Top Indian Villains: The Bad, the Sleazy and The Freaky Fiends

I came across a few 'Scariest Bad Guys from Hindi Movies' lists and I must admit I was quite disappointed. Sure, there were a few names that I expected to find there. On the other hand, some of them were younger snazzy-looking folk who couldn't scare anyone unless they wore a Barney outfit and threatened to sing cutesy songs. What happened to the big, the bad and the dastardly? The ones who could freak you out with just one glare? Or at the very most, give you a character worth rooting for? Well, I've put together a small list of my favorites, ones who made stellar villains in almost all of their flicks.

Pran

Some folks will beg to differ but come on! How can you not list Pran as the top cat? He is the most versatile bad guy you can imagine. Who else could act as the devious businessman in one movie and then don the role of a classy pimp in the next flick? Sure, he might not feed innocent victims to sharks in his secret lair but you know what? See that sword on the mantlepiece? Chances are, he could easily swing on a chandelier, grab the sword and slice up a few folks in his way before folks could yell 'Barkurdhar!' Let's not forget that, unlike all the modern wannabes, Pran could always add a bit of dignified oomph to a pimp look. Yes, yes, you could spot his sleazy leering from a mile away but at least he didn't look like a street-smart pimp.

Amrish Puri

Speaking of fellas with secret lairs, who can forget good old Amrish Puri? The man could throw a mean manic glare, not to mention dishing out a creepy tirade which makes you run for the hills. Of course, more often than not, he also had the dungeons, the torture chambers, the 'mad scientist taking over world' uniforms and the freaked out minions. On that note, he must the only villain whose henchmen looked like they truly feared him; minions belonging to other villains either don that apathetic 'when's lunch' look or the decidedly worse 'I am so joining the mutiny' glare. Incidentally, he was also big baddie who ripped out someone's heart with his bare hands in that Indian Jones flick. Yes, he could be that evil!

Amjad Khan

Thankfully he makes it to most of the villain lists I have seen. And why not? The moment he grabbed that bullet belt and stomped around as Gabbar Singh in Sholay, he had guaranteed a name for himself in movie history. Alright so he had minions just like other guys. And chances are he had a secret passage in his fancy little home. But this guy perfected an evil nature that could not be matched by another other. The man could be incredibly chummy with you, let you think that all was good and make you believe that it was alright for the cops to nab his hidden stash of fake note. But before you know it, you are face down in a bonfire while he laughed away like a deranged psychopath. It was this guy's ability to deliver threats and sound like he really meant what he said about kneecaps and cricket bats.

Danny

This one's the angry brooder. While Pran and good old Gabbar guy can act jovial and -to the best of their abilities – blend into the crowd, this guy stood out. Whenever he played the villain, you could always tell he was off to draw blood. Not because he was a hit-man, not for revenge but just because he can! Remember his suave don look in Agneepath? Don't be fooled by that, it was accompanied by a very fierce frown, some crazy yelling and few outraged threats. And on a side note, much as Gabbar Singh did his scare of fright tactics, Danny certainly looked menacing when going for a horseback ride.

 

Another List of British Comedians

Did you notice that Ricky Gervais - ah yes, the man otherwise known as Mr David Brent - is hosting the Emmy Awards? Given that he is an excellent comedian, I am not surprised that they chose Gervais. Well, I also noticed that there is a bit of interest in British comedians, an interest that is probably influenced by the introduction of a few new faces into the Hollywood scene (think Simon Pegg, Russell Brand, etc.). So I figured, maybe more folks would like to know more about the various British comedian out there. Hence I came up with a list of my recent favorites:

Noel Fielding

How can you not love this comedian? He's quirky, he's flamboyant and he comes up with the most unexpected statements. If you want to know what I mean by that last sentence, you should check out clips of the current season of Nevermind the Buzzcocks. Fielding has been chosen as one of the team captains and more often than not, he springs up with the most arbitrary – albeit hilarious – comments. My favorite one so far was when the other panelists discovered that instead of listening to them, Fielding had been doodling smiley faces on an orange. If you are wondering why Fielding is a familiar face, you've probably seen him in The IT Crowd. Oh yes, that guy!

