World Famous Comics: Himansu Rai A Throw of Dice (Prapancha Pash) (1929)
Himansu Rai A Throw of Dice (Prapancha Pash) (1929)
Starring: Seeta Devi, Himansu Rai, Charu Roy Directed By: Franz Osten Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated) Binding: DVD Format: Black & White, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Silent Label: KINO INTERNATIONAL Number of Items: 1 Region Code: 1 Release Date: July 15, 2008 Running Time: 74 minutes Theatrical Release Date: 1930
Product Description: The 1929 Silent Extravaganza From India with a New Orchestral Score by Nitin Sawhney. A lavish silent super-production comprising 10,000 extras, a thousand horses, and scores of elephants, A Throw of Dice is the climax of German film pioneer Franz Osten's richly cinematic sojourn in India. In this FAIRY TALE FOR ADULTS (BBC) inspired by the ancient Sanskrit epic poem The Mahabharata, royal cousins and rulers of adjoining kingdoms King Sohat (Producer and Star Himansu Rai) and King Rajit (Charu Roy) share a reckless passion for gambling, the perilous jungle tiger hunt, and the beautiful maiden Sunita (Seeta Devi). After a tiger nearly claims Rajit's life, Sunita nurses the handsome young king back to health and becomes his bride. Knowing that the only thing stronger than love is Rajit's heart is a compilsive fascination with games of chance, jeolous Sohat challanges his cousin to a winner-takes-all contest where the stakes are freedom, marriage, and life itself.
LOVINGLY RESTORED (The Guardian UK) by the BFI (British Film Institute) to a level of ravishing spectacle and splendor unseen since its debut in 1929, this IMMACULATELY DRESSED AND BEAUTIFULLY SHOT (Times of London) masterpiece of the late silent period is complemented by a STIRRING (The Guardian) and BRILLIANTLY EVOCATIVE NEW SCORE (BBC). A sensation when it re-premiered in London's Trafalgar Square in 2007, KINO is proud to present A THROW OF DICE for the first time on US DVD.
A beautiful Indian experience! I had been eagerly awaiting this new Kino release for over a year, ever since hearing about its successful screening in London, and also because it combines two of my favourite film genres: silent and Indian. It might surprise many in the West to know that India was also making its own films already in the mid 1910s just like the rest of the world, but due to lack of sufficient interest and funding, most of India's silent productions might never see the light of day again. This makes "A Throw of Dice" very special already, and its survival is mainly due to the collaboration with the German UFA and British film institutes. While there is no hint of the German Expressionist style which dominated German silent films in the 1920s, this film does benefit from some European skill and experience in film-making, resulting in quite a lavish and top-rate production. No doubt the most obvious and striking feature of "A Throw of Dice" is its realistic setting in India, complete with elephants, tigers, snakes and mogul palaces. The story is taken from classical Indian literature but feels very contemporary due to the timeless elements of romance, greed for power and plots by the evil, jealous rival to usurp the good king. The story moves along at a good and steady pace without a single dull moment, and the acting style of the Indian cast is quite natural and realistic.
Set in the past, much effort was put into the elaborate traditional costumes which grab the viewer's attention, as well as impressive scenes involving wild and dangerous animals and other fine details such as the Indian game with stick-like dice which can be rigged. Viewers familiar with, and fond of, Indian culture will not be disappointed, and those who have been to Udaipur in Rajasthan will recognize the setting and know that everything is authentic. With so much already going for it, a good story with some intrigues, twists and turns make this film stand out even more, and the perfect picture quality makes it visually delightful. The musical accompaniment deserves special mention because it also combines elements of traditional Indian music and the Western orchestral scores we are familiar with, making it perfectly suited to this particular film. The Indian musical sounds often add an airy and even surreal feeling to some scenes while also adding that extra exotic, Indian flavour to the film. The half-hour interview with Anglo-Indian composer Nitin Sawhney in the bonus features on this disc will enhance the viewer's appreciation of the music and how it is `the language of emotion' which he uses like a painter uses colours to express the mood of each scene. For a rare and special cinematic experience full of exotic overtones, and a sample of a good quality foreign silent film, "A Throw of Dice" should not be missed.
A Silent Indian-German Co-Production. I'm sure that most people (myself included) had no idea that an Indian cinema existed before the films of Satyajit Ray. A THROW OF DICE or PRAPANCHA PASH to give the film its Indian title was one of several films made by the team of German film director Franz Osten and Indian actor Himansu Rai (an earlier example of a Merchant-Ivory type collaboration). It was completed in 1929 right on the cusp of sound but is a bona fide silent. The story comes from the Indian epic THE MAHABARATA and tells of two kings, one good the other wicked, who vie for the hand of a beautiful woman. Producer Rai cast actor Rai as the wicked king and then he and director Osten made the film on an epic scale with plenty of extras, beautiful locations, and even lots of elephants. The film was successful at the time but with the coming of sound it was quickly forgotten.
The British Film Institute restored the film in 2006 and asked composer Nitin Sawhney to compose a new score for it. The work was premiered outdoors in London in 2007 and made quite an impression. Now Kino International and the BFI have released it on DVD for a wider audience to see. Filmed in sharp black and white with no color tints, THROW OF DICE looks great although you can tell that it's been conflated from at least a couple of prints. The new score by Sawhney is lavish and it sounds great. It's an East-West amalgam (mostly West) that on occasion I found at odds with what was going on during the film. I would have liked a more fully Indian sounding score to help keep me focused on what's happening and to keep me emotionally involved. There's a lengthy interview with the composer on the DVD and he explains his reasons for his choices. I understand them but the Hollywood portions of the score took me out of the movie and that's too bad. The beauty of a silent film though is you can turn down the volume and create your own soundtrack.
Despite my reservations concerning the new score, I found the film a joy to watch especially actress Seeta Devi who is classically beautiful. If you're a silent film buff then here's a real touch of the exotic. The Germans were interested in Indian settings for years during the silent era (Joe May's THE INDIAN TOMB for example) but this is the real thing. Another high quality release from Kino International who's been on quite a silent film roll this year (THREE'S A CROWD, THE EXTRA GIRL) with more good stuff (2 Victor Sjostrom films) just around the corner.
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