sholay

[Jeremy Blackman]

Apparently considered one of the great and defining Bollywood films, 1975's Sholay gives new meaning to the phrase "cowboys and Indians."

I expected the movie to be cheesy, and I was satisfied and surprised. It's goofy and flamboyant but also dead serious and self-consciously epic. And there may not be a wasted moment in all 204 minutes. Depending on how you define "wasted."

highlights

The musical numbers, especially the incredibly random ones at the beginning and the end.

Closeup of the blind Imam at the festival of colors.

The truly emotional family murder scenes.

Dramatic zoom-ins immediately preceding extended flashbacks.

The acting... the most surprising thing about the movie.

memorable lines

A fake coin is fake, sir. Whichever way you look at it.

That is perhaps the difference between man and coin.

Iron shall deal with iron.

When is the festival of colors? When is Holi? (cut to festival of colors musical number)

To lead an honorable life, we will have to pay a price.

I do believe in non-violence. But it won't be an act of non-violence to grovel before a wicked and evil man!

This Thakur can neither be made to bow nor be broken down! This Thakur can only die!

The society and community are meant to save man from loneliness.

An honorable death is anyday better than a life of humiliation.

The real fun begins now! This game will end with the lives of these two guys.

She's a very jovial girl.
You bet! She's always kicking up a racket!

What's "suicide"?
It's when the English die.

Let's go! It's a question of my chastity today!

This is not an arm! It's a noose!

You have a scene with that babe, do you?
You bastard! I've yet to see a creep like you![/list:u]

Here's an excerpt from the best song in the movie.

And some englightening caps...

[bonanzataz]

ok, i guess i should see this one, then.

i've never seen a bollywood film. ishn't daht veeird?

[Ravi]

Sholay is a pretty cool movie.  It is highly influenced by Sergio Leone (ripping him off in a few instances), but it uses the style uniquely and makes something new out of it.  Gabbar Singh is one of Hindi cinema's most famous villains.


Amitabh Bachchan, one of the biggest superstars of the 70s.  Known for his "Angry Young Man" persona.  He still does several films a year.  Married in real life to...


Jaya Bhaduri.


This is a funny take on Chaplin's Great Dictator.  Played by Asrani, known for his comedic roles.

[Jeremy Blackman]

It is highly influenced by Sergio Leone (ripping him off in a few instances), but it uses the style uniquely and makes something new out of it.

In a Good/Bad/Ugly kind of way? It had more of a Kurosawa feeling to me... especially the extreme mood shifts and the epic length. But I can see Gabbar as an equally dirty but more severe and focused version of Tuco.

By the way, do you know how I could get a translation of the song lyrics?

[Ravi]

It is highly influenced by Sergio Leone (ripping him off in a few instances), but it uses the style uniquely and makes something new out of it.

In a Good/Bad/Ugly kind of way? It had more of a Kurosawa feeling to me... especially the extreme mood shifts and the epic length. But I can see Gabbar as an equally dirty but more severe and focused version of Tuco.

The mood shifts are normal for Indian films.  There will frequently be scenes of comedy, romance, action, melodrama, etc. all in one film.The way Sholay uses silence and desolate sounds, like the squeaking sound, struck me as similar. Once Upon a Time in the West has a scene in which a family is murdered, for example.  It is done in a different way in Sholay, but the inspiration is still obvious.  And Jai's playing the harmonica surely is a tribute to the Charles Bronson character in OUATIW.

By the way, do you know how I could get a translation of the song lyrics?

http://www.bollywoodlyrics.com

Do a search for Sholay and click "English translation" on each song's page.

[bonanzataz]

a new restored print (i think) of sholay is playing at lincoln center for a few days starting on friday if anybody is interested. this might mean an official dvd release?

https://tickets.filmlinc.com/php/calendar.php?sid=&org=

[Ravi]

This might mean an official dvd release?

There are a couple of DVD releases from Bollywood DVD makers, but it would be great if a US company produced a good DVD of it.

http://www.dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=3508

Sholay was one of the first Indian films that made use of several cinematic innovations at the time such as 70mm format and multi track stereophonic sound. Originally Sholay was filmed at a 4:3 aspect ratio but was released for the cinema in a matted 2.35:1 aspect ratio on 70mm film format. The film was also shot with two different endings. Due to certain pressures from Indian film censors and media the director's cut of the film remained behind closed doors for many years until it re-surfaced as an extended version. This version was re-cut by Ramesh Sippy and showed the original intended ending - which would act as a major spoiler for those not seen Sholay before, if I revealed it here! So hence two versions of Sholay exist; the original theatrical version, which runs for 188 minutes and the extended director's cut which is 204 minutes long. And both are available on DVD. The first release of Sholay on DVD was an effort by DEI, which used the wide screen 70mm version of the film. It was later released again under the Eros/B4U tag, which was the director's version of the film but also presented it as originally shot in a 4:3 aspect ratio and the one under review here.

There is also a decent looking French DVD, but it does not have English subtitles.