The Perfect Mise-en-Scène

Released in 1998
10/10
Genre- Thriller, Noir, Crime, Psychological
Main Cast: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell
and John Nolan
Screenplay: Christopher Nolan
Direction- Christopher Nolan

BRIEF INTRODUCTION One of the finest psychological thrillers ever made, and probably the most underrated film by Christopher Nolan. The story revolves around a lonely writer and his unusual journey of following people/strangers in the streets of London. What started as a simple curiosity unknowingly transforms into a complex web of wrongdoings and crime. In this thrilling psychological ride, the movie tries to showcase the unrealistic quest of the protagonist, his choices, and how they result in unforeseen consequences.

The Movie Over the years, I have observed that I am more into appreciating filmmaker’s vision more than anything in a film – okay yes, performance and music too. In “Following (1998)”, Nolan redefined psychological thrillers in his own distinct way. Inspired by the Hitchcockian style, the movie takes you into an unexplored dimension of noir-thrillers exploring themes like identity and voyeurism. The screenplay is so cleverly woven that it takes a minute to realize how it reaches where it does. The non-linear screenplay, along with the Black & White (B&W) cinematography, gives a dark tone to the atmosphere, enhancing the noir setting.

Performances At last, everything depends on the cast, how they deliver the required nuances and it wouldn’t be fair if I don’t mention it, the cast of the film also contributed a lot, the performances were compelling and engaging, they brought a distinct depth to their characters, if not for them, the film couldn’t have delivered so effectively.

P.S. The directorial debut (feature films) of Christopher Nolan, the film garnered numerous accolades and awards at various ceremonies.

In case, you missed the previous post, here’s the link https://perfectmisenscene.com/?p=905

Released in 1968
10/10
Genre- Comedy
Main Cast: Peter Sellers, Claudine Longet
Screenplay: Blake Edwards, Tom Waldman, Frank Waldman
Direction- Blake Edwards

BRIEF INTRODUCTION This film really stands out as one of the most naturally funny movies ever made. The story revolves around a fancy film party that starts out following the usual path, until an unexpected guest shows up, turning the whole event into something truly interesting and exciting. As the movie progresses, the characters’ hilarious interactions keep the audience engaged and laughing, making it an extremely delightful cinematic experience. “Birdie num num, birdie num num”.

Peter Sellers Discussing comic films without Peter Sellers is like discussing traditional food without spices. Sellers’ onscreen portrayal of an Indian character in “The Party” has given him a unique place in the hearts and minds of Indian audiences.

An Iconic dialogue from the film “In India, we don’t think who we are, we know who we are…”.

P.S. Peter Sellers’ character in “The Party” served as an inspiration for an iconic character in a popular comic classic (from the ’80s) of Indian cinema.

In case, you missed the previous post, here’s the link https://perfectmisenscene.com/?p=897

Released in 2011
10/10
Genre- Thriller, Mystery
Main Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer,
Stellan Skarsgård
Music- Trent Renzor and Atticus Ross
Story- Based upon “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” the novel
from the “Millennium Trilogy” by Steig Larsson
Screenplay: Steve Zaillian
Direction- David Fincher

BRIEF INTRODUCTION The story revolves around Mikael Blomkvist (played by Daniel Craig), a journalist embroiled in a dispute, and Lisbeth Salander (played by Rooney Mara), an isolated computer geek. Fresh from the dispute, Mr. Blomkvist is hired by Henrik Vanger (played by Christopher Plummer), a wealthy industrialist, to uncover the truth about the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. As Mikael begins the investigation, he is joined by Lisbeth midway through. Lisbeth, with her exceptional computer skills and fearless personality, becomes an indispensable ally to Mikael. Together, they delve into the mysterious past of the Vanger family, revealing hidden dark secrets related to Harriet’s disappearance.

The Movie The most fascinating aspect of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is its simple and understandable presentation of this intricate tale. The mysterious atmosphere surrounding the story contributes significantly to the development of the various characters. The film’s cast plays a crucial role, especially the lead ones with Rooney Mara standing out. I can’t imagine this film without her, she has truly given her all. No one could have portrayed the character of Lisbeth better than Rooney did. In addition to the powerful performances, Fincher’s extraordinary vision for this bone-chilling novel resulted in a gripping screenplay. With its dark and mysterious atmosphere, this classic provides a captivating cinematic experience for all mystery lovers.

