Sunday 21 June 2020

Alternate Best Supporting 2014: Irrfan Khan in Haider

Irrfan Khan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Roohdaar in Haider.

This version of Hamlet takes many creative choices of the material, some of them quite inspired, but perhaps none more inspired than in the character of the ghost. The ghost typically being Hamlet's father's apparition that details his death at the hands of his brother to his son. This version removes the supernatural by instead giving this news to an additional character. This as a man essentially appearing to set off the second act of the film, this man Roohdaar played by the gone far too soon, Irrfan Khan. Khan's initial appearance that can only be described as cool, and quite striking. This as he appears indeed, though obviously a man, but as an apparition in the way he glides through crowd with a manner of seemingly divine purpose. This only amplified by his costuming, in his his thick sunglasses and white robe, that seems to suggest a man on alternate plain. Although this man is indeed real but Khan's performance is one built upon the idea of haunting the proceedings in his few minutes of screentime. There is something so remarkable of that presence of his, as is typically the case from the few films I've seen him in, that he uses to offer the sense of a man on a mission. The mission though technically just being to inform Haider (Hamlet)'s family of his story, which involved being the same prison camp as Haider's father. Khan's performance carries this inherent weight within it, what is so notable about it is how with so much ease that Khan is able to evoke this. He speaks with a clarity that actually makes all the more haunting. This in his eyes reflect his experience yet his manner with the words is with this calm of a man with real purpose in his story. His story, which involves revealing that Haider's uncle had Haider's father killed in an execution that almost killed Roohdaar as well, is presented by Khan with careful emotion. This as it is with a sense of directing Haider to the truth, but with a glint, just a glint, of warmth within it. This with a sense quite but very powerful conviction in his delivery of the message as Roohdaar as someone who less is self-pitying or even revenge seeking, rather wants to ensure the truth is known. Khan doesn't have a lot of screentime however he is absolutely captivating in that time. His work delivering the needed switch within the film by offering the essential impact of this very different kind of "ghost".

68 comments:

Anonymous said...

Louis what would be your top five for cinematography for 2014?

Luke Higham said...

1. Schoenaerts
2. Pine
3. Khan
4. Waititi
5. Darin

Luke Higham said...

Louis: I hope you review Claflin next, please put me out of my misery early.

Louis Morgan said...

Anonymous:

1. Birdman
2. Mr. Turner
3. Black Coal, Thin Ice
4. Phoenix
5. A Walk Among the Tombstones

Lucas Saavedra said...

1) Darin
2) Schoenaerts
3) Khan
4) Pine
5) Waititi


1) LaBeouf
2) Alcazar
3) Parks
4) Cusack
5) Claflin

Matt Mustin said...

Louis: Surprised Nightcrawler's not in your top 5 for cinematography. It's probably my win, actually.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Please tell me A Most Violent Year is in your top 5 for Costumes. Those outfits were gold.

Calvin Law said...

Another nomination for Phoenix? Christmas really came early this year didn’t it.

Calvin Law said...

And yes, Khan is brilliant here.

Louis Morgan said...

Matt:

Nightcrawler would be my #7 behind A Most Violent Year. My top five was pretty easy to refine actually for me, love the Birdman long takes, the cinematography version of Turner's work by Dick Pope, Black Coal Thin Ice might be slow but it is gorgeous to look at, love Phoenix's sorta neo-noir aesthetic, and I have great affection for A Walk Among the Tombstones where Mihai Mălaimare seemed to be making an entirely different film (though it is one of the better Liam Neeson badass movies).

Robert:

Yes it would be, I love "modern" design when a film can make the characters look distinct without being even overtly stylistic.

Calvin Law said...

I kind of want to see Black Coal Thin Ice even though it does seem like it’ll be a drag, because it looks gorgeous.

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

Well, while I can't recommend it, as it feels like it's well over 2 hours even though it is actually less than 2 hours long, who knows maybe you might vibe into its style, though at the very least you can get some joy out of the shots.

Lucas Saavedra said...

