INTRODUCTION -- MUSIC AND MOVIES

May I ask what's the significance of the stream of thought that's central to your intellect and psyche.
That not only acts like saviour when you need a perspective on things you are struggling to comprehend , but gives your conclusions a sound closure.
That not only breaks all the limits and boundaries of imagination but allows you to rise on wings of fantasy and dreams as if you are a part of it.

It not only is a silent entertainer but gives you peace in times you need it earnestly , gives you meaning to problems of life which you find difficult an answer in the real world & finally it never asks just believes in giving SELFLESSLY, giving & enthralling with each drop of it's sweet offering.

For me it is and has always been :


This is a series of articles I plan to write on 50 MOVIES & MUSICAL pieces which have made the man I am today.
Well it's not an exaggeration as I think they have had the greatest influence on my thinking than any other thing in my life ( apart from literature & technology ). I can literally live on it.

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 16 - BROKEN WINGS

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HAUNTING AND SPELLBOUNDING
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There are few songs by not so known bands which speelbound you for the first time you listen to them in a bus , on a friend's I-Pod ( & he has no clue where it came from ) or at umpteen bizarre locations.
They keep you Haunting after you are done listening to it again & again , its not only the tone but the lyrics which casts its spell on you.

" & TAKE THESE BROKEN WINGS AND LEARN TO FLY AGAIN LEARN TO LIVE FREE "

There is a special think about the music in here , a distinct guitar sound in this track thanks to Steve Farris' innovation of the electric guitar, managing to extract a delay effect at an odd timing to create a contrast to the steadiness of the bass and beat.
A hissing introduction which would captivate your psyche for a while till it fades away.

The song was inspired by the book "Broken Wings" by the great Lebanese American poet / writer Khalil Gibran.

For the band Mr Mister this song will be the closest they came to world fame & pop charts across teh globe. (Number #1 on US charts / Number #4 on UK charts in quick sucession ).
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Why Special to me
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One of those songs you listen and fall in love with.
You keep on longing for it but you don't know where it came from , you again find it and guess what ??
"You Fall in love once again "

Watch out for the cool B&W video in Thunderbird Convertible driven by Richard Page.

Song : Broken Wings
Album : Welcome to the Real World
Artist : Mr Mister
Lyricist - John Lang
Year - 1985

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 15 - INTO THE WILD

Just read the plot : -
A student-athlete at Emory University rejects the materialist, conventional life, and of his parents , destroys all of his credit cards and identification documents, donates $24,000 (nearly his entire savings) to Oxfam, and sets out on a cross-country drive in his well-used but reliable Datsun toward his ultimate goal: Alaska and, alone, to test himself and experience the WILDS OF NATURE

The kinda adventure we all think but few of us have the courage to set foot on what we believe & really like to embark upon.
Into the Wild is pure exotic adventure from the brilliant Actor / Director - Sean Penn.

Emily Hirsch as the protagonist starts off from his home & end up eventually dead in Alaska. But between these is a series of adventure and lessons of learning , love , relationships / bonds and maybe search for a meaning to life through your very own eyes.Not accepting what is being offered blindfolded but tryst to find it on your own in the wild.
Socrates must be proud of this one.

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Why Special to Me
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Its the simple message of discovering the world through your very own eyes & leading the way you like.
It may upset people you love & long , who care for you but maybe for a while priorities change and the sole purpose of discovery becomes the essence of life.

Watch out Emily Hirsch for a brilliant portrayal of the protagonist Christopher Mccandless.

Directed / Produced - Sean Penn
Written - Sean Penn / Jon Krakauer (novel)
Starring - Emile Hirsch , Marcia Gay Harden , William Hurt ,Jena Malone
Catherine Keener

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 14 - A TRIBUTE TO PAKISTANI POP

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THIS IS THE FIRST OF "THE TRIBUTE" ARTICLES I PLAN TO WRITE , SOME GENRE OF MUSIC ARE SO DIFFICULT TO SUM UP WITH MENTION OF A SONG OR A BAND THAT WE WON'T BE DOING JUSTICE TO THEM.SO I'LL TRY TO DISCUSS HE GENRE AND OFFER MY TOP 10 . ENJOY "
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I was introduced to Pakistani Pop music during my school days when I first time heard "Chand Sa Mukhda" by Ali Haider and was bowled over it. The same feeling I got when I was heard Rehman with his Roja OST. "MESMERISING".

