If there is one country you have to catch a flick, it has to be India. And while I was in Kolkata, I had to dive into one of those wonderful picture houses.
Dil Bole Hadippa was not the greatest film around, but it was entertaining. I do not understand Hindi and with a lack of subtitles, what I really need is a simple story, a few good songs and pretty girl on the screen. Dil Bole Hadippa amply filled this need. And being a film lover, it was not just the film, but the atmosphere, munching away in the cinema all those great snacks.
One guaranteed way of entertainment while in India – hit the movies!
I love Korean films. Fact, they are so warped, that they will entice and intoxicate the nearest viewer. One film I have recently seen, is the 2001 hit, My Sassy Girl. A fantastic film, that will make you laugh, will make you sigh and might even make you cry. Man, I am a big softy…
Plus, with some of the coolest moments in film, this is one movie I could watch again and again. And to think this is an eight year old film! All right, you want to see a cool part of the film, then click here and move the cursor to the one minute mark. Start playing and watch the rest of the vid, it will crack you up!
The film has been remade twice. Once by the American’s and another by the Indian’s. Both kind of flopped. I have seen the Indian version, and it is simply not as good as the original, although the story is virtually identical. I don’t know why, but I think that the combination of a director who really loved the story and great acting made ‘My Sassy Girl’ one of Korea’ biggest hits.
But to all those regular travellers on public transport – beware of who you pick up…
Earlier this week I stopped off in town for the day ad did something that I have not done for a long time. Spent a day at the movies. The London Film Festival was in town so for lunch I watched on of its offerings, then headed to the Prince Charles for a late matinee before sauntering off to Trafalgar Square for a late night show in the open. The last of these, the freebie was the best one of the lot, the other two films being…’interesting’…but not really entertaining.
But it was the outdoor film that I really liked. It took a look at London’s transport from 1896 right up until the present day and it was fascinating to see how much and how little has changed in London over the past 100 years or so. And the Square was crowded with people, all trying to get a glimpse of what London had to offer. A lot of the time, I think the Festival in London can make some great choices, and this is one of them. Long may the freebie screenings in the Square continue, and thank goodness the weather held!
I love those guys. Really. Well, maybe not that much. But, I had to immortalise the folks behind the camera. The ones, who normally, do not get the glory, but who have as much ‘fun’ as anyone else on set. The crew!
Right, El Director is off on holiday and so the comic strip will next be up and running on Monday October 19th! Until then…;)
I really liked doing this, both as a short film and as a comic strip.
Originally, Nick came to me and asked me to shoot Jay and Kay in the back garden, just chatting, and most importantly, having the milk bottle ‘disappear. He then told me to ‘trust him’. So I did. A few weeks later, he brought me the animation sequence and so was born the two alter egos of Silvertop and Goldtop.
The reason why I have enjoyed this webisode so much is that the story is continued in the latest incarnation of Caution Wet paint, Jay and Kay Save the World! Yep, give me a chance, and I will string a story out far beyond the stars…into the realms of madness!
Unfortunately, my time this year is rushed and filled with madness. Nevertheless, I did manage to see a show at this year’s C. Wharf FIlm Festival and in particular, I caught the ’showcase’ In other words, the winners of the ‘big’ film festivals worldwide. As a film maker, it was interesting to see what was the cool new things on the block. For me, my favourite short was ‘Lies’ which was a winner at Sundance and Vennice. A really great documentary, and fascinating to watch.
There is still today left at the CWFF, but for me, I will have to wait until next year to get my East London flicks fill!
Part 2 of Kung Fu Jay. I loved shooting this particular webisode with Ari and Kuldip, as it was a complete laugh to do. I also managed to squeeze out two shorts from one shoot. I am particularly proud of this webisode, and it stands as one of my favourite CWP moments. Why? Well, all the webisodes were scripted from the feature length script. If there was a point in the script I was not sure about, I would write a sketch to test it out. There is a scene in the CWP script which requires a 1930’s silent film to be slotted in. And the concept works beautifully, as you can see below
Just a small talk through on how a clip becomes part of a short film. Unfortunately, due to ‘youtube quality’, the colour corrections do not come out too great in this one…
The film made the area fashionable to tourists, and avoidable to locals, but I quite like Notting Hill. Apart from the easy interchange with the tube, it also has a certain element of ‘posh funk’ to it. The park is nearby and there are a few nice eateries on the pavements. But the real reason why I like Notting Hill are its cinemas. Surprisingly, this close to Central London, there are decent cinemas, that aren’t some musty chain version, but proper indies, showing great films, at a reasonable price too!
I love indy cinemas. The vibe there is different from a chainstore. Sure, if you’re with friends, and you want a place to go and see a blockbuster, then hit a chain cinema. Some multiplex on the edge of town with decent seats, overpriced snacks and surly staff. But if you’re coming back from work, they are convenient. But for real movie watching, to see films that are cool, in locations that are great, then head off to the independent cinemas. Rarely more than two screens in the building, one in an oversized auditorium and the second in some funky little den within the building, these small cinemas are the lifeblood of interesting films in London. They are the screens that will feature films that are not exclusively mainstream American. They are the cinemas tha will expand your mind with fun features on the screen. And usually, they cost a hell of a lot less than the chainstores on Leicester Square. Considering the comfort levels are similar, why would anyone pay two or three times the amount to watch the same film in an overpriced mainstream venue? Plus, the staff are usually more kooky in these independent houses…
So next time you find yourself wth a bit of free time in West London, then head over to one of their picturehouses. There’s always something interesting, being shown…
View allGet your own2010 is upon us and so we here at CWP will add a little bit of fun, milk and alien invasion to the beginning of the new decade!CWP 2010 Calendar
