Spellbound
Alfred Hitchcock
Watch this Hitchcock film if you've got the nerve. This thriller is set amidst a cobweb of intricate plots — murder, mistaken identity, amnesia and psychoanalysis. Sets for the dream sequence are the creations of the great Salvador Dali which continue to intrigue many even today. Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman play their parts perfectly. Hitchcock's mastery over suspense is a well-known fact but the ‘doors-within-doors' kissing sequence shows his brilliance in immortalising human emotions in a way no else could have.
Citizen Kane
Orson Welles
Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) is an ambitious and reticent businessman who has achieved all he ever wanted to but dies in isolation. Welles as both director and screenwriter (with Herman Mankiewicz as co-writer) shows his multi-faceted interests. The ground-breaking camera work switching over from mise-en-scène to continue the narration is quick making it a pioneer of ‘disrupted narratives'. The theatre artists in the film are flamboyant and the film is a masterpiece for its technical superiority and unconventional story line.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Robert Mulligan
Based on Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird, this is a gritty tale of two siblings and their encounters with anti-social elements in the deep American South, as they grow up. Horton Foote's “non-chronological technique” of screenplay immerses you in the film, while Gregory Peck and the young artists play their roles to perfection. Robert Duvall's brief appearance in a pivotal role adds to the film.
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Sergio Leone
This western is about three gunslingers and their craving for gold which leads them down the path of brutal gun fights, double-crossing, greed and friendship. The theme music by Ennio Morricone is beautiful. Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach's cat-and-mouse chases in the deserted Wild West are spectacular. The rough appeal of the movie, and the widescreen format make it a cult film.
Dr. Strangelove
Stanley Kubrick
Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a parody of the Cold War. The movie is full of witty dialogues. The war room conversations, hotline talks and Strangelove's lines highlight the cynical nature of humans. The scenarios depicting several ideas and thoughts are amazing. The adaptation of a violent theme with realistic incidents into a hilarious motion picture showcases Kubrick's talent in creating visual illusions. Peter Sellers excels.
Those that almost made it:
The Godfather: Francis Ford Coppola
Tender Mercies: Bruce Beresford
Blind Chance (Przypadek): Krzysztof Kieœlowski
The Deer Hunter: Michael Cimino
Dances with Wolves: Kevin Costner
Titanic: James Cameron
13 Tzameti: Gela Babluani
Mad Max 2 -The Road Warrior: George Miller
Tejas Munipalle is a business analyst based in New Delhi
