5 cinematic masterpiece for nerds

These films are a must-watch for the those who believe in magical storytelling and the greatness of big screen

RAWALPINDI: Cinema is one of the most stimulating forms of art that forces the brain to think in infinite dimensions. Arguably, it contains and incorporates many other forms of including dance, music, drama, photography, animation and even painting to some extent.

While people and critics remain divided on whether cinema should be placed on a high pedestal in the history of art or not, there are films which have played a key role in changing the mindset of society and the course of screen studies.

Citizen Kane (1941)

Charles Foster Kane: "Rosebud".

PHOTO: FILE

Seen to be on number one in plethora of 'Greatest Films' lists due to its epic storytelling and excellent cinematography; it is some film to watch! The storyline includes a band of reporters who are trying to decipher the last words of Charles Foster Kane, a millionaire newspaper magnate - "Rosebud."

Viewers are thrown into gloriously chaotic flashbacks which are a collection/summary of the man's captivating life - from his difficult childhood; to his rise to power and success; and finally, to his fall from grace.

It is a powerful film with a strong message of how wealth can cost your soul. The protagonist, Kane, originates from a poor family but comes to wealth, however, it leaves him hallow. He is able to buy everything money can but realises that 'human connection' is priceless. According to many, this film is a masterpiece and a pinnacle of American cinema.

Godfather (1972)

PHOTO: FILE

Don Vito Corleone: "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse."

Godfather is one of those extremely rare films which have no weakness and is widely regarded as an evergreen masterpiece. The film is based on Mario Puzo's novel (of the same name) and revolves around the Corleones, and Italian-American mafia family in New York.

The family's way of smoothly running their business is well-defined by the Don Corleone himself before external, as well as internal, conflicts turn this epic saga into a definition of loyalty, corruption, betrayal, love, hatred and much more. This film has the ingredients; including a strong script, excellent casting (with Brando and Al Pacino owning the screen), flawless acting and ace directing. It is a trend setter for other films of the same genre.

Psycho (1960)

Norman Bates: "People always mean well. They cluck their thick tongues and suggest oh, so very delicately..."

PHOTO: FILE

At the time Psycho came out, the horror genre was limited to monsters, werewolves, vampires and the sorts. This film, however, totally skewed the genre and introduced the audience a whole new dimension of psychological thrillers. In fact, this film is the first 'thriller' ever, and probably one of the best, with scenes sending chills down the spine even today - a feat only Master Alfred Hitchcock could achieve!

The film is based on events with a woman, Marion, who is on the run with some stolen money in order to start a new life. While on the way, she is met by a thunderstorm which forces her to take refuge in a shady motel managed a quiet young man, Norman, who is a victim of abuse by his own mother.

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This situation has turned him into a psycho. A shot in the film, famously known as the 'shower scene', is one of the chief reasons to see this picture and at that time, no one had ever anticipated that cinema could show something so blunt and surreal. This film was a daring and a fearless experiment from Hitchcock which proved to be a big success. Great films can be made from great little things, and not through just big moments or fancy visuals; Psycho is just that.

Seven Samurai (1954)

Kambei leader of samurai: "This is the nature of war. By protecting others, you save yourselves."

PHOTO: FILE

This film is said to be one of the richest works ever committed to celluloid and the best one from Kurosawa. The storyline of Seven Samurai involves a veteran Samurai who is asked to protect a defenceless village against the threat of local bandits. To do so, he recruits six other samurai, and this team of seven starts training the villagers for self-defence.

In return, the poor villagers supply the team with three meals a day. The film comes to its climax with a gruesome battle against a 40-men army of bandits who want to take over the village. About once every two decades, we are gifted with a masterpiece that contains strong meaning, richness, and technique that Seven Samurai has.

The film stresses on how morality and ethics are the traits which differentiate men from evil. Samurai traditions included an extremely specified code of ethics - Bushido - but Kurosawa examines how these moral codes could be ignored at times of war and chaos. The cinematics are nothing short of beautiful poetry with unparalleled state of emotions.

Metropolis (1927)

PHOTO: FILE

An epic science fiction film depicting what the future would look like -  considering the way people were living back then - was nothing short of a brilliant experiment by Fritz Lang.

Metropolis is a silent film and the story shows a utopian era metropolis which is run by one man and the society is based on a 'hierarchical' system with the lowest lot doing the toughest, most dirty work, while the rich enjoy the extravagant life. The film is full of of gigantic, sinister looking machinery which also turns into a monster which consumes the workers who are then replaced by new ones.

The meaning behind the film is deep and depicts the dark voids by which society hangs. The huge gap between the way of life of a poor man and the rich man is the main moral of the story. The gap is ever-increasing, and is the largest in this century, hence proving that Lang rightly predicted the future. Bravo!

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