Farouk Gulsara's Blog, page 5

The prick of the conscience?

Scarlet Street (1945)
Director: Fritz Lang

This film bears a striking resemblance to Lang's 1944 movie, 'The Woman at the Window' (1944). Not only are the lead actors identical, but the plot is also the same. Both stories depict a middle-aged married man engaging in an illicit liaison with another woman, a femme fatale. The 1944 version sought to avoid controversy through a subtle, cautionary ending—that it was all just a dream—and thus avoided the scrutiny of censors. The 1945 film attracted opposition from censorship boards in three states: New York, Milwaukee, and Atlanta. These boards believed it was their duty to censor films that were 'obscene, indecent, immoral, inhuman, sacrilegious' or whose screening 'would tend to corrupt morals or incite to crime.'

Edward G Robinson portrays the most uninteresting man in the world. Working as a cashier for 25 years with an impeccable record, Chris is trapped in a loveless marriage. Chris's wife, Adele, is a foul-mouthed woman who thinks Chris is a good-for-nothing. She lives in the memory of her first husband, a policeman who drowned trying to save someone. In reality, her first husband was a crooked policeman who was attempting to rob the drowning woman. He also faked his own death to escape his wife's loud mouth.

Chris rescues a pretty lady, Kitty, who is being harassed by a roadside thug. Chris believes the lady is in love with him and tries to start an affair with her. Chris has a hobby: he paints. Unbeknownst to him, his paintings are quite good. Long story short, Kitty and the thug are actually a couple. They try to cheat the love-struck Chris out of his paintings, and Kitty sells them as her own. After discovering he'd been duped, Chris gets into an argument and kills her. Kitty's boyfriend is framed for her death and eventually faces the gallows. Chris gets away free, but his conscience pricks him, and he soon becomes mad, wandering aimlessly without a job or a home.

The censors believed that Chris' not paying for his crime in the traditional sense was not seen as poetic justice. The fact that the police and the courts were condemning the wrong person did not cast the police in a positive light during a time when America was attempting to strengthen the police force.

An entertaining melodramatic film from the past where theatrics took precedence over natural acting, and morality codes dictated how stories were told. 

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Don't talk to strangers?

The Woman In The Window (1944) Director: Fritz Lang
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037469/Whilst many of Fritz Lang's films, such as 'Metropolis' (1927), 'M' (1931), and 'The Big Heat' (1953), have gained cult status, 'The Window In The Window' remains one of Lang's most unappreciated and underrated offerings. 
At the time, when the silver screen was viewed as the root of all evils, and with the strict enforcement of the Hays Code, films had to adhere to stringent moral guidelines. Storylines had to align with societal views on sex, violence, and religion. 
This film is a noir piece featuring what could be a femme fatale character and a middle-aged professor whose family has gone out of town for the long weekend. As the good Professor strolls to his gentlemen's club, he chances upon a beautiful portrait of a woman. As luck would have it, the subject appears in person. They chat, go for a drink, and before they know it, he is at her apartment for a nightcap. 
As anticipated, an unknown individual burst into the apartment, resulting in a scuffle. The intruder is subdued and subsequently dies. Faced with a deceased body and the dread of police investigations and the associated humiliation, they attempt to dispose of the body. 
The rest of the story involves a meticulous account of the Professor hiding his trail while the police poke their inquisitive noses in. Gradually, the audience begins to realise he may have been set up. The plot thickens as the Professor attempts to poison the policeman who is hot on his trail. Things heat up when... the Professor is roused from his forty winks. He had apparently dozed off on the settee of the gentlemen's club. Everything had been a dream. 
It appears that the story's ending was a turn-off for Lang's fans. Some termed it 'lame'. The producers must have thought that crafting a narrative involving hiding the body, dodging the police, killing off a policeman and getting away with murder might provoke a standoff with Hollywood's moral authorities. Hence, they toned it down a notch. Everything occurred in the Professor's dream. At the end of the film, the Professor seems to imply that one should not talk to strangers. 

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In God's Army?

