Just a short follow-up to my previous post.
You can read a nice article about Water's chances for an Academy Award and about Hollywood starting to take notice of Indian cinema here.
And I've found something on youtube that makes me even more excited about Shantaram. Below I've embedded an interview with the author of the book. It's in five parts (but I've embedded it as a playlist so it should appear as one with the possibility to switch between the five parts). If they manage to keep that sort of spirit in the film then OMG! I really hope they do!
Also, here's confirmation that Mira Nair is indeed in talks with Shahrukh Khan over a small role in the film.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Friday, February 16, 2007
Is Indian cinema on the verge of making an impact in the USA?
There's many things to write on the topic of why films from outside of the US don't seem to be able to make an impact in the US box office. Someday I hope to write a very long post about why that is (or at least why I think that is), but since I still have to read up a lot about it to properly write it, it won't be soon ;)
But to make a long story short, the most major reason that makes it almost impossible for a non-US (or independant US) film to make an impact in the USA is the system there. A few major studios pretty much own the market and the same companies that produce films also own all the major cinema chains. This means that a film that has not been produced by one of these major studios will probably only get shown in independant cinemas and these are few and far apart. There is no way that a film made outside of "the system" could get shown on a few thousand screens in the US alone as is the case with many major Hollywood productions.
Occasionally a film from outside of the US will do very good business (like Borat did recently), but when you'll check the company credits you'll always find one of the major US studios in them (for Borat it was 20th Century Fox).
India has so far never had a major financial success in the US even though interest in Indian cinema is growing. But there's two films on the horizon which might change this.
The first is Deepa Mehta's Water. In fact already based only on its Canadian box office results it's the biggest Indian box office earner ever in North America. While technically a Canadian film (that's where the financing has come from) it is about Indian issues and by Indian filmmakers (some of them like the director based in Canada and some of them from the Indian film industry like Bollywood star John Abraham).
So far it's enjoyed only a small release in the States (less than 100 screens), but it's being distributed by Fox Searchlight, which is the independant branch of 20th Century Fox and therefore I assume they have the means to give it a wider release if they think it commercially viable. It is Canada's official entry for this year's Academy Awards and has made it into the final five nominated foreign films. While Pan's Labyrinth is probably the favourite to win, Water is most often named as the other film that has a strong shot at winning the award. Ironically, Deepa Mehta has had huge problems with releasing this film in India. It had to be shot in Sri Lanka because the issues raised (it is a film about the treatment of widows in India) were so controversial in India. It has however finally passed the Indian censors and will be released there in March.
Here is a song number from the film:
The trailer is not up on youtube, but you can see it here (I don't have the required plugin, but the downloaded file works for me in vlc). You can read more about the film here.
But perhaps an even more "curious" prospect is Shantaram. It is currently in pre-production and should be released in 2008. Johnny Depp is producing it and is set to play the lead. Warner Bros is involved in the company credits so clearly we're looking at a very wide release. Originally Peter Weir was attached to direct, but it seems he has left the project "over artistic differences" with Johnny Depp and it is now Mira Nair who will direct it. The film is set in Bombay and the Indian cast will probably include some big names. Amitabh Bachchan has recently been attached to the project and is apparently going to star as something of a mentor to Johnny Depp's character. There are rumours (the imdb boards are my source for them so I'm not sure they are reliable) that the producers are in talks with Shahrukh Khan over a smaller role. Certainly there is reason to think that the author of the book is keen on this since he has used Shahrukh's photo on his site as an example of what one of his characters might look like.
Needless to say I'm quite excited about both films ;)
Of course it's quite likely that Water will not win an Academy Award and Shantaram (although I think a wide release is a given) might not spark people's interest in Bollywood stars, but at least what these two films do show is that America is starting to take Indian cinema more seriously than before.
But to make a long story short, the most major reason that makes it almost impossible for a non-US (or independant US) film to make an impact in the USA is the system there. A few major studios pretty much own the market and the same companies that produce films also own all the major cinema chains. This means that a film that has not been produced by one of these major studios will probably only get shown in independant cinemas and these are few and far apart. There is no way that a film made outside of "the system" could get shown on a few thousand screens in the US alone as is the case with many major Hollywood productions.
