திரையில் பார்த்து வியந்த தருணங்கள் / Visually challenging scenes on screen

Today when I was watching this song yet another time for its sheer innovation for not just the idea, for executing perfectly, wanted to know from you all if there are similar technically challenging visuals with equal amount of innovation on screen. Need not be just from thamizh films, can be from any Indian films. Don't want to go to World films as they are different beasts altogether.



When I watched this song in theatre, I still remember how overwhelming and caused goosebumps long after the song was over. Whenever I watch, it again happens to me.

This may be cliched and overdone now, but when I watched this scene for the first time (in Albert Theater, Chennai), first time I saw the audience thoroughly engrossed and clapping non-stop. I wasn't sure why they were clapping until the scene unfolded itself. From 7:28 onwards. Thoroughly mesmerizing scene from Oomai VizhigaL.

No one can forget Telugu mythological/fantasy masterpieces of 50s and 60s. No one does it like them. PaathaaLa Bhairavi, Maaya Bazaar, Jagadeka Veeruni Katha, Seetharama Kalyanam, Bhookailas and many others not only were and are ahead of times, they also make mockery of today's films in terms of  production values when having technology to their fullest aid. Cinematographers like legendary Marcus Bartley, Madhave Bulbule, Ravikant Nagaich conceived the unachievable and achieved what today's films cannot even dream of. I really applaud movies of 50s especially, when there was not much help from technology. I still visualize how breath-taking it was when watching PaathaLa Bhairavi and Maaya Bazaar. Not just my eyes, my mouth was wide open when I saw the visual extravaganza in these films. How many times I see, it is still fresh and new, every scene that is. The building of Maaya Bazaar (city) by Gadothgajan's ministers during the climax is absolutely stunning. It is like a heaven built in front of our eyes. A masterpiece of all times. For now the ever popular vivaaha bOjanambu (remastered color version)

Nice thread saar.

Just an additional rejoinder. The Neela Vaanam song owed its picturization/execution idea to this track. From 3 mins on, even the execution is closely borrowed:



One scene which always has me flabbergasted is the opening 20 minutes of Aboorva Sagodharargal. Ducks quack, peaceful, rural place. JEEP BURSTS THROUGH A HUT. WOW! Whatever follows till the 2 Kamals grow up/Sividhya takes Appu to the circus is breathless, exhibition of an insane control over the medium, where every aspect of cinema peaks. And whattey BGM from Raaja!

Thanks DM for that eye-opener on Neela vaanam inspiration. Still it was an excellent effort.

Aboorva SagOtharargaL title sequence was a shocker for me as well, as no one would have expected a jeep flying there. Mastery of Kamal!

Those who are regular on twitter might know about this song which P_R shared and even wrote a brilliant article with in-depth analysis about the song's visual sequences.
http://dagalti.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-wonder-that-was.html


This was done way back in 1944 considering the help they got from technology, it is phenomenal in every way. Perfect eye-to-eye co-ordination, precise editing, the way P U Chinappa plays mridangam, ganjeera and delivers konnakkOl in a natural and professional way with enormous ease, he and Cinematographer V. Krishan deserves a huge   Visual brilliance!!

There is also an article in The Hindu written by Randor Guy
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/jagathalaprathapan-1944/article569093.ece