These are films of intuitive and instinctive brilliance along with cinematic mastery that beautifully, yet simply, convey their themes and ideas through largely visual means. The poverty, the passing of the generations, social networks of extended families, elderly relatives, marriage, the seasons, bereavement, dreams of the future, rural to urban living, etc. This is a typical life of hardship and struggle relieved by such things as sweets for the children, travelling plays and a firmly rooted culture and its associated traditions, customs & mores.
Here, Italian neo realism comes to West Bengal; allowing for emotions and character to be expressed through gesture, glance and movement without embarrassment, shame nor the need to be cloying. With each successive film, master director Satyajit Ray's self confidence clearly grows with a cumulative effect that is quite simply overpowering. These unforgettable masterpieces teem with the human life represented within them.
Although the plotting is melodramatic, the dramatic conviction of all concerned in the making of it raises these three movies way above the merely mediocre. They are not only an implicit commentary on the usual limitations of the melodramatic form, but a fully successful attempt to smash them: Easily the best film trilogy ever made.
Copyright © 2009 Frank TALKER. Permission granted to reproduce and distribute it in any format; provided that mention of the author’s Weblog (http://franktalker5.blogspot.com/) is included: E-mail notification requested. All other rights reserved.
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