1980s – Movie Mahal

March 7, 2015

KYA HUA IS SHAHAR KO? / WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS CITY? (Dir. Deepa Dhanraj, 1986, India)

In the accompanying notes found in the booklet to Arsenal’s (Institute for Film and Video Art) DVD release of Deepa Dhanraj’s 1986 Kya Hua Is Shahar Ko? it says that this work is more than just a documentary but ‘might very well be the only audio-visual record of communal violence and its political context in Continue reading

1980s, Documentary, Feminism, Indian CInema, Political Cinema, Social Activism

January 2, 2015

ANKUSH: A Weapon to Control (N. Chandra, 1986, India)

Ankush (Control) was an unexpected commercial success on its release and launched the careers of both director N. Chandra and Nana Patekar. Ankush, released in 1986, appeared when the angry young man films had all but ended. N. Chandra, most famous for launching Madhuri Dixit in Tezaab (Acid, 1988), wrote and directed Ankush as his Continue reading

1980s, angry young man, Indian CInema, Melodrama

1980s, Indian Cinema, Melodrama

January 25, 2014

THIEF (Michael Mann, 1981, US) – Proletarian Politics

Genre readings of Michael Mann’s debut feature film Thief are relatively inclined to explore both the crime film and neo noir which seem to intersect as a form of postmodern existential hybridity. Mann could have easily worked in the Hollywood studio era since he works specifically within genres. Separation for Mann from his contemporaries especially Continue reading

1980s, Crime, James Caan, Michael Mann, Neo noir, Political Cinema