Slumdog Millionaire

[Meg 368]

Amal and I were taking over the Inspirational Videos Thread with a discussion of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire".   I have moved those posts into this thread so that the Videos thread can continue on it's own.

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Originally posted by: amal81

Its great to know that Americans like Indian flavoured music.  quote>

It's good to hear from you, amal.  I was hoping you would post in this thread.

It's quite interesting how that song, and the movie, are being received here.   I can not recall a case where the movie that won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Producer did not have one single nomination for the actors.   That is quite unusual.    But unknown actors rarely get nominated and, as wonderful as these kids are, they were unknowns.

The movie is quite unusual.  I have never seen anything so appalling and so uplifting, which is a very strange combination.    I was rooting for it during the awards.   It would have been just wrong if it didn't win Best Picture and Best Song.   (and we have to give the producer and director credit).

Here's the translation of the song in English. Now after reading you might think this sounds really lame, however the song was originally written and sung in Hindi and Punjabi. quote>

There seem to be a variety of translations.

I have seen "Jai Ho" translated as "it rocks", "May there be Victory", and "Victory to thee".

"Rakh Le, Ha Dil Hai, Dil Aakhri Had Hai.. Rakh Le" has been translated as:

"Keep my heart, it is the last thing I have"

"Keep it, yes this is heart, heart is last limit.. Keep it"

"Keep it, it is (my) heart which is the ultimate frontier (of all achievements)"

Basically, the same idea, sort of.

Translations can be difficult.   What, for instance, is the "real" translation of "w00t!"?

If you do understand the language (Hindi/Punjabi) it really sounds very inspiring.  quote>

 

I don't understand them at all.  and I still love the song.  I'd like to learn the dance but I don't see that happening any time soon. 

[amal81 3]

I don't understand them at all. and I still love the song. I'd like to learn the dance but I don't see that happening any time soon.quote>

Well if you are planning to come to India or New Jersey (Yes, that state has a very large ex pat Indian population) any time soon, I am sure you'll find many dance classes teaching the exact dance sequence to you.

It kinda feels strange that this movie got so many awards. Its also funny in a way that it took a British director, producer, script writer, camera man etc. to portray the slums in our big cities in a likeable and entertaining way.

The music by AR Rahman: Slumdog isn't his best work by a distance. That guy has been making great music since the early 90s.

These are some of my favourite vids:

A song from the movie 'Taal' or 'Beat' 1998

(Translates into: 'You are not here before me')

Songs from his first movie 'Roja' or 'Rose' 1992

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WfB0d8Vfm4 (Translates into: 'Rose, my dear')

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh-6MM5U-k8 (Translates into: 'These beautiful vistas, those open blue skies')

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: amal81

Well if you are planning to come to India or New Jersey (Yes, that state has a very large ex pat Indian population) any time soon, I am sure you'll find many dance classes teaching the exact dance sequence to you. quote>

Well, it would be more interesting than the average aerobics class 

It kinda feels strange that this movie got so many awards. quote>

On one hand, yes, it's a very unusual movie.  On the other hand, the theme of an "underdog coming out on top" has always been popular.  In 1976, the Oscar for Best Picture went to "Rocky", which is about a small time boxer duking it out with the big boys. Same general concept in a totally different setting with totally different characters. 

I have to admit that the settings in this movie had me staring in horrified fascination.  But watching the kids was more compelling than watching their surroundings.   Which was part of the point.

Its also funny in a way that it took a British director, producer, script writer, camera man etc. to portray the slums in our big cities in a likeable and entertaining way.  quote>

 

I was reading one article that said that neither Hollywood nor Bollywood would ever had made this movie.  I suspect that is correct.  Both conceptually and in actual implementation.

The plot was taken from a book written by an Indian diplomat.   Had it come from a Hollywood screenwriter, it would have been dismissed as being horribly politically incorrect.  If Hollywood had tried to recreate that setting to film it, I suspect it would have gathered protests from various sources.

I have never seen Hollywood film anything that requires so much stunt work from young children.  I'm sure much of it was not actually putting the kids in danger, even though it looked like it at times.   Their stunt doubles in some scenes had to have been weighted dummies wearing the same clothes.  

 

[amal81 3]

Had it come from a Hollywood screenwriter, it would have been dismissed as being horribly politically incorrect.quote>

It was written by Vikas Swarup; even then some critics (mainly 2 leading bollywood actors who had refused the 'TV show host' character in the movie) described the movie as poverty p0rn. I can see their mouth being sour from the grapes they had eaten earlier.