Incendies (Great Blaze, French, English, Arabic; 2010) Director: Dennis Villenue

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1255953/This film has garnered numerous awards and is widely regarded as one of Denis Villeneuve's greatest directorial achievements. It is a compelling film that not only unveils the brutality of wars and conflicts driven by beliefs but also depicts the trauma that ordinary people suffer and often carry to their graves. 
Like the mother in this film, who escaped civil war in the Middle East (probably Lebanon) and spent her final years bitter, she had a strained relationship with her only remaining relatives, her twin adult children.
When her appointed trustee, her former employer, reads out her will, the mother has outlined certain conditions. For the first time in their lives, they learn of the existence of a half-brother in their mother's country of origin. The children are tasked with delivering two letters, one to their half-brother and another to their father. Reluctantly, the children undertake a journey to the Middle East. After navigating a country torn apart by civil war along religious lines, they compile a composite sketch of their mother, illustrating what she endured as a teenager. Her first love with a Muslim boy was opposed and led to her family’s disapproval. She had a child out of wedlock, who was left behind when she left her home.
She tried to improve herself through education, but a civil war disrupted all her efforts. Embroiled in the underground student movement, she went on to assassinate a radical Muslim leader. She was imprisoned, tortured, and raped. Her village was bombed, and her illegitimate child ended up in an orphanage. The child was recruited as a child soldier by the Muslim rebel group. What happens at the end will leave a bitter aftertaste. There's nothing obscene about the whole thing. Such events often occur during wars and civil unrest. Moral fibre and basic decency are lost. Rape, looting, and senseless killings happen when a society is broken. Moreover, when perpetrators carry out their acts in the name of God, they believe it is justified, as God is marching alongside them.

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What is great anyway?

It all started with a Facebook post which quoted Churchill and read, “If you are twenty and not a Communist, you don’t have a heart. But if you are forty and still a leftist, you do not have a brain.” That snowballed into a literary discourse on the word great and what constitutes greatness. The funny thing is that Churchill never said anything to that effect.
https://borderlessjournal.com/2025/07/14/what-is-great-anyway/
https://winstonchurchill.org/the-life...

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The co-existence of science and theology?

Inherit the Wind (1960) Director: Stanley Kramer
https://www.amazon.com/Inherit-Wind-B...
dp/B00S47M6XAThe theme of this film remains as relevant today in this country as it was when it was released in 1960. In 1960, in America, the creeping madness of McCarthyism overshadowed rational reasoning. The story on which it is based took place in the 1920s in the USA. 

Americans felt fear during the Roaring Twenties. They believed that modernity was altering the very fabric on which the Pilgrims established America and that the Founding Fathers envisioned for the nation. Godliness was losing its influence. Society grew increasingly outgoing; talking pictures spread societal decay, and the dangers of alcohol were apparent everywhere. 
Against this backdrop, in 1925, a high school teacher in Tennessee was charged with violating a state law that prohibited the teaching of human evolution. The entire case might have been staged to generate publicity. The teacher, John Scopes, was found guilty and fined $100. What the trial, known as the 'Scopes Monkey Trial', revealed was the influence of the media (radio and newspapers) and that modernists who believed in evolution could coexist with religion. Unlike the fundamentalists, who interpreted the word of God literally, there was space for science, knowledge, and free will.
The film depicts the above case and exposes society's herd mentality. It is astonishing to see how the masses blindly follow a leader, often a religious figure, who is convinced he knows exactly how life should be lived, as if he has a direct connection to God Himself. It serves as a critique of societal pressure to conform, the suppression of critical thinking, and the discouragement of alternative viewpoints.

A verse from the Book of Proverbs is quoted in the film: 'Whoever brings ruin on their family will inherit only wind, and the fool will be servant to the wise.' One who harms their family (likely including their community) will gain nothing but wind. This fool will face a life of servitude to those with personal agendas. Instead of imposing personal views on others, it is better to accept that others may hold differing opinions, which can also be correct. Exercising good judgment and developing practical wisdom in dealings can help achieve the right outcome.

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Watch this space...

Something is brewing in a small village called Keezhadi in the Sivagangai district near Madurai. As early as 2015, the Archaeological Society of India has been excavating ancient artefacts just about 15 metres from the surface. The team leader, Amarnath Ramakrishna, had prepared a 279-page report on his findings. He reported that his team's discoveries could alter the civilisational history of India. Amarnath was instructed to modify his report, and he was subsequently transferred abruptly within a short period. The State Archaeological Department then took over further exploration of the area.

