krishkmenon's film blog - Archive

Lawrence of Arabia

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Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

A giant of a movie and a portion of history in film making. The legendary director David Lean delivers another classic with his team mate photographer. The musical score is great.

The film captures the expanse of the Mespotamian desert, the crafty designs of British Empire Building and the easy machinations and greed of the Arab rulers during the Turkish campaigns of World War 1. Peter OToole is Lawrence to the core and Alec Guiness makes a near perfect Prince Faisal. Omar Sharif is cast well. The attack scenes are phenomenally photographed and one savors the beauty of the desert in its loneliness. A film to see and pass on to the next generation.

Krishna Kumar Menon Chennai(Madras), India

Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 11:48 PM by krishkmenon | with 0 comments

My Fair Lady

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My Fair Lady (1964)

Pygmalion it is not but undoubtedly the similarities are wonderfully delivered to the audience. A wonderful adaptation of Pygmalion in musical form though the original with Leslie Howard & Wendy Hiller was known to be Bernard Shaws favorite.

Audrey Hepburn as always comes out vivacious and appealing as Eliza and Rex Harrison is impeccable as Professor Higgins. The movie is long but you never feel the length as it moves. The songs are legendary and who can forget The Rain in Spain or All I want is a Room Somewhere. The ending probably as the audience wanted it is now folklore-"Eliza where the Devil are my Slippers?" but would evoke angry reactions from the feminist organisations of today.

A movie for the entire family to watch over and over again.

Krishna Kumar Menon Chennai(Madras), India

Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 11:39 PM by krishkmenon | with 0 comments

An Affair to Remember

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An Affair to Remember (1957)

Though the film stars my favorite Grant and also co-stars the lovely Deborah Kerr this version loses sheen before the original "Love Affair" starring Charles Boyer & Irene Dunne. The original was also directed by Leo McCarey but in this version the real romance of the story slips for what reason I cannot tell as Cary is as debonair as ever but the voicing of dialogues were better when Boyer & Irene did it. Also Deborah Kerr does not come out both as lively and appealing as Irene Dunne. The film is visually beautiful in color but my vote is for Love Affair of the 1930s

Krishna Kumar Menon Chennai(Madras), India

Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 11:30 PM by krishkmenon | with 0 comments

The Lady Vanishes

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The Lady Vanishes (1938)

One of the most repeated themes in films was originally perfected by Hitchcock in this masterpiece. The stories of people going missing without a trace and a lonely soul fighting against all odds to prove that the missing person exists has been retold after Lady Vanishes umpteen times and most recently in the Jodie Foster film "Flight Plan" but none of them can come anywhere near Hitchcock.

The fast pace of the film its excellent actors and the settings in Black and White make it memorable. The "Secret Agent" Miss Froy itself is the most unlikely spy one may think of but the story telling and the Director makes it plausible. The period setting of the film makes it obvious that the villains are Nazis but steers away from calling them so but does not restrain itself in depicting them as despicable villains telling the world in 1939 what it was in store for.

What more than to call it an unforgettable Classic.

Krishna Kumar Menon, Chennai(Madras), India.

Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 6:56 AM by krishkmenon | with 0 comments

Rear Window

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Rear Window (1954)

The great master of suspense delivers another beauty. This is a movie that no one should miss. It does not age any bit and retains its form even 40 years after it was released.

The ultimate "Peeping Tom" story carries its suspense till the end and leaves the viewer glued to his seat. The pairing of an aeging Jimmy Stewart with the glamorous blonde Grace Kelly works great and the chemistry shows when sparks fly during the conversations that they have. One wonders how any sane human can stay aloof from the advances of such a female as Grace Kelly and the double entendre in the dialogues are simply classic.

Thelma Ritter is another character that comes out with flying colors. Hitchcock delivers and how. One of the greatest from Hollywood and also from the master.

Krishna Kumar Menon, Chennai(Madras), India

Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 6:44 AM by krishkmenon | with 0 comments

krishkmenon Blog

Lawrence of Arabia

My Fair Lady

An Affair to Remember

The Lady Vanishes

Rear Window

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