Louis: your ratings and thoughts on Héctor Benjamín Alterio in Son of the Bride?

Matt Mustin said...

I'd nominate A Most Violent Year for costumes just for Oscar Isaac's coat alone.

RatedRStar said...

Louis: I don't think I've ever asked you for your honest opinion on a song before. I recently found a song from 1977 that appeared in a video game that I was somewhat surprised by and find myself listening to it fairly often, especially its opening 40 seconds, what you reckon to this?

The Alan Parsons Project - I Wouldn't Want to Be Like You
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6Fpllm1Iy8

Aidan Pittman said...

Louis: Your Top 5 Original Scores for 2014?

Mitchell Murray said...

1) Darin
2) Schoenaerts
3) Watiti
4) Kahn
5) Pine

1) LaBeouf
2) Parks
3) Alcazar
4) Claflin
5) Cusack

GM said...

1. Waititi
2. Schoenaerts
3. Khan
4. Pine
5. Darin

Mitchell Murray said...

I'd also like to mention that I re-watched "Knives Out" after some time. My general opinion of the film has stayed pretty much the same; It's not nearly as smart or subversive as it wants to be, but it's still an enjoyable and well done mystery in many respects.

As for the performances, my fondness for Craig and de Armas has only been bolstered. Even with the large ensemble, the movie's success absolutely hinges of their characters, and they more than deliver.

Matt Mustin said...

Mitchell: I mean, more than anything the intent of that movie is just to have fun. The subversiveness is there to an extent, but that's not the point. In fact, on my re-watch I was trying to pick up clues and everything, but I just stopped at a certain point and just let the fun wash over me.

Mitchell Murray said...

Matt: Well yah...the strength of the film is it's entertainment value, along with the energetic nature of its storytelling. As a murder mystery I'd also say it's decent, if rather predictable for two big reasons; One, the most obvious suspect is the one the ends up doing it, and two, a lot of the investigation comes down too plot conveniences (Ex, what would've happened if the dog never ran up with the broken scaffolding?)

All that said, however, the movie does know what it is, and what it's audience wants to see. It's most certainly fun, humourous and well helmed overall, and most every nitpick in the actual story can be forgiven because of that. And again, with Craig's and de Armas' performances in the leading roles, the film is in very good hands acting wise.

Calvin Law said...

Knives Out hasn’t really stuck with me to be honest. I had a good time but nothing stood out that much to be besides De Armas and Craig, and if I’m honest I’m still smarting a bit from it getting the last Original Screenplay spot over The Farewell.

Matt Mustin said...

Mitchell: Yeah, but here's the thing. Murder mysteries like that have, throughout the history of their publications, relied on contrivances like that for the plots to even work, so like...I'm not gonna go down the road of calling them out for that.

Calvin: I mean, I would say it's certainly better written than Marriage Story or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood which were also nominated.

Robert MacFarlane said...

I still love Knives Out. Maybe I have it a little high on my top 10, but it's the most fun I've had with a studio comedy in a while. Also, I think I might be the only person here who has increasingly given less and less shits about plot for a while. In fact, I'd say film criticism would be 90% more tolerable if we all just stopped nitpicking plot. Narratives, dense or not, can all have value. Knives Out wasn't a deconstruction, it was a loving tribute to the genre (also a scornful satire of the rich, which wins it major points in my book).

This goes to every single complaint I heard about another Johnson film, The Last Jedi. Every single criticism about the plot, EVERY SINGLE ONE, had some sort of thematic justification that made up for it more than whether or not bombs can be dropped in space or the timelines not fully syncing (neither did Empire's timelines!).

I stopped caring about plot. I care about theme. I care about character arcs. Care about craftsmanship. Hell, you think I love Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy because it's dense? I missed at least half of what's going on. I still adore it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, my adoration for Atomic Blonde can best be summed up as "Bisexual lighting, kickass music, and Charlize beating people up , WHAT MORE CAN YOU POSSIBLY WANT"

Anyway, this is just me. Plots are overrated. I'm gonna make that a t-shirt.