Since the State took over the management of this area, the surrounding regions have experienced a remarkable transformation. An impressive museum has been built to showcase the finds, which include terracotta figurines, pots, and coins. The interesting aspect of the pots is that they are inscribed with Tamil-Brahmi lettering. Carbon dating has determined that the inscriptions on the vessels could be as old as 580 BCE.

The intriguing aspect is that artefacts discovered in Harappa, which also featured the Brahmi script, were dated to around 500 BCE only. This creates significant confusion in the timeline of Indian civilisation. The puzzling thing about the layout of the buildings found in Keezhadi is that it resembles that of Harappa. Similarly, there is a conspicuous absence of structures that could indicate places of worship or royalty.

In our history lessons, we learned that the first urban settlements with advanced townships, organised housing, irrigation, sanitation, and urban living began in Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. Afterwards, the people migrated, and the Aryan Migration theory was proposed.
In the 21st century, the Aryan Migration theory was challenged. Later, mitochondrial DNA studies of populations around that region suggest the 'Out of India' migration pattern. With this new idea, are historians suggesting that urban living actually started in the southern part of the continent? Or were there many pockets of civilisation across the land called Bharat? What is the significance of both the Indus civilisation and the Keezhadi findings, both of which contain Brahmi script? The Harappan scripts were previously reported as undecipherable.

The whole subject is highly politicised. The State government, whose entire existence is carved under the ideology that the southern part of the Indian subcontinent is culturally and ethnically different from the rest of India, has a vested interest in that whole exercise. The Central government, from the North, on the other hand, is contended to be at the heart of the cradle of Indian civilisation.

Historians largely agree that further studies are needed before any definitive conclusions can be drawn from their latest findings in Keezhadi.

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Vampires in Mississipi?

Sinners (2025)
Directed: Ryan Coogler

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31193180/We are all familiar with vampires and the medical explanation for their condition. Examining their behaviours, doctors have concluded that they must be suffering from acute intermittent porphyria. It is a genetically inherited disease in which a deficient enzyme leads to the build-up of heme under the skin. Certain trigger factors can initiate a chain reaction, producing by-products that cause severe skin reactions, such as blistering and pain. These triggers include light and possibly garlic, which contains sulphur. 

Legend has it that the aberrant gene mainly affects a particular aristocratic family in Transylvania, present-day Romania, known as the Draculas. Understandably, folklore about this family in movies and stories involves white-skinned characters. Of course, in this day and age, just an arrangement would not suffice.

In the early days of photography and the development of moving pictures, as well as until the 1970s, film rolls were often biased against individuals with dark skin. They were orthochromatic, meaning they were sensitive to blue and green light but blind to red. This technical limitation made lighter skin tones more flattering, while darker skin tones appeared unnaturally dark and lacked detail. Film development processes cater for Caucasian subjects.

The discrimination persisted into the 1960s, when colour film gained popularity. The chemicals used to develop the films were not designed to preserve a wide range of tones except for shades of white. Kodak even had a colour chart called the Shirley Card, featuring a picture of a particular white woman, used as a standard to determine image clarity and skin tones in prints. 

Shirley cardIt was protests from furniture makers and chocolate manufacturers against Kodak's films that prompted changes in how they detected a wider range of colours in their movies. Earlier complaints from graduating black students, along with blurry graduation photos, were ignored. They had complained, 'The darker the person was, the less visible his image.' When Kodak's business interests were threatened, they responded. Kodak introduced Kodak Gold, which claimed it could photograph a black horse against a white background without losing any details. 

Digital photography transformed everything. Instead of using light-sensitive films that need developing, it utilises electronic sensors to capture and store images. 

Given this background, it is only logical that 21st-century filmmakers, for whom equity is a buzzword and various movements around us testify to this, should create a film that rectifies the past. Now, we have a fictional story of vampires suddenly appearing in 1930s America, specifically in Mississippi, where African Americans are portrayed as running around with fangs and biting necks.

Incorporating themes of racial discrimination, the KKK, and a gore-filled night scene in dim lighting, the film aims to correct historical errors, featuring black vampires and meticulously filming dark-skinned actors with attention to makeup and facial expressions.

Verdict: Not my cup of tea (3/5).

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Spy vs Spy?

