Disco Dancer! (may contain spoilers and/or nut products)

[Darshana]

Bad news:  My Disco Dancer date has been postponed again.  The friend in question has an exam and a paper due next week.  Someday ...

Thanks for the update, Carla, but remember  . . . Kal Ho Naa Ho

[Dil Bert]

I enjoyed it; Bollybob and other reviews have done a good job describing this film.  I suspect that no other movie so failed to deliver on the aspirations of its makers.

[Darshana]

Carla - still holding on to that copy of Disco Dancer?   Does this help prod you into viewing it?

[carla]

Carla - still holding on to that copy of Disco Dancer?   Does this help prod you into viewing it?

You know, my so-called friend, for whom I have been loyally waiting and waiting before enjoying the Disco Dancer experience, has not returned my emails or phone calls for more than three weeks now.  I am not sure what is up with her - she is one of the most mercurial and adventurous individuals that I have ever known, so it is entirely possible that she has left the country, or been arrested, or gone into voluntary seclusion, or decided that she is bored with me, I do not know.  It is all rather painful as I see things, hear things, and smell fragrances daily that remind me of her and make my heart ache with worry at what dreadful fate has befallen her or, worse, at what I might have done to offend her.  At any rate, in my moments of lucidity I begin to think that there is no point in sitting around waiting for this impulsive Persian delinquent to remember that she has a good and loving, if somewhat melancholy, friend named carla who is just sitting by the phone waiting eagerly for her to reappear. 

The upshot is, Darshana, that at this point watching Disco Dancer without her feels tantamount to admitting that I will never see her again.  That's melodramatic, but melodrama is what Bollywood - and, indeed, our entire friendship in some ways - is all about. 

 

Your picture is very enticing ... if only I didn't have so much Disco Dancer baggage ...

[filmifan]

just recently watched it and got a big kick out of it. it wasn't quite as campy as i was expecting - the story, fight scenes, and effects seemed pretty standard for the time it was made. but boy, those disco outfits. and yeah, i never equated being a disco dancer star as also including singing on stage while playing guitar. the other contestants in the International Disco competition should have called foul on that (and what was up with there only being one entry for all of Africa? - as opposed to Jimmy being the entry for a country, and some *ahem* groovy couple being the entry for the city of Paris).

i was disappointed though that one of my least favorite songs is the one Kishore Kumar sings.

[Darshana]

 

Your picture is very enticing ... if only I didn't have so much Disco Dancer baggage ...

Carla - don't you know about the Twelve Step Program for that?

meanwhile:

   

here is a typical disco audience (like anyone needed that explained)

[carla]

Darshana, the good news is, I did hear from my friend after I wrote that last overwrought, melodramatic post about her, and (though we didn't talk, it was just a phone message) she said she wanted to come watch Disco Dancer one evening soon. 

The other good news is that I heard "I'm A Disco Dancer" on desi-radio.com today, for the first time, and it was - how do I put this - A-W-E-S-O-M-E. 

[Darshana]

You know, I have been watching and listening to parts of that movie a lot lately because it's one of the ones I'm using to teach myself to make screen captures, and the music actually is good.  Or getting to seem that way to me!!!

Re: A-W-E-S-O-M-E : you may soon see the "audience participation" number -- you've now seen the audience - to

"Gimme a D!" - Disco!!!

"Gimme an I" -"Item!!!"  [no, I did not make this up]  . . . .

tell your friend to bring scissors, elastic, and some old colored bedsheets so she can make her costumes.  If she can get her hands on a Mary Hartline baton, so much the better.

ETA: correction: I think "D" is Dancing, not Disco - sorry

[albatross]

i started watching this...and after the dance where the sister throws shoes at him i took it off...it's not that bad or campy i thought...let's compare the 'real thing'

http://youtube.com/watch?v=30obH-NiJes&search=village%20people
really the production values and dancing isn't that much worse than the VP (funny how times have changed - it took like two years for people to figure out the village people were gay)
I guess I have seen enough of this stuff where it's kind of campy

yeah it was kind of funny here and there...but I just couldn get into it.....sorry Darshana 

[Darshana]

I don't think I've ever watched it all the way through myself but I still love it.  But as long as you saw the Krishna song, got a gilmpse of Om Puri . . .  Also the tragic accident to mother is an image that arguably belongs in your brain.

Also I hope you'll go read Bollybob's writing, there is a link to it I think from Debbie, anyhow up near the top of this topic.

Can't check our youtube link at the moment, in spite of good advice still have only dialup.

[carla]

Oh my God -  OM PURI IS IN DISCO DANCER?!!!???!?!?!?!! 

