Movies No More-Extra Credit

   Filmmaker Pankaj Rishi Kumar presents a personal nostalgic documentary that shows how cinema has affected people in the small town of Kalpi, India. Kumar Talkies was a cinema hall started up by Pankaj's father and his friend. After his father died, Pankaj made a documentary interviewing people and family within the small town. Most of the questions involved the past theaters that use to be around and how Kumar Talkies was the only one in town since the rest closed. After the film, he answered questions from the audience. Kumar Talkies has been closed since 2005, and there are no longer any cinema halls within the town. 

   I thought the film was put together very well. There were some parts he could've edit out such as this one scene where he tells the driver to back up and drive slower so he could get a better shot of a building. The main reason people went to Kumar Talkies was because it was cheap and there was nothing else to do besides work and eat. They were willing to put up with the many interruptions such as entire reels missing or only half of the movies being presented for one day. I was surprised they would put up with the problems and instead of staying home and watch TV instead. I felt bad for the Pankaj when he was interviewing family. His mother would recall when the theater was at its prime, his uncle would say that he only helped run it because it was nice property, and his siblings left town to find work. It seems that he and his father were the only ones to be truly invested in the theater. Before I wasn’t attached to the town, but now I hope there will be another theater opening up in Kalpi.