Our Films Their Films
by Satyajit Ray
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Description
"When Satyajit Ray's film Pather Panchali was presented at the 1956 Cannes Film Festival, its impact was immediate and enormous. Much as Rashomon had opened Western eyes to the riches of Japanese films two years earlier, so did Ray's poetic masterpiece prove a revelation of Indian cinema. Over the next thirty years he directed a series of works (including The Apu Trilogy, The Music Room, Charulata, and Devi) that is one of the truly great legacies to film history, works valued as much for show more their lyrical grace as for their depth of feeling, an empathy that led many critics to regard him as a worthy heir to Chekhov. Our Films, Their Films is the first collection of Ray's major writings to be published in this country--an astute, witty, often impassioned series of essays that consider the infinite, and often revolutionary, possibilities of the film medium. The opening section of the book, "Our Films," examines the state of Indian cinema when Ray began working within it, the technical and artistic challenges he faced as a director, and his hope for the development of an authentic Indian cinematic New Wave. "Their Films," in contrast, treats the Western films and filmmakers that Ray most admired and learned from--Jean, Renoir, Chaplin, John Ford, and especially the Italian neorealists---as well as Japanese masters like Kurosawa and Mizoguchi. Our Films, Their Films is not only a major contribution to film studies but a revealing and affecting meditation on the power of films to inspire the passions of the individual artist as powerfully as the soul of an entire country. Satyajit Ray was born in Kolkata in 1921. He worked in an advertising agency until the release of his first film, in 1955, and went on to make thirty feature films and five nature documentaries, and won nearly every major film award. In 1992 he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ray was also a gifted composer and writer. He died in 1992."--Jacket. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This book is divided in two parts our film where satyajit Ray wrote about the history of Bollywood films and its development and how from story of religion and then as story based and political satire based subject of movie now further into coming age of commercial cinema where fantasy and larger than life fiction attract people and where his inspiration come to direct pathar panchali his work more of Italian influence and many other influence in his work and what recognition people gave to them and his love for godard is shown too. Then second part is about his visit to various places and there production houses and there studios and how they work and he finds American cinema is more about technical details and British more on story show more and religious baised and history and Asian about history, abuse and science based and violence and dark shade of cinema. The book is really good but you have to read it in continuation as broken flow make the book a slow read for you show less
Very nice. Kinda like "A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies" the documentary. Real nice
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Film
114 works; 1 member
Author Information
262+ Works 2,396 Members
Awards and Honors
Notable Lists
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1976
- People/Characters
- Satyajit Ray; Akira Kurosawa; John Ford, film director; Jean Renoir; Charlie Chaplin
- First words
- Acknowledgements
I wish to thank Mr R N Das who first suggested that I put together in a book my talks and articles on the cinema.
Introduction
A film maker rarely writes about films.
What is Wrong with Indian Films?
One of the most significant phenomena of our time has been the development of the cinema from a-turn-of-the-century mechanical toy into the century's most potent and versatile art form. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Then, just as the conviction had begun to grow in the chela tha t the guru had succumbed to the spell of the film, Ford turned to Lindsay and said: 'Now, when are we going to see those goddam vegetables?'
1973
Classifications
- Genres
- Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, History
- DDC/MDS
- 791.43 — Arts & recreation Recreation, sports, and performing arts Public performances Motion pictures, radio, television, podcasting Motion pictures
- LCC
- PN1994 .R335 — Language and Literature Literature (General) Literature (General) Drama Motion pictures
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 92
- Popularity
- 349,210
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.07)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 5
- ASINs
- 2
