Locations

A great (business)man once said that in Retailing, three things are important- Location, location and location. I would say the same for film shoots, dates, and much more...

Iconic locations often used for Hindi film shoots -

Juhu beach road, Queen's Necklace (Marine Drive), Malabar Hill in Mumbai.

Switzerland and Mahabaleshwar/Panchgani for song sequences/dream sequences. Austria in the case of  The Sound of Music- the charming locations added a lot to the film. The Bond films usually have exotic locations, because the story remains more or less the same. A Kannada film, Mungaru Male, had charming locations and songs as its main attractions.

St. Xavier's college for college sequences

Outdoor sets are sometimes constructed and used to great effect as in the Ramgarh village for Sholay, built near Bangalore. Are O Sambha would not be half as effective in any other place.

Similarly, if you are going on a date with someone, the location and ambience can make a lot of difference..try it out (this is not a dating consultancy-figure out the location on your own).

Before Sunrise- Film Review

A lovely film, after a very long time. No idea why I missed it, seems it was made in 1995.

A young man meets a young woman, on a train in Europe. He urges her to get off in Vienna, before her destination. She agrees. They spend a night roaming the streets of Vienna, and talking with each other about their lives, views about life, and such. That is the plot. They part, confused about whether to meet, and whether they are in love.

I loved the movie, and wouldn't mind watching it again sometime. It is simple, uncomplicated by too many characters except when referred to by these two. There are some cultural references to the French and American stereotypes. He is American, and she is French.

The dialogue, the script, the cinematography, and the music, all are top-class, and hold your attention. There is also an old-world romantic feel, and a longing that the two actors portray, that you start wishing them well. Great feel-good stuff, and I am going to watch the sequel soon. There is one.