Occasionally a film from outside of the US will do very good business (like Borat did recently), but when you'll check the company credits you'll always find one of the major US studios in them (for Borat it was 20th Century Fox).
India has so far never had a major financial success in the US even though interest in Indian cinema is growing. But there's two films on the horizon which might change this.
The first is Deepa Mehta's Water. In fact already based only on its Canadian box office results it's the biggest Indian box office earner ever in North America. While technically a Canadian film (that's where the financing has come from) it is about Indian issues and by Indian filmmakers (some of them like the director based in Canada and some of them from the Indian film industry like Bollywood star John Abraham).
So far it's enjoyed only a small release in the States (less than 100 screens), but it's being distributed by Fox Searchlight, which is the independant branch of 20th Century Fox and therefore I assume they have the means to give it a wider release if they think it commercially viable. It is Canada's official entry for this year's Academy Awards and has made it into the final five nominated foreign films. While Pan's Labyrinth is probably the favourite to win, Water is most often named as the other film that has a strong shot at winning the award. Ironically, Deepa Mehta has had huge problems with releasing this film in India. It had to be shot in Sri Lanka because the issues raised (it is a film about the treatment of widows in India) were so controversial in India. It has however finally passed the Indian censors and will be released there in March.
Here is a song number from the film:
The trailer is not up on youtube, but you can see it here (I don't have the required plugin, but the downloaded file works for me in vlc). You can read more about the film here.
But perhaps an even more "curious" prospect is Shantaram. It is currently in pre-production and should be released in 2008. Johnny Depp is producing it and is set to play the lead. Warner Bros is involved in the company credits so clearly we're looking at a very wide release. Originally Peter Weir was attached to direct, but it seems he has left the project "over artistic differences" with Johnny Depp and it is now Mira Nair who will direct it. The film is set in Bombay and the Indian cast will probably include some big names. Amitabh Bachchan has recently been attached to the project and is apparently going to star as something of a mentor to Johnny Depp's character. There are rumours (the imdb boards are my source for them so I'm not sure they are reliable) that the producers are in talks with Shahrukh Khan over a smaller role. Certainly there is reason to think that the author of the book is keen on this since he has used Shahrukh's photo on his site as an example of what one of his characters might look like.
Needless to say I'm quite excited about both films ;)
Of course it's quite likely that Water will not win an Academy Award and Shantaram (although I think a wide release is a given) might not spark people's interest in Bollywood stars, but at least what these two films do show is that America is starting to take Indian cinema more seriously than before.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Nishabd - the Indian Lolita
I think it's appropriate to follow up my Valentine's Day post with the trailer for Ram Gopal Varma's new film Nishabd... It is a story of love between a 60 and 18 year old and the 60 year old is played by none other than Mr Amitabh Bachchan *grin* For those of you who don't know much about Mr Bachchan (and I'm putting the Mr in on purpose because he is often referred to that way, well either like that or just simply as Big B), he is perhaps India's biggest ever superstar. His biggest popularity was in the 1970s. Now there are other Indian actors who have better results in the box office, but despite being over 60 he is still immensely popular all over the world. In fact when BBC did a worldwide poll in 1999 for the greatest actor of the millenium, it was Amitabh Bachchan who came first ahead of actors such as Laurence Olivier and Marlon Brando.
But back to Nishabd... Since many people were already quite "er, what?" about Mr Amitabh Bachchan's choice of role in KANK where he plays Sexy Sam (an older man who enjoys the company of beautiful women very much), this part will probably create even more controversy in India.
Here's one of the promos:
For me personally it's interesting, funny and bizarre that he is taking up these sorts of roles now. It is rather against his image (the "Mr" should have clued you in on that one), but it's not just that. Somehow I've always taken him for a traditionalist (in terms of his private life). In fact he is currently under public fire because of a very traditional Hindu practice that was performed in his family recently. His son, Abhishek has gotten engaged to Aishwarya Rai, but for astrological reasons Aishwarya has had to marry two trees and an idol before she can marry Abhishek.
But back to Nishabd... Since many people were already quite "er, what?" about Mr Amitabh Bachchan's choice of role in KANK where he plays Sexy Sam (an older man who enjoys the company of beautiful women very much), this part will probably create even more controversy in India.
