Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by tinear (A) on October 28, 2006 at 06:37:46

In Reply to: Mr. and Mrs. Iyer posted by Eldragon on October 27, 2006 at 18:53:45:

relatively new (2002), is considered a "classic."
A man has two children by a wife who has seen him change from a happy-go-lucky young man to a very serious Muslim cleric.
As their son matures, he is sent off to a the local Muslim school where endlessly he repeats the Koran in a language he doesn't understand and where the students are forbidden from playing with any sort of toy or sport equipment.
While he's away, his sister contracts a very high fever: the parents (and the husband's brother) disagree over the treatment, with disastrous results.
At the same time, the country is in turmoil as the Muslims battle for supremacy.
This is a very one-sided film, playing up the humanity and cultural richness of Hindus while showing Muslims in a horrible light.
That said, it is a skillfully told story with some very memorable characters; the director had the good sense to also show how people, even those with no political or religious activism (the typical villager) are swept up and destroyed by events quite beyond their understanding.
The cinematography is very good with one scene of a river crossing in a violent storm which is unforgettable.