Tarantino's Guns and Bhansali's Roses: Tension within Film
Suchittra Rao writes about two of her favourite scenes in film that made her love the art form — Inglourious Basterds (2009) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) — and dissects the reasons that drive them to be so impactful.
spoilers aheadFilm and the art of cinema have contributed immensely to my identity. Influenced by my parents who are world-class movie buffs, I grew up with this art form. I still distinctly remember the first film I saw in the theatres with my parents and older brother, the highly acclaimed Avatar (2009) (dir. James Cameron). Over my 19 years of existence, I have seen a pretty sizeable amount of film; spending a significant amount of time hunched over on the movie theatre seat, stuffing popcorn into my mouth as the screen in front of me transports me into worlds and stories that I couldn’t conjure up, even in my wildest dreams. In this article, I wish to share two of my favourite scenes in film. Being the ostentatious ‘film-bro’ that I am, I will also touch upon some specific techniques employed by the filmmakers that left a lasting impact on me.
Nazi Bar Shoot-out - Inglourious Basterds (2009) dir. Quentin Tarantino
‘Well, if this is it, old boy, I hope you don't mind if I go out speaking the King’s.’
‘By all means, Captain.’
Quentin Tarantino is known for many things. The use of such grotesque violence that it comes across as comical and cartoonish, using indulgent food/beverages to establish power dynamics, and building up a tense atmosphere that culminates in a vicious stand-off between characters are some of his signature trademarks in filmmaking. The entirety of Inglourious Basterds is a wild, unpredictable rollercoaster. Blend Tarantino’s signature style with a plot that leaves you on the edge of your seat, and you get the Nazi bar shoot-out scene.
The plan made by British Commando Archie Hicox (Michael Fassbender) and the Basterds to attack the premiere of a Nazi film is drawn to the attention of German official, Major Hellstorm (August Diehl) in a French bar full of Nazis. When Hicox blows his cover through his amateur German accent and uses a hand signal unusual to the Germans, a tense conversation ensues. This nail-biting conversation then culminates into a bloody shoot-out, with only two people in the entire bar surviving the ordeal.
Tarantino spends a good amount of time building the suspense in this scene. The German official inserts himself forcefully into the table where Hicox and his team are seated, immediately noticing Hicox’s strange accent and interrogating him. Although he phrases his questions to come across as an officer taking a mild curiosity in another fellow officer, his tone and facial expressions say the opposite. He is starting to suspect Hicox, which is evident when he says, “You’re obviously not stationed in France or I’d know who you are.” Hellstorm is trying to sniff out potential espionage on the activities of the Reich and for a while, you see Hicox cover up his tracks relatively well. Micheal Fassbender masterfully plays Hicox, confident and charismatic on the outside, helpless and terrified of being found out on the inside. When he says ‘You know every German in France?’, we see a fleeting moment of exasperation on his face before he quickly composes himself. As if to say, ‘Oh my god, he knows that I am not a Nazi.’ Major Hellstrom offers (more like forces) to play a ‘friendly’ game of cards with the table; Hicox’s feeble attempts to politely ask the officer to leave him and his team alone are met with resistance. You, as the viewer are left with an increasing sense of dread. You hope desperately that the British officers make it out of the bar, unharmed. But then, Tarantino makes Hicox order 3 more glasses of scotch for the table. Hicox makes the British hand signal for “three” and his cover is blown right then and there.
Still from Inglourious Basterds.
What is also interesting is the fact that the payoff of the scene is extremely short compared to the time invested in its build-up. After Hicox and everybody at the table realises that they are going to die, Stiligtiz (Til Schweiger) shoots first, prompting the gory shoot-out which is over in less than 10 seconds. The editing is super fast-paced, with close-ups of the patrons and the staff getting shot and a haunting scream from one of the waitresses serving at the bar; the entire shoot-out finishes in a matter of seconds. This scene is a masterclass at building up tension and then culminating it into an explosive climax (literally). Therefore, this consistently takes the spot as one of my favourite scenes in film.
‘Dholida’ Dance Sequence, Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
‘हे ढोलिदा! ढम ढम ढमक बाजे! नाचे नाचे रे ढोल पे हवा हे, हे’
‘O drummer! Beat the drum hard! Even the winds sway to the beat.’
Bhansali, like many other established Indian directors, is known for his grandeur. Mesmerizing set design, strong emotional and social themes, and elaborate dance sequences are some of the common elements in his work. His latest film, Gangubai Kathiawadi is a biography of Gangubai Kothewali (Alia Bhatt), an Indian sex worker turned social activist, and details the struggles she faced fighting for the rights of sex workers and destigmating her line of work.
People tend to dismiss the elaborate musical and dance sequences of Bollywood and other Indian film industries. While I agree that too many musical interludes disrupt the flow of the narrative and seem superfluous; when executed with the heart and core theme of the story, music and dance can evoke emotions beautifully. Sometimes, they work better than a protracted monologue or an actor crying their eyes out to convey emotion. Music and dance are two art forms that have been used to portray the human experience and cultivate empathy for the experiences of characters since the beginning of time. Fusing these art forms with cinema results in an immersive cinematic experience.
Gangubai celebrates the Hindu festival, Navarathri (transl. nine nights in Sanskrit) with her colleagues in this particular dance sequence. Dedicated to honouring the goddess Durga, devotees participate in this ten-day festival through various music, dance, and cultural activities. One of the popular festivities of Navarathri is taking part in the Gujarati folk dance, Garba. Choreographed with immense precision and attention to detail, it is common to see groups of women perform this dance in parts of India.
Still from Gangubai Kathiawadi, during the Dholida song.
The women of Kamathipura, Mumbai, where the film is set, are considered impure and disgraceful due to their means of making a living. These women have never celebrated or taken part in the Navarathri festivities as they were barred from interacting with the community and taking part in religious activities. When Gangubai wins the presidential elections, she finally gives these women a chance to celebrate Navaratri and the prostitutes gather and perform a garba choreography with glee. Gangubai joins them to fulfill her role as an authoritative presence and to overlook the celebrations.
As she dances, she is overcome with emotion. Melancholy, from being betrayed by her boyfriend and being sold into prostitution without her consent. Anger, from being viewed as less than human by the society. Nostalgia, from the times when she used to do Garba back home and take part in celebrations without society judging her.
Alia Bhatt delivers a heart-wrenching performance, letting her emotions and dance moves speak. Her moves are executed with precision and a controlled sense of rage that is absolutely commendable.
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These scenes have stuck with me for a long time and have taught me the importance of elements such as acting and performance, pacing as well as sound and music, to name a few, that go into the making of a scene as iconic as these two.