 

Frankie Boyle

If you love doses of biting humor, check out Frankie Boyle. It would be fair to say that this Scottish comedian's trademark move is delivering blunt commentary on a topic where his remarks intensifies in its harshness until you realise that the other party might as well crawl into a cave and wait for Boyle to focus on something else. For this reason, it is especially funny to hear Boyle's jokes about British politics and social trends. While he has been part of a number of TV shows, the one show where he truly excels in is Mock the Week.

 

Jack Whitehall

I was not entirely convinced about this comedian when he popped up for Mock the Week. Sure he was funny but was not exactly winning me over. I suppose everyone pales in comparison when the veterans of the show fire away and the younger generation just looks on in wonder about the former's passion for politics. And then he showed up as a guest host for Nevermind the Buzzcocks. If you are familiar with the former host, Simon Amstell, you'd know that his act will be a tough one to top. He was snarky, he was unforgiving and really relentless. Well, it turned out, Whitehall had the type of remarks and retorts that suited the NtB. How about that!

 

Rhod Gilbert

I've seen him on a few shows but the one that comes to mind is his most recent appearance on Nevermind the Buzzcocks. Previously, I have seen clips of his stand-up, both in UK and in other countries, and at each of these instances, he continues to wow the crowd. He starts out with a poker-faced, almost angry expression so you tend to wonder if he is going to rant on rather loudly. Far from it; that is part of his sneaky attempts to catch you off-guard and deliver the punchline. The best one I have seen so far is his lost luggage story before an Australian audience.

 

Funny Gadget Ads


I am guessing a lot of folks – or a significant amount anyway- are having Win 7 Launch parties. That's to to mark the release of the latest Windows OS. If you are wondering what I am going on about, check out their horrid advert here. Well, in keeping with the idea of bizarre/funny ad about technology and gadgets, I put together a list of such ads from various countries.  


1UP if you get there first

There's a Mario in all of us, or at least that's what this quirky ad from Hong Kong is telling us. Well, in this ad, kids can't wait to finish school so they can nab the latest console. While this ad is harmless and quite funny to watch, it might not be well-received by folks who tut-tut the idea of kids playing games.

Read the reviews before you buy it

Alright, so maybe these same folks will have trouble with this ad as opposed to the previous one. This Dutch ad is for an online store called Bol and the message is along the lines of 'at least you know what you buy from our store'. Or something along those lines anyway. They have done many versions of this message but the Singstar/Gears of War take is the best so far!

Just Scan it

This one is from Japan and is about the QR code – you know, those codes that can store urls and thus lets you access info about products via cellphone. You have to love the way the expression on the faces of those girls change once they realize what it is all about.

Looking for freedom

Here's a word of warning … once you hear this song, it will be buzzing around in your head the whole day. It's none other than that Freedom song by the Hoff. Apparently a Swedish company called DJuice used video clips of this song to promote their super cell phone charges. I am guessing they asked permission before using the Hoff as promotional material, at least I hope so. So there you have it, the Hoff going on about possibly the Berlin Wall or something when he was nabbed as the poster boy for a user-friendly phone charges. Read more details about it at the YT link.

Multiplayer Games are Fun

This German ad is praising the multiplayer functionality of the Xbox. I must admit, it was a bit on the dull side for me. Alright, so the bit after the announcement by the lady was quite fun. It's not a bad ad and I would probably look on it favorably if I was not comparing it to Bol's Singstar ad (check second ad on this list).

A Geek Friend is a Must

This was a cheesy ad from Argentina. Nonetheless, it is entertaining to watch the first time around. Funnily enough, the ad is about tech items but rather, appears to be targeting the techie crowd. The product being sold is a type of beer called Norte Beer. Maybe this one's for the geek crowd? It is a refreshing break from the usual formula that involves women and fancy cars.

