By Anushka Narula
All Picture Credits: Google Images
This column is no proof of my expertise in the field, because I have none. What I do have is newfound respect for the unacknowledged. With this column, I’d like to start acknowledging the films that somehow lose their light to the brighter, more extravagant movies. The Riptide is all about human expression in the truest form and by talking about movies that put me in touch with myself however little or more, I believe (and hope) that I would only further their motto of allowing one and all to voice what they feel.
Sitting in a dubbing studio, seeing how things work, looking at the different softwares and men working with those softwares more efficiently and smoothy than I will ever recite the English alphabets; these were things I was least amused by. What amazed me more was how intricate the work was. When you hear a person sigh, or cough, or smirk with a small ‘Haa!” on screen, those things that almost go unnoticed you must know are all recorded in a dubbing studio. To be in the same mood that you were in on set, except there is no set, no proper costumes or the proper cues to put you in the zone. Just pure ‘on-the-spot’ acting. And how commendable it is on the part of the director to notice a missing sigh or a missing breath. A MISSING SIGH for heaven’s sake!
When we walk out of a theatre, and applaud an actor’s ‘natural’ acting, or the relatability quotient that was brought in by the screenplay, we are unaware of how much work goes into perfecting the sound, the graphics, the actions, the tone, the dialogues, the actor’s reactions- and this is true for every single shot of the film.
Today, I complete a fortnight of having interned with a man who is as true an artist as can be. For him his art is uncompromisable-as it should be. He made me fall in love with the process of making art, the aspects that we are often ignorant and unaware of. I adore films just as much as I used to, but now I do so with a newfound respect for each and every person that is associated with the making of the piece of art.
Before I begin, I would like to say that in no way am I dissing “commercial” films, in fact if anything I would like the the division between “commercial” and “indie” to only lessen. This first piece I want to dedicate to the movie that made me soak in tears, almost to a point that if it was practical to, I would have wrenched my soul dry- A directorial masterpiece by Neil Armfield, Holding The Man. Two star crossed lovers, having to face so much more than just hatred for their love, this movie I have to admit, has elements that will make you draw parallels with The Fault in our Stars and A Walk to Remember. I could certainly draw those parallels. But this also leads me to question why this wasn’t talked about just as much as the other two. One possible reason could be that it is a love story about two men, and let’s admit it. But as was Call Me By Your Name, so then what went wrong here? I have no answer to the question myself. I only have tons of good things to say about this film.
The film is shot so beautifully that it makes the pain even harder to endure. It is a treat for the eyes and the ears, the soundtrack and the music is so perfectly fitting, it breaks your heart. Nature plays such a huge part in the film. The movie is shot at breathtaking locations with the sound of birds, sea waves or just the tranquillity of a forest adding to the movie-watching pleasure. And the actors, Oh good Lord! Am I even allowed to call that “acting”? The film leaves you wishing you had a chance to meet Tim and John, the two immensely beautiful lovers. Before this starts to sound like an exaggerated piece of appreciation, I’d like to stop. But do give their love story a chance. A little bit of poignant true love would do your routine no harm.
Available Online: Netflix