 

(Picks up jaw off floor and runs off to phone delinquent Persian friend ... can't wait any longer ... can't ... wait ... )

[stimpy]

Found the youtube link to 'Auva Auva Koi Yahan Nache' with the *greatest artiste* ever
The rolling movement on the floor is just sooo bad hahahah

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0DevxRnHM0Q&search=disco%20dancer

I loved Om Puri appearing after the song in 'Lecherous Sams' room and saying "I'm David Brown, your manager" 

When I looked for youtube links, I also found a song from the Disco Dancer Tamil remake 'Paadum Vaanampadi' pity I could only find the first song with Nagesh (the one with Rajesh Khanna) and none of the later disco madness ones. It made me curious to the rest of the film and who played Mithuns role, and wether it was as wonderfully terrible as Disco Dancer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9n8e4Dn0nsI&search=disco%20dancer

[filmifan]

When I looked for youtube links, I also found a song from the Disco Dancer Tamil remake 'Paadum Vaanampadi' pity I could only find the first song with Nagesh (the one with Rajesh Khanna) and none of the later disco madness ones. It made me curious to the rest of the film and who played Mithuns role, and wether it was as wonderfully terrible as Disco Dancer

http://youtube.com/watch?v=9n8e4Dn0nsI&search=disco%20dancer

now i'm curious as well! 

[stimpy]

now i'm curious as well! 

Well a little digging, but not much information. Anyway the one who played Mithuns role was one Anand Babu, son of comedy actor Nagesh (Nagesh is the one in the above youtube clip). Apparently he was quite a dancer, even hailed the Tamil Michael Jackson To loosely quote choreographer Kala; the way Prabhu Deva introduced Break dance to Tamil films, Anand Babu did disco. He started of in hero roles, but then quickly hit the bottle and dissapeared from the scene. This makes me wonder if the dancing might of been a little better than in the original. Was it a hit? Was it a flop? Did the whole of Tamil Nadu start dancing disco? I'm so tempted to try to get the film if it's on DVD. I'd really like to hear the music to the film, can't seem to find it anywhere.  

[CesmiSiyah]

You may want to read Army of Monkey's detailed 'review': http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/index.htm?http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/disco/disco_1.htm Hilarious!

[albatross]

You may want to read Army of Monkey's detailed 'review': http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/index.htm?http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/disco/disco_1.htm Hilarious!

That is pretty funny review

this little clip is hilarious
http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/index.htm?http://www.army-of-monkeys.com/disco/disco_video.htm

[carla]

Last night I had dinner with the friend who started my Disco Dancer odyssey some seven months ago.  I told her that she'd become infamous among a select few BollyWHAT?-ers for standing in between me and my ultimate Disco Dancer experience.

She declared that, because she is going to Iran next month, and possibly moving out of Boston after that, I should go ahead and watch Disco Dancer without her.  She said, "the second time you see it will be with me."  She is convinced, naturally, as am I, that I will want to see it a second time. 

I have a huge deadline on Monday and I don't know if I'll have time for Hindi movies this weekend as I may have to work long hours to meet the deadline.  But Disco Dancer has jumped the queue, and if not this weekend I'll watch it shortly thereafter - it WILL be the next Hindi film I see.
 

[filmifan]

She said, "the second time you see it will be with me."  She is convinced, naturally, as am I, that I will want to see it a second time. 

she's quite right, i'm afraid. i've already made my husband watch it, mainly so i had the excuse to see it again.

[chinchinchu]

just recently watched it and got a big kick out of it. it wasn't quite as campy as i was expecting - the story, fight scenes, and effects seemed pretty standard for the time it was made. but boy, those disco outfits. and yeah, i never equated being a disco dancer star as also including singing on stage while playing guitar. the other contestants in the International Disco competition should have called foul on that (and what was up with there only being one entry for all of Africa? - as opposed to Jimmy being the entry for a country, and some *ahem* groovy couple being the entry for the city of Paris).

i was disappointed though that one of my least favorite songs is the one Kishore Kumar sings.

I thought Kishore Kumar's performance of that E oo Ah song was one of his best ever! When I watched the film I found the song annoying, but when just listening to it on its own after that I was blown away by the sheer campy enthusiasm of the performance. He really could breathe so much life into a rather uninteresting song that it became more than worth listening to. Now that's talent!

[carla]

Guess what I watched two-thirds of last night ...

I won't say more until I get a chance to finish it (tonight, probably), but I just want you all to know (Darshana). 

[piyaara]

 I look forward to your review/thoughts, Carla.  I only hope you have a glitter ball revolving in your room while watching... 

[carla]

Okay.  Wow.  The lights are out, nothing but the shining glare of the computer screen (as I dilgently rip the songs off the Disco Dancer DVD) to illuminate my thoughts ... where to begin?  How do I relate this experience?  How can mere words convey the contents of my pounding heart?

