Understanding Cinema

There is a story I often quote in my lectures on classical dance. It unfailingly brings out a spark of understanding in my students’ eyes. In an ancient text called Vishnudharmottama there is a story about a king who desires to learn dance. He approaches the venerated court acharya of dance. The guru tells him ‘go and learn the art of sculpture first.’ The king obeys him and spends a year learning sculpture. When he returns, the guru sends him back to learn the art of painting then music and so on. Finally, he is admitted to the class of dance.

This story explains why one needs to understand other arts to become a master of dance. Dance is sculpture come alive, painting gives an insight into colour and form and music is the soul of dance. Today as I study cinema I can see how it applies far more aptly to this nineteenth century art called cinema. Dance embodies so many arts and I see cinema as a magnificent expansion of all the arts made possible by the wizardry of modern science. Like dance and theatre, cinema too is money –guzzling fickle Dame who may or may not grant you success. History records show legendary film makers been bitten by the silver screen bug because of their obsession. They have mortgaged their homes, pawned their wife’s jewellery and binged on alcohol or drugs in frustration. In fact, if you are not passionate about cinema you can never make a credible film.

 After spending over half my life exploring the creative aspects of dance and theatre, I, a closet star-struck movie buff, was drawn to study cinema. What is it in cinema that fascinates and unites millions of people around the world?

I had no idea how to go about satisfying my new thirst for knowledge about cinema. How does one read a film? Why do some films remain evergreen in my memory and some I cannot even remember the names of? I still can never forget the first film I ever saw- Fancy Pants (1950 starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball). Born in the black and white era I remember having seen a great many films in Tamil, Hindi and English as a child. Tickets were a couple of rupees and we stayed a stone’s throw from Metro, Eros, New Empire and Regal. Sunday mornings the rates were half rate and we never missed a flick. Undoubtedly the melodious film music of the golden era helped burn some scenes into one’s memory.

My friends in the media were too busy to help me in my search but suggested good films I could see and books I could read. But can you really understand the layers of work that went into making a film by reading a book? Well the Universe heard my plaintive moan and gave me a teacher, Oorvazi Irani (Andheri, Mumbai). Irani is passionate about cinema, is academically and professionally trained and has a family background of film makers. In six all- day sessions (three weekends), we were bombarded with information starting with the first ever still photograph to the present day. The passionate- for- cinema class was taken through the journey film has made in France, Germany, Italy, America, Russia, Iran and India.

Beginning from 1839 when still photography was discovered and the first motion picture camera invented by Edison and Dickson we trailed through Lumiere Brothers, the pioneering film editors Edwin Porter to Griffith’s ‘Birth of a Nation’ (1908), every session a pure delight. What did terms German Expressionism mean? Who were French Impressionist film-makers? The first sound films, Italian Neo-realist movement, Orson Welles, and the French New Wave had meant nothing before but mean a great deal now. Every session was illustrated with relevant clippings and rare films. Fellini’s La Strada left me sleepless for nights, Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon captured my days and Dreyer’s Passion of Jeanne D’Arc, an amazing silent movie, keeps flashing before my eyes even today.

Joining a film club satiates our thirst for good films. Here it was not just watching films. This was a unique experiment in education where one does not just learn but discovers. The weekends were a voyage of discovery of the hidden joys of cinema, the technique and the related fields which combine magically to gift us a 90 minute slice of life.

We were given simple assignments to awaken our forgotten senses of sound and sight. To appreciate the sensitive art of acting first hand we went through an entire session of dealing with feelings and emotion including an introduction to the Natya Sastra. We learned why Chekov and Stanislavsky had a different approach to acting. Directors like Godard, Dreyer, Truffaut, Guru Dutt, Ray and Ghatak are names that mean something more now. After the sessions were over we thirsted for more and those with genuine passion continue to meet, watch movies and discuss the style and specialty of the various directors.   A unique community was thus created to spread the joy of cinema.

Appreciation of cinema and understanding the history of cinema is vital for all film professionals. Today’s mainstream films are lavish meaningless exercises with neither beauty nor message. In the last decade youngsters feasted on regressive television serials and artless films leading to thought famine. Like a small frog in this stagnant pond this is all they had access to. An informed cinema audience will demand quality cinema and will be quick to spot denim-clad cowboys disguised in salwars and dhotis.

Today’s actor, critic or film professional may wonder, ‘why should I learn history of cinema or bother about what happened in France or Germany’? Who cares? How can I commit to six days of my life learning about unheard of directors and actors? Is it going to get me roles or help me make a box-office hit? Yessir! The film appreciation course opens your eyes to the vast possibilities of cinema. The course is a tribute to the masters, pioneers and visionaries who have fashioned cinema into what it is today. Every era in cinematic history uncovers a layer of understanding with its own cultural, linguistic and socio-political influences.  Watching the masters’ films refines our senses. They have achieved wonders without the help of digital wizardry but just the limited technology available to them. Today’s actor or director will assuredly draw inspiration from these gems of world masters.

[First published in passionforcinema.com (now defunct)]