Negative Positive
Title: THE MUSIC ROOM
Review: The only Ray films I've seen are THE APU TRILOGY & DISTANT THUNDER, so this was a treat. He achieves a nice balance b/w cynical observation of the aristocrat & melodramatic, even maudlin, sympathy. Lead actor Biswas' 1st name is pronounced "chubby", & indeed here he looks & acts like an overfed baby. Crisp, elegant cinematography, w/ lovely tracking shots, of the desolate palace w/ furniture all sold @ auction. The symbolism is rilly heavy-handed, but it's shot so well that one doesn't mind. Then there's the music: the zamindar blows the last of his fortune hiring the very best musicians, so we're treated to *3* scenes of complete songs by India's best musicians & dancers. Biswas IRL was basically tone-deaf w/ zero ear for music, so his convincing appreciation of it is a testament to his acting & Ray's direction. 8/10
Is the review positive or negative? 