12 Angry Men (1957)

To continue, you've listened to a long and complex case, murder in the first degree. Premeditated murder is the most serious charge tried in our criminal courts. You've listened to the testimony, you've had the law read to you and interpreted as it applies in this case, it's now your duty to sit down and try to separate the facts from the fancy. One man is dead, another man's life is at stake, if there's a reasonable doubt in your minds as to the guilt of the accused, uh a reasonable doubt, then you must bring me a verdict of "Not Guilty". If, however, there's no reasonable doubt, then you must, in good conscience, find the accused "Guilty". However you decide, your verdict must be unanimous. In the event that you find the accused "Guilty", the bench will not entertain a recommendation for mercy. The death sentence is mandatory in this case. You're faced with a grave responsibility, thank you, gentlemen.

Thus, on that note, spoken by the judge and directed to the jury, the tone has been set throughout the entire black-and-white movie.

This movie has, in ways that is unique and interesting, set forth several precedents.

That, during the entirety of the movie except for the beginning and the end, the setting was limited to and around a tiny jury room. Ironically, this movie becomes that rare courtroom drama that takes place outside of the courtroom.

That the 11 jurors were initially convinced an 18 year old kid killed his father in "an open and shut case" involving two witnesses and one evidence and hence voted for the guilty verdict.




That one juror (the 8th juror, played brilliantly and with utmost sincerity by Henry Fonda, who is pictured on the right of this text) choose to vote that the kid was not guilty because he was "not sure" and tried to convince the other jurors to talk it out.

That save for two characters, the names of each and every character in the movie is unknown. One might assume that the theme is given more importance, yet actually the characters, in particular the "12 angry" jurors, were the sole pivots around which the narration twists and turns from.

That I knew what the ending would be like and yet still felt engrossed in the narration. With well-written script and excellent actors supported by good characterizations, it is hard to resist.





That it is a debut feature of one of the most celebrated directors in the history of cinema, Sidney Lumet who to this day is still acclaimed for directing this movie along with other critically acclaimed movies such as Dog Day Afternoon (1975, *ing Al Pacino), Network (1976, *ing Faye Dunaway and Robert Duvall), and  The Verdict (1982, *ing Paul Newman).

It must be noted that while the "a reasonable doubt" theme is craftily stretched out, a few questions that have cropped up during the movie. And like all great movies, they remain unanswered. The theme is still relevant in the here and now especially in an age where newspapers and news channels can easily "influence" us and our view of life itself. Especially when it comes to the matters of the state.

In fact, this movie, having been adapted from the stage, has spawned another remake in the form of a television film released in 1997.

Indeed, it goes indefinitely far beyond a reasonable doubt that 12 Angry Men remains one of cinema's finest and greatest movies ever produced.

The Ramayan Legend: A Novel

Hello everyone.

A few days ago, out of boredom, I explored all the files I stored on my computer. Unexpectedly, I discovered a document written by me not so long ago (a year ago to be precise). It was an impulsive creative outlet at the time I had written it, and yet after having gone through the document, I realize that it could make for a good read, if it was completed. But still uncertainty hangs around me, like the tiger prowling around waiting for the right chance to pounce on the prey.

To dispel that uncertainty, I made a bet with myself. If the work is unworthy, I will hold my silence on the work forever. If, however, I received as much as 10 positive comments on my work, then I would continue and complete the novel by parts over the free time I accumulate.

So if you like it and would like to read more or if you want to thrash it really harshly, please, please, please comment on it wherever you want- email (SpyderSan@gmail.com), facebook, or here just below this blog itself.

Thank you.

Oh, I almost forgot. Here is a prologue of my novel. Don't forget to comment! :)


Ramayan

Pepsiman (PSOne)

Yes, you heard right.

Pepsiman.

No, this is not an advertisement. At least not for the brand.

Its a game. A PSOne game (the first PlayStation console for the uninitiated). And it is weird, wacky, zany...and fun!

Seriously.

Somewhere in the '90s, there was an ad campaign using the concept of a superhero with a power to bring the refreshing drink of pepsi to those extremely thirsty victims. :) From this somewhat catchy ad campaign spawned the game of non-stop running, and saving parched victims. The ad campaign is seen below.

The spawned game is pretty much like one of the typical games where each level in a game contains obstacles the main character has to overcome.

The obstacles here are not only windows as seen in the first ad but also cars, trucks, oil tankers and, in some levels, a huge (and here I mean a really, really HUGE) Pepsi can.

What Pepsiman can do? Basically, run. And jump. And slide. And run faster.

The running thing is already preprogrammed so you need only use the directional buttons to move left & right, along with just two buttons to perform jump and slide. And whenever there is a small section of the road free of obstacles,  you can run faster. Very, very simple game. Right?

Wrong.

