Film Review: Lady Sings The Blues (1972)

PREFACE

Lady Sings The Blues is the bio-drama of the legendary Jazz singer Billie Holiday. It is based on her autobiography with the same title. This film marked two notable debuts. One was Diana Ross‘ as an actor who played the central character and the other was Motown‘s big daddy Berry Gordy Jr. as a film producer. The film didn’t meet a mega success but got recognition with five nominations for the Academy Awards.

This film tempted me to watch it for a few important reasons. One is that I am a fan of Billie Holiday and have listened to most of her songs, including Decca Recordings. After watching The United States Vs. Billie Holiday last year, I felt that I must check this old classic to observe their take on her life. Another reason is that I never watched Diana Ross as an actress, have only listened to her music. And then Berry Gordy trying his hand at the film production made my mind further because I have huge respect for this man for giving birth to Motown Records through which many legendary singers and bands blessed us with rich music, especially in R&B and Soul.

ISSUES

The impressions I held for the film met a fatal blow for some critical reasons. Let me try to highlight a few.

The most critical error is Diana Ross herself. Despite a breathtaking performance, her selection for the role of Billie is a huge question mark. She neither reminds Billie facially nor her vocals while in character, Diana’s vocals are not even close to her. Billie had a distinguished voice that defined the Jazz music that was played in the 1930s and 40s. Those ears who have listened to the recordings of Billie will clearly complain that Diana didn’t try to give a feel of Billie in her voice at all. With such a problem in the selection, the film makes you believe more in Diana’s story instead of Billie’s.

The second issue with the film is that despite being adapted from her biography, a lot of liberty is taken from the material. Even if I keep the book aside or say that the film is not based on any book but is based directly on the legendary singer without the use of any source, the screenplay is questionable. The handsome Billy Dee Williams plays Billie’s husband, Louis McKay, and fits in the story when Billie was a rookie in the nightclub. Whereas, Louis came into Billie’s life later. Billie married three times in her life but the film mentions Louis as if he was in her life right from the start. And then the characterization of Louise is doubtful. Louise was abusive to Billie but here, he is totally opposite. So if the actual reputation of Louise really is bad then this bio-drama disrespects Billie’s sentiments by showing her cruel man with the Godly image.

Another problem is that the film ignores the dark consequences in Billie’s life like the troubles she faced with legal issues. The film missed the chance to depict how her most famous song “Strange Fruit” impacted the audience. In the film, Billie witnesses some terrifying cruelty on the African-Americans and then sings this track. And then there is no mention of it. If you make a film on Billie, you have to tell the world the political and social impact of the song.

IMPRESSIONS

My criticism about the film is based on fact that it did no justice to Billie’s legacy. I felt like the makers preferred to give Diana a platform to establish herself as an actress rather than present us with the life of a legend in those troubling times in America.

But true story aside, there is no doubt about the film’s excellence if I take a general view. Sidney J. Furie is quite a name who has been directing films for around six decades. And he did a splendid job in directing this film. There were a few intense scenes that can make the audience uncomfortable like Billie’s first performance in the nightclub when the audience breaks her confidence for not picking their money from her body despite singing so well. It was a social mockery of the public concern that portrays the horrors of singing at the nightclub.

Billie witnessing dead bodies on the trees and people around lamenting is another shot carefully directed that led to Billie’s health deterioration. Not sure if such an incident occurred but there is a scene when Billie is enjoying herself with all her white friends in the touring band when the bus is suddenly stopped to pave way for KKK demonstrators. Billie gets angry and passes angry verbal remarks leading to a bus attack and minor injuries. It was a very significant shot to spare a thought for. Even if such an event never happened with Billie, it still qualified as the need of the hour to give a glimpse of political unrest to the audience.

It is hard to believe that this was the first time Diana Ross performed in the film. The moment Diana enters the prison to be thrown into her cell at the beginning, she doesn’t remind any of us if this is a performance. Her facial expressions and body language were perfect.

CLOSING REMARK

I like the film in general. If I keep this out of my head that this is based on the true life of a legend, it is an excellent film with a fabulous performance by Diana, some good support from an impressive casting, excellent costume design, and direction. But the main purpose of the film was to watch Billie’s life in the reel and that did no justice. After all, this is why this film came into production but took a lot of liberty. So enjoy the film about her life but believe almost nothing about what most of the film showed you.

RATINGS: 5/10

---

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WATCH MY FILM REVIEW HERE

---

FOLLOW ‘THE DARK KNAIK’ ON OTHER SOCIAL PLATFORMS

TIKTOK  https://www.tiktok.com/@thedarkknaik

FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/thedarkknaik

INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/thedarkknaik/

TWITTER

Tweets by thedarkknaik

Dazed and Confused

GLOBAL MUSLIMS

“Saudi Arabia! Learn from UAE. See how they improve their living standard, enhance opportunities, provide social entertainment, invest money in public interests and recreation activities. When will you join the other countries this millennium? You don’t even let women drive on the roads. How backward you are? Grow up!”