Pakistan in spite of its political and economic turmoil has given us some great pop bands. Its music is rich in lyrics , a classical touch with strong melody and a sufiyana side ; evident in most of the songs.

I have been an ardent follower of paskistani music right from the days of Vital Signs , Strings , Junoon to present day collaboration of Coke Studio sessions.

I'll like to discuss couple of things here about Pakistani Music.

Firstly ---
COKE STUDIO - It's an initiative by Rohil Hyatt ( one of the founder of Vital Signs & a icon in Pak music scene ). He brings together versatile artists along with pop , rock , sufi , folk who jam together to initiate a music collaboration, in the present day pakistan amidst violent turmoils and unstable political -economic scenario.
A brilliant initiative.
www.cokestudio.com.pk
Check out for some brilliant groundbreaking music collaborations.

Secondly ---
A very subtle observation , seldom do we have recording available to public listening of upcoming "UNDERGROUND BANDS" but guess what we have it here. Thanks to APNIISP.COM we have offerings from Pak Underground Bands .You'll surprised by the kind of talent these guys have, Check it out.
http://www.apniisp.com/songs/pakistani-underground/5/1.html
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Why Special To Me
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The compositions just take me to another level , whether its haunting 'Dair Ho Gayi' by Vital Signs , brilliant Aaankhon Ke Sagaar / Neend Na Aaye by Fuzon or the populist Woh Lamhe by JAL.

My Ten picks ( Not in any order )

1) Ajnabi / Dair ho Gayi - Vital Signs
2) Neend Aati Nahin - Junoon
3) Sar Kiya Ye Pahar - Strings
4) Aap Ki Yaad / Aansoo - Ahmed Jahanzeb
5) Woh Lamhein / Aadat - JAL
6) Anakhon ke Sagaar / Neend Na Aaaye - Fuzon
7) Chand Sa Mukhda - Ali Haider
8) Dil ki Lagi - Nazia Hasan / Zoheb Hasan
9) Roya Re - Shiraz Uppal
10)Kamod - Ahmed Jahanzeb


" The artists their ; maybe still sing with HONESTY & from their HEARTS & SOUL "

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 13 - BLACK HAWK DOWN

" People ask me , Why do you do it Hoot? Are you kinda War Junkie or something. I say they won'y understand because ITS ABOUT THE MAN NEXT TO YOU . That's it the man next to you "
-- Eric Bana as Hoot

As the music starts to play you know it has to be Hans Zimmer in one of its another masterstroke. Its called " Burra Burra " by Richard Taha - Algerian musician.

This movie epitomises the plight of soldiers around the world fighting & surviving in order to restore peace in unknown dark territories.

It tells the story of Battle of Mogadishu.
In a raid, a task force of Delta Force soldiers, Army Rangers, and Special Operations Aviation Regiment attempt of US Armed forces battle it out against the Somali Militia to capture one of its leaders responsible for genocide & humane attrocities beyong imagination.

No one wants a war we are taught coz it leads to destruction , but there are forces & people who put their selfish agendas & lead the community & nation to the verge of a war & killing in name of caste , religion , creed , sect , land , control so on....

This is the best War Movie ever made , again we have a maverick director called "Ridley Scott" who gave us cult classics like Blade Runner , Alien , Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven , American Gangster to name a few.

The camera , editing , war sequences & above all the sharp script takes you on the dangerous streets of Somalia & you feel the tension & heat as if you are there.

Depicting War at its best.
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Why Special to Me
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Best War Movie ever made.
Watch out Eric Bana & Josh Hartnett conversation at the end of the movie. Too Good. Both are superb in the movie. Bana proves his enormous screen presence as Hoot.

But in this movie its the screenplay & crisp editing which is the winner.
Again all credit goes to the genuis of Ridley Scott.

Just watch it out for Ridley Scott & brilliant composition by Hans Zimmer.

