Its raining and raining hard in Västerås the last few days. I am totally stuck up at home, just sleeping and doing nothing. After breakfast, a nap, then lunch and another nap and then evening tea and another nap. Oops, that was too much. "Aaloo" (potato) khao aur so jao, that is my routine. Potatoes have become a daily diet and I am buying at least 1kg every week. But the excitement in life never stops for me. I watched a movie and then went for a walk in the rain.Friday evening, I watched "The Deer Hunter" with Robert De Niro
and Meryl Streep in the lead. This movie won the Oscar in 1978. This is a great movie and I would rate this as one of the best performances of Robert De Niro. As for Meryl Streep, I don't have words. Her fantastic performance just added that extra charm to her extremely beautiful face and expressions. I would suggest people to watch this movie if u haven't. If you are scared of blood, then u have to be slightly careful. The first half opens to friendship and togetherness, the type of relationship which is often showcased in movies only, but probably never happens in real life (according to me). Today, people are concerned about self and what works good for them and thats the basis where all relationships are formed. Anyway, coming back to the movie, its more of fun and romance in the first half and a few of the songs are worth listening and prompting. Listen to this ultimate romantic number "Can't take my eyes off you" by Frankie Valli. What lyrics - it pinches right where it has to - the heart :). The youtube links are here:1. In the movie "The Deer Hunter" - "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HWEBE0F1FQ"
2. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons - "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0IM7Mvg80w"
Saturday was total rest day, eating and sleeping as I mentioned. Today morning (Sunday), I woke up with a slight headache (probably due to excessive sleeping) and I was in no mood to stay at home. Had my regular talk with a friend over the net and then decided to go to the city center for a walk during lunch time. It started raining just when I was about to go out, but to hell with the rain. Indians are not scared of the rain, right ! There was another reason for which I have to go to the city center. That was to get my already reserved ticket for the Deep Purple indoor concert (http://www.sigurdsgatan25.se/program/?e=3009 or http://www.deeppurple.se/) this coming Tuesday at Västerås. U r right. Its a Deep Deep Purple Show... Yahoo... Can u imagine - everything what I like is happening here in Västerås one after the other. Purple has been one of my favorite bands and it has been my desire to watch them perform live. They were in Bangalore too, but I could not make it to the show. Chalo, hopefully ek aur ichha bhi puri hone ke chances hai. I thought I would be the only one walking in the rain with an umbrella, but I was surprised when I saw quite a few people on the streets. There were few ladies too walking, but without any umbrella and running around from one shed to the other. They are the free and modern ladies - the ones who want to be always free. I think you are prompting the same song with me - "ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si, soti raaton mein jaagi si"... The only difference was that I was sleepy and they weren't. Yes, it was fun walking in the rain. The rain umbrella was just for show actually and I was drenched. I could reach the tourist information centre where the ticket was 
booked for me well in time. Today being Sunday, most of the shops in Västerås were supposed to close around 14 - 15 hrs. In fact, this being semester time out here, several of the shops are temporarily closed for a couple of weeks while the open ones are open only for short durations. When there are no customers, who will buy? I didn't have much work to do, so roamed around the shops and ended up spending a good amount of money... I don't have much photographs to put up this week...
It was a great time for all the three friends till the time when they have to get separated to serve the country in the Vietnam war. They bid goodbye to each other at one of the friend's wedding ceremony. As luck would have it, the friends again meet each other during the war and all three of them were captured by the Viet Cong. They were able to run away together from the camp and yet again, they get separated. De Niro comes back to the US mentally disturbed, one of the other friends stayed back in Vietnam playing Russian roulette and the third friend also came back to the US crippled. The friendship though still remained and each one of them was doing their best for each other. This movie is a story about the intricacies of life - the ecstasies of good times, the pains of separation and the sufferings created by different situations. In spite of everything, life has to still go on and all dreams need to be restructured time and again. I admire the performance of young Christopher Walken as Nick.
