Once you take some distance from its discomforting failures, the film is a visual treat as Deepa Mehta’s films have been, writes Shekhar Deshpande
When one of the most accomplished writers of our time, whose language, imagery and allegorical deft have transformed many a social crises into figurative labyrinths agrees to work with one of the formidable woman directors with a strong portfolio of socially oriented films to have captured liberal imagination, one would expect some cinematic magic to make a big impression. Salman Rushdie and Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children promises much before the theater goes dark. But as the end credits roll in, you are left with a puzzling question: why did the two truly cosmopolitan and diasporic creative artists of our time squander so much so easily?
Midnight’s Children may be a good pictured novel for the post-Slumdog age in which images themselves become...
When one of the most accomplished writers of our time, whose language, imagery and allegorical deft have transformed many a social crises into figurative labyrinths agrees to work with one of the formidable woman directors with a strong portfolio of socially oriented films to have captured liberal imagination, one would expect some cinematic magic to make a big impression. Salman Rushdie and Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children promises much before the theater goes dark. But as the end credits roll in, you are left with a puzzling question: why did the two truly cosmopolitan and diasporic creative artists of our time squander so much so easily?
Midnight’s Children may be a good pictured novel for the post-Slumdog age in which images themselves become...
- 4/30/2013
- by Shekhar Deshpande
- DearCinema.com
Venue: Venice Film Festival
Venice -- In 2004 of a 23-member Sri Lankan handball team suddenly showed up in Bavaria. The team had fooled the German Embassy in Colombo, got itself an invite for a tournament, then boarded the plane with the sole idea of never returning home. When the bluff became apparent, with even the audiences wondering why a national team did not have a clue of the game's rules, the entire team vanished, probably into Italy. Not one of them has been traced.
Director Uberto Pasolini, a producer on "The Full Monty," uses this incident to dramatize what he feels is a flawed immigration policy in the West. He -- and his film -- argues there must be a free movement of human capital as there is of financial capital. He collaboarted with renowned Sri Lankan playwright Ruwanthie de Chickera to script the story of the 23 men, who had...
Venice -- In 2004 of a 23-member Sri Lankan handball team suddenly showed up in Bavaria. The team had fooled the German Embassy in Colombo, got itself an invite for a tournament, then boarded the plane with the sole idea of never returning home. When the bluff became apparent, with even the audiences wondering why a national team did not have a clue of the game's rules, the entire team vanished, probably into Italy. Not one of them has been traced.
Director Uberto Pasolini, a producer on "The Full Monty," uses this incident to dramatize what he feels is a flawed immigration policy in the West. He -- and his film -- argues there must be a free movement of human capital as there is of financial capital. He collaboarted with renowned Sri Lankan playwright Ruwanthie de Chickera to script the story of the 23 men, who had...
- 9/4/2008
- by By Gautaman Bhaskaran
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Based on an earlier episode in the life of wild child Mowgli, and not related directly story-wise to Disney's 1994 live-action "Jungle Book", producer Raju Patel's new film swings into the fray with the unwieldy title "Rudyard Kipling's The Second Jungle Book: Mowgli and Baloo."
Eleven-year-old newcomer Jamie Williams carries the rousing adventure film, but without a headliner such as Jason Scott Lee, the TriStar release is headed for modest business. There are some chilling moments and mild violence in "The Second Jungle Book", directed by Duncan McLachlan ("Running Wild"), making it suitable primarily for young boys.
Co-stars Baloo the bear, Grey Wolf and Bagheera, a black panther, are accorded much screen time, and there's elemental chemistry between growling, monkeylike Mowgli and his protective pals. There is also a small army of scheming chimps who try to kidnap Mowgli, forcing the latter to escape by hopping on a train.
The 1890s scenario credited to Bayard Johnson and Matthew Horton is based on one of Kipling's original stories, but it amounts to the predictable elements of bad guys trying to capture Mowgli, mad monkeys in exotic ruins and lots of action, with four-footed and fanged heroics.
After escaping from the train with a trained monkey, Timo, Mowgli is stalked by a no-nonsense P.T. Barnum talent scout (Bill Campbell), an ugly snake charmer (Dyrk Ashton) and Timo's clownish owner David Paul Francis). The sneaky guide of these stalk characters is a standard villain in the person of Mowgli's scheming uncle (Gulshan Grover).
