Stars: Chhabi Biswas, Gangapada Bose, Kali Sarkar, Padma Devi | Written and Directed by Satyajit Ray
After the commercial failure of the second part of his Apu Trilogy, Bengali auteur Satyajit Ray opted for more commercially viable material for his next project. He turned to writer Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, and a short story about a landlord clinging to his last motes of power as his empire crumbles around him. The result was 1958’s Jalsaghar, released internationally as The Music Room.
The landlord (or zamindar) in question is Lord Roy, played by Chhabi Biswas with a gravitas that matches his contemporary, Laurence Olivier. The film opens halfway through the narrative, with Roy as a bent old man, and the last of his servants, Ananta (Kali Sarkar), still at his side. We jump back four years to show what brought Roy to near-ruin, before the second half of the movie shows us how he...
After the commercial failure of the second part of his Apu Trilogy, Bengali auteur Satyajit Ray opted for more commercially viable material for his next project. He turned to writer Tarasankar Bandyopadhyay, and a short story about a landlord clinging to his last motes of power as his empire crumbles around him. The result was 1958’s Jalsaghar, released internationally as The Music Room.
The landlord (or zamindar) in question is Lord Roy, played by Chhabi Biswas with a gravitas that matches his contemporary, Laurence Olivier. The film opens halfway through the narrative, with Roy as a bent old man, and the last of his servants, Ananta (Kali Sarkar), still at his side. We jump back four years to show what brought Roy to near-ruin, before the second half of the movie shows us how he...
- 8/3/2017
- by Rupert Harvey
- Nerdly
Chicago – In between the second and third installments of his infamous “Apu Trilogy,” Bengali master of cinema Satyajit Ray made two films that were striking departures from his signature portrait of poverty-stricken youth. The first was 1958’s failed comedy “The Philosopher’s Stone” (sorry, Potterheads, no relation) and the second was 1959’s masterpiece, “The Music Room.”
This landmark classic is brought to electrifying life by Criterion’s magnificent digital restoration. The renewed picture quality allows Ray’s elegant visual poetry to be savored like never before. Without changing locations or resorting to heavy-handed symbolism, Ray is able to explore the decline of feudalism by depicting the life of a once-wealthy aristocrat whose bloodline is literally washed away by the ever-encroaching waters of the Ganges.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Unlike Indian filmmakers of the day, Ray sought to integrate action and music into his narrative rather than feature them as separate entities.
This landmark classic is brought to electrifying life by Criterion’s magnificent digital restoration. The renewed picture quality allows Ray’s elegant visual poetry to be savored like never before. Without changing locations or resorting to heavy-handed symbolism, Ray is able to explore the decline of feudalism by depicting the life of a once-wealthy aristocrat whose bloodline is literally washed away by the ever-encroaching waters of the Ganges.
Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0
Unlike Indian filmmakers of the day, Ray sought to integrate action and music into his narrative rather than feature them as separate entities.
- 7/27/2011
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Rank the week of July 19th’s Blu-ray and DVD new releases against the best films of all-time: New Releases Limitless
(DVD & Blu-ray | PG13 | 201)
Flickchart Ranking: #1890
Times Ranked: 3217
Win Percentage: 51%
Top-20 Rankings: 12
Directed By: Neil Burger
Starring: Bradley Cooper • Robert De Niro • Abbie Cornish • Anna Friel • Andrew Howard
Genres: Psychological Sci-Fi • Psychological Thriller • Science Fiction • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Take Me Home Tonight
(DVD & Blu-ray | R | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #5722
Times Ranked: 1234
Win Percentage: 49%
Top-20 Rankings: 2
Directed By: Michael Dowse
Starring: Topher Grace • Anna Faris • Dan Fogler • Teresa Palmer • Chris Pratt
Genres: Comedy • Comedy Drama • Coming-of-Age • Drama • Period Film • Romance • Romantic Comedy • Romantic Drama
Rank This Movie
The Reef
(DVD & Blu-ray | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #10667
Times Ranked: 152
Win Percentage: 47%
Top-20 Rankings: 2
Directed By: Andrew Traucki
Starring: Adrienne Pickering • Gyton Grantley • Zoe Naylor • Damian Walshe-Howling • Kieran Darcy-Smith
Genres: Horror • Natural Horror • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Tekken
(DVD & Blu-ray | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #9314
Times Ranked: 332
Win...
(DVD & Blu-ray | PG13 | 201)
Flickchart Ranking: #1890
Times Ranked: 3217
Win Percentage: 51%
Top-20 Rankings: 12
Directed By: Neil Burger
Starring: Bradley Cooper • Robert De Niro • Abbie Cornish • Anna Friel • Andrew Howard
Genres: Psychological Sci-Fi • Psychological Thriller • Science Fiction • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Take Me Home Tonight
(DVD & Blu-ray | R | 2011)
Flickchart Ranking: #5722
Times Ranked: 1234
Win Percentage: 49%
Top-20 Rankings: 2
Directed By: Michael Dowse
Starring: Topher Grace • Anna Faris • Dan Fogler • Teresa Palmer • Chris Pratt
Genres: Comedy • Comedy Drama • Coming-of-Age • Drama • Period Film • Romance • Romantic Comedy • Romantic Drama
Rank This Movie
The Reef
(DVD & Blu-ray | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #10667
Times Ranked: 152
Win Percentage: 47%
Top-20 Rankings: 2
Directed By: Andrew Traucki
Starring: Adrienne Pickering • Gyton Grantley • Zoe Naylor • Damian Walshe-Howling • Kieran Darcy-Smith
Genres: Horror • Natural Horror • Thriller
Rank This Movie
Tekken
(DVD & Blu-ray | Nr | 2010)
Flickchart Ranking: #9314
Times Ranked: 332
Win...
- 7/19/2011
- by Jonathan Hardesty
- Flickchart
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