Now, the best scene: the Russian roulette scene at the Viet Cong camp. A bullet is inserted into the revolver cylinder and the Viet Cong leader rotates the cylinder. Then the prisoners have to take the revolver and shoot at their temple. The soldiers will put a bet on whether the bullet will fire or not. Finally, one of them dies when the bullet fires. In this particular scene, just to excite the commander, De Niro suggests putting 3 bullets in the cylinder and rotating rather than just one. You have to watch the movie to see the drama. You can watch it on Youtube too, but be careful if u r weak-hearted. Here's the link:
Now, the best scene: the Russian roulette scene at the Viet Cong camp. A bullet is inserted into the revolver cylinder and the Viet Cong leader rotates the cylinder. Then the prisoners have to take the revolver and shoot at their temple. The soldiers will put a bet on whether the bullet will fire or not. Finally, one of them dies when the bullet fires. In this particular scene, just to excite the commander, De Niro suggests putting 3 bullets in the cylinder and rotating rather than just one. You have to watch the movie to see the drama. You can watch it on Youtube too, but be careful if u r weak-hearted. Here's the link:
And for all those who want to watch Meryl Streep, here's the link. The first portion is the scene from "The Deer Hunter".
Saturday was total rest day, eating and sleeping as I mentioned. Today morning (Sunday), I woke up with a slight headache (probably due to excessive sleeping) and I was in no mood to stay at home. Had my regular talk with a friend over the net and then decided to go to the city center for a walk during lunch time. It started raining just when I was about to go out, but to hell with the rain. Indians are not scared of the rain, right ! There was another reason for which I have to go to the city center. That was to get my already reserved ticket for the Deep Purple indoor concert (http://www.sigurdsgatan25.se/program/?e=3009 or http://www.deeppurple.se/) this coming Tuesday at Västerås. U r right. Its a Deep Deep Purple Show... Yahoo... Can u imagine - everything what I like is happening here in Västerås one after the other. Purple has been one of my favorite bands and it has been my desire to watch them perform live. They were in Bangalore too, but I could not make it to the show. Chalo, hopefully ek aur ichha bhi puri hone ke chances hai. I thought I would be the only one walking in the rain with an umbrella, but I was surprised when I saw quite a few people on the streets. There were few ladies too walking, but without any umbrella and running around from one shed to the other. They are the free and modern ladies - the ones who want to be always free. I think you are prompting the same song with me - "ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si, soti raaton mein jaagi si"... The only difference was that I was sleepy and they weren't. Yes, it was fun walking in the rain. The rain umbrella was just for show actually and I was drenched. I could reach the tourist information centre where the ticket was 
booked for me well in time. Today being Sunday, most of the shops in Västerås were supposed to close around 14 - 15 hrs. In fact, this being semester time out here, several of the shops are temporarily closed for a couple of weeks while the open ones are open only for short durations. When there are no customers, who will buy? I didn't have much work to do, so roamed around the shops and ended up spending a good amount of money... I don't have much photographs to put up this week...I am now eagerly waiting for the Purple show... Hope they put some Smoke on the Water in wet Västerås...
U all keep enjoying as always :)
Rains rains... its raining in Delhi too...!!
ReplyDeleteAs i started reading your post I thought you would start complaining about rains... but to my joy, you didn't... in fact you acted the way just i would do... walk in the rain... I LOVE RAINS. the only time I have hated rain is (you ought to know this Santanu.) during VIBES... oh hell, that was the only time that I really prayed for Rain Gods to show some mercy...
PS: i skipped part of the post, the one that enlightens us about the details of the story of the movie... :O how could you recommend a movie and give the details of the storyline at the same time! that too w.o. a spoiler warning! :o
Yes, rains are exciting and thrilling... And lets not get into the Vibes mode... It will give me sleepless nights again :)
ReplyDeleteSurprisingly, there were poodles of water on the streets out here too and I had the fun of getting into that...
As for the movie, whatever I wrote is just a glimpse, my opinion of course... There are many other interesting things in the movie which I liked of course... Maybe others maynot like it... So watch it... :)