SAMTHEBESTEST
Joined Feb 2014
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SAMTHEBESTEST's rating
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Dhund (1973) :
Brief Review -
A brilliant Agatha Christie adaptation by B. R. Chopra. Dhund is one of the most underrated thrillers ever made in Indian cinema. In the 60s and 70s, Bollywood adapted several Agatha Christie works - some earned recognition, some didn't. Dhund falls in the latter category. It's a murder mystery that opens with a murder - one of the rare Hindi films to do so in that era. You see the killer in the very first scene, but soon comes the cover-up. A new suspect emerges, a few revelations follow, and the cops catch the supposed culprit. In the courtroom, it is argued whether he actually committed the murder or not, but then arrives an emotional twist. The real killer confesses to the crime and another twist hits you. The mainstream Hindi cinema audience must have never expected that. We had Gumnaam, Woh Kaun Thi?, Mera Saya , Mahal, and several other thrillers that might have served as warm-ups, yet Dhund still manages to offer something fresh. One major reason why it feels so surprising is that the original Christie play wasn't adapted by Hollywood then. It avoided spoilers for that small chunk who watched English films back in the day. Today, that section has grown huge, and since Dhund remains the first film adaptation of the play, the suspense still works - unless you've already seen later regional remakes. The film features a star-studded cast - Sanjay Khan, Zeenat Aman, Danny Denzongpa, Deven Verma, Madan Puri, Navin Nischol, and Ashok Kumar - and everyone delivers well. The screenplay remains engaging except during the songs. None of them are chartbusters, so they don't add much. The cinematography is impressive; the opening sequence in darkness for about 4-5 minutes is brilliant. Genius B. R. Chopra crafts a pacey, relatable thriller for Indian audiences while adding familiar emotional drama. A few hiccups are there, but nothing major. Overall, a very good movie.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A brilliant Agatha Christie adaptation by B. R. Chopra. Dhund is one of the most underrated thrillers ever made in Indian cinema. In the 60s and 70s, Bollywood adapted several Agatha Christie works - some earned recognition, some didn't. Dhund falls in the latter category. It's a murder mystery that opens with a murder - one of the rare Hindi films to do so in that era. You see the killer in the very first scene, but soon comes the cover-up. A new suspect emerges, a few revelations follow, and the cops catch the supposed culprit. In the courtroom, it is argued whether he actually committed the murder or not, but then arrives an emotional twist. The real killer confesses to the crime and another twist hits you. The mainstream Hindi cinema audience must have never expected that. We had Gumnaam, Woh Kaun Thi?, Mera Saya , Mahal, and several other thrillers that might have served as warm-ups, yet Dhund still manages to offer something fresh. One major reason why it feels so surprising is that the original Christie play wasn't adapted by Hollywood then. It avoided spoilers for that small chunk who watched English films back in the day. Today, that section has grown huge, and since Dhund remains the first film adaptation of the play, the suspense still works - unless you've already seen later regional remakes. The film features a star-studded cast - Sanjay Khan, Zeenat Aman, Danny Denzongpa, Deven Verma, Madan Puri, Navin Nischol, and Ashok Kumar - and everyone delivers well. The screenplay remains engaging except during the songs. None of them are chartbusters, so they don't add much. The cinematography is impressive; the opening sequence in darkness for about 4-5 minutes is brilliant. Genius B. R. Chopra crafts a pacey, relatable thriller for Indian audiences while adding familiar emotional drama. A few hiccups are there, but nothing major. Overall, a very good movie.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Yahudi (1958) :
Movie Review -
Yahudi marked a hat-trick of hits for the Bimal Roy-Dilip Kumar duo. Roy's earlier two films with Kumar, Devdas (1955) and Madhumati (1958), were box office successes, and Yahudi completed the hat-trick!
This one was quite an alien concept for the Indian audience and, frankly speaking, watching Hindi actors play Roman and Jewish characters didn't make much sense to me. Yet, it's an entertaining movie. It has all the ingredients needed for a commercial Bollywood hit - romance, drama, emotions, relationship conflicts and revenge. Moreover, it's presented as a grand epic to add cinematic appeal. Dilip Kumar had earlier delivered Aan (1951), a huge magnum opus, and while this isn't quite on the same scale, the entertainment value is definitely comparable.
Yahudi is based on Yahudi Ki Ladki by Agha Kashmiri and follows an interesting revenge plot mixed with romantic drama. A Yahudi's son is killed by the Roman governor, Brutus, and he takes the governor's daughter away, adopting her as his own. Years later, the same girl falls in love with the Prince, who disguises himself as a Yahudi. After learning the truth, she breaks up with him and complains about his deceit to the Roman Emperor. When the Prince is about to be punished, she returns and takes the blame upon herself. What will the Prince do now?
It's an engaging story with a busy narrative. The runtime is nearly 3 hours, yet there are no boredom breaks, unless you dislike any of the songs. The lyrics are beautiful and Ezra's rhymes are delightful.
Dilip Kumar delivers a charming performance and Meena Kumari is quite good in her role. Sohrab Modi, Nazir Hussain and Nigar Sultana add weight, while Anwar Hussain provides humour. The cinematography is good, production design is lavish, the costumes work well at places and the editing is just okay.
