Horror Movies Demystified

The other day I was watching Narnia on TV. Because I received a phone call, I put the TV on mute and did something which is not a good practice. Instead of focusing on the conversation I started watching the movie.

It was the scene where Lucy Pevensie discovers the wardrobe! The gateway to the Kingdom of Narnia.

With the voice on mute, I felt that that scene could have easily fit into a horror movie. It had everything that would make it to that genre.

The Valiant Queen discovering Narnia through the wardrobe and Carolyn Perron in Conjuring encountering a ghost inside the wardrobe are pretty much the same. If you have the inclination, resources and time, do compare those scenes. Either watch them on mute or with the same background music.

Of course, the context is set even before we watch a movie. And, the cast and cinematography plays an important role in shaping our experience. While the smile in the little girls face gives us reassurance, the context in horror movies make us think otherwise for the similar expressions. You expect something horrifying in Conjuring when the mother, who is blindfolded, searches the wardrobe.

When an unknown entity turns positive, it becomes fantasy. But on the other hand if that turns evil, it becomes horror. The common denominator is the unknown! 

For someone who hadn't really give much thought to background music, watching Narnia in mute, conjured respect in me for this element of movies.

Do you know what casting can do to movies? Read here. 

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag & Pan Singh Tomar, Runners' Movies

Despite being the largest producer of films, India doesn't make films on sports personalities much. Leaders and politicians, yes! Sports, I don't remember seeing much. 

Probably, Paan Singh Tomar was the first full scale feature film about a sportsman, I ever saw. And now, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Both these movies would easily get into The Best Indian Movies ever made list. 

Interesting to note that both these sportsmen are from the same period and worked for the army. In fact, they both represented the country in Pakistan where Milkha was give the title The Flying Sikh. But similarity ends there. While one has become a living legend, the other met a violent end after turning a dacoit. These movies also are testimony to what circumstances can do to a human being. More importantly, how the choices we make determine what we become. 

While Milkha finds his calling in sports and works towards excelling in it, Pan Singh after retirement loses focus and becomes a dacoit. 

Watch this interesting video on the two great Indian athletes! Hope there are more movies on sportsmen like Dhyanchand, PT Usha... Will certainly support promoting sports in India. 

Conjuring, Christian Horror

My friend told me that there was nothing horrifying in the movie. She said she laughed through it.

I am a person who loves horror movies and then get scared after watching them. So her statement came as some sort of encouragement.

Conjuring was entertaining. And as my friend told me there were loads of comic scenes which made me and the rest of the movie goers burst into laughter. But now it makes me wonder why would we laugh when we were supposed to be wetting our pants. The scenes were supposed to be scary, afterall.

I realized that in many ways Conjuring had nothing new. Actually almost every movie in this class has very similar story line and "scaring" scenes. We probably have been fed on such scenes all our lives.

This movie is supposed to be based on a true story. What disturbed me about the movie was the scene where the priest hesitates to perform exorcism because the children in the family have not been baptized. Do Gods bother about that? Do Gods help only those who abide by the policies of their institutions. Imagine, a Hindu or a Muslim family was living in that house, would Christian institution not perform exorcism, if required? Or other way around, would Hindu or Muslim institutions not help a Christian family? That also makes me ponder if the Ghosts or evil spirits also follow religions.

I was watching Kanchana, Tamil horror flick starring Lawrence and Sharathkumar, on TV other day. Looks like ghosts in Indian movies are as secular as the country itself. Sharathkumar's spirit responds to Hindu and Muslim exorcists! Could that be because Sharathkumar was born in to a Hindu family and then raised by a Muslim? Strange are the ways of these ghosts, I say!

But looks like American Christian Ghosts are consistent with American superhero, Superman! Alas, Steel Man is protector of American interests not the World. Unlike his father had envisioned him to be.

Whatever it maybe, Conjuring is enjoyable American Ghost story. 

Sonna Puriyadu, Parthalum Puriyadu

I believe that some movies are better watched in DVDs, sitting in the comforts of home. These though aren't bad, one shouldn't waste their time or money by going to theater to watch such flicks. This one is one such movie.

The movie isn't that bad, actually. It will make you laugh. Especially, the scenes where Shiva and Blade Shankar dub for Chinese movies. There are other moments were you will burst into laughter. Some twists to keep you engaged, too. But when I came out of the theater, I felt as if I watched some crap movie. The second half drags.

Light, very light entertainer.