He's got a reputation to uphold!

John Cleese featured in a number of Compaq ads in the 80s. I could be wrong but I do remember him from Apple ads later on too. Anyway, this is one of those ads where Cleese uses his typical mad as a hatter humor to promote the virtues of the Compaq computer.

Artists Condensed: The Sugarcubes

These days, Bjork Guthmundsdottir is Iceland's downright alien answer to the pop diva. She's a wonderfully weird architect of sound who makes arguably the most accessible avant garde art in the world. Back in the 80's she popped around to different collaborative projects, the longest lasting and most famous of which was The Sugarcubes. This band occupied the "punk" end of the post-punk spectrum, making music that was arty, occasionally abrasive and frequently goofy. They released their first album in 1988 and called it quits around 1992, recording and touring effectively the entire time. I can't really say The Sugarcubes were an important part of the pop landscape, but they are unique.

I decided to start out with the Icelandic version of one of the better songs from The Sugarcubes' debut album Life's Too Good. Honestly, "Birthday" is more proto-Bjork than Sugarcubes, but that doesn't mean it still isn't one of the band's most interesting tracks.

At least half of the band's vocals were provided by Einar Orn Benediktsson. In "Deus" he's more subdued than usual, which I count as a good thing. His style is a more grating kind of weird, the very punky variety of intentionally not-pretty singing.

  • Traitor
  • I Want
  • F***ing in Rhythm and Sorrow
  • Cold Sweat

The Sugarcubes had two sides, essentially. One was a goofy, almost ska-like bent and the other was a heavier, partially goth style. Life's Too Good has the best balance of the two and remains the band's best all-around album.

  • Cat
  • Blue Eyed Pop
  • Motorcrash
  • Water
  • Pump

The Sugarcubes' second album, Here Today, Tomorrow, Next Week! is a much more murky, postmodern affair. Given the right mood, it's my favorite of their three studio albums. It's a bit experimental and emotionally resonant, so "Pump" is like the whole disc in microcosm.

But for all their weirdness and dabbling, The Sugarcubes were always a pop rock band deep down. They relied on driving beats, sharp riffs and a verse-chorus-bridge song structure.

By 1992, The Sugarcubes were mostly out of ideas. Rather than fade into decidedly American pop trends, the band split amicably and Bjork proceeded to insinuate herself into the international music world via catchy dance tunes and deep atmosphere pieces. The Sugarcubes' swan song, Stick Around For Joy, is the catchiest of their albums. By the same token, it's the least Sugarcubes-like album of the three.

At the end of their run, The Sugarcubes showed more foresight and responsibility than most young bands manage. They all went into different artistic directions and maintained much of the control of their label, Bad Taste Records. Now Bjork's a superstar and the rest of the Cubes have weaved in and out of Icelandic pop for the better part of two decades.

Pop music is full of very well-known artists who started out as a part of something else. The question is whether or not we should take those earlier projects in the context of the stars they produced. Ultimately, The Sugarcubes wouldn't have been anything without Bjork, but I fairly certain that Bjork would have become a star regardless of The Sugarcubes. The same can't be said for other 80's notables like Morrissey or Siouxsie Sioux.

 

Cheesy Hindi Horror from the 80s

I recently came across a trailer for an old Hindi movie on Youtube. Admittedly it was not as bad as the Nigerian 666; on the other hand, it was a gruelling 2 and half minutes as I tried to decipher the selling point of the movie. This brief clip revived my interest in cheesy foreign horror and thus, I embarked on a mission to find other unintentionally entertaining hindi horror flicks. And my word, there were many!

Veerana 

This old flick from 1988 was directed by a duo called the Ramsay brothers. The overall gist of it is a blood-thirsty vampire/witch who preys on village folk. She was killed once before, by the local thakur (i.e.landowning rich bigwig in area) and now she's back. And no one can stop her … or can they?