Directed - Ridley Scott
Produced - Jerry Bruckheimer & Ridley Scott
Cast - Josh Hartnett , Eric Bana , Evan Mcgregor , Orlando Bloom
Music - Hans Zimmer

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 12 - FATHER'S WAY

Well
Poems & Ballads have been written on MOTHER & her love which she bestows on her family. The sheer compassion which she exudes is an innate characteristic.

But seldom we find a piece on FATHER. I have been very close to my father even than my mother. He has in subtle ways influenced my thinking & affected my judgement. It won't be an exaggeration if I may say that my whole thought process owes him a great deal.

FATHER'S WAY is a song sung by Seal ( An English R&B / Soul singer ) for the movie "The Pursuit of Happyness". Its a beautiful movie which displays the relationship between a father & a son amidst the struggles of life. & the song brings this feeling in a very aesthetic manner.
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The lyrics goes like this :

"I build a fence around you in a father’s way
I try to feel what it is your going through
Co’s I’ve played many ways
When you grow, how much will it take to slow you down…
Half the way? "

Will Smith as a father tries to protect , provide , teach & loves his kid ; amidst his struggles in his life.
Maybe he paves way for his son a "FATHER'S WAY" which he may go on to follow in his future.

Seal has sung it beautifully with his mellifulous voice.

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Why Special to Me
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Its subtle but there's a way I could see in my life which my father had unknowingly made for me. It was paved with values & ethics. It was lighted with honesty & perseverance. It culminated with a sense of satisfaction with a forevision of another goal & path to embark upon.
This song conveys this to me.

MY FATHER'S WAY

OST - The Pursuit of Happyness
Singer - Seal

MUSIC AND MOVIES - 11 - MUNICH

Every civilisation finds it necessary to negotiate and compromises with its own values.
--- Golda Meir ( Former Women President of Israel )
26 Nov 2008 , Mumbai
The nation was in a state of shock on the terrorist attacks on Mumbai & the catastrophic consequences which it brought with its culmination.

I saw Munich just couple of days after this incident. The day I heard this I took a long walk , I had no closed ones as a casualty in that carnage. But still I had mixed feelings, it was not a state of sorrow but a state of anguish & despair.
Something must be done to stop these maniacs.

The movie MUNICH answered few of my questions !!
It depicts Israeli government's secret retaliation attacks after the massacre of Israeli athletes by Black September militant group during the 1972 Summer Olympics.

Well this is a Stephen Spielberg movie , maybe I should leave it just saying that its a Spielberg movie. The guy who gave us Jurassic Park , Schindler's List , ET etc considered one of the greatest director's of our times.
The movie's strength is the power packed , hard hitting & razor sharp screenplay of Tony Kushner & Eric Roth.

The scene where Eric Bana and his team decides to go to Beirut & slay the guys responsible for the Munich massacre on their own turf. They land via ship ,fix their disguise & pack their arms , kill the responsible & then just slip out of the place as they were never there. It makes us believe that culprits wherever they are hidden can be identified , located & hunted down if you have the political will & courage to do it.Whether it's a Dawood or Osama everyone can be traced. No one is invincible.

The movie not only depicts the Operation Black September & its aftermath but also raised serious moral dilemmas and question on the killings & fight for peace.

Spielberg ( himself a Jew ) has not been biased but even brought out the plight of the Palestinians in the scene where Ali asks Hafner the question that "How does it feel when you take away HOME from a person ? Where would he go & what would he do ? "
Though provoking yet compelling.

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Why So Special
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Sheer audacity of Golda Meir & Israelis to combat terrorism. Maybe its not the best way but they tried with sheer courage , honesty & conviction.
Maybe "An eye for an eye blinds the whole world !! " but for a second this seems to be the best we have.
MUNICH is a masterpiece from the house of Spielberg which brings out these emotions & moral dilemmas in a very beautiful manner.

Watch it out for the haunting music / OST of John Williams.

Munich
Director - Steven Spielberg
Screenplay - Tony Kushner & Eric Roth
Cast - Eric Bana , Daniel Craig , Geoffrey Rush
Music - John Williams