SAUDI ARABIA

“Alright alright! We will allow women to drive but will allow them to drive by next year because we have to establish driving facilities for the women and train them first. Also, we will try our best to adopt general measures to avoid traffic accidents. We will further allow women to work in the shops and offices, even on stalls, fairs and as cashier too.
Let’s add some entertainment for your amusement. We will decide to bring WWE wrestlers including John Cena and Big Show for your best luxury because most of you are fond of wrestling. But our sincere apologies, we will not add wrestling divas, we cannot go that far. I hope you understand.

In addition, considering your enthusiasm in comics, we will plan to stage a globally recognized international convention like Comic-Con. No no no you can wear costumes and fashion accessories in love of your favorite characters. Yes, you can become cosplayers. And don’t worry, we will invite well-known celebrities who will mesmerize you all. You will have the moment to meet and greet them, shake hand and even take a selfie with them. 
This is just a beginning, and we do realize how music has been a significant part of our culture. So we will treat our locals to listen and watch the performance of their favorite, Mohammad Abdu, to your cities. We will experiment some other musical interest in the future. How about Jazz music? We can organize that for you in an industrial city. And how about inviting the world-famous musicians? We can start from Yanni and bring the musical phenomena of team Yanni near to your cities. Why not? We can bring him and his team.

Indeed all you people are fond of watching the Western and Arab films but do you know that our Saudi people are not behind of cinematic talent. There are many talented filmmakers and actors. We shall consider organizing film festivals and bring theatres close to you.

We never focused on attracting tourists to enrich our history and culture before. Like other countries, we are not behind in attracting the tourists and we will earn the global reputation. We do realize there are numerous sites which can attract millions of visitors. Let’s work on few of these. We will invest heavy money in such places. If things work as per the plan we will begin issuing tourist visas too. Just wait and see.”

GLOBAL MUSLIMS

“Astaghfirullah bro! How can you allow women to drive the car? This will bring fitna and raise the opportunity for gender mixing. The woman will have every chance to drive by herself all alone which will lead the men’s society to stare her and raise concerns about the reasons for her driving.

She will be at ease to hang out with other girls (or maybe boys) and walk on the streets like stray dogs.

Students at Effat Women’s University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2009; photograph by Olivia Arthur from her 2012 book, Jeddah Diary

No need to let them step out of home for huh work? Why does she want to work when her brother, father, and husband is earning? What could be the reason for going out for ‘work’? And what kind of ‘work’ does she want to do? They should stay at home, learn to cook food, produce offsprings, teach their children and obey every word what her husband or parent wishes or commands.
How can you consider inviting kuffar and their inventions to the holy country? Wrestling discourages peace and encourages viewers to fight. So what if you didn’t invite wrestling divas due to the obvious reasons as hellfire is already approved on them, the male wrestlers also promote nudity and shamelessness.

Comic books lead the readers towards mental illness and make them think and develop a theory that superheroes actually exist. By believing the fictional heroes, they will stop believing in our beloved messengers, their message and the true warriors of Islam. Do you know there are nauzubillah (I seek refuge in Allah) so many Gods in comics? How can you let them wear improper dresses and make them shake hands of the famous kuffar people? May Allah guide you.

Music? The voice of Shaitan? The world is near to end. Oh, Muslim Ummah! Do you know you are fulfilling the needs of Western countries? Do you know you are inviting evil by encouraging people to listen to their music? Seems like you have lost your credibility as a Muslim country.

You should realize that they are enemies of Islam and by investing your money in advertising their culture and fashion, we will be manipulated and one day they will occupy our holy land. They will marry our Muslim women and produce offsprings who will tweet/retweet their false religion. Auzubillah Auzubillah. May Allah have mercy and guide you to the right path. Amen.”

 

SAUDI ARABIA

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

My Selfish Diary: Placate the Spectre

Breathing a polluted age of ignorance is a confounding experience. I observe more and learn nothing. Treasures of the endorsed festivities are devaluing and the ranks of discipline among the hoppy generations collapsing. People who lack money and power are atoning. The word ‘regret’ has its own dictionary and level. The patience is pleading, the patient is bleeding. Blood on the street is more than in the hospital. The population is increasing and rate of employment is decreasing. This is like a man alive in his grave struggling to come out of the box because he knows he can live more and die later. But what if he comes out of the box? Will his fellow creatures accept and agree his survival?