Tehran (Hebrew, Persian, English; 2020) Miniseries (S1-3, 24 Episodes)
https://www.apple.com/uk/tv-pr/origin...It used to be that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Israel decided to align itself with Iran. Surrounded by hostile Arab neighbours and trapped in the centre, these two non-Arabs—Jews and Persians—found common ground in each other. Secretly, they supported and assisted one another, fostering a discreet alliance. Their relationship dates back to the time of Nebuchadnezzar.

Even after the Islamic invasion and its golden age, Jews remained involved until the era of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran. Iran was one of the first countries globally to recognise Israel as a sovereign state. It was said that Israel and Iran shared intelligence secrets and collaborated on developing each other's nuclear facilities. Iran compensated Israel with Iranian oil for assistance. The Islamic clerics within Iran were sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Iranians began to view their monarchy as a pawn in the American imperial chess game. Everything changed when the people rose against the Shah, encouraged by the clerics, in 1979, leading to Iran becoming the Islamic Republic. Overnight, Israel became Iran's enemy for occupying Palestine. The Republic, emboldened by the success of the first Islamic Republic, sought to position itself as the de facto leader of the Islamic world by promoting Islamic causes. They even claimed that Israelis should be wiped off the surface of the planet.

Iranian-supported militias operate across many parts of the Middle East — Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas within Palestine (antagonistic to the PLO but allied with the Muslim Brotherhood), and Houthis in Yemen. On one level, there appears to be a Shia-Sunni division in their aims. Iran does not see any reason for Saudi Arabia to lead the Muslim world. The split within the religion mainly concerns internal control, but when facing a common enemy, the Shia-Sunni divide becomes less clear. For example, in Palestine, Shia Iranians support Hamas, the Sunni Palestinians. The Muslim Brotherhood is Sunni. In Yemen, the conflict with Saudi Arabia is often viewed simply as a Sunni Shia war. Of course, American influence in Saudi oil is frequently blamed for all problems. Jews are usually considered everyone's primary enemies. Terrorists often cite obscure parts of the Quran, such as where a Jewish tribe betrays the Prophet or about the End of Days and a rock whispering to Muslims to kill Jews hiding behind it to justify their reckless violence against Jews.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8339854/This is a gripping Israeli espionage miniseries about a Mossad operative of Iranian descent who infiltrates the Iranian elite to sabotage their radar system so the Israeli air force can bomb their nuclear plant. If it had succeeded, the entire operation would have ended in the first episode. Unfortunately, the whole plan was compromised by Israeli internal agents. Mossad now must rely on its intelligence to complete the mission.

It's a classic spy versus spy scenario, as both sides of the intelligence community hold many cards close to their chest. Coincidentally, I remember a time not so long ago when Mossad deployed a computer virus to sabotage Iran’s nuclear facilities. The prospect of a hostile atomic nation within firing range sends shivers down the spines of Israelis. The world has also heard of Mossad planting an explosive device in Tehran three months before top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh came for an official visit and was placed at a guest house at a supposedly secret location, with the Israelis remotely aiming a missile to kill him. The truth is that there is plenty of espionage, counterespionage, double-crossing, and wheeling and dealing happening between the two countries. The world remains perplexed by how such an elaborate operation could be carried out with such surgical precision.

This miniseries probably stems from their extensive history of international intelligence operations. Sometimes, the truth is stranger than fiction.

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“Be afraid. Be very afraid.”*