Here's one of the promos:
For me personally it's interesting, funny and bizarre that he is taking up these sorts of roles now. It is rather against his image (the "Mr" should have clued you in on that one), but it's not just that. Somehow I've always taken him for a traditionalist (in terms of his private life). In fact he is currently under public fire because of a very traditional Hindu practice that was performed in his family recently. His son, Abhishek has gotten engaged to Aishwarya Rai, but for astrological reasons Aishwarya has had to marry two trees and an idol before she can marry Abhishek.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Valentine's Day in India
This story totally cracked me up. I know it probably shouldn't - the Hindu groups in the article sound rather like some of our Christian groups in Poland which is not good news (not that the Polish groups aren't hilarious sometimes ;-P). But I think the Indian Hindu groups are much more creative in how they want to combat immoral Western behaviour than their equivalents here in Poland:
One Hindu group, the Shiv Sena, said its volunteers would photograph couples caught in "compromising positions".
Overt signs of affection, such as kissing and holding hands, are frowned upon in much of traditional Indian society.
Shiv Sena has warned that its activists will stake out public parks, cinemas and shopping malls in a number of cities, and photographs of couples courting will be handed over to their parents.
But that's not all my Valentine news from India :) (of course this next paragraph is only here because it's a great excuse to write about Shahrukh yet again or rather about something that has been in my drafts since December ;-P) Anyway, in case you're wondering what my favourite Indian actor has prepared for Valentine's Day I have to first fill you in on some news that first appeared in December, but I was too lazy/busy/forgetful (choose the one that you think best applies to me) to put it up on my blog.
So er... Shahrukh was offered the position of host on a very popular TV show called Kaun Banega Crorepati (Kaun I think means who and one of the other words means courage, but that's about all I've managed to pick up of Hindi ;-P). And he accepted. The press loved it because it gave them opportunity to write lots of stories about how tense the relationship between SRK and Amitabh Bachchan is because it was Mr Amitabh Bachchan who used to host KBC. This went well with everything else they had written about the two previously (about which I might also post on my blog very belatedly some day because I think it's rather hilarious).
Anyway, lets get to the show... "Kaun Banega Crorepati" sounds so foreign to me that I made no connection whatsoever as to what this show actually is. All I'm gonna say is that I know it rather well from Polish TV (and I'm pathetic at watching TV, so you'll definitely know it *grin*). It would have never occurred to me that in India being the host of it is so prestigious that stars like Shahrukh and Big B would be offered the position... Of course neither of them host it in the same style as I think it's hosted around Europe but that just makes it all the more amusing. Check out a short totally random fragment with Shahrukh as host (if you want more, all you have to put into the youtube search is "srk kbc"):
My favourite KBC clip however is the hip hop music video promo which I've embedded below. Apparently the video was Shahrukh's idea. But it's just so typical... I don't think any country apart from India could have come up with that sort of promotion for a TV show *grin*
Erm... and the boring bit is that he's invited some celebrities to the show for Valentine's Day (I had to have some excuse for giving you all this KBC news two months after it was due, ok? ;) ).
One Hindu group, the Shiv Sena, said its volunteers would photograph couples caught in "compromising positions".
Overt signs of affection, such as kissing and holding hands, are frowned upon in much of traditional Indian society.
Shiv Sena has warned that its activists will stake out public parks, cinemas and shopping malls in a number of cities, and photographs of couples courting will be handed over to their parents.
But that's not all my Valentine news from India :) (of course this next paragraph is only here because it's a great excuse to write about Shahrukh yet again or rather about something that has been in my drafts since December ;-P) Anyway, in case you're wondering what my favourite Indian actor has prepared for Valentine's Day I have to first fill you in on some news that first appeared in December, but I was too lazy/busy/forgetful (choose the one that you think best applies to me) to put it up on my blog.
So er... Shahrukh was offered the position of host on a very popular TV show called Kaun Banega Crorepati (Kaun I think means who and one of the other words means courage, but that's about all I've managed to pick up of Hindi ;-P). And he accepted. The press loved it because it gave them opportunity to write lots of stories about how tense the relationship between SRK and Amitabh Bachchan is because it was Mr Amitabh Bachchan who used to host KBC. This went well with everything else they had written about the two previously (about which I might also post on my blog very belatedly some day because I think it's rather hilarious).