This was the movie that started this little quest of mine. Quite honestly, I tried to understand what the movie was going to be about from this trailer. What would make people stop in their tracks and runs towards the cinema to buy tickets for this flick? Was it the naked woman who pranced around suggestively before jumping into a bath tub? Was it the nasty looking necromancer (as is evident from his skull and cross bones robe)? Or was it the main protagonist, a man who can sing and dance even if his wardrobe is a cheap knock-off of Prince Adam? Or was it the ugly looking zombie which incidentally appears to borrow heavily from The Exorcist? I'd watch it to find out what's the deal with that balaclava-donning bloke, the one who was bashing up a door.

Shaitani Ilaaka

This horror disaster, dating back to 1990, is another gem by a member of the Ramsay family. It is rather painful to watch the movie clip that I did find about it as it obviously 'borrows' generously from Western horror flicks. If you read the synopsis on Wiki, seems like someone also rented out Poltergeist and The Exorcist to speed up their brainstorming session.

Well, the gist of the story is as follows. There is a ravenous demon/devil who has a fancy little minion in the form of the local sorceress. Her job description entails that she bring human sacrifices to a set location – the Shaitani Ilaaka. Now somehow, into this story comes a Thakur and his family. They will be plagued by poltergeist activity until they figure out that the devil and his lady-friend is behind it. Incidentally, is there a 'I hate Thakurs' theme running in most horror movies? I don't know how the story progresses but I am slightly worried at the way the possessed/telekinetic kid in that Wiki page changes from a happy-go-lucky brat to a married and ready to consummate female. Kids nowadays, they grow up so quickly.

Purana Mandir

Man, did the Ramsay brothers have a field day with horror flicks in the mid- to late 80s or what? This is another flick by those guys and it was made in 1984. So basically, you have a rich Thakur in some obscure part of the country, a rich and lucky fellow whose family suffers from a particularly nasty curse (seriously, what is it with all the Thakur hatred?). Apparently, all of the women end up looking up bit like Smeagal after giving birth. Hmm, seems like the rejected storyline for the Shrek franchise. And the reason for this maiming curse? Simply because the Thakur's ancestor got this brilliant idea to capture the resident demon/Yeti/Sasquatch (did I mention that he was evil?) and decapitate the fellow. Oh no, he choose to disregard the advice of his vizier, the trident-wielding Gandalf-look-alike (how much more street-cred do you need than that look, dammit!). Yes, he decided he won't burn the Samri yeti thingy as suggested by Mr Trident; no, no no, he's going to keep the ugly head of the monster and bury his body somewhere else. You know, because all great ideas start with 'Let's keep a powerful demon head as a souvenir …'. And you wonder why his family is cursed. The demon's probably wanting to scratch his head for the last few centuries.

Can I just add that this movie had the weirdest trailer I have ever seen? It should be summed up as 'The Strange Ways We Torture Women'. First some demon monster gouges out a snooty princess' eyes. Then some gal stepping out of pool and is stalked by a perv (and she is impressed, how warped is this world?). And then, there is a woman in a golden showgirl outfit singing in a bar for minimal wages. Alright, so there was nothing wrong with her but I figured we had a theme going here, so why not stick to it, hey? Oh and let's not forget the other lesson – nothing good ever happens to folks in red uniform! Ask all the crew members on board the original Trek series.

Purani Haveli

Guess who made this? Yep! And before I can add that at least there is no demon-Thakur relations in this, I was wrong. In someway, the monster is linked to the main protagonist's ancestor who was a Thakur. I suppose in one sense, some villagers did hate Dracula because he had the fancy castle, vast expanses of property, the hypnotized ladies and the fanciest dinner parties. Maybe folks hated the Thakur's taxidermied mansion?