I did love this movie, as everyone said I would.  I do have to say that I wouldn't want to watch too many like it - for it is truly awful, and such awfulness is not appreciated in quantity.  But there was so much that was delicious in the awfulness of this film, that I really do look forward to reliving it agin someday.  A brief, incomplete catalog of the campy goodness:

*  Rajesh Khanna.  He was a lovely surprise in the films opening scenes - though, good lord, is the man's dancing always so spastic?  I've only ever seen him in Bawarchi, in which - now that I think about it - he didn't dance.  Hm ... Anyhow, that song ("Goron ki na kalon ki") is actually a real, legitimately good filmi song.  Not what I expected in this film, and a great way to start the film - throws one off one's guard.

* Rajesh Khanna's mysterious reappearance at the end of the film, sporting ... the worst toupee in the history of Indian cinema.  My cat is still trying to attack it. 

* Young, slim, Om Puri.  Om - Om, Om, Om.  What happened?  I mean, he was great, but you have to ask - how does an actor with that kind of art-house cred end up in a film like Disco Dancer?  Do you think he just really need the money?  Did he lose a bet?  What?  It's like Dame Judi Dench making a guest appearance on "Baywatch."  It makes no sense. 

* Two words:  Guitar phobia.

* Is it just me, or was the girl who played Jimmy's girlfriend a kind of a two-bit Dimple Kapadia?  Maybe without the dimple? 

* Sam's one spotlight moment was awful - hard to believe that guy was the top disco dancer before Jimmy came along.   But I love that his song is a cheap, unsubtle ripoff of "Video Killed the Radio Star."   Oh-wa-oh!

* No, really - guitar phobia.

* The title song, "I am a Disco Dancer," is a definite keeper.  Every time he gets to the "to jhuumo, to naacho, aur mere saath naacho - GAAO!" part I feel this pathological compulsion to jump up and sing along.  Guaranteed to get me some weird looks on the T.  But it will probably also get me a seat. 

* I love the melodramatic graphics surrounding the electrocution of Jimmy's mother.  She glows red, then flashes on and off for a while.  (I half expected a Tom-n-Jerry style skeleton outline to appear - disappointing.)   Then Jimmy's reaction - his face freezes, breaks into shards, and CATCHES FIRE!  Magnifique!  (Imagine me kissing my fingertips very continentally here.)

* I really liked - as in, I thought it was a tiny shard of actual good cinema - the brief Jesus song followed later by the Krishna song with the same lyrcial theme (oh lord, please come back to us) and also the same musical theme.  I liked the ecumenical nature of it and also that it showed a bit of Jimmy's work, drawing on various inspirations to create his art.  Extra points for the Saturday Night Fever poster in his room during the Jesus song.  Watching Disco Dancer reminded me that I really ought to go see Saturday Night Fever again.
 
* :;sughe;rqh 3p9t  ;ouHR[   <---- Sorry, that was my cat trying to catch Rajesh Khanna's toupee.

* Seriously - guitar phobia. 


That's all I can think of right now.  I'm so happy to finally be a part of the Disco Dancer faithful.  Thanks to all for your patience with the long saga of my journey to this happy place! 

[Darshana]

Carla - your commentary on Disco Dancer was worth waiting for!!! This may be, in a crowded field, the best Disco Dancer writing I have encountered, anyhow I have truly been laughing while I read it. 

Though I know you will always defer to my will, I can assure you that you won't be asked to watch "too many like it" - at least not by me, as I definitely don't know anything at all like it.  Actually when I think about it, it is interesting, in a field that is truly crowded - 200 movies a year from Bollywood, forget the other regions for the sake of the discussion - most of which are definitely not things we'd want to spend our time on, that only a very few do emerge as having that special something that makes a movie a "so bad it's good" cult
favorite.

The demise of Jimmy's mother - I agree entirely about its magnificence, also if I remember correctly, it is artistically prefigured, in that image of the screaming woman right before that concert starts.  (Am I right? is that where that woman comes?  I always watch Disco Dancer in pieces.)

Another moment I love - that little girl in the audience (yes, I love love love all the Disco Audiences) in the violety-pink satin dress, standing on somebody's lap and dancing.

Also one song has really wonderful half-tone (that is what I call it) Indian singing in its chorus (where they have more notes to their scale than we do), really a tour de force and beautiful.

[filmifan]

* The title song, "I am a Disco Dancer," is a definite keeper.  Every time he gets to the "to jhuumo, to naacho, aur mere saath naacho - GAAO!" part I feel this pathological compulsion to jump up and sing along.  Guaranteed to get me some weird looks on the T.  But it will probably also get me a seat. 
 

if you'd like to have a souvenir, so to speak, of your DD experience, you can go here and commemorate it with a T-shirt:

http://www.desiwear.com/usa/desitshirts.htm

i'm glad you enjoyed the movie, Carla, it's certainly a classic. and i have no problems admitting that the soundtrack is now on my iPod. A-Oh-AH!

[carla]

Dear god, the dancing midgets!  How could I have forgotten to mention the dancing midgets! 

Oh, and also  -  guitar phobia.