's company is the co-producer of this proud film. It deserves 4.5 out of 5 and should be a universal audience film.