Short takes, pt.15.

Or, "Look what I received from Induna today!"

I'm addicted to ordering from Induna. If my blog attracted several hundred unique visitors per week, I'd sign up for their affliate program. Anyway...

Dekha Pyar Tumhara(1985) - I thought, "What the hell?" Even though I'm not really a fan of Kamal's Hindi movies, I find myself wanting to collect as many of them as I can find, just because.

Gateway of India(1957) - I have no idea what this is about. I got it because of Madhubala, even though I wasn't really feeling her looks in this song.

Kal Hamara Hai(1959) - I did a half-assed post here. Madhubala in a double role, that's all I know.

Masterji(1985) - Rajesh Khanna kinda annoys me, but Sridevi AND Anita Raj in the same movie? Okay. I thought I would try to watch the Telugu original first but again, "What the hell?"

Naata(1955) - No clue, but Madhubala, y'know, so...

Qaid(1975) - I saw some screencaps posted in the Leena Chandavarkar thread on Indomania and thought she looked good, so I tried to hunt it down, but Nehaflix didn't carry the DVD at the time, and I hadn't yet discovered Induna, so I forgot about it until last Friday, when I was searching for films to buy. According to Nehaflix, "A girl's evil uncle plots against her in order to steal her inheiritance". Sounds good to me. I hope it's entertaining, even if it's in a unintentionally hilarious way.

What should I get during my next visit to Induna? I would like to check out more Bengali flicks, but I don't know where to start. I guess I could get Sab Choritra Kalponik, and/or maybe Neel Nirjane. Aainaate, Swapner Din, Amanush, Nirjan Saikate, Antaheen, and Kaalpurush are other possibilities. I'll have to keep those titles in mind.

Kinara(1977)

This is not the month to be me. First the dubbed Tamil version of Prema Pustakam was aired a few days ago on Vijay TV(which I don't have), and now, thanks to a post in this thread, I develop an interest in Kinara only to discover that it's not available on even VCD. As soon as I started watching this video, I didn't care what it was about, I just wanted to hunt down a copy. (BTW, a YouTube poster explained that the plot revolves around "...a [dancer] who maintains her craft despite being blind...") Apparently, it is--or rather, was--available on home video(I say "was" because I didn't see it listed in Bombino's VHS section). And I don't have Zee TV, either, so there's no chance of catching it during a re-air. **sigh**

More YouTube vids: "Jaane Kya Sochkar Nahin Guzra"(I'm guessing it was sourced from a Shemaroo compilation disc), "Meethe Bol Bole", "Koi Nahin Hai Kahin"

P.S. I even checked Induna and Moserbaer and came up with nada.

36 Ghante(1974)

I don't know if it's because I wasn't really in the mood to watch it, but I found this movie rather boring. I switched it off just as Ashok(Raj Kumar) was advising his sister, Naina(Parveen Babi), to not let on that the three escaped criminals the police were looking for were hiding out at their house. At this point, I don't care how it ends. Maybe sometime in the distant future I'll rewatch it, or just skip ahead to the end, but right now, it's going into the "buyer's remorse" pile.

36 Ghante is based on the 1955 Hollywood movie, The Desperate Hours. I haven't watched that version, so I don't know how its Hindi counterpart compares, but I'm sure the picture quality on the Paramount DVD is not as bad as the non-effort put out by Yash Raj Films. "Nostalgic appeal" my ass! They just didn't want to spend the money to produce a better print. I'm not really a stickler for flawless pic quality, especially since I watch my movies on an analog TV, but still...YRF? Stop being so cheap when it comes to your older titles.

Parveen Babi is the reason I got this. In spite of being less-than-impressed with this film, I did enjoy watching her, as she's very telegenic. And when she fake-fainted, giving Ashok an opportunity to take the gun from one of the goons, Ajit(Ranjeet) and force him outside, I thought "Yes!" But my excitement was quickly dashed when I saw the little boy, Raju, choose that moment to jump out of his bedroom window and right into the arms of the ringleader, Himmat(Sunil Dutt). Don't get me started on Ashok failing to quickly SHUT THE DOOR after Himmat turned Raju loose and let him go back inside. **sigh**

ETA 01/22/10: Ha! I was about to comment in someone's blog that I hadn't watched any of Mala Sinha's movies and then I saw the tag for her name and remembered this movie. Still haven't gotten around to rewatching it. Maybe one day.

My viewing experience wasn't a total bust. Here are the few gems I found either amusing or asethetically pleasing:


The wife, Deepa's(Mala Sinha) sari


Himmat's bikini-clad girlfriend, Kamini, getting
a rub-down from a skinny masseuse


Kamini's red and white ensemble,
and huge bug eye sunglasses


Her snazzy ride


Nearly running over a pedestrian in her
haste to escape from the cops


The beautiful Parveen


The fiance's poor parents having to sit outside
in the cold, and leaving with the impression
that Ashok and Deepa didn't approve of their son


Vijay, the aforementioned fiance, imploring Naina
to talk to him in the "Chup Ho Aaj Kaho" song


Himmat(middle) ripping Dilawar(Danny, left)
a new one for trying to rape Naina.
A criminal with a conscience, gotta love it.

