Posts Tagged ‘funeral-pyre’

Gandhi (1982)

Friday, December 19th, 2008
Genres: Biography | Drama | History
Countries: India | UK
Actors: Ben Kingsley | Candice Bergen | Edward Fox | John Gielgud | Trevor Howard | John Mills | Martin Sheen | Ian Charleson | Athol Fugard | G?nther Maria Halmer | Saeed Jaffrey | Geraldine James | Alyque Padamsee | Amrish Puri | Roshan Seth
Directors: Richard Attenborough
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When ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ (qv) first set foot in British India, he had already been to Britain and South Africa, and had created quite a stir for the betterment of the people. But in India, he realized that he had first to live the life of a peasant to understand what it is to be an Indian. This resolve will lead him to shed his westerners clothing, and don a simple loincloth, be subjected to racial slurs from none other than Winston Churchill (Half naked Indian Fakir); Mobilize awareness of local industry and less dependence on imported clothing and material; the historic dandee march for withdrawal of the salt tax; a fast unto death to stop the virtual slaughter of British troops by irate Indian mobs; and be imprisoned several times. His resolve was to work with stalwarts such as Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Sardar Valabhbhai Patel, Professor Gokhale, J.B. Kripalani, Maulana Azad, and Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru to ensure first of all to get the British to quit India, and then run an Indian Government under the Congress party. Gandhi will soon realize that it is not enough to be just an Indian, for India has many facets - Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jewish, and Christian. The British relied on these many facets as an excuse for their continuance as they wanted to ensure that the minorities are not oppressed by the Hindu majority. Concerned over the inroads made by Gandhi to unite the Hindus, Muslims, and all others under a common umbrella, the British invited Jinnah for talks, and it is here that a seed was laid for a separate country called Pakistan. When Gandhi came to know about this, he pleaded with Jinnah to unite the Muslims, even take over as the first Prime Minister with his choice of Muslim candidates for Parliament, but separatist Jinnah had already made his mind. The World Wars of 1914 and 1944 having taken it’s toll on Europe and Britain in particular, the weary British finally decided to leave India in 1947 - not the India they had conquered - but an India that was ready to be divided in East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Now after the much awaited independence was the real test for Gandhi - a test that will make him or break him - as he started a fast unto death to try and stop the violence that was threatening to break out into a civil war, not realizing that he had indirectly fanned Hindu extremism, which would later be called the Shiv Sena, into taking the matter directly in their hands to ensure that Muslims are kept out of their Hindustan forever.

Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Monday, November 17th, 2008
Genres: Action | Adventure | Fantasy
Countries: USA
Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger | James Earl Jones | Max von Sydow | Sandahl Bergman | Ben Davidson | Cassandra Gava | Gerry Lopez | Mako | Valérie Quennessen | William Smith | Luis Barboo | Franco Columbu | Leslie Foldvary | Gary Herman | Erik Holmey
Directors: John Milius
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A barbarian trained in the arts of war joins with thieves in a quest to solve the riddle of steel and find the sorcerer responsible for the genocide of his people in this faithful adaptation of Robert E. Howard’s sword and sorcery adventures. This film briefly sparked a wave of fantasy films including the sequel, Conan the Destroyer, in the early 80s.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Saturday, September 27th, 2008
Genres: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Countries: USA
Actors: Liam Neeson | Ewan McGregor | Natalie Portman | Jake Lloyd | Pernilla August | Frank Oz | Ian McDiarmid | Oliver Ford Davies | Hugh Quarshie | Ahmed Best | Anthony Daniels | Kenny Baker | Terence Stamp | Brian Blessed | Andrew Secombe
Directors: George Lucas
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This First Episode follows the young years of Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader). The friendship of Obi-wan Kenobi, Yoda and Qui-Gon Jinn are also central aspects. And the beginning of the rise to power of Senator Palpatine to Emperor.

Steel Dawn (1987)

Tuesday, August 21st, 2007
Genres: Action | Sci-Fi
Countries: USA
Actors: Patrick Swayze | Lisa Niemi | Anthony Zerbe | Christopher Neame | Brion James | John Fujioka | Brett Hool | Marcel Van Heerden | Arnold Vosloo | James Whyle | Russel Savadier | Joe Ribeiro | Alex Heyns | Brad Morris | Tullio Moneta
Directors: Lance Hool
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In a post-apocalyptic world, a warrior wandering through the desert comes upon a group of settlers who are being menaced by a murderous gang that is after the water they control.

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

Thursday, March 29th, 2007
Genres: Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
Countries: USA
Actors: Mark Hamill | Harrison Ford | Carrie Fisher | Billy Dee Williams | Anthony Daniels | Peter Mayhew | Sebastian Shaw | Ian McDiarmid | Frank Oz | James Earl Jones | David Prowse | Alec Guinness | Kenny Baker | Michael Pennington | Kenneth Colley
Directors: Richard Marquand
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The Empire is more than halfway through construction of a new Death Star - almost twice as big, but more than twice as powerful. When completed, it will spell certain doom for Luke Skywalker and the Rebels. Han Solo is a prisoner of crime lord Jabba the Hutt, and Princess Leia soon finds herself in the gangster’s hands. Luke Skywalker, aided by C-3PO and R2-D2, makes his way into Jabba’s palace, hoping to secure his friends’ freedom. But the Hutt has no intention of doing so and tries to kill them all. After escaping from Jabba and the sands of Tatooine, they regroup with the Rebel fleet, which is massing for an attack against the new satellite battle station at Endor. Lando Calrissian is pressed into action to lead the Rebel fighter attack, while Han is put in charge of a group of soldiers to take out the shield generator protecting the Death Star. Luke, however, surrenders to Vader’s soldiers on Endor, and is taken in front of Vader’s boss - the Galactic Emperor - on the Death Star for final corruption to the Dark Side of the Force. The fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers ambushes the Rebels, cutting them off. Worse, the new Death Star begins turning its giant laser on the Rebel carriers. It appears that nothing will stop the Empire’s triumph - unless things start to change quickly…

The Vikings (1958)

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007
Genres: Action | Adventure | History
Countries: USA
Actors: Kirk Douglas | Tony Curtis | Ernest Borgnine | Janet Leigh | James Donald | Alexander Knox | Maxine Audley | Frank Thring | Eileen Way | Edric Connor | Dandy Nichols | Per Buckh?j
Directors: Richard Fleischer
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Einar and Eric are two Viking half-brothers. The former is a great warrior whilst the other is an ex-slave, but neither knows the true identity of the other. When the throne of Northumbria in Britain becomes free for the taking, the two brothers compete against one another for the prize, but they have very different motives - both involving the princess Morgana, however.