Anyway, lets get to the show... "Kaun Banega Crorepati" sounds so foreign to me that I made no connection whatsoever as to what this show actually is. All I'm gonna say is that I know it rather well from Polish TV (and I'm pathetic at watching TV, so you'll definitely know it *grin*). It would have never occurred to me that in India being the host of it is so prestigious that stars like Shahrukh and Big B would be offered the position... Of course neither of them host it in the same style as I think it's hosted around Europe but that just makes it all the more amusing. Check out a short totally random fragment with Shahrukh as host (if you want more, all you have to put into the youtube search is "srk kbc"):
My favourite KBC clip however is the hip hop music video promo which I've embedded below. Apparently the video was Shahrukh's idea. But it's just so typical... I don't think any country apart from India could have come up with that sort of promotion for a TV show *grin*
Erm... and the boring bit is that he's invited some celebrities to the show for Valentine's Day (I had to have some excuse for giving you all this KBC news two months after it was due, ok? ;) ).
Monday, February 12, 2007
Harry Potter nude and some even more exciting Potter news
I keep putting off writing anything because I've not written properly for such a long time and I feel I should write a long, clever post about something. The problem is I'm really not feeling clever or up to writing a long post ;-P
So I'll just be boring and write more of the usual. It's not that I don't have anything to write about - on the contrary, you wouldn't believe how many drafts I have on my blog (I just checked - the number is 80 drafts versus 43 published posts :D), but a lot of it seems just too much effort to write about just now ;-P
Therefore lets continue the topic of nudity (apparently it's the main theme of my blog since January 15th).
Harry Potter himself is appearing nude in a play in London and if you don't believe me I'm sure this article will convince you.
You can see some publicity pics for the play on the play's official site. And if like me you derive a certain amusement out of seeing people offended and acting as if it really is Harry Potter appearing nude rather than Daniel Radcliffe, then I recommend the imdb boards for Daniel Radcliffe. I particularly enjoy the comments in which certain Americans claim this is child pornography because according to American law Dan is not of legal age (no matter how many times they're told that under UK law he is, they still don't change their tone lol). But I think the people who think he's going to have real sex or masturbate on stage are even funnier (the arguments that there are no such scenes in the play don't seem to be getting to them ;) ).
On a more serious note, I do love the play. At least on paper it made a huge impression on me. It's the story of a boy who blinds six horses with a metal pick and gets sent to a mental institution. He is treated by a psychiatrist who has started doubting the point of his job. I really love the way the relationship between them is written out. I'm very excited about seeing it on stage (which I will in late April, wheee!).
But lets get to some more exciting and even more frontline Harry Potter news ;-P There is finally a release date for book7 "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!! :D Of course annoyingly it has to be on the 21st of July which is during the film festival in Wroclaw that I want to attend ;-P I'll probably try to force myself to wait until the festival finishes about a week later cause I want to be able to sit down and read it in one go (book 6 took me about 11,5h non-stop reading when it came out ;-P).
So far my favourite news tidbit about book7 coming out is enlikening two characters in the series dieing off to Take That splitting up in 1996 (it appeared in this article). Here's the relevant quote:
British book retailer Waterstone's is hoping to set up a helpline for distressed fans of the popular
Harry Potter series because two characters will be killed off in the final instalment, The Daily Telegraph reported.
"This could be a similar moment to when (pop band) Take That split up -- there could be a lot of upset teenagers out there," said Debbie Williams, a buyer for the book chain.
"We are looking to set up a helpline for them."
(for those of you who don't know - when Take That split up they set up a helpline because they were worried girls might get suicidal!)
But actually everything surrounding the release is absolutely amazing. It has shattered all pre-sale records and even before J.K.Rowling had finished writing the book, the bookies were already taking bets for who would kill Harry. Of course we don't even know if Harry will die! (personally I think he won't ;-P)
Very often when I say I don't feel up to writing anything long I end up doing what I say I won't ;-P (but when I say I'm not feeling up to writing anything clever I do mean it ;-P)
On a final off-topic note - Surya Bonaly chickened out, she was not nude at all.
