Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Pranam,
Jainarayan, I think that the reason there are not noticably any HOllywood movies based on Indian stories is mainly political, if I may be so bold. Hollywood is American, and America is the West. West = Christian, and the West loves to claim that Greece is apart of the West and Western History. If you speak to Greeks who reside in Greece you will find that historically they do not typically consider themselves Westerners, rather quite the opposite. They are more Eastern if one considers carefully their history and geographical position. Hollywood and America love to make movies about Greek Gods/ stories because they have no ancient history of their own- they are colonizers, conquestors and imperialists occupying American Indian land. So they try to identify with Greek history and mythology to show it as their own legacy if you like, and they appropriate it for political reasons ( so they think of themselves as righteous and God-chosen Americans saving the whole world, just like the Ancient Greeks). I am yet to see a great movie made by Hollywood that even closely resembles Greek history or mythology...do not be fooled, these movies are not authentic in more ways than one. I'm part Greek so I should know.
Why not appeal to Bollywood to remake Indian stories into film more often? After all Bollywood is the largest film industry in the world, and I prefer it to Hollywood anyday.
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Priti.7
Why not appeal to Bollywood to remake Indian stories into film more often? After all Bollywood is the largest film industry in the world, and I prefer it to Hollywood anyday.
Namaste, Priti!
I agree. Hollywood would likely misinterpret the Indian epics or leave entire episodes out.
I have seen mostly disfavor on the forums towards Bollywood - but as an American used to American cinema...I actually really love Bollywood films for the most part. Sure, they can be campy as all get out, but I appreciate how uplifting and fun they can be.
Now, obviously "camp" probably isn't what you want in a remake of an India epic. However, there are also very high quality historical films out of India. The budgets are still low compared to Hollywood films, but I think in the next 5-10 year, the Indian film industry will definitely have the financial resources to fund an Epic film of high quality.
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Namaste.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Priti.7
I am yet to see a great movie made by Hollywood that even closely resembles Greek history or mythology...do not be fooled, these movies are not authentic in more ways than one. I'm part Greek so I should know.
Yes, I know... I agree. That's why I said Clash of the Titans was not even fun. The original with Harry Hamlin and Judy Bowker was better, even as cheesy as that was. Jason and the Argonauts (the original movie with Todd Armstrong and Nancy Kovack, not the made-for-tv garbage version) came close to the old stories I read. At least that featured well-known and accomplished actors (Honor Blackman for one).
The Hercules movies, whether with Steve Reeves, Reg Park, Dan Vadis and the others no more resembled Greek mythology than I'm the Tsar of Russia. Most of them are beyond "artistic license" and just plain bastardizations.
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Priti.7
Why not appeal to Bollywood to remake Indian stories into film more often? After all Bollywood is the largest film industry in the world, and I prefer it to Hollywood anyday.
The TV Serial 'Shivam' is a big hit... it does a WONDERFUL JOB of portraying Lord Shiva's purana. I think it will serve the purpose if all great epics of the land of Mother India could be televised as such and broadcast all over India.
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Robert Redford produced and directed a film that was released in 2000 called The Legend of Bagger Vance. The film stars Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron. It was about a golfer named R. Junuh who was struggling with his game at a seminal moment of his life. Out of nowhere a mysterious dark stranger named Bagger Vance appeared to help him. The main moment of the film when R. Junuh at a critical moment of the most important round of golf in his life was overcome with emotion and threw down his clubs and collapsed at the feet of Bagger Vance (his caddy) and told him: "I will not play." Bagger Vance told him that he should pick up his clubs and do his duty without attachment to the result - for that was the way of perfection. R. Junuh finished his 18 holes of golf but found that Bagger Vance had disappeared. He later saw him again as an old man but Bagger Vance had not aged at all.
I rented the DVD and looked very carefully at the closing credits and did not see any acknowledgements at all to anything Indian. I assume it is all based upon this book: The Legend of Bagger Vance: A Novel of Golf and the Game of Life (1996) http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Bagger-Vance-Novel-Golf/dp/038072751X
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146984/
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Stan Ridgway's Camouflage is an 80s song that tells the tale of a soldier who should have died in combat as his luck seemingly is about to run out. But he lives to tell the story and it is a VERY interesting story. :)
Lyrics of the song here.
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Namaste!
I just remembered a film from my childhood that includes references to the Ramayana. Warner Brother's did a film version of the book "A Little Princess", about a WWI war orphan awaiting the return of her father at an orphanage. While there, she entertains the other girls by telling them the Story of "Prince Rama". The details she relates are different, (Lakshman, Hanuman and the epic battle are missing of course. And the depiction of Ravana is...well...interesting) but the way it was depicted is quite beautiful and charming. It's not much, but it's something;) The clip below cuts between all the scenes where Sara, the girl, is narrating the story for the other girls.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11mPJP89zFo
Peace!
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Namaste.
Nice. :) Yep, a remake of The Little Princess, Shirley Temple, 1939. In a hospital where she was a 'foundling', she waited for her father, not knowing all along that he was a patient there recovering from his wounds. They were eventually reunited. It was a tear-jerker.
Just some triva (with an additional bonus spoiler ;)).
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jainarayan
Namaste.
Nice. :) Yep, a remake of The Little Princess, Shirley Temple, 1939. In a hospital where she was a 'foundling', she waited for her father, not knowing all along that he was a patient there recovering from his wounds. They were eventually reunited. It was a tear-jerker.
Just some triva (with an additional bonus spoiler ;)).
Oh, way to ruin it.:p
I just want someone to take the snippets from the WB version and make a full fledged film. I ask for so little!
Re: Movies based on the Hindu epics and stories?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Jodhaa
Oh, way to ruin it.:p
I just ain't no good from start to finish. ;)