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Film Songs and sequences that would make good Music Videos

Topic started by Srinath (@ socks14d.raleigh.ibm.com) on Fri Jul 17 16:13:54 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

I was just wondering about the usefulness of songs in movies and felt that in most cases the picturisation did not complement the songs. However, there appear to be some song sequences which stand apart by their depiction of the song in progress. Most of these would have songs in the background, I guess. But their might also be some where the hero and heroine singing makes sense to the movie and the lyrics. Care to help me build a comprehensive list ?

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: vijay (@ 129.252.27.248) on: Sun Jul 19 02:56:56 EDT 1998
  
  Varghese,
  unfortunately the concept of recording assorted songs etc. is not there in U.S. this applies to audio cassettes as well. all shops here have only CD's. they do not record any assorted english songs. I hate CD's because we are forced to listen to what is there on the CD and not what we would like to hear. for this very reason i consider audio cassetes superior to CD's. we can record whatever we want on the cassette and can listen to it unlike a CD.i hope something like that is discovered for a CD too.
  
  thanks for mentioning the collections.
  
  
• From: Kanchana (@ spider-tp052.proxy.aol.com) on: Sun Jul 19 12:21:03 EDT 1998
  
  Vijay:
  There is a recordable CD, referred to as CD-R which has been used in industrial applications before, but now is available at retail for consumers. That should allow the luxury of recording only what you like while still retaining the CD quality sound.
  
  Srinath:
  I think chinna chinna kaNNanukku is from vAzhkkaippadagu.
  
  Topic:
  engE nimmadhi from pudhiya paRavai:
  The song is a cry of despair from the hero who sees his new lease on life slipping away as his wife whom he thinks he has murdered shows up suddenly and starts a game of subtle psychological torment. The scene is reminiscent of a Wagnerian opera, with images of his first wife and his new lady love represented very symbolically. Since it is in operatic style, the exaggerated symbolism thru lyrics, stark setting, effective use of light/shadow, and the emotional acting seems perfectly natural, and communicate total torment.
  
  Slightly before its times in concept, IMO. Excellent teamwork by Director Dhadha Mirasi, Kannadhasan, MSV-TKR, TMS, Shivaji, Light Technicians, and Set Decorator.
  
  I think this song holds the record to date for the usage of maximum number of violins in TFM--knowledgeables, please correct me if I'm wrong.
  
  kELviyin nAyakanE from appoorva rAgangaL:
  A totally twisted situation everyone is familiar with, a medley of characters trapped in the gray area between individual needs and social norms, "sensitive" questions to be asked, tough decisions to be made. What better role does a song serve than to substitute for dialog to make the presentation of a complex, sensitive situation simple, tasteful and poetic?
  
  Unforgettable teamwork by KB, Kannadhasan, MSV, VJ, Kamalahasan, Rajnikanth, SriVidya, Jayasudha and Sundararajan. Special mention goes to Kannadhasan for the lyrics which sub for the dialog and MSV -- Vani Jayaram/Sashirekha for the katcheri-quality music with meaningful "thani Avarththanams".
  
  Punnagai Mannan Instrumental:
  The hero is torn between the memory of his previous love who is dead now, the guilt associated with her death, his newly-blossoming love for another woman and his questions around the right/wrongs of this new love. This is an expression of his struggles with his intense feelings of guilt, remorse, love, where finally love overcomes all.
  
  Excellent teamwork by KB, IR, Kamalahasan & Revathy in terms of concept, direction, music, and acting. Music and acting say it all, without the need for lyrics.
  
  The following is a copy of my posting describing Raja's music for this scene from the "Tamil Film Music Categories" thread in the archives:
  The "motive" for the theme for this instrumental is actually "exposed" in the very simple piano piece played by Kamalahasan a few scenes earlier, where the sounds of a door opening & shutting establishes the basic rhythm before the start of the piano piece. In the main scene, Revathy's clapping and a more elaborate percussion develop that simple door-slamming rhythm further while the simple piano melody is also developed further. Thru a combination of percussion, string, piano, and organ with varied layering and "texture" at different points IR weaves an intricate embroidery and gradually shows the latent energies of that simple piano theme until it reaches its maximal tension level, and finishes with an ordinary tension-release piece at the end, all in line with the intense mood of the scene. Despite its short duration, this comes quite close to the definition of "thematic development" in the western classical sense--using techniques & orchestration to take a simple melodic/rhythmic kernel and pushing it to the limit.
  
  kaNNALanE from Bombay:
  Situation very familiar to everyone, and in a way quite common in TF: girl singing out to the guy about her feelings after their initial encounter. The key difference here is the excellent cinematography including the camera angles and movement to accentuate feelings. As the girl is searching for the guy in the shifting crowd, the camera basically swivels around to communicate the speed with which she scans the crowd for his face.
  
  Credit goes to Manirathnam, Shriram (correct name for cinematographer?), Vairamuththu and ARRahman.
  
  Since veNNilavE veNNilavE from minsArak kanavu has been mentioned before, I won't get into the details. But, this song uses choreography to speak in addition to (and sometimes more than) the lyrics.
  
  
• From: G. Varghese (@ 142.194.172.205) on: Sun Jul 19 18:17:51 EDT 1998
  
  I reviewed one of my "old" TFM videos. Most of the songs are great, but for a musical video, we need the total blend of the visual, musical and emotional effects. Two songs that stood out are:
  
  "Kaalangalil Aval Vasantham" from PAAVA MANNIPPU
  "Aval Paranthu Ponaalei" from PAAR MAGALEI PAAR
  
  And of course, there is my all-time favourite:
  
  "Athisaya Raagam" from APOORVA RAAGANGAL.
  
