HONOURS : MOVIES -FIVE GRAND- MASTERS

FILMS came into being in 1895 in France, the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, followed by Russia.

It has now been 125 years since the audience have been spellbound by this magic. What came in between is black and white silent shorts followed by high speed comedy, sound with musicals, colour and cinemascope/widescreen.

All this came to an end by end of 20th century with analogue [35 mm] going into the past and digital taking over, both film production and exhibition.

Over the past 12 decades and more, many filmmakers around the world have become household names.

It is difficult to sum up their performance and artistic endeavours in few paragraphs. Keeping that in mind here are 5 remarkable filmmakers whose work is now integral part of film history.

Alfred Hitchcock
[1899 - 1980]

Master of Suspense - the name of Alfred Hitchcock in genre of suspense films cannot be separated. He was an English film director who started his career in British black and white silent era and his road to Hollywood at Universal Studios and beyond makes him one of the most memorable filmmakers.

He directed over 50 feature films, introduced many innovative filmmaking techniques and did cameo roles in most of his films.

From the 39 Steps [1935], Rope [1948], Rear Window [1954], Vertigo [1958] North by Northwest [1959] Psycho [1960], The Birds [1963], to Family Plot [1976] and many others, it was a passage which excited, thrilled and horrified the film audience worldwide.

In 1968, Alfred Hitchcock was presented with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award [an Honorary Oscar] by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for consistent reflection of high quality in motion picture production.

In 1979 Queen Elizabeth II Knighted him, making him Sir Alfred Hitchcock.

AKIRA KUROSAWA
[1910 - 1998]

The man who brought Asian cinema into the international limelight, Akira Kurosawa is a name to be reckoned with not just with the Japanese screen but worldwide art film audiences and is considered to be one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema.

He is the man whose work was seen and appreciated from American art house audience to Indonesia and from Iran to European countries.

It wasn't just Krosawa's Rashomon [1950] containing different versions from the same story [attracting Hollywood for a remake of The Outrage [1964] and Seven Samurai [1954], The Magnificent Seven [1960, 1969, 1972, 2016] made several times] but his many other masterpieces for which he was awarded and rewarded on the world film stage.

With a film career spanning for over 57 years he directed 30 feature films including memorable titles such as Ikiru [1952], Yojimbo [1961] and Ran [1985].

In 1990 he received the Lifetime Achievement Academy Award [Oscar]

The Honor and Serving of this delightful Master Publishing, continues. The World Students Society thanks author Jamil Sohail.