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Apur Sansar (1959)

This is the conclusion of the Apu trilogy depicting Apu's life as a young man. As to be expected this part centers on the topic of love, but the movie took me fully by surprise. It's a love story (and horrific tragedy) unlike any other you will find in cinema, and for a while I was sceptical that it would turn into love in any form at all. I won't mention too much, since I can only recommend to see it for yourself.

All in all I have been overwhelmed by the whole trilogy, and I'll now seek out Satyajit Ray's further works.

Aparajito (1956)

After the tragic death of Apu's sister his parents decide to move to the city Benares, but fate brings the family further blows and a new outcome to Apu's future.

Again, Ray has managed to turn this family drama into another heartbreaking masterpiece. Utilizing a similar style as in the first part the director skillfully contrasts village and city life with all its advantages and disadvantages. The tragedy of Aparajito is, however, even magnified compared to Pather Panchali.

Pather Panchali (1955)

Ever since I started getting interested in cinema and its history, which is soon 4 decades ago, I have been wanting to see Satyajit Ray's works, and especially the Apu trilogy. All these years his movies haven't been available as film copies (and still aren't), and German TV never thought it necessary to broadcast these classics, not to speak of a complete retrospective.

I must admit I had grown sceptic suspecting these movies to be meanwhile outdated or maybe a bit schmaltzy. But I was completely wrong! Yes, the movie is slowly paced, but has a rhythm all of its own, a simple epic perfectly depicting the ups and downs of life. The movie is meticulously composed in single sequences, many of sheer breathtaking beauty, and step by step you grow more acquainted with the characters and their fates. This would be a perfect example for film studies, you could learn immensely from this movie, and so much more astounding that all participants (except some actors) were complete amateurs when making this movie!

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