Mitchell Murray said...

Matt: Fair enough.

And yah, I definitely liked the screenplay for "Knives Out" more than "OUATIH" or "Marraige Story". For me, the scripts of those two films are effective in certain areas (IE the banter between Rick and Cliff, and arguments between Charlie and Nicole), but really lacking in others such as the Sharon Tate subplot in the former, and the supporting roles in the latter.

Come to think of, I would describe the dialogue in "Marraige Story" as well performed more than well written. Take Nora's big speech opposite Nicole; I'm honestly rather torn about the speech itself, but Dern gives a fine effort in trying to sell it.

Mitchell Murray said...

Also to Robert's point, I still think plot is important to a degree; If the story doesn't make sense in the reality the film portrays, than it becomes harder to invest yourself in the core narrative. Of course the flip side of that is if your presentation lacks enjoyment or thematic weight, then it's much easier to notice those small nitpicks and criticize the film that way.

I'd hate to be the "middle of the road" voice again, but a strong film usually finds a way to balance the solid story with a solid style.

Calvin Law said...

Matt: it’s better than OUATIH for sure, disagreed on Marriage Story. Those two were getting nominated no matter what though and I’ll admit it stung not seeing Lulu Wang get the attention she deserved.

Calvin Law said...

And with plots my view is: whatever suits the style the filmmakers are going for, it they nail it, they nail it.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Wait, was I the only one who liked OUATIH more than Hateful Eight on the blog?

Matt Mustin said...

Well, now we're getting into the argument about "plot vs. story" because they're different and it's complicated.

Louis Morgan said...

Lucas:

Alteri - 4(It's a very moving performance and I like the contrast between his work here with his Official Story co-star for a far more loving relationship. This is as Alteri's performance just consistently reinforces the unconditional love of the husband for his wife, even as his wife doesn't really know who he is. Alteri's performance is beautifully reasoned though in that he does convey the subtle pain he's going through but in a way he shows a man sort of putting on his happiness to be with his wife overcomes that very real anguish.)

RatedRStar:

It's true you haven't, though I have to unfortunately stay by my steadfast rule of no comments on non-film originating songs, still I'll say I liked the song.

Aidan:

Check last comments section.

Robert:

I concur...though if you'd like I can attack Last Jedi on thematic grounds...though I'd rather not the "general internet's" approach to discussing that film made it quite tiresome...to make a severe understatement.

I think Roger Ebert's quote applies here: “It's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it.”

If you want something where its simply about all the parts sticking together, go do a puzzle.

Although of course there are exceptions, though rare, and more often in terms of the negative. In that the Star Wars film we entirely agree about "Rise of Skywalker"'s plotting is terrible to the point that one should call it gross incompetence, but then it was also thematically dull...so the earlier point still stands.

Plot should be an engine for theme, not the dominating factor, in fact I don't think I've ever returned to the film for "The plot". I mean I love Chinatown, has a great plot, but I come back for the themes/characters it explores through that plot still.

Matt Mustin said...

Robert: I didn't like OUATIH overall, but in this instance I'm talking about purely the writing of it, and nothing else.

Bryan L. said...

I still like OUATIH a fair bit, but The Hateful Eight just gets more & more brilliant on repeat viewings. I wish it had made more noise during Oscar season back then.

Robert MacFarlane said...

Honestly I don't remember much about Hateful Eight. Granted, I also got super drunk after seeing it, so that might be a factor. No real inclination or desire to revisit, though. OAUATIH is something I think I could easily watch again with no issues.

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

I've come to admire OUATIH less and less on every viewing. I still love DiCaprio and quite like Pitt, but I find that the movie's laborious pacing more than makes it a slog to go through.

The Hateful Eight on the other hand, in spite of having a longer run time, never bored me. I suppose part of that has to do with the fact that every single performance and character in that film left a mark, whereas one of the central elements of OUATIH feels like an afterthought in spite of the large bulk of the movie being dedicated to it.

Calvin Law said...