It does have an uplifting story and inspiring songs here and there, but the movie does have some serious flaws...more on that at a relevant topic.

[Meg 368]

It was written by Vikas Swarup; even then some critics (mainly 2 leading bollywood actors who had refused the 'TV show host' character in the movie) described the movie as poverty p0rn. I can see their mouth being sour from the grapes they had eaten earlier.  quote>

I have heard that description, along with a few other things.   This movie is far from universally well liked.  I read one review that described it as "anti-Hindu".  That thought didn't even occur to me.   I can see how the police force would be offended but I didn't translate that to a particular religion.

It does have an uplifting story and inspiring songs here and there, but the movie does have some serious flaws...more on that at a relevant topic.quote>

I am interested in your view point on this.  and you are correct; we were overrunning the video thread.  So I have moved this discussion here so we can continue.

[your_adress_here 11]

Can anyone tell me what Slumdog Millionaire is? All I know about it is from what I saw on the front page of the newspaper as I was reading the daily comics.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: your_adress_here

Can anyone tell me what Slumdog Millionaire is? All I know about it is from what I saw on the front page of the newspaper as I was reading the daily comics.quote>

 

Not sure I have your question right so I'll take two swings at it . . .

"Slumdog Millionaire" is a British film about India that just won a bunch of awards, including the Best Picture Oscar, in the United States.

As for the term "slumdog", the director says it's a short way of saying "underdog from the slums".  Some people are offended at the word.  Others point out that the word "underdog" in English is not derogatory; it simply means "a person who is expected to lose a contest or conflict".

As for the millionaire part, the movie is about a kid from the slums who does surprisingly well on the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".   The movie is about how he knows the answers.

 

 

 

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: your_adress_here Can anyone tell me what Slumdog Millionaire is? All I know about it is from what I saw on the front page of the newspaper as I was reading the daily comics.quote>

 

its the movie that won the Oscar for best picture +7 others 

Put iting it  withthe likes of these

11 Oscars

Ben-Hur (1959) 

Titanic (1997) 

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

10 Oscars: 

West Side Story (1961)

Three with 9 Oscars 

Gigi (1958) 

The Last Emperor (1987) 

The English Patient (1996) 

And six with 8 Oscars: 

Gone with the Wind (1939) 

On the Waterfront (1954) 

My Fair Lady (1964) 

Cabaret (1972) 

Gandhi (1982) 

Amadeus (1984)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slumdog_Millionaire

Its a love story.

[amal81 3]

^ Very good post...I was thinking of posting the same but you were a step ahead.

I have seen all the movies mentioned above, except for the English Patient.

Big Q: Does SM belong in the same league as the movies mentioned above even after winning 8 Oscars?

A big No. The movie might be good, inspirational, etc...but to to be in the same class as Gone with the Wind and such...absolutely no.

[Meg 368]

Originally posted by: amal81

Big Q: Does SM belong in the same league as the movies mentioned above even after winning 8 Oscars?

A big No. The movie might be good, inspirational, etc...but to to be in the same class as Gone with the Wind and such...absolutely no.quote>

 

Okay . . . why not?   I know that the people who vote on these things sometimes get it "wrong".  But what makes "My Fair Lady"  in that class and "Slumdog Millionaire" not?

 

 

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: SkiGeek

Originally posted by: amal81

Big Q: Does SM belong in the same league as the movies mentioned above even after winning 8 Oscars?

A big No. The movie might be good, inspirational, etc...but to to be in the same class as Gone with the Wind and such...absolutely no.quote>

 

Okay . . . why not?   I know that the people who vote on these things sometimes get it "wrong".  But what makes "My Fair Lady"  in that class and "Slumdog Millionaire" not?

 

 quote>

 

When i was looking all that up i was amazed at the number of great movies that were done in 1939 that sort of explaine why Gone with the Wind only won 6.

Gone With The Wind

Goodbye, Mr. Chips 

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington 

Ninotchka 

Of Mice And Men 

Some Like It Hot 

Stagecoach 

The Wizard Of Oz 

Wuthering Heights

Gunga Din 

The Hound Of The Baskervilles 

Awesome list there.

 

[ilikehotdogsalot 307]

Wall-e got robbed.

They had to make the whole sound for the movie and yet Slumdog Millionaire got the Oscar