Here's the overall plot. There's a haunted mansion in a deserted area and of course a group of whippersnappers want to shack up in that place. Little do they know that the place is haunted; a crazy monster with an identity-crisis hunts down any visitors. Speaking about the demon's misguided maneuvers, it seems like the poor fellow can't decide if he wants to eat human flesh or drink their blood or simply be accepted by society. Look, that creature was holed up in that mansion's dungeon for a very long time, he has issues.

One side note about the trailer. Is there some sort of prerequisite that there has to be a swimsuit/bathing scene in every horror movie? Then again, I suppose scary movies in all countries bank heavily on skin-peeks selling the flick. And what's with the comic relief scenes in the trailer itself? Did the Ramsay folks think that it would be the deciding factor? My initial misgivings about the movie is brushed aside as I laugh myself silly and I think 'Now I have to watch this flick!'

Well, that's about all. Any other horror flick suggestions? Did anyone other than Ramsay bros make a horror movie in that period?


West Bank Story: An Israeli-Palestinian Musical

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict isn't exactly the richest source of levity and entertainment in the world. Most of the humor related to it relies on shock value to deliver its commentary, which unfortunately removes the heart from the true human struggle of those caught in the middle. West Bank Story, a musical comedy short by Ari Sandel and Kim Ray, manages to present the street-level sentiments of the conflict that, while occasionally goofy, still goes a long way to identify the common bonds of people on both sides.

West Bank Story follows a narrative tradition that is older than the Israeli-Palestinian conflict itself. It is a miniature (in spirit) adaptation of the classic musical West Side Story, itself an update of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which in turn is an update of the ancient Greek tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe. In West Bank Story, an IDF soldier named David harbors a secret, mutual love for a Palestinian cashier at a falafel stand named Fatima. David watches from his guard post as two competing falafel businesses become increasingly antagonistic, threatening to explode into a small street war at any moment.

Though this conceit is designed to be cute and even cartoonish, it has more than just a kernel of truth to it. The fact that the conflict between Kosher King and Hummus Hut surrounds falafel, a common cultural bond of both the Israelis and Palestinians, alludes to the larger shared heritage of the belligerent parties. Through the smiles, the funny costumes and the tongue-in-cheek musical numbers there is a strong case for the path to peace.

Thankfully, West Bank Story doesn't share the tragic ending of the stories that inspired it. The closing moments find both restaurants in smoldering ruins, a not-so-subtle metaphor for the entire region. The truth is that, both literally and figuratively, Israel-Palestine is a mess and maybe the only way to rebuild is for both sides to take what little remains and learn to work together.

West Bank Story has its fun moments, but it's tempered by the real horrors alluded to in microcosm throughout the film. The building of walls, the racist stereotypes and the heavy-handed peacekeeping remain in the narrative. Perhaps the most striking joke is an almost too subtle moment when David, distracted by the petty conflict of the competing falafel stands, allows a masked, bomb-carrying terrorist to slip past his guard post.

West Bank Story received some international recognition at the 2007 Academy Awards where it won for Best Live Action Short Film. At just over 21 minutes, it is an entertaining excursion, but also a good centerpiece for an academic discussion of the present and future of Israel-Palestine. At best, a movie like this can act as a springboard to a conversation concerning the disparity between the everyday individuals caught up in the conflict and the people in power who perpetuate it.

To use terms laid out in West Bank Story, everybody wants lunch and everybody wants to be loved. The ongoing wars in the Middle East, whether we call them wars or not, distract people from the hard facts of common suffering. The best our generation can do in the region is tend to the simple essentials with as little fighting as possible. From there, maybe a lasting peace can grow.

Let The Right One In: Swedish Vampires

As long as there have been movies, there have been vampire movies, and as long as there have been vampire movies, there have been bad vampire movies. Finding a decent blood-sucking flick usually requires a dedicated slog through the dozens of cheap, poorly-written, badly-acted and negligently-directed movies in the subgenre produced every year. We in the United States have a nice shortcut to good movies, though. Generally, if a foreign language film gets wide distribution in America, it's probably good enough to stand on its own merits. This is definitely the case with Tomas Alfredson's 2008 romantic thriller Let The Right One In.

Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist's 2004 novel Låt den Rätte Komma In, this leisurely paced horror film is not only one of the finer vampire movies to hit the screen in the past several years, it's also a good introduction to Swedish film in general. The story takes place in Blackberg, a quiet suburb of Stockholm. In fact, it's a bit too quiet. Aside from the presence of a murderer and his ageless vampire master, Alfredson's Blackberg is eerily empty and devoid of all but the most muted sunlight. This kind of cold desolation is common in Swedish cinema, providing a surreal atmosphere in which it seems that the characters interact by pure luck or a mysterious variety of fate.

Let The Right One In focuses mostly on a 12-year-old boy named Oskar whose life is a mix of loneliness and fear. Friendless, he harbors a lot of pent-up rage for the expanding group of bullies who pester him in ever crueler ways. But while Oskar only ever dreams of violence, his new neighbors make it into a lifestyle. Eli, the girl next door, has the appearance of a pubescent child but is actually a vampire of unknown age. The man presumed to be her father is a ghoulish caretaker of sorts, ineptly killing locals and draining their blood for his master's later consumption.

Most of the movie revolves around the strange intimacy that develops between Oskar and Eli, but it gradually incorporates the story of supernatural murder that unfolds while young Oskar sleeps. The feeding scenes are chilling but not gratuitous and the film generally avoids special effects. There's also a morbid sense of humor running through the movie that keeps it from being too self-serious.

Let The Right One In has seen two American releases so far. The first was the subject of some minor controversy for its supposedly hasty translation, so a second, re-translated version made it around the independent theater circuit in early 2009. Currently, a full American remake is slated for release in 2010. There is no word yet on whether or not it will further explore the darker themes of the novel, such as pedophilia, or if it will be more of a direct adaptation of the original film.

For those who like their vampires to be a little more monster and a little less emo romantic, Let The Right One In should fulfill the yearly quota. It's got just enough splatter and creep to feel like a proper horror movie, but it's far from a mindless creature feature.

African Flicks Worth Checking Out

 

With recent cross-border collaborations in the movie industries, there has been a revival of interest in foreign flicks. Or at least, an interest in various stories inspired by/set abroad. Well, I would like to think that more folks are looking across borders for new ideas. After all everyone must be somewhat tired of that ugly R-word - remakes. So, after being inspired by the South Africa-based Sci-fi thriller, D-9, I decided to put together a list of movies made in Africa. Some of them are not made entirely by the movie industry of the said African country; a lot of them are joint collaborations involving European countries.

Man to Man (South Africa, France and UK)

This 2005 flick is the sad and touching story of an anthropologist who comes across pygmies in Africa. The movie sees South African movie folk joining hands with French and British movie makers and actors. The overall story is a historical drama of sorts and ponders the ethics behind the handling of certain discoveries, in this case the pygmies. This flick was directed by Régis Wargnier and stars Joseph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas. Do note, this one is probably a tear-jerker.

 

666 (Nigeria)

I came across this Nigerian flick via Boing Boing. It's called 666 and as you can imagine, the movie is about

the devil … or his main minion. Apparently they both play an important role in this. I wouldn't exactly watch this seriously; its one of those flicks you watch for a good laugh. Think of it as a really bad version of The Bloody Pit of Horror. Actually if, you think about it, you must have a super-level of cheesiness to beat TBPoH. For me, it's not the movie quality that is disconcerting. Oh no, once you realise I sat through TBPoH, you know I have a soft spot for really bad horror flicks. What is worrying about this movie are the themes. In a lot of cases, you can brush aside the crazy theories in a movie and say, 'No one would take this seriously'. Unfortunately, judging from the Boing Boing comments, a lot of folks from Nigeria do take this storyline to heart. All the more reason to watch this flick and get some insight to other folks' superstitions.

