BOCA INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY

January 31st, 2012, 7:05 a.m.

I am a real movie buff. I even have a B.A. degree in film studies, one of my many interests in life. In fact, I have been a movie extra in films like Searching for Bobby Fischer and five other movies for the screen or TV. I was the gas station jockey in Strange Invaders although most of the shots ended up on the cutting room floor. When I saw the launch of the film in Toronto, I was most surprised to learn that the opening scenes that took a look at a beautiful house from all the surrounding streets in the area, happened to be the one my wife at the time and I owned. The idea of the film was great in the beginning but I have to admit, not well finished rbrn though it had a number of well known actors, including one with an academy award. Nevertheless, the experience taught me how films were made and the roles of the various people. In addition it spurred me on to take classes in various forms of film out of genuine interest, Hollywood Cinema, Japanese film, African film, documentary film, plus a course in film making and screenwriting. Of course, I filled out the other credits I needed with Fine Arts studio courses. I lived and loved the whole creation process even though I could not finish my documentary so that it was properly done.

Well, you probably wonder why I titled this blog entry as Bollywood Film. Simple, after finding Netflix I found modern day Bollywood films. Because I was accustomed to foreign films from my days at school, and did not mind reading the English subtitles, I found a new and exciting form of film that far outstrips the efforts of Hollywood which I am getting tired of because the keep recycling the same old lines and themes time and again. Now that videos are on the way out, there is a much better chance of change and Netflix is a good step in that direction. The extraordinary efforts put into Bollywood films, even if some of them are 3 hours long, still outweighs the efforts of Hollywood and yet, copies it from the nineteen thirties and forties with dancing and singing, things long lost in the modern Hollywood films. Sure, the nasal high-pitched Indian singing done by the women takes a bit of getting used to but the skills with which the films are put together, other than the locations, unusual dress, cultural backwardness in some areas and other negative things, still has caught my attention. I cannot remember when I hated a horrible father as much as I found myself doing in one of the films. Normally, it did not phase me but for once, i wanted to go out and hit him myself. Some of the story lines are great too and to a guy the women in these films understand that sex is a big part of their being and they use their bodies to attract men everywhere. There is this constant use of rain to make them look more sexy in their wet clothing and I quite doubt that this is normal for the number of times it happens in such a warm country.  In any case, I highly recommend that you watch a few Bollywood films and get to know what other cultures are all about, it will allow you to better understand the people and the life they came from to get here. Then again, I am writing this in Toronto and I have to admit I have been exposed to the multi-cultural world of this city for more than forty years now....unfortunately, I can only speak two of the languages and a smattering of the rest. So I will close by saming, Gung Hai, Fat Choy.....however it's spelt..... that's one of the smatters <smile> What do you mean New years is over and I cannot say that...it is still January, isn't it? Eleven more months to go and then I will wish you Happy New Year again in Chinese!