As it happens, the chimps kidnap Timo and the humans bag Mowgli. Everyone ends up in the lost city, where they discover an old soldier (Roddy McDowall) who likes to fire cannons. Mowgli has close calls with cobras and pythons, while not all the men after him are heartless assassins.
Credit goes to the two-legged performers who breathe some life into the lackluster dialogue scenes. And those fabulous chimps are the best achievement of animal coordinator Brian McMillan and crew.
The film's primary attractions are such sights as Williams' character climbing through the forest and bonding with untalkative Baloo and Bagheera. Cinematographer Adolfo Bartoli and production designer Errol Kelly do justice to the wide-screen format, and the film looks super.
Filmed in Sri Lanka, the production overall is shipshape.
RUDYARD KIPLING'S
THE SECOND JUNGLE BOOK:
MOWGLI AND BALOO
Sony Pictures Releasing
A TriStar Picture
MDP Worldwide and Sharad Patel present
A Kiplingbook/Raju Patel production
A Duncan McLachlan film
Director Duncan McLachlan
Writers Bayard Johnson, Matthew Horton
Producer Raju Patel
Executive producers Sharad Patel, Mark Damon
Director of cinematography Adolfo Bartoli
Production designer Errol Kelly
Editor Marcus Manton
Composer John Scott
Costume designer Ann Hollowood
Casting Don Pemrick, Dean Fronk, Jo Gilbert
Color/stereo
Cast:
Mowgli Jamie Williams
Harrison Bill Campbell
King Murphy Roddy McDowall
Chuchundra David Paul Francis
Buldeo Gulshan Grover
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Eleven-year-old newcomer Jamie Williams carries the rousing adventure film, but without a headliner such as Jason Scott Lee, the TriStar release is headed for modest business. There are some chilling moments and mild violence in "The Second Jungle Book", directed by Duncan McLachlan ("Running Wild"), making it suitable primarily for young boys.
Co-stars Baloo the bear, Grey Wolf and Bagheera, a black panther, are accorded much screen time, and there's elemental chemistry between growling, monkeylike Mowgli and his protective pals. There is also a small army of scheming chimps who try to kidnap Mowgli, forcing the latter to escape by hopping on a train.
The 1890s scenario credited to Bayard Johnson and Matthew Horton is based on one of Kipling's original stories, but it amounts to the predictable elements of bad guys trying to capture Mowgli, mad monkeys in exotic ruins and lots of action, with four-footed and fanged heroics.
After escaping from the train with a trained monkey, Timo, Mowgli is stalked by a no-nonsense P.T. Barnum talent scout (Bill Campbell), an ugly snake charmer (Dyrk Ashton) and Timo's clownish owner David Paul Francis). The sneaky guide of these stalk characters is a standard villain in the person of Mowgli's scheming uncle (Gulshan Grover).
As it happens, the chimps kidnap Timo and the humans bag Mowgli. Everyone ends up in the lost city, where they discover an old soldier (Roddy McDowall) who likes to fire cannons. Mowgli has close calls with cobras and pythons, while not all the men after him are heartless assassins.
Credit goes to the two-legged performers who breathe some life into the lackluster dialogue scenes. And those fabulous chimps are the best achievement of animal coordinator Brian McMillan and crew.
The film's primary attractions are such sights as Williams' character climbing through the forest and bonding with untalkative Baloo and Bagheera. Cinematographer Adolfo Bartoli and production designer Errol Kelly do justice to the wide-screen format, and the film looks super.
Filmed in Sri Lanka, the production overall is shipshape.
RUDYARD KIPLING'S
THE SECOND JUNGLE BOOK:
MOWGLI AND BALOO
Sony Pictures Releasing
A TriStar Picture
MDP Worldwide and Sharad Patel present
A Kiplingbook/Raju Patel production
A Duncan McLachlan film
Director Duncan McLachlan
Writers Bayard Johnson, Matthew Horton
Producer Raju Patel
Executive producers Sharad Patel, Mark Damon
Director of cinematography Adolfo Bartoli
Production designer Errol Kelly
Editor Marcus Manton
Composer John Scott
Costume designer Ann Hollowood
Casting Don Pemrick, Dean Fronk, Jo Gilbert
Color/stereo
Cast:
Mowgli Jamie Williams
Harrison Bill Campbell
King Murphy Roddy McDowall
Chuchundra David Paul Francis
Buldeo Gulshan Grover
Running time -- 90 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 5/13/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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