 

Touki Bouki (Senegal)

This is a rather old flick from Senegal. It comes across as a rather sad, occasionally funny, movie about two hopefuls who wish to immigrate to Paris. You know, the whole 'nothing happens around here, I want to make it big' sort of tale. So, in order to achieve this dream, these two concoct plots to con folks out of their money. I suppose they figured they must make money in the easiest way possible. Much as that sounded snarky, I am not entirely dismissive of this movie. This movie borders on classic arty flicks and provides a glimpse into social situation of most African countries. The movie was directed and written by Djibril Diop Mambéty.

 

Les Saignantes (Cameroon and France)

Now we are talking. This is a scif-fi thriller of sorts that covers a lot of the issues prevalent in African countries. Actually, it seems like the social commentary and political statements is applicable to most countries, be it Third World or First World. Do keep in mind, this movie is going to be – or should be - R-rated because of its strong sexual themes. This means it just might be harder to find it, depending on where you live. From what I read about it on Wiki, it's about two female call-girls of sorts who are up and close and personal with the ruling folk. Then a body hits the floor in the midst of a bit of rough fun and the ladies are faced with a problem.

Funny Cool Ads That Will Make Your Day

Do you get a kick out of checking out ads? I think I have asked this before. But I do love browsing through funny, cool, creative or downright out-there ads. My favorites are ones from other countries; this way, I sometimes have to guess what kind of product is being sold. Sometimes, you are simply amused by the methods used to convey a message. Enjoy!

Not sure I want to smell like a drain cleaner

 

This particular ad is from Down Under and is about a drain cleaner product. The guys behind the ad had thrown in a bit of oomph into the ad, obviously trying to spice up what has hitherto been a mundane household product. It will definitely get people's attention. Now, if only that lady would put down her toilet brush. Check out more pics here.

 

He was not blushing, you know

 

Seriously though, wouldn't you have thought that the younger kids were the … er, cheeky ones? These are teens we are talking about. I suppose, in all fairness, he did give a rather dodgy look. This ad hails from Argentina and it's by a company called Banana Boat. I'm not sure what the product is for; it might be the leisure boats (for sunbathers or something along those lines). Or, it could be a general awareness message?

 

Ahh, the good old college days

 

… of mouldy food in fridge and leftover pizza slices in old boxes! This ad for Ikea is from Norway and, as always, the folks over there have a good sense of humor about buying easy-to-assemble furniture. You have to love how they drive through the strong point of their products – they are cheap, durable and perfect for young folk. Of course, lots of older folk are also into Ikea. However, the cheap catalog furniture deal caters more to the more carefree youth than to the homely working folk. Do note, the ad has some amount of nudity … I don't know if, for most folks, this is an incentive to watch or warning to avoid it.

He's gonna be mad when he finds out

 

 

This is another ad from Norway and it was done so well that I just had to share it. The company in question is Opplysningen 1881 Call Center. They are promoting themselves as the place to call for all your inquiries, mostly about phone numbers etc. But I suppose this is their way of saying 'Nothing fazes us'. On a side note, I really don't want to be in that tattoo artist's shoes when the metalhead finds out what happened.


KFC is too cool for school

 

Somehow I moved on from Norway to the metal genre. How else did I end up with this ad? By the way, I should note that this song is probably made in US. Funny thing is, a lot of folks have not seen it and some are even assuming this might be made abroad. Weirdly enough, this video has been viewed by many folks on the net, folks get a kick out of it and it is famous in that regard … and yet, no one's seen it on telly. How strange is that? It is a very funky ad though. And the band name, Hellvetica? Classic!


Lock the doors, man!

 

I am back to Norwegian ads and I still have not moved on from the Metal genre. Don't worry, this one's more lighthearted and caters to a wider audience. That last bit was for the sake of readers who have no interest in the genre. The company featured in the ad is a supermart or a discount store of some sort. The message? Apparently you find what want really quickly. Or maybe they meant that there were shorter queues? Or that there is one around every corner, given how quickly they came back?