Louis: on the note of costumes, what are your top 5 for 2014? Mine would be

1. Inherent Vice
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel
3. Phoenix
4. A Most Violent Year
5. Haider

And mine for cinematography would probably be,

1. Mr Turner
2. Birdman
3. Phoenix 
4. It Follows
5. A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night

Matt Mustin said...

I enjoyed OUTAIH the first time I watched it, but I never loved it. Then I watched it again and lost whatever enthusiasm I had for it, though I still think DiCaprio is great.

Michael McCarthy said...

Khan is a very solid 4.5 for me, but glad you liked him either way. Definitely gonna switch my predictions up a bit...

1. Schoenaerts
2. Waititi
3. Pine
4. Khan
5. Darin

Calvin Law said...

And I'm of the same opinion with Tahmeed. First time I watched OUATIH I had reservations but was inclined to think that a lot of them were due to me having different expectations to what I got (i.e. the role Bruce Lee would play). On rewatches though the only parts that really stick out to me still are the scenes directly involving the Mansons, and Rick Booth's acting scenes.

Razor said...

1. Schoenaerts
2. Pine
3. Darin
4. Khan
5. Waititi

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

Louis: I might request Irrfan Khan for Maqbool, I'll rewatch the film before confirming it.

Also, if I'm confused about the category placement of one of our requests (Soumitra Chatterjee in Charulata for 1964), is it possible for me to request him without confirming him in either Lead or supporting?

Tahmeed Chowdhury said...

*one of my requests

Luke Higham said...

Louis: If an 8th request is made for 2004 Lead, could you possibly not take anymore so that Murray and Considine will be reviewed.

Tim said...

1) Schoenaerts
2) Darin
3) Waititi
4) Pine
5) Khan

RatedRStar said...

1. Schoenaerts
2. Waititi
3. Pine
4. Khan
5. Darin

My winning request is Richard Dreyfuss - The Competition (Dreyfuss of all people got a razzie nomination and yet the film got 2 Oscar nominations and has a 75% rating on RT) something seems a bit off about that, I think Louis you need to investigate this performance!!

RatedRStar said...

It's also from the mad year that is 1980 which looks like a crazy lineup lol.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: Given the reception, it wouldn't surprise me if that was an extra.

RatedRStar said...

Luke: Its just weird to me, that 75% rating and the idea that only Dreyfuss should be singled out as a Razzie nomination and not anything else, also Siskel & Ebert gave it a thumbs up despite its rough edges. Yes it probably will be him or Pacino for the bonus.

Luke Higham said...

RatedRStar: I'm easily more curious about Pacino so I'd pick him for the lineup of five.

RatedRStar said...

Luke: I was originally going to suggest Richard Dreyfuss for Whose Life is it Anyway for 1981 which looks like a really strong one man show but being that I think 1980 will be before 1981 I went with the more mysterious choice.

Tim said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PodbjHPFPs

your thoughts on this? I think it is the best scene in the movie, why did they cut it?!

Emi Grant said...

Robert: I know I'm late to this, but I wholeheartedly agree with your take about plots. There was not a single thing more tiresome for me during BCS Season 5's run than the insane amount of people actively being on a hunt for plot holes (of which about 80% of them could be solved by simply PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT HAPPENS) on all social media.

I understand how serious moments of incoherence should be called out, but the fact that most people within internet film criticism prioritize plot holes to such high level in order to disqualify whatever other accomplishments a film or show may or may not have is a bit ridiculous to me.

John Smith said...

1. Darin
2. Schoenaerts
3. Khan
4. Waititi
5. Pine

1. LaBeouf
2. Alcazar
3. Parks
4. Claifin
5. Cusack

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Your 90s cast and director for Edge of Tomorrow? I was thinking maybe Harrison Ford for Major Cage, to keep with an action star subverting their usual presence of course.

Tim said...

Bryan Maybe Nicholas Cage?

Bryan L. said...

Tim: He’s around the same age as Cruise though. Heck, I think he might’ve worked as an alternate for the real version actually.

Louis Morgan said...