The Fly (1986) Directed: David Cronenberg
https://realgroovy.co.nz/product/9337...-
1986-dvd-digitally-remastered-special-editionIt is reminiscent of the big hair days of the 80s, when being hirsute was fashionable and everyone had broad shoulders thanks to shoulder pads under their tops. It was also set to be a fantastic period for romcoms. Almost immediately after this film, we saw a series of classic romantic comedies, with 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989) and 'Sleepless in Seattle' (1993) as frequently cited examples. The timeless sitcom 'Friends' (1994 onwards) likely originated from a similar concept, blending awkward moments with romance to become a coming-of-age reference for 90s kids as they transitioned into adulthood. 
The movie must have escaped my notice when it first arrived in our country. It was that period of my life when I was isolated from civilisation and focused on building something of my own.
People have long been captivated by the idea of time travel. The notion of time travel and time dilation even sparked the curiosity of ancient India. In Hindu Puranas, written nearly 2,400 years ago, there is a story of King Kakudmi who could not find a suitable suitor for his talented daughter, Revathi. The king journeyed to Brahmalok (Brahma's realm) to seek an audience with him and request an appropriate husband. While travelling to Brahma's realm, 117 million years passed, and all the suitors they had in mind had died. Humans also changed in appearance over time. Nevertheless, Revathi returned to Earth to marry Krishna's brother, Balarama. Since Revathi and Balarama belonged to different eras, they looked physically different. Revathi was said to be taller and more robust than Balarama.
Some may argue that not enough credence was given to these imaginary stories, but the fact remains that they were aware of time travel and time dilation. That merits further exploration. Teleportation is a form of time travel. For it to occur, extreme gravitational manipulation—possibly through wormholes—is necessary. The subject will need to be transferred via quantum entanglement at the speed of light. All of these concepts are still theoretical. 
The film 'Fly' depicts the story of an eccentric scientist experimenting with teleportation. His love interest is a journalist who documents his progress. During a moment of weakness, the scientist teleports himself. Unfortunately, a fly accidentally enters his telepod chamber. The teleportation succeeds, but the scientist's DNA and the fly's DNA become mixed. Initially, the scientist feels energetic and powerful. Over time, he begins to degenerate, losing his limbs one by one and transforming into a gruesome hybrid monster. 
The film also depicts how the lovers manage the drastic changes in their relationship, and things become even more complicated when the journalist becomes pregnant. She has to deal with a potentially deformed baby, as his gamete must also be a hybrid. 
Although the story is predictable, it still manages to captivate viewers with its graphic content and impressive makeup effects. Is this accident a warning about playing God, or is it part of the learning process? Society must establish its rules as scientists delve deeper into cellular biology and cloning, and the twisting of genetic material becomes mainstream. Playing God may have its consequences.
*  "Be afraid. Be very afraid." is a renowned line from the film The Fly, spoken by the character played by Geena Davis as she observes the horrifying transformation of the scientist (Jeff Goldblum) into a grotesque insect-like creature. The line has become iconic, frequently used to convey overwhelming fear and dread.

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Against the grain

Sister Midnight (Hindi; 2024) Written & Directed:  Karan Kandhari


This is a peculiar film. Peculiar in a way that feels intriguing. It is a dark comedy, but it keeps viewers unsure about where the story will go. With minimal dialogue in most scenes, we often see the actors simply staring at each other in many shots. These awkward moments heighten the comedy. Then, suddenly, a rock song blares in the background—not in Hindi, the film's spoken language, but a psychedelic Cambodian tune.

A mismatched couple, married through arranged means, moved into the not-so-affluent, or rather, slum area of Mumbai. The groom, a painfully timid man, failed to fulfil his conjugal desires for his newlywed bride. In fact, he does not even come close to her. He even leaves the room when she is changing clothes. Being a good wife, the bride just waits for her husband to do what is needed. On her part, she is clueless about what to do at home. She neither knows how to cook nor manage the household. Her neighbours do not seem so unapproachable either. The husband leaves early in the morning, takes care of his meals, and returns late, often drunk. His reason for not telling her before leaving is that he is afraid of waking her.

The story continues with the bored housewife taking a job as a cleaner, experiencing fainting spells, developing a taste for eating live birds, and having vivid hallucinations. When the couple finally makes love, the husband suffers a heart attack and dies during the act. Interestingly, the wife simply keeps the husband in the house without arranging a funeral.

While watching this film, I was reminded of quirky classic comedies like Stephen Chow's 'Kung Fu Hustle' - nonsensical yet entertaining. This debutante director suddenly decided to include a clip from Akira Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai', where a ronin (a masterless samurai) roams aimlessly, trying to do the right thing. In 'Sister Midnight', the protagonist is trapped in a situation—in her case, a marriage—and must explore the correct path with a future lying ahead. Symbolically, this reflects the story of life. We are parachuted into this existence, given some survival tools, and expected to forge a future—rightly or wrongly. We must discover ourselves, chart a course, and rebel against the currents to make it work.

That, my friend, is the profound take-home message from this strange movie.

Good show, 4.5/5.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.