Now I hair more on me face than I used to on the skull. I dig pictures on Facebook of recent past like a couple of years ago and see my physical transformational downfall. My thinking clouds produce more heavy rainfall than the aggregate raindrops of Sri Lanka in an entire year but my head hardly gets wet. I do not get the courage to step up and make my mind what exactly I want because I am disturbed by everything surrounding me.

Most of the people nowadays are not noble, don’t have a good heart and are also not respectful. Lying is exhilarating and dying is an extended version of grieving ceremony. Exchange of regards have unusual dance moves and fast-food is delicious enough to fart my sweet acidity. When I try something in life, judges on the streets have a double-look and smiles are wide. I wear a beanie cap out of context without following season because I don’t folking care. I just love wearing this cap because it facially completes me and defines differently. Now the judges on the floor behave like a curmudgeon falling from a banana skin. I enjoy the curiosity on the contrary note because this is my folking life.

In recent days I planned to watch classic films of Dustin Hoffman and after a long time, I watched Midnight Cowboy. Jon Voight played the leading role. He was a cowboy from Texas seeking work opportunities in New York. With all the excitement on his face hoping for a new career, things didn’t work and get frustrated living a new yorker life. That drop of emotional complexion is what among the millennials today. The world to us is quite a complicated and hopeless case.

A few days ago I happened to know what craziness everywhere is with the game Pokémon Go. I had no single idea of the game which has taken the world follow it madly everywhere especially on the streets which are some alarm to a social life. By realizing its features and by knowing how exactly this game is played, I was lost for a second. How far has the world gone from making logic? What the folk is wrong with people? I can easily distinguish two different classes of humans nowadays.

On one hand, there is a chaotic world where people are killing each other and both parties don’t even know the purpose behind this. Too much terrorism is disturbing the planet and a general life of a common man. There is too much ego and anger involve that installing or restoring peace between the two has become highly unlikely. While on the other hand, there is a very interesting generation who are roaming the streets, the malls and public places to catch the victims on their smartphones. To what level of craziness an app can take the entire human race!?!

By gaining weight and becoming lazy, I have temporarily stopped following google maps for interesting sites in the kingdom which is another minus to my mood. Globetrotting is a mood swinger which gives you fresh energy. Now I need coordinates for peace where I can listen to myself and follow it. I need fresh air with a bottle of alcohol with a beautiful lady beside me who can understand me, who can accept me, who can become a morphine and please to me.

But it is hard in a cruel world full of hatred and hypocrites because the faith and loyalty nowadays bargain at a cheap price. Meaning and importance of love have been damaged, sincerity has dropped and commitment has no word of mouth. Internet freedom has made things a lot easier to corrupt the word ‘LOVE’. You have more choices of rejecting and accepting a person with the least and easiest excuse that the one to whom you were in relation didn’t stand for you even if you were blatantly wrong. Love is a subject and adultery is the real business of frustration.

If we carefully notice then the newest generation of youngsters is more impatient and frustrated than the older one used to be. Internet freedom is one reason above but other genuine reasons easily are the usage of mechanism in their earliest ages which is making them clever, wit and fast but at the same time they are growing more hyper-tense than the old ones. Today a two-year-old kid can explain to the elders the salient features of smartphones. The kingdom where I live, children of 15 before the turning of new millennium weren’t that bound to television sets and watching films due to many reasons, and one of the reason is lack of TV sets at homes but now a child of 8 uncontrollably can download a film of his choice by illegal source and watch. I sense with the passage of time, nothing will be in our control. The human-made machines will kill the race and generations and we will not have a space of time to blame ourselves. It is an ugly truth.

I do not borrow commitments to tweet a decades-long relationship with ladies because there is no promise to muster my courage to betray the loyalty. Being healthy is when you are at your desiring peace. Fulfillment of lust has more promise than odd expectations in fake relationships. An honest reason to why a man fond of woman’s beauty fall prey to exotic dances and strip shows.

After losing the gem of my life, I don’t desire an espousal but a relationship before a possible nuptial. Because for me, it is disloyalty of love to consider someone for the rank I chose the one I loved the most and lost in brutally unamiable way. And secondly I believe in freedom of choice for both, the lady should have potential enough to replace her which is highly unlikely and I should be good enough for her that she will see her happiness in me.

Folk the love! What am I now? My eyes are catching artificial attractions everywhere I go. Women with crystal looks, deceptive faces full of makeup, winterful smiles, and a rainbow of huge bags are a source of blessing to my punctured and penetrating eyes. Why not is it pleasant? I don’t see any harm if my intentions were not to hurt her or spoil her mood. It is not the love I seek, but the curiosity of eyes I speak.