  The visuals are OK, but the song itself is one of the very best of Kannadasan, MSV, KJY, KH, SV, and KB.
  
  
• From: S.Suresh (@ dwarpal.wipsys.soft.net) on: Mon Jul 20 02:54:16 EDT 1998
  
  Kanchana,
  
  You got there before me with respect to "Enge Nimmadhi". Couldnt have described it better.
  
  The photography for Bombay was done by Rajiv Menon. Menon also did the direction for "Vennilave Vennilave". I was very impressed by the setting and the dance steps. That is, until I saw an old English movie "An American in Paris". The setting, the steps have all been lifted form this movie. Infact the dance in the English movie was executed with great perfection.
  
  My list of best song sequences :
  
  Kannan Vanthan ange Kannan Vanthan (Ramu):
  
  The scence opens with Gemini walking along the beach with his son, who is now dumb. From far away floats the starting words , "Nambinar Keduvathillai Naan Marai Theerpu". Kannadasan had this unique ability of conveying great thoughts in the simplest of words. The "ganner" voice of Seergazhi, the excellent music of MSV take over.
  Gemini esentially is trying to finnd ways of making his son speak. The sadness in Gemini's face as he stands in the doorway of the temple is touching. The words are bang on spot, "Thaedi Nindra Kanngalile Kannan Vanthan, Deepam Ondru Kaiyil Enthi Kannan Vanthan". They seem to tell the hero that all is not lost and God shall show him the path.
  
  Initially it is a sage type (Nagayaa?) character who is singing. The song goes up a level when Gemini joins the singing. His greif comes out very effectively and the final "Charanagadhi" happens with the words "En Kavalayai Unnidam nan Sonnen Kanna".
  
  This song is generally screen some time late in the night in Raj TV. Every time I listen to it, something deep down in the heart is touched. Maybe that is the hall mark of great song.
  
  Mouname Paarvaiyal Oru Paatu Paada Vendum (Can someone tell me the movie name) :
  
  The reason I like this song picturisation is the intimacy that it brings between the lead characters. You can feel that they like each other and that love is conveyed so effectively. This is applicable to a lot of old song sequences. Unfortunately, nowadays it is very difficult to see the hero and heroine alone in a song sequence. Even in the much praised "Vennilave Vennilave" you find lot of dancers in the background. All these "fillers" spoil the intimacy that could be conveyed. Similar song which conveys the intimacy is "Anbulla Manvizhiye Aasayil Oru Kaditham".
  
  O Papa Laali (Geetanjali/Telugu, Idayathai Thirudathe/Tamil) :
  
  Extremely well shot by P C Sriram. Very well directed by Manirathnam. The voice of Balu (Telugu). In fact all the songs in this movie were very well picturised. The pathos of the situation does get thru as well as the love the hero has for the heroine. The images just refuse to go away from your mind. Must admit that Manirathnam was one of the first to start getting these wonderful images for the song sequences. Nowadays great images are used but the emotions are totally stripped away.
  
  
• From: rjay (@ 204.220.169.94) on: Mon Jul 20 05:17:54 EDT 1998
  
  Yaaruppa Bharat, you clean-bowled me!
  
  I immediately thought of two songs and found
  that you had mentioned both!
  
  Valaiyosai and Thandana Thatthana.
  The latter is a work of a collection of
  geniuses - KB (setting the situation)
  MSV (taxing chandam) KD (best of this group!)
  Kamalahaasan and Sridevi- make this look
  so natural! I still wonder how they could
  maintain the spontaneity, it must have been
  shot in one take!
  
  ***
  
  I also think of a MTVlike song shot in
  Vijayakanth's Bharathan (sung by Ilayaraja)
  Dance and photography were quite impressive
  as also the lively, unique-style music by Raja.
  
  Can anyone name it, I was so obsessed with
  the song for 3 or 4 weeks but strangely cant recollect it right now!
  
  Oh , wait a minute, my memory did not fail me -
  Punnagaiyil minsaram pongi varum...
  
  
  
• From: bib (@ webgate0.mot.com) on: Mon Jul 20 06:55:23 EDT 1998
  
  "Poovannam Pola nenjam " from azhiyatha kolangal.
  The song's picturised in a village called nangavaram near trichy.The song goes in the BG while pratap and shoba chat while having a stroll in the fields, river banks etc.
  
  The opening scene of the movie is worth mentioning in this context.It starts with dawn (rays emerging from the horizon) and by the time the title ends the sun 'd be fully visible,the camera being in the same position.
  A nice piece to appreciate Balumahendra.
  
  
• From: Chandramouli (@ kcpxy4.att.com) on: Mon Jul 20 10:55:22 EDT 1998
  
  From What u guys have mentioned in this thread I find the following songs good too
  1. Pon Maalai Pozhudhu - Nizhalgal
  2. Malare Malare Ullaasam - Un Kannil Neer Vazhindhal. THe song is shot with Rajini and Madhavi walking in Ooty( I think Iam right ). No great histrionics, just practical tete-a-tete between lovers much like "Rajanodu Rani vandhu" from Sathi Leelavathi.
  3. Even "Andhi Mazhai" would qualify I guess.
  4. Ofcourse the song that was once used for a TV ad "Kaadhalin Dheepam Onru" from "Thambikku endha ooru".
  Among the oldies My choice would be
  1. Amaidhiyaana Nadhiyinille oodam - The song is picturised in the morning with the Hero and the Heroine on a padagu floating gently on a river, much like the song.
  2. Manidhan enbavan dheiyvam aagalam - Sumaithaangi
  
  
  I hope that my list confirm to what Srinath expects
  
  

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