Purab Aur Paschim(1970)

I want to see this for two reasons: Saira Banu's and Barbara Lindley's horrible blonde wigs. Seriously. There's just something disturbingly fascinating about their obviously fake hair. (Yes, I need help.)

However, the more I read the plot, the more I think it might be interesting, particularly this part: "Preeti agrees to travel to India with Bharat to meet his family but only if they can return to the UK afterwards..Predictably, she has an awakening of sorts and agrees to stay, although she never renounces her miniskirt." And probably not that wig, either. Bad wig + miniskirt = worth a watch, Y/N?

Chattakkari(1974)

Seeing yesteryear actress Lakshmi in Chintakayala Ravi reminded me of this film. I wish I had been able to watch it when it was available online. I became interested in it after learning that the 2006 Kannada movie Julie was one of the three remakes of this. (The Hindi Julie and the Telugu Miss Julie Prema Katha were the other two, with Lakshmi reprising her role in both.) Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be commercially available on even VCD :(

The "Julie, I Love You" song from this movie used to be on YouTube, but has since been removed. I managed to find these songs, however: "Mantha Sameeranil Ozhuki", "Narayanaya Nama", "Yuvakkale Yuvathikale".

I know that Sridevi plays Lakshmi's kid sister in the Hindi version, and the Lakshmi-Sridevi combo should be enough to convince me to get it, but I'd rather watch the original first. I might break down and buy Julie, though, if I feel like I'll be retirement age before Chattakkari gets released on VCD or DVD.

Short takes, pt.11.

AKA "Possible 'oldies but goodies' I stumbled across while browsing Nehaflix".

Hum Bhi Insan Hain(1948) - I feel like I'm missing out by not watching more movies from the 40s and 50s. I must be getting like my dad and longing for "the good ol' days" of black and white films.

Badal(1951) - I thought about ordering this for Madhubala, but then I remembered the other movies I ordered that I haven't yet gotten around to watching. (Howrah Bridge, Mr. & Mrs. 55, and Jaali Note, in case you're wondering.)

Bahar(1951) - For some weird reason I feel like I should watch at least one of Vyjayantimala's movies.

Shama Parwana(1954) - I know nothing about Shammi Kapoor, but I like the shot of Suraiya on the DVD cover.

Railway Platform(1955) - **shrug** The title is almost intriguing enough for me to want to take a look-see.

Paying Guest(1957) - I immediately thought of the just-released Paying Guest(s) with Sayali Bhagat, Riya Sen, Neha Dhupia(?), and some actors I'm too lazy to remember or Google. This version stars Dev Anand and Nutan.

Dulha Dulhan(1964) - Sadhana and Babita were cousins, right? Sadhana was no slouch, but I think Babs was prettier.

Anari(1975) - I'm not a Shashi fan, but I thought he was nice-looking in his youth. Sharmila Tagore was and still is hot, IMO.

EK Hasina Do Diwane(1972)

I remember most of Babita's awesomely bad fashions and major wig-age, but not much else, mainly because I watched only the first hour, with a bit of fast-forwarding through the songs(I didn't think they were awful, just a little too long). I could use the back of the DVD box as a cheat sheet, but I'll rely on my faulty brain and say that, in a nutshell, Jeetendra and Babita get married, have a falling out after which Babita leaves him, but returns and pretends they're still together for the sake of Jeetendra's mother. Feel free to correct and/or fill-in-the-blanks because really, this entry is just an excuse for boredom-induced silliness and screencappery.


One word: pointy




Dig those polka-dots!


So pretty!


I kinda get a Hema vibe from this one


Just wait 'til you see the rest of her ensemble:








It's ALL about the ruffles!


"Think. PINK!"[/Bobby Trendy]



No, I won't quote that "Single Ladies" song



She does the pouty, brooding look so well


Getting another Hema vibe



She has a great 3/4(?) profile


My favorite color. (Nice wig, btw.)


More pretty, with crying!

Vinod Khanna is also in this. I was going to post the caps I made of him, but I decided I wanted this entry to be almost completely 'Bita-centric.

Abhinetri(1970)

Last night, I was tempted to order this simply because Hema looks so pretty on the DVD cover and in the "Sa Re Ga Ma Pa" song, as well as in "Oh Ghaata Savre" and "Sajna More Sajna"(aside: from 0:30 to 0:35, Shashi Kapoor immediately reminded me of Anthony Perkins). But then I read this review and thought, "Um, no." However, if a free copy of this movie were to fall in my lap, I'd probably watch it on mute and just admire Hema's beauty, 'cause I'm visually inclined like that.

Maro Charithra(1978)

Aside: I haven't logged in to my YouTube account in ages, so I was suprised to see that "Kalisi Unte Kaladhu Sukamu"(aka "The Elevator Song") is still there. I thought I had removed it but, whatever. **shrug**

This was remade in Hindi as Ek Duje Ke Liye. Since I had already watched the Hindi version, I didn't feel the need to view the original in its entirety since I already knew what would happen. And, I got it only for Kamal, really, because I'm in love with the way he looked in his youth. Maybe sometime in the future I'll watch it all the way through.

Just for fun, I decided to post some of the many screencaps that have been collecting dust since I made them over a year ago. The last five are my favorite because shirtless Kamal = LOVE.