17 down, 11 to go

That is how the harried poll-managers stationed in the state must be thinking after yesterdays violence stricken polling in Nandigram went underway. They must be genuinely itching to pack their bags and head home at the earliest given the politically charged atmosphere in these hamlets of industrial disuse. Singur being the twin brother was uncharacteristically "quiet" on poll-day which further stokes fears of a bloodbath in the event of electoral setback for one party or the other when the results are declared. If Nandigram was any indication the later phase of polling will see a re-run of the "There will be blood"-routine in many other parts of the state. Political opponents are keeping their fingers crossed and bombs handy for any eventuality. If the CPI(M) wins there will be, in all possibility, a political witch-hunt unseen in its ferocity in rural Bengal or for that matter anywhere in the country. And in case the Trinamool-Congress combine wrest the initiative, the Left will have finally ceded ground in one of their strongest bastions. Whatever be the outcome there will not be any graceful losers this time around for too much is at stake.

This morning, all newspapers report an impressive 75% voter turn-out in the state - beating the national average by a good margin. In other states it would have meant the anti-incumbency factor at work but not here. Though the Trinamool Congress seems certain of partially stalling the CPI(M) 's vaunted voting-machinery one cannot be so sure till the results come out on the 16th.
Come 13th and it will be Kolkata's turn to make it count and I hope people come out in large numbers to vote - that the bangali bhodrolok finally overcomes his ennui and 'make his mark' early in the morning than let the mid-day sun intimidate him into inaction (like always).


In other news, I yesterday heard a seasoned Leftist hollering about, among their other achievements, how they catapulted West Bengal to the No.1 spot in both agriculture and industry. The jaywalker in me balked at such misinformation in the name of campaigning but the sight of hundreds of others turning a deaf ear to such pre-poll bragging quickly made me realize how the city dweller ignores all that's irrelevant and potentially dilatory to his plans of reaching home early. Politics can wait till one returns home and sits around a fresh brew of tea and friends when it can gladly resurface to make for a round of entertaining and informative political adda. Not before that should it figure in their minds.

'Sweeney Todd' - Stylish Barber-ism for a Musical

With a strong cast of the finest actors available, one of them arguably the most versatile of all times,
'Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street' engages, enthralls and intimidates its viewers all at the same time. Tim Burton achieves what Tarantino killed in the womb in 'Kill Bill'. Who could have thought that a blood-fest, a sheer torment to the sensibilities of the weak-hearted, an instrument to inspire dread in the sane and the meek could be moulded into a musical. Men have done it first on stage and Burton's done rightful justice to it on screen. Sounds frivolous but I assure you that none of the deadly vigor of revenge, none of the monstrous facets of gore and flesh has been trivialized or euphemised with the song and dance ritual typical of musicals.

Where the story revolves around the life of a wronged barber and his lust for revenge can murder be far behind ? Johny Depp delves into the skin of the title character with usual aplomb and gives a performance worthy of a standing ovation. Playing a man tortured for no crime he committed, he plays both a grieving husband and a longing father with no family to show his love to. So, he channelizes all his emotions into a frightful rage and in his own way justifies the murder of ones who never did him any harm. He becomes both the judge and the executioner, ironically driven to the task by a judge himself ( Alan Rickman).

Helena Bonham Carter ( as Mrs Lovett ), the accomplished actress that she is, seems to have found her footing with a substantial role after a long while. Mrs Lovett is a guilty accomplice to the crimes and also a aspiring woman, longing for love and family. She plays the complicated female to perfection, both vicious and vile, while on the other hand she is all caring and affectionate. She scintillates as a complex mixture, a woman torn between emotional extremes, marked by warm benevolence and selfless love to Toby, the boy rescued from a London workhouse, whereas she is an epitome of witch-like manipulation of the barber's mind in order to gain his attentions.

I saw 'Donnie Brasco' and 'Sweeney Todd' in something of a back-to-back Johny Depp double-whammy at home today and I found that this one had Depp in full flow. Hence, this review. If you have seen him in 'What's Eating Gilbert Grape' you won't recognize him here. If you have lately seen 'Edward Scissorhands' chances are you will. With a white streak of hair, more stylish than eerie he wields his wares with razor sharp dexterity and comes out with the goods.

The film has its 'moments of truth', as every film worth its salt should, and for me it was when Todd, the barber decides to murder all and sundry and justifies it by saying,

"It's man devouring man, my dear

And who are we to deny it in here ? "

True. Bloody true.



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