David Fincher David Fincher has always been one of my favorite filmmakers from Hollywood. The major reason behind it is his strong grip on the narrative. While many filmmakers prioritize visuals and audio design over a strong story (especially in recent times), Fincher’s work stands out distinctly. Every film directed by David Fincher has an inherent ability to hook the audience with its narrative, some of my personal favorites include The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), and the more recent Gone Girl (2014). On an important note, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having impressive audio-visual elements in a film. However, personally I tend to lean towards a deeper, more intricate story. It’s this emphasis on storytelling that resonates with me.

P.S. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)” won numerous prestigious awards including an Academy Award (2012) (For Best Editing), a Grammy (2013) (Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media), and a Saturn Award (2012) (Best Horror/Thriller Film).

In case, you missed the previous post, here’s the link https://perfectmisenscene.com/?p=869

Released in 1984
9/10
Genre- Comedy, Drama
Main Cast: Sanjeev Kumar, Farooq Shaikh, Anita Raj
Screenplay: Basu Chatterjee
Direction- Basu Chatterjee

BRIEF INTRODUCTION An extremely comic story revolving around Alok (played by Farooq Shaikh), a photographer working for a prominent magazine in the film. While capturing pictures for a major sports event, Alok ends up injuring himself slightly. As soon as Alok’s brother-in-law, Prem Sagar (played by Sanjeev Kumar) learns about the incident, he devises a full-fledged plan to fake Alok’s minor injury as a lifelong condition, aiming to make a fortune out of this situation by demanding large sums of money (as compensation) from the magazine Alok works for. However, not everything goes according to plan, and eventually, it ends up being a massive “Lakhon Ki Baat”.

The Movie One of the most thoughtful comedies belonging to the 80s; only Basu da could have crafted this film. Stepping away from loud and baseless laughter, Lakhon Ki Baat delivers a subtle comic masterpiece that blends high comic standards with natural performances. Lakhon Ki Baat is unquestionably Haribhai’s (Sanjeev Kumar) film, showcased through his impeccable comic timing and distinctive dialogue delivery. Besides Haribhai, I’d like to acknowledge that Pinchoo Kapoor (who played Rongta Seth in the film) perhaps delivered the best performance of his career. Utpal Dutt played an intriguing role in the film of a detective determined to solve the case of Alok’s fabricated injury. Laakhon Ki Baat could have been an okayish movie, but the remarkable casting choices transformed it into an engaging humor.

In case you missed the previous post, here’s the link https://perfectmisenscene.com/?p=801

Released in 1974
9/10
Genre- Drama, Arthouse
Main Cast: Raakhee, M.K. Raina
Music- Hariprasad Chaurasia & Bhubaneshwar Mishra
Story- Based on “Athara Sooraj Ke Paudhe” by Ramesh Bakshi
Screenplay: Awtar Krishna Kaul
Direction- Awtar Krishna Kaul

BRIEF INTRODUCTION Based on Ramesh Bakshi’s novel, the story revolves around Sanjay (played by M.K. Raina), a Railway employee. The film describes events from his life, his inevitable connection to the Railways, his growing-up years, and how his father (played by Om Shivpuri) dominantly affected his life choices from childhood to adulthood. Sanjay accepts all his father’s wishes without saying a word, even gives up his dream of becoming an artist, and agrees to join the Railways, he somehow adjusts himself between his father and the railway tracks. But this changes when he meets Shalini (played by Raakhee) and falls in love with her. And the major conflict starts when Sanjay’s father gets him married to another girl (played by Rekha Sabnis) against his wish. How does Sanjay pacify himself? What happens to Shalini? And more importantly, what happens to Sanjay & Shalini’s short-lived relationship concludes the film.

The Movie 27 Down feels like an unexplored dimension of story-telling in Indian Cinema (the 70s) breaking so many stereotypes. For a 1974 film, when the mainstream was in a completely different zone of filmmaking,
27 Down delivered a true masterpiece of cinema, a cluttered-free straightforward narrative in a unique non-linear form (huge for the 70s), the Black & White Cinematography, the use of real locations, honest and natural performances by the cast and an extraordinary vision for the film by Awtar Krishna Kaul. Additionally, the train art design of the film was by Bansi Chandragupta, who also designed the amazing train set for Manikda’s (Satyajit Ray) Black & White classic “Nayak (1966)”.

Note 27 Down deals with an important issue of a typical middle-class family. Because our parents want the best of everything for us, many a time, they act very overprotectively in a lot of matters. But sometimes, this overprotectiveness can simply transform into a never-ending suffocation, like in the case of Sanjay in 27 Down. To ensure security (be of any kind) in someone’s life, our loved ones, we cannot control every aspect of their lives.

