Pather Panchali
by Satyajit Ray
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Chunibala Devi, Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee, Uma Das GuptaDirector: Satyajit Ray
Cinematographer: Subrata Mitra
Writer: Satyajit Ray
Editor: Dulal Dutta
Writer: Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled)
Format: Black & White, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 119 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-10-28
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Pather Panchali
Movie Review: Song of the Little Road
Summary: 5 Stars
Delicate, almost lyrical black-and-white images, offer insight into the harshness of life in a rural Bengali village. Panther Panchali is the first movie in Satyajit Ray's (1921-1992) compelling Apu Trilogy. Ravi Shankar's hauntingly beautiful music takes this movie to a mythical level.
Satyajit Ray's ability to reveal this story at a leisurely pace, all while intriguing you with the details of Indian life, keeps you captive to the last minute. Even the old stone buildings of the ancestral home seem artistic.
In the first story we find Durga stealing guavas and Apu is not yet born. As Durga's mother, Sarbajaya (Karuna Bannerjee), struggles to look after family members she is already responsible for, her relatives criticize her for her lack of leadership in the family. The auntie Indir (Chunibala Devi) takes delight in Durga's adventures and loves the gifts of bananas and guavas.
There is a comforting scene where she is seen sitting against an ancient wall while she rocks Apu in a basket hanging from the ceiling. As she sings there is a moment of serenity in this world where each day seems to be a fight for survival. Her optimistic attitude is almost heroic in the light of how she is often treated. She has much to offer her community and excels at story telling. Watch for the scene where her face is silhouetted against the wall late at night. This movie has many cinematic moments that border on enlightened creativity.
For some reason, this movie reminded me of living in Africa on a campsite/farm where we would borrow a cup of sugar from the neighbors house or wander down a path to the river. Here we find the comical "Indir" stealing chilies or other cooking supplies from Sarbajaya. Sarbajaya is overwhelmed by her own life and yet later she is faced with her own loneliness as she sinks into depression.
Apu's father, Harihar, struggles to find work although he has dreams of seeing his plays performed. He is truly an example of a beautiful soul vibrating at a higher level of creativity than those around him and yet he is forced to take on menial work just to survive.
As the story progresses Apu grows into an adorable whisp of a child and I love the scene where he and his sister walk down the well-worn path. There are scenes of dancing in the monsoon rains and while all the characters seem to be living in their own worlds, they somehow function in their community in a meaningful way. As the rains bring life back to the land, nothing can prepare you for the emotional impact of the scenes that follow.
Overall, I was impressed with the brilliance of the storytelling and how each story weaves almost effortlessly into the next. Pather Panchali is one of the rare film experiences no one should miss. Not only does it address the basics of survival in a community, it makes you think about your own role and how your choices affect everyone around you.
If you can watch Aparajito and The World of Apu in the next few days following your first viewing of Panther Panchali, your experience will turn into a complete immersion in the intriguing and exotic world of Apu. After watching the first movie, I could hardly wait to watch the second and within a day I had watched the third. These movies will leave you in the deepest of contemplation for days and not only will you find yourself lost within the minds of the characters, you will enjoy all the connections between the movies.
~The Rebecca Review
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