Calvin:

1. The Grand Budapest Hotel
2. Inherent Vice
3. Phoenix
4. A Most Violent Year
5. Mr. Turner

It Follows would make my cinematography lineup for 2015.

Tahmeed:

You can make a request even if you're not sure about category placement.

RatedRStar:

I always appreciate a request in the form of a mystery as though I'm Sam Spade or something.

Tim:

An odd cut to be sure, in not only actually offered a decent bit of character development but also gave Weaver something to do.

Bryan:

Edge of Tomorrow 90's Directed by Steve Spielberg:

William Cage: Harrison Ford (Ideal to go from his character in Apocalypse Now to Indiana Jones)
Rita: Michelle Yeoh
Master Sergeant Farell: Bruce Dern
General Brigham: Albert Finney
Dr. Carter: Pete Postlethwaite

Mitchell Murray said...

Emi: Oh I agree with that to. I'll still single out a bad plot if it's particularly ineffective, but for the story itself to be a main focus of film crticism is just short sighted. The impact of any movie comes down to a combination of script, direction, technique and a multitude of other elements; To only talk about one of those in detail/emphasis, and then just call it a day afterwards, simply doesn't make for an intelligent review.

As to the topic of internet film criticism, though, I just see a lot of viewers becoming too heated and too nitpicky in their arguments. Having strong opinions is one thing, and having problems with a certain film is another. But generally speaking, many discussion forums of today's films are just too bitter for my taste. It often just divulges itself into outspoken people bringing in vaguely related issues, with no real appreciation of the viewing experience or craftsmanship of the thing they should be talking about.......

That of course makes this blogspot such a welcome change. :)

Bryan L. said...

Louis: Dern doing a riff on Rumsfield? I’m all in. Also, Yeohs’ definitely an inspired choice.

Lastly, thoughts on the direction and production design for the first John Wick?

Emi Grant said...

Mitchell: Oh, absolutely. At this point, I'm just trying to embrace just how subjective the experience of watching a film can be. To get hung up on little mistakes such as slight inconsistencies or a small continuity error is so reductive, because by that logic The Arrival of the Train would be the only film without "flaws".

And yes, this blog certainly makes film discussion a much more welcoming experience.

BRAZINTERMA said...

I'm very glad that Louis left Nina Hoss for Marion Cotillard.
Don't get me wrong, I like Cotillard one of the best actresses today, I just think these three consecutive victories (2012 to 2014) are exaggerated.

Aidan Pittman said...

R.I.P. Joel Schumacher

Emi Grant said...

R.I.P. Joel Schumacher

Mitchell Murray said...

Rest in peace, Joel Schumacher.

Luke Higham said...

RIP Joel Schumacher

RatedRStar said...

RIP Joel Schumacher

Tim said...

R.I.P. Joel Schumacher

Louis Morgan said...

Bryan:

The direction very much is the film as the former stunt men seemed to know the basic essentials of actions here best. This in they create just a sleek film where the emphasis is on cool and clean action. Every touch is really of these professional craftsman but with that right degree of style thrown in for good measure. It is sort of the sports car of action films in this approach, fittingly enough, as it just has this prestige quality while also carrying just dynamite actions scenes, that are all brilliantly stage, choreographed and shot. The essential additional touch, sadly lacking in the followups, which I can't help but feel must have been the David Leitch touch as even the silliness that was Hobbs and Shaw had what is the emotional touch. The original they take careful point to remember this not only in making you really care about the dog and his emotional journey in general but keeping as an essential point in the action scenes. For example, my favorite moment in the whole film is when Wick kills one of the guys with a knife with the soft music playing, in the beautifully lit shot. In that they show the real emotional conviction in Wick to avenge his dog, not just a cool action moment which was the case in the sequels.

The production design is a part of that sleek style all the way through. This in just careful thought to every location you can see. These that all emphasize this sort of ultra professional class to everything from John Wick's apartment to more overtly to the continental of course. I think the extra step though is the careful thought in even a warehouse that is never just standard, there's the touches to make it stand out in its own way.