 

'Got Milk' folks should do this

 

This Belgian ad started out at such a slow pace that I was quite tempted to skip it. It didn't seem funny and frankly, reminded me of those cute medical insurance ads. Oh no, do not be deceived. Stick through to the end and you will get a kick out of it. And if you know any youngsters with similar tastes, pass them a link to this video.

Funny Indian Fight Scenes

Indian movie industry has come up with some real gems. By this I mean flicks with great storylines, catchy songs and some really quirky horror movies. But, like everyone else, they have their hits and misses. Like action sequences. In a number of movies, the director and fight choreographer appear to throw logic to the winds and say, 'What the heck, let's just mixit all together!'. Consider these few examples.

The Village Fight

This is one of those wtf moments from a Tamil movie. I am not sure about the name of the movie or the folks in it … I just know this – if the rest of the movie is as cheesy as this one action scene, count me in for watching the full movie. Here you have a man with a mighty moustache walking confidently towards some bad guys. Imagine hectic music in the background, possibly some trumpet solos. Now a group of mean-looking, machete-wielding guys confront him. And what do you know – with one kick he sends them somersaulting in various directions. I just love the way one guy bounced up and hit a lamppost!

You know what I would like to know? If the big bosses were standing far, witnessing this carnage-not looking very stunned, come to think of it-why don't they make a run for it? If this is how he dishes justice to minions, heck, I wouldn't want to be the finishing act for his fancy moves. Then again, maybe one of them had a gun?

As you get to the end of the clip, you can understand why he opted for the confident strut … man's got a frumpy run; oh dear, say bye bye to your street cred!

Bar Fight

Okay, why is everyone wearing kimonos? And are they made of silk? What club is this again? I am guessing that the main guy, the hero, was kidnapped and brought here for some nefarious purpose. Now be patient with the actor, he is just getting his bearings. You can see this from the way he does the sideways turns every time he attempts a sideways jump-kick. And then he really gets into form; somersaults, hovers the purple-kimono man and proceeds to slap him. You heard me, it was a wimpy slap, the type best delivered by glove-wearing women from historical romance novels. You can tell just how disturbing it was; the big baddie with twirly mustache, the one watching from the sidelines also grimaces in disgust at that moment.

Alright, so he defeated him. What next? Is he going to fight the twirly mustache man? Wait … why the music, what's going on? Why is he dancing? You mean this was what he was doing in the club before the fight? Oh my, no wonder someone tried to stop him!

Hanging Man

This is a short clip compared to the rest. However it is definitely worth your while. The first few seconds show a guy – assuming he is the hero – kicking some random guy into the air and slamming him into an overhead light. It might have been at a boxing ring, it might have been at the circus, you really couldn't tell. Then, the clip cuts to this bizarre scene where the hero is surrounded by a whole bunch of neatly dressed men. Oh and did I mention they are trying to lasso that guy? If you thought that was weird, wait a few seconds. Is that a man hanging from the ceiling, looking trussed up like a turkey?

Biker Fight

Of course such a collection of fight scenes would not be complete without featuring Rajnikanth, the king of corny fights! So there he is, riding into the village square on his nifty looking motorcycle. Does he fit the rough tough biker look? Let's see: Scarf around neck? Check! Smoking a cigarette while striking cheesy pose? Check! Sleeveless shirt? Check! Fake license plate to deceive corrupt cops? Check! Tassels on bike handlebar? Wait ... what?

Well, it'll get better once he starts bashing up the baddies. Then again, maybe not! That's when he resembles an extra from a Wham music video. To his credit, you got to love how he bounces back after each fistfight and poses next to his bike. Wait for the bit where he kicks a heavy sack or something or the other at one minion. I love how it looks like the sack is flopping over sadly in that one shot and then cuts to it whooshing through the air like a flying squirrel in the next shot.

 

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