The placement of obstacles, and how you reach your destination without getting hurt the 3rd time (or is it the 4th time? Well, it was in the '90s, I can't remember that long!) will make you do the levels as many times till you get it right. The core difficulty of the game, however, lies in the timing of button press -  an important factor frequently used in many games.

But that's not all.

Imagine you run at fast speed, and accidentally you fall into an empty garbage can and you can't stop running.

Can you imagine that?

I don't think so.

Which is why it is imperative that I show you a gameplay video of the first level. Watch the video below and you will realize how truly quirky the game is!

Definitely one of the most "refreshing" game I have enjoyed, and will enjoy for times to come.

Go, Pepsimaaaaaaaaaaaaan (catchy tune isn't it? ;) ).

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring (Korean)

Movie Review

The greatest movies on earth, which are few and far in between, are not the ones that provide solutions to issues, but the ones that provide questions. This is one such movie.

The questions in this movie are not the type of questions you normally ask in the classroom or in the political field. They are very deeply spiritual questions regarding life on earth. As you observe in the title, SSFW&S is pretty much about the cycle of life and seasons. 

                                                         The setting in this movie is just a Buddhist temple floating on a lake in a deep forest. This simplistic setting is so perfect you would find it hard to believe that it is actually artificially constructed.  It is beautifully shot and it does not, in any way, affect the scope or the importance of the story. Rather, it complements the story dynamically and naturally, especially when the seasons change.  

  

As with the simple setting and simple story, there are very simple characters. There are also few characters (9 in total). All of them play pivotal roles that shape the flow of the story. Of these, two affect the flow more - an old monk and his student. While the old monk is played by one actor, the student is played by 4 actors, each representing the different maturity levels - a young boy, a young adult and mature adults in 30s and 40s. The last one was played by the director himself, Kim Ki-duk.

Speaking of the director (also writer), if you observe the movie closely, you will find that it is vision of only one person, of only one visionary artist. In fact, all his movies, before and after this movie, follow his visions, thus making him one of the few idiosyncratic filmmakers around.  When asked the reason for making the movies the way he does, he said

I see something which I do not understand and then I make a film in order to comprehend it.

In this movie, I don't know what he saw, I don't know what he comprehended from making this movie. But I know this, I got questions. And just like in all of his movies, they were no explicit answers.



For those who have not seen the movie, do NOT click here:

1. Why does there exist two doors with no wall around it inside the temple?
2. Why in some scenes does the two monks pass to the center of the room through the door when there is no particular need especially with an empty wall around it?
3. Why does there exist a gate to the temple here again with no wall around it?
4. What kind of sickness was the young woman having?
5. Why did the young man, when leaving the old monk, take the Buddha statue along with him?
6. Did the student ,at last stage of his life as a monk, tie the stones to the animals or did they do it mystically?
7. Why did the woman who brought the baby to the temple keep her face hidden?

These are the questions I have asked myself, though I am sure there are others waiting to be found.

Overall, watching the movie was a deeply enriching experience - one I wouldn't mind watching time and again.  In fact , almost all of the critics would agree with me ( a cumulative cool 95% at RottenTomatoes!).

But like one of the reviewers said, "As the Buddhists might have said, you have to experience it first-hand, reading about it is not enough." And I have made you read too much already. Before I leave, here is one trailer for your viewing pleasure.

Welcome!

Hello readers! 

As you can see, this is a platform for my personal opinions of ,among other things related to the entertainment field, movies and music. Note that I have used the word 'personal'. This means the views and opinions expressed in this blog are not subscribed to by.....

Hang on. There's no one else here, is there?

Oopsie. My bad. Got some multiple personality issues to crack.

Ahem. Anyways, some of you readers must be wondering why I have chosen the name 'Surreal Imagination' for this blog. Well, according to George Bernard Shaw-

You see things; and you say, 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say, 'Why not?'

And also according to C.S.Lewis, the writer of The Chronicles of Narnia series-

For me, reason is the natural organ of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning. Imagination, producing new metaphors or revivifying old, is not the cause of truth, but its condition.

Frankly speaking, a cousin of mine invented this term. I stole it because I like it.

Well then, there is nothing else to say except that this blog will be divided into labels each containing content related to their respective entertainment field. As of now, there is only a movies label, though I expect other fields to be set up in the near future.

Meanwhile, I would like to profoundly thank my family for the support they have given (albeit unknowingly) and to my cousin, Sachit (Sachuettan as I would like to call him), in particular, for the inspiration he has given me (as well as the name of this blog. ;) ). Why the thanks? Because, well, its the little things that give you away. Or something like that.

Also, thanks are in order to you for reading till here, even though it has absolutely nothing much to say. I, however, do sincerely hope my subsequent posts will.

Thanks once again. Its been a heck of a start.