P.S. “27 Down” won two National Awards in 1974, for Best Feature Film in Hindi and Best Cinematography (Apurba Kishore Bir).

In case you missed the previous post, here’s the link: https://perfectmisenscene.com/?p=787

Released in 2002
7/10
Genre- Science fiction (Sci-fi), Comedy
Main Cast: Al Pacino, Rachel Robert, Catherine Keener
and Winona Ryder
Screenplay: Andrew Niccol
Direction- Andrew Niccol

BRIEF INTRODUCTION The story revolves around a struggling filmmaker Viktor (played by Al Pacino) who casts a computer program “Simulation One” as the leading actress, “Simone” (played by Rachel Roberts) for his film. After the film’s release, Simone becomes a huge sensation and starts attracting more and more attention due to her unavailability in any and all public appearances. This generates a lot of mystery around Simone and Viktor because Viktor is the only person knowing about Simone’s whereabouts. How long will Viktor be able to hold the truth and what is the future of Simone in the industry, forms the second half of the film.

LONG INTRODUCTION The story starts with a talented but rather unaccepted filmmaker, Viktor struggling with the leading lady Nicola (played by Winona Ryder) of his next project over some unnecessary tantrums of the actress. And as much as he tries to please her with the best resources on the sets, the more she insults him and finally refuses to do Viktor’s film, leaving it in between.
To get the production going, Victor needs another actress but fails in doing so. In the meantime, a computer geek, Hank (played by Eleas Koteas) shows up to Viktor and recommends him an undoable and strange idea of casting an artificially intelligent computer program as the leading actress in his film. On hearing it first, Viktor dismisses it completely but desperate times, desperate measures so, he starts working with the computer program. And, in a series of experiments with “Simulation One”, Viktor modifies it several times and develops it into a very talented actress (a virtual actress) “Simone” (Sim. One) with all the nuances, expressions, and acting skills of the best actresses in the industry.
Now, with all the modeling and remodeling done, Viktor includes Simone in the film and makes her do all the acting with the help of a built-in simulator in the program. The film gets released, becomes a huge hit at the box office with Simone becoming the newest sensation in the industry and not just for the looks but for her performance, she even wins two Academy Awards in the film. Now starts the real drama, with Simone being a virtual actress and not an actual human being generates a lot of curiosity in the industry and the audiences because of her unavailability at any public appearances. Simone, more than a convenience, now becomes a pile of problems for Viktor and he obviously can’t answer much. So what will happen next, will Simone sustain in the industry, and will Viktor be able to hide the truth for long, all these questions form the second half of the film.

The Movie Being a huge fan of Andrew Niccol’s work, starting right from his directorial debut “GATTACA 1997” or his story work in “The Truman Show 1998″, his films always deliver something unique, something extraordinary, ahead of time. Although I have some disappointments regarding “Simone”, but I want to appreciate Niccol’s vision for the film. The story feels promising and futuristic, especially now, that we are living in the times of technologies like AI, VR, and AR, for a 2002 film, I regard “Simone”, as an ahead-of-its-time film. Story-wise, incorporating the idea of virtual characters/artists in the film’s casting in the early 2000s was something out of the box, just the presentation could have been better.

P.S. The concept of “Simone 2002” has served as an inspiration for different films and series based on a similar idea.

Released in 1990
10/10
Genre- Drama
Main Cast: Pankaj Kapur, Shabana Azmi
Music- Vanraj Bhatia
Story- Ramapada Chowdhury
Screenplay: Tapan Sinha
Direction- Tapan Sinha

BRIEF INTRODUCTION Based on Ramapada Chowdhury’s acclaimed story, “Abhimanyu”, the plot revolves around a doctor/researcher, Dr. Dipankar Roy (played by Pankaj Kapur) who discovers a vaccine for an infectious disease (Leprosy) with a lot of effort and personal sacrifices. But instead of getting widespread appreciation for his work, he is even denied proper recognition by the system. How he deals with it and what happens next forms the rest of the story.

The Movie Based on a story inspired by the life and times of Dr. Subhash Mukhopadhyay (the pioneer of IVF in India), Ek Doctor Ki Maut is one of the best films I have seen so far domestically or globally (I saw the film back in 2017). This film has the highest standards in all aspects, story, screenplay, direction or performances, etc. With a seriously straightforward narrative and no unnecessary clutters, Ek Doctor Ki Maut delivers sincerely.