Jeddah is a potential metropolitan city. It’s nights on the busiest commercial roads are jazz to my ears. Sporadically when I plan to drive the popular and busiest streets of the city at night, I am lost. At that time when I am driving my vehicle, my ears play Bernard Herrmann‘s marvelous saxophone-theme of Taxi Driver. I feel myself Michael Caine driving a classic Aston Martin DB4 or a Mini Cooper S. That is some source of relaxation and comfort.

If you are mentally disturbed and need a peaceful mind, I advise you to listen to Jazz music. Jazz is the best source of music when you need to come out of stress. I recommend you to listen Miles Davis‘ Kind of Blue and some other phenomenal numbers of Thelonious Monk and Adderley Brothers.

I quest the eternal spots of repose and solace to relinquish the dystopia. In a bad mad world, the sound of seashores is more pleasant than the sound of silence; farm and cottage houses build on my masonry is a willoughby. A library of books, a shelf of action figures and comic books, a hologram light of Batman in the corner, a Jazz or Opera to my eardrums, four walls covered by frames full of historic wars and portraits, a hookah near my chair, a beautiful charming girl in her lingerie posing a centerfold near the fireplace is my ideal room with a view.

Scold my wonders but no abuse as I articulate my wish and borrow some time for eternal merriment. In my hemispheres, dictating emotions are sharper than a sword, silence is just a roof of all hurrahs. Peace and jazz of my borrowed life are just an endorsement which will swiftly and repeatedly ask me the same question all my life.

I AM SAMI NAIK

---

 

 

Movie Review – Whiplash (2014)

Tuh

Tuh…………………….Tuh

Tuh…………………….Tuh…………………….Tuh

Tuh……….Tuh……….Tuh……….Tuh……….Tuh

Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh…..Tuh

Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh…Tuh

Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh..Tuh

Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh.Tuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

TuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuhTuh

 

Curtains raise and the show begins with no silly nonsense or boring beginning. Two main characters are remotely defined. One is first-year Jazz student Andrew who is hugely inspired from the legendary Jazz drummer, Buddy Rich, and wants to make his name as a Jazz drummer like him. The other character is Dr. Terence Fletcher, who is very stern and abusive Jazz instructor at Shaffer. In microseconds, he judge the music player and promote/demote him.

As the characters are potentially well described in first 15 minutes, the next is creating a charisma in student-teacher bond. With above intros of the core characters, it is merely understood what to expect but let the bargaining of your choice be settled in the classroom where they share a bravura for your best moments of watching a high-class drama.

Let me assure you, no sweat will dry, no bandage will stop blood, no sound will go mute. You will remain attentive till the end. Your ears will have an orgasm when Andrew will be all set to perform on a big stage in the final act.

When you make a drama movie based on music or a movie based on a life of a musician, the most important element is sheer MADNESS. You have to make the viewer crazy from every inch of presentation specially the character’s relation with the instrument he/she marries. That potential is also watched when lil Buddy and smashing teacher cross all the limits to produce one legitimate and accepted sound of a beat. When the music is played, LOVE is to feel every inch of its beat that drives you to other level. Insanity is must and if you are addicted to music, then ‘Whiplash’ is an absolute marijuana.

Whiplash is a hardcore musical drama written and directed by 30-year-old Damien Chazelle. Movie is inspired from director’s real life experience. Damien is the real-life Andrew who struggled to make it as a Jazz drummer in high school at Princeton High School.

The director gives full justice with Jazz music and remembers legendary Buddy Rich on a higher note. It is very sophomore effort of Damien Chazelle to revitalize the genre of drama and give music a new meaning to life with psychological intensity. It will hit you hard specially those who made music their path but failed or gave up. 

Why Whiplash has marvelous creation of intensity? The major reason is the burning heart and boiled rage of filmmaker towards its being a rel-life story-line which inspires him to present originality and give freshness of characters as part of his life. 

Miles Teller and J.K.Simmons have played the characters Andrew Neiman and Dr. Terence Fletcher respectively. I must admit both have given equal respect to the roles they played and have done a terrific job. I am trying to understand why Miles Teller wasn’t nominated for ‘Best Actor’ in recently concluded Academy Awards. This actor at least deserved the nomination. 

The other side of coin, J.K.Simmons, has presented or shall I say augmented a supreme skill of acting. I doubt if he even was acting or what? How can anyone be so natural? His presentation of pedagogy is a silent whisper. He looks devil but teaches gospel. Superb body language and remarkable portraying of a highly demanding music teacher who will offend you to any level but make you a perfect music player. I will not rate him less than 9.8/10 if I am asked to judge his acting on rating scale. 

You are an ass if you reject this masterpiece. No doubt, one of best pictures of 2014. 

Ratings: 8.7/10

Follow me on TWITTER @saminaik_asn