The cultural and structural decay of a city captured by one of the most unique filmmakers we have. It's beautiful,melancholic and delivers sharp criticism of our society .
3 Reviews
Urban decay
suprabhattacharya7 June 2022
Calcutta Diaries.
morrison-dylan-fan17 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
As the credits faded to Prey (1977-also reviewed),I was pleased to hear that after this Cine-Excess fest, (the first major movie festival I traveled to attend) that an Indian cinema festival was going to be held at The Electric Cinema (the oldest working cinema in the UK) soon.
Almost giving up on the idea that the festival would ever take place, over the long period that cinemas were shut down, I was absolutely thrilled to see on the website of the re-opened The Electric Cinema, that screenings for an Indian film festival were soon to take place, which led to me getting ready for a Once Upon a Time tale.
View on the film:
Turning the pages on Ela's searh for a new life, editor/writer/ director Aditya Vikram Sengupta & cinematographer Gokhan Tiryaki listen in on Ela's quiet moments of contemplation, with refine dolly shots, which along with drawing a depth of field to the vast surroundings of the city, also creates a intimate atmosphere, from seeing Ela at a distance/ distorted dolly shots.
Holding a close-up on Ela struggling after the loss of her daughter, Hindole Chakraborty makes a excellent, documentary- style sound design, where Ela's deeply held personal grief, plays out to a backdrop to the sound of bustling crowds and car horns filling the city. Searching round the city for a new beginning, Sreelekha Mitra gives a delicate performance as Ela, which threads Ela's continued struggle with traigic events of the past, while continuing to try and turn a new page in her life,once upon a time in Calcutta.
Almost giving up on the idea that the festival would ever take place, over the long period that cinemas were shut down, I was absolutely thrilled to see on the website of the re-opened The Electric Cinema, that screenings for an Indian film festival were soon to take place, which led to me getting ready for a Once Upon a Time tale.
View on the film:
Turning the pages on Ela's searh for a new life, editor/writer/ director Aditya Vikram Sengupta & cinematographer Gokhan Tiryaki listen in on Ela's quiet moments of contemplation, with refine dolly shots, which along with drawing a depth of field to the vast surroundings of the city, also creates a intimate atmosphere, from seeing Ela at a distance/ distorted dolly shots.
Holding a close-up on Ela struggling after the loss of her daughter, Hindole Chakraborty makes a excellent, documentary- style sound design, where Ela's deeply held personal grief, plays out to a backdrop to the sound of bustling crowds and car horns filling the city. Searching round the city for a new beginning, Sreelekha Mitra gives a delicate performance as Ela, which threads Ela's continued struggle with traigic events of the past, while continuing to try and turn a new page in her life,once upon a time in Calcutta.
A social commentary with a subtle sarcastic tone
SoumikBanerjee19965 January 2023
Certainly not the Aditya Vikram Sengupta we are familiar with! As it appears, he sacrificed some of his traditional aesthetics in order to develop his storytelling skills. This should not be considered a criticism, but I did miss the visual sophistication to which I have become accustomed.
Instead of a conventional human drama, "Once Upon a Time in Calcutta" is presented as a social commentary with an underlying sarcastic tone. It accurately depicts the current state of a renowned city that, despite the growing threat of modernization in the 20th century, is still clinging to its identity and culture, but at what cost?
How could this city survive the inevitable residues of civilization? Is it possible to cling to archaic rituals while leaping into an uncertain future? Will it lose its identity in the process, even if it comes to fruition? Will the "City of Joy" ever be the same?
These are some of the questions the director raised for us to ponder on, while wonderfully illustrating the anguish concealed beneath the illusion of joy and betterment.
Instead of a conventional human drama, "Once Upon a Time in Calcutta" is presented as a social commentary with an underlying sarcastic tone. It accurately depicts the current state of a renowned city that, despite the growing threat of modernization in the 20th century, is still clinging to its identity and culture, but at what cost?
How could this city survive the inevitable residues of civilization? Is it possible to cling to archaic rituals while leaping into an uncertain future? Will it lose its identity in the process, even if it comes to fruition? Will the "City of Joy" ever be the same?
These are some of the questions the director raised for us to ponder on, while wonderfully illustrating the anguish concealed beneath the illusion of joy and betterment.
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