"Pather Panchali" - njjohn - Films/DVD Asylum

Films/DVD Asylum

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"Pather Panchali"

I would say this film is in the top 5 of all-time. May even be the best to me.
Why? Besides it being an entraordinary and beautiful film, a true classic in cinema, it reaches the highest aspect of art. Because when a medium such as this film is used to open the door of metaphysical significance; when it is a metaphor for something greater, it is the highest achievement in art.
I've been impressed through the years of just how great an art, film can be. Italian films, Fellini films, Renoir, each had that impression on me. Someone recently mentioned the film "The Wages of Fear".
The idea of this film has to be one of the greatest ever conceived. Characters are not only placed in a beautiful and stunning Indian landscape. Characters are etched out over a cosmic landscape. There is a cosmic landscape of accountibiltiy and karma.
Landscapes are very intriguing in cinema. Consider the landscape in "Seven Samuri". In "Pather Panchali" the kids running through the Indian forests here to the bacdground of Ravi Shanker music is simply poetic. How the music matches the landscape!
So you have an extremely simple tale laid out to teach and to show one of the deepest and most complex spiritual ideas: that you reap what you sow. Each character, unique and individual, living their own destiny, is set against this cosmic force and reality. It's not harsh and unforgiving: it is what it is and it happens to be uncompromising.
Two reviews on the cover of my vhs tape suggest how good this film is.
One says "One of the most stunning first films in movie history. Ray is a welcome jolt of flesh, blood and spirit".
And the other says it best: "As deeply beautiful and plainly poetic as any movie ever made. Rare and exquisite".

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Topic - "Pather Panchali" - njjohn 09:03:21 12/05/04 (15)

If you like this... - Beethoven 18:43:09 12/05/04 (0)

Satyajit Ray - grinagog 15:42:38 12/05/04 (1)

Information related to the link. - njjohn 17:17:02 12/05/04 (0)

Greatest trilogy ever made. - Harmonia 13:11:10 12/05/04 (1)

Re: Greatest trilogy ever made. - njjohn 15:54:02 12/05/04 (0)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - patrickU 09:57:57 12/05/04 (9)

"Whatever God does is for the best." - njjohn 11:39:53 12/05/04 (0)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - PCL 10:01:40 12/05/04 (7)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - njjohn 10:30:15 12/05/04 (3)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - PCL 10:50:12 12/05/04 (2)

How deep can it go? - njjohn 12:46:41 12/05/04 (1)

Re: How deep can it go? - PCL 13:11:32 12/05/04 (0)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - patrickU 10:07:04 12/05/04 (2)

Re: "Pather Panchali" - PCL 10:42:37 12/05/04 (1)

Re: " Much noise about nothing " to paraphrase LOTR.... - patrickU 11:38:45 12/05/04 (0)

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