So I'll just be boring and write more of the usual. It's not that I don't have anything to write about - on the contrary, you wouldn't believe how many drafts I have on my blog (I just checked - the number is 80 drafts versus 43 published posts :D), but a lot of it seems just too much effort to write about just now ;-P
Therefore lets continue the topic of nudity (apparently it's the main theme of my blog since January 15th).
Harry Potter himself is appearing nude in a play in London and if you don't believe me I'm sure this article will convince you.
You can see some publicity pics for the play on the play's official site. And if like me you derive a certain amusement out of seeing people offended and acting as if it really is Harry Potter appearing nude rather than Daniel Radcliffe, then I recommend the imdb boards for Daniel Radcliffe. I particularly enjoy the comments in which certain Americans claim this is child pornography because according to American law Dan is not of legal age (no matter how many times they're told that under UK law he is, they still don't change their tone lol). But I think the people who think he's going to have real sex or masturbate on stage are even funnier (the arguments that there are no such scenes in the play don't seem to be getting to them ;) ).
On a more serious note, I do love the play. At least on paper it made a huge impression on me. It's the story of a boy who blinds six horses with a metal pick and gets sent to a mental institution. He is treated by a psychiatrist who has started doubting the point of his job. I really love the way the relationship between them is written out. I'm very excited about seeing it on stage (which I will in late April, wheee!).
But lets get to some more exciting and even more frontline Harry Potter news ;-P There is finally a release date for book7 "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!!! :D Of course annoyingly it has to be on the 21st of July which is during the film festival in Wroclaw that I want to attend ;-P I'll probably try to force myself to wait until the festival finishes about a week later cause I want to be able to sit down and read it in one go (book 6 took me about 11,5h non-stop reading when it came out ;-P).
So far my favourite news tidbit about book7 coming out is enlikening two characters in the series dieing off to Take That splitting up in 1996 (it appeared in this article). Here's the relevant quote:
British book retailer Waterstone's is hoping to set up a helpline for distressed fans of the popular
Harry Potter series because two characters will be killed off in the final instalment, The Daily Telegraph reported.
"This could be a similar moment to when (pop band) Take That split up -- there could be a lot of upset teenagers out there," said Debbie Williams, a buyer for the book chain.
"We are looking to set up a helpline for them."
(for those of you who don't know - when Take That split up they set up a helpline because they were worried girls might get suicidal!)
But actually everything surrounding the release is absolutely amazing. It has shattered all pre-sale records and even before J.K.Rowling had finished writing the book, the bookies were already taking bets for who would kill Harry. Of course we don't even know if Harry will die! (personally I think he won't ;-P)
Very often when I say I don't feel up to writing anything long I end up doing what I say I won't ;-P (but when I say I'm not feeling up to writing anything clever I do mean it ;-P)
On a final off-topic note - Surya Bonaly chickened out, she was not nude at all.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Surya Bonaly to skate nude
Hopefully now that my heavy schoolwork period has almost finished I'll get back to regularly updating this blog.
For now, however, I have some fascinating figure skating news for all my readers (and since it's coming right after my celebrity nudity database post, I think I'm either going to lose or gain readers by giving the impression that this blog is about nudity ;) ).
Anyway, it's true - Surya Bonaly, a five-time European Champion is going to be skating nude to protect baby seals in North Canada. The news is in a couple of places, but the only English article I found is here (albeit it's a Russian site). The FSU forum is having a lot fun picturing exactly what Surya might do in her program. After all, she is the first ever woman to do a back flip on the ice, not to mention a wide repertoire of very bendy moves (she is an ex-gymnast). So enjoy whatever images this has brought to your mind ;)
Edited to add: Apparently Surya is not the first skater to do this. See here
For now, however, I have some fascinating figure skating news for all my readers (and since it's coming right after my celebrity nudity database post, I think I'm either going to lose or gain readers by giving the impression that this blog is about nudity ;) ).
Anyway, it's true - Surya Bonaly, a five-time European Champion is going to be skating nude to protect baby seals in North Canada. The news is in a couple of places, but the only English article I found is here (albeit it's a Russian site). The FSU forum is having a lot fun picturing exactly what Surya might do in her program. After all, she is the first ever woman to do a back flip on the ice, not to mention a wide repertoire of very bendy moves (she is an ex-gymnast). So enjoy whatever images this has brought to your mind ;)
Edited to add: Apparently Surya is not the first skater to do this. See here
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