charulata

I'm a sucker for female protagonists. When I got an email alerting me that "Charulata" or "The Lonely Wife" was waiting for me at the library, I ditched "The World of Apu". Charulata is based on the novela by Rabindranath Tagore, "Nastanirh" (The broken Nest). It is such a beautiful film and I wish Armes had gone into better detail about just how wonderful it was. In his chapter about Ray, Armes like many film writers, gives a general synopsis of the film. He summarizes the story line and very quickly goes on to the next film as if trying to finish a term paper. He doesn't go into detail about the lighting for example which is one of the key elements that distinguishes Ray's filmmaking from others of this time (1964). It's high key and frames the characters so gently allowing for their actions to replace dialouge- of which there is little. Charulata's story is a classic woman's tale. It is also a pleasure to see a woman of color lead in a complex position, which ironically we see less of in the 21 century. She's smart and talented and married to a well-off intellectual. Without the need to work, she stays home and is so bored she relies on opera glasses for entertainment, using them to look out the window and even her husband. Ray frames the camera around the glasses illustrating Charulata's distance to her community, husband and general 19th century role of wife. It's a tragic love story heavily focused on how ill equipped Indian and Western societies are to supporting strong female role models. The film's story hits home. As an artist at home with 2 kids looking at oatmeal splattered on the wall, life borders between being an adventure and subdued.

Almost done with Roy Armes. He's not a colorful writer.

More soon.

Apu

This weekend I attended a great workshop at El Museo del Barrio. I was invited to participate in a Creative Capital Professional development workshop. During it I got into a conversation about culture background with a fellow attendee. As part of marketing, we're suppose to look into all avenues one of them being cultural background. My conversation was about how as second generation Americans we felt on the margins between our parents' cultural connection and the one we were born into. Education has tons to do with it. It is where all the propaganda, ideals, and beliefs begin to take shape. How does it affect how we make art? Moving along to "Third World Film Making and the West", I've found my way to the directors' chapters. First one up is- Satyajit Ray. Armes begins the chapter with a bit about his life going into some detail on Ray educational background. Ray was always made conscious of his bordering two cultures. From his stories to his camera work, the Hindu and the British merged through critic commentary. For Ray, it was just how he worked and saw the picture. I just got one of his most famous "The World of Apu". The version form the NYPL is dubbed, but on dvd with special features (bonus!) At 110 mins., I will watch it while the kids are napping. It's safe to say that Tinkerbell the Movie has nothing on this.

More soon