After back-to-back romantic dramas with Dilip Kumar, Bimal Roy shifted zones and delivered a grand entertainer. People thought Roy was limited to dramas and emotional cinema, but with Yahudi, he showcased that Cecil B. DeMille-like element in his filmmaking. Overall, this is a fantastic entertainer for fans of the leading duo and the director.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
Yahudi marked a hat-trick of hits for the Bimal Roy-Dilip Kumar duo. Roy's earlier two films with Kumar, Devdas (1955) and Madhumati (1958), were box office successes, and Yahudi completed the hat-trick!
This one was quite an alien concept for the Indian audience and, frankly speaking, watching Hindi actors play Roman and Jewish characters didn't make much sense to me. Yet, it's an entertaining movie. It has all the ingredients needed for a commercial Bollywood hit - romance, drama, emotions, relationship conflicts and revenge. Moreover, it's presented as a grand epic to add cinematic appeal. Dilip Kumar had earlier delivered Aan (1951), a huge magnum opus, and while this isn't quite on the same scale, the entertainment value is definitely comparable.
Yahudi is based on Yahudi Ki Ladki by Agha Kashmiri and follows an interesting revenge plot mixed with romantic drama. A Yahudi's son is killed by the Roman governor, Brutus, and he takes the governor's daughter away, adopting her as his own. Years later, the same girl falls in love with the Prince, who disguises himself as a Yahudi. After learning the truth, she breaks up with him and complains about his deceit to the Roman Emperor. When the Prince is about to be punished, she returns and takes the blame upon herself. What will the Prince do now?
It's an engaging story with a busy narrative. The runtime is nearly 3 hours, yet there are no boredom breaks, unless you dislike any of the songs. The lyrics are beautiful and Ezra's rhymes are delightful.
Dilip Kumar delivers a charming performance and Meena Kumari is quite good in her role. Sohrab Modi, Nazir Hussain and Nigar Sultana add weight, while Anwar Hussain provides humour. The cinematography is good, production design is lavish, the costumes work well at places and the editing is just okay.
After back-to-back romantic dramas with Dilip Kumar, Bimal Roy shifted zones and delivered a grand entertainer. People thought Roy was limited to dramas and emotional cinema, but with Yahudi, he showcased that Cecil B. DeMille-like element in his filmmaking. Overall, this is a fantastic entertainer for fans of the leading duo and the director.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
The Killing Fields (1984) :
Brief Review -
A high-tension biographical drama about journalism and survival during the Cambodian Civil War. The film famously won multiple BAFTAs, including Best Actor, while the same actor - Haing S. Ngor - was awarded Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. Interesting how two institutions interpret a performance differently. Anyway, coming back to the film, it is painful, subtle, realistic, emotionally draining, and at times, undeniably overlong. But that length comes with a purpose: the story has to cover a wide range of real events - brutal killings, riots, oppressive political transition, war-torn chaos, and continuous survival attempts. There are cinematic liberties taken, but fortunately nothing feels exaggerated. The narrative follows reporter Sydney Schanberg, who arrives in Cambodia and reunites with local journalist Dith Pran. When bombings strike Neak Leung, the two are arrested, only to be released later. As the Khmer Rouge rise to power, Sydney decides to stay and document the situation, and Pran refuses to abandon him - leaving his own family behind. Eventually, Pran secures Sydney's release, but ends up imprisoned himself after a passport photo exposes him as a local guy. What follows is his terrifying ordeal under the merciless totalitarian regime, and his desperate journey toward freedom. The famous "killing fields" sequence is harrowing, and the moment Pran drinks blood from a cow's neck to survive is almost unbearable to watch. Haing S. Ngor is phenomenal - his deeply human performance truly earns every award and the audience's empathy. Sam Waterston also performs strongly, and the rest of the cast delivers solid support. The frequent dialogue in Khmer without subtitles was challenging. Roland Joffé directs with remarkable restraint and artistic precision, crafting a film rich in emotion, anger, trauma, and cinematic value. It may not be traditionally entertaining - and yes, the runtime could be tighter - but despite its flaws, it remains a powerful watch.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
A high-tension biographical drama about journalism and survival during the Cambodian Civil War. The film famously won multiple BAFTAs, including Best Actor, while the same actor - Haing S. Ngor - was awarded Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars. Interesting how two institutions interpret a performance differently. Anyway, coming back to the film, it is painful, subtle, realistic, emotionally draining, and at times, undeniably overlong. But that length comes with a purpose: the story has to cover a wide range of real events - brutal killings, riots, oppressive political transition, war-torn chaos, and continuous survival attempts. There are cinematic liberties taken, but fortunately nothing feels exaggerated. The narrative follows reporter Sydney Schanberg, who arrives in Cambodia and reunites with local journalist Dith Pran. When bombings strike Neak Leung, the two are arrested, only to be released later. As the Khmer Rouge rise to power, Sydney decides to stay and document the situation, and Pran refuses to abandon him - leaving his own family behind. Eventually, Pran secures Sydney's release, but ends up imprisoned himself after a passport photo exposes him as a local guy. What follows is his terrifying ordeal under the merciless totalitarian regime, and his desperate journey toward freedom. The famous "killing fields" sequence is harrowing, and the moment Pran drinks blood from a cow's neck to survive is almost unbearable to watch. Haing S. Ngor is phenomenal - his deeply human performance truly earns every award and the audience's empathy. Sam Waterston also performs strongly, and the rest of the cast delivers solid support. The frequent dialogue in Khmer without subtitles was challenging. Roland Joffé directs with remarkable restraint and artistic precision, crafting a film rich in emotion, anger, trauma, and cinematic value. It may not be traditionally entertaining - and yes, the runtime could be tighter - but despite its flaws, it remains a powerful watch.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest.
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