Performances “Ek Doctor Ki Maut” is undoubtedly Pankaj Kapur’s film, it is one of his best performances, a performance worth a standing ovation. And not just Pankaj Kapur but also the performance by the rest of the cast is very compelling. Shabana Azmi played the supporting wife Seema, Anil Chatterjee played Dr. Dipankar’s mentor and Irrfan Khan played a science journalist, Amulya (one of his earliest roles). The supporting cast also included Vijayendra Ghatge and Deepa Sahi. Vijayendra Ghatge played Dipankar’s best friend Dr. Sen and Deepa Sahi played Dr. Sen’s wife.

P.S. “Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1990)” won three National Awards in 1990, for Best Direction (Tapan Sinha), Second Best Feature Film, and Special Jury Award (Pankaj Kapur). Additionally, the film won multiple awards at other important award ceremonies.

Released in 1986
10/10
Genre- Drama, Thriller
The Cast: Deepak Qazir, Amitabh Srivastav, Pankaj Kapur, S. M. Zaheer, Subhash Udgata, Hemant Mishra, M. K. Raina, K. K. Raina, Annu Kapoor, Subbiraj, Shailendra Goel, Aziz Qureshi, C.D. Sindhu
Story- “Twelve Angry Men” by Reginald Rose
Screenplay: Ranjit Kapur, Basu Chatterjee
Direction- Basu Chatterjee

BRIEF INTRODUCTION Based on Reginald Rose’s acclaimed teleplay, “Twelve Angry Men” and Sidney Lumet’s 1957 film of the same name, the story revolves around a nineteen-year-old who is put on trial for allegedly killing his father. To close the final argument and reach an unbiased verdict, the judge directs a jury of twelve members to discuss the boy’s matter among themselves (with all the facts and evidence) and give a final verdict of guilty (with a compulsory death sentence) or not guilty. Now, it’s up to these twelve jurors to decide the fate of the teenager.

The Movie Ek Ruka Hua Faisla is one of the most thoughtful thrillers from Indian Cinema and I want to acknowledge that I saw Ek Ruka Hua Faisla first and then got to know about 12 Angry Men through it. The whole film is shot in one room only with 12 different jurors arguing with each other. I consider this well-executed film a filmmaking master class, how one could deliver a meaningful cinema with the minimum amount of resources.

Performances This film is a powerhouse of performances, with almost all the actors belonging to “NSD (National School of Drama), Delhi”. Every single actor from the twelve of them delivered a natural and confident performance. Pankaj Kapur and Annu Kapoor unarguably delivered unforgettable performances, they played the most challenging characters (Juror No. 3 and Juror No. 9) from the twelve of them.

P.S. Annu Kapoor at the age of 30 played the character of a 70-year-old (Juror No. 9) in the film.

Released in 1966
9/10
Genre- Drama, Romance, Crime
Main Cast: Sunil Dutt, Sadhna
Music- Shankar-Jaikishan
Screenplay: Based on Munshi Premchand’s much-acclaimed 1931
classic, “Gaban (ग़बन)”.
Direction- Krishan Chopra, Hirshikesh Mukherjee

BRIEF INTRODUCTION Based upon Munshi Premchand’s gripping classic, the story revolves around Ramanath (played by Sunil Dutt), a not-too-useful guy who uses his habit of lying to get his way in life. This habit of Ramanath is not just restricted to his friends but he also lies to his wife to make her happy. He promises her an expensive piece of jewelry that he can’t afford, and in the process of buying it becomes debt-laden. To pay the debt, he takes a terribly wrong and hasty decision and gets himself involved in nothing short of embezzlement (“ग़बन”) in his workplace. This whole incident of embezzlement then starts a series of unfortunate events and he is on the run now. What happens next forms the second half of the film.

Twists and Turns The first half of the film mostly involves the elements of romance and drama which form the basis of the so-called embezzlement but the second half is very unexpected and exciting. The embezzlement thing was just the beginning, Ramanath gets entangled in far more complicated matters which makes the second half more interesting than the first.

Performances Worth-watching performances from the leads. Sunil Dutt delivered a memorable performance as Ramanath, he peaked in his performance in all the court scenes. Sadhna delivered a confident performance as Jalpa (Ramanath’s wife). Natural performances by the rest of the cast also supported the film.

P.S. I also recommend reading the original novel “ग़बन” by Munshi Premchand along with the film.