This Ramsay Brothers effort—billed in lurid lettering as “A Suspense Thriller”—is neither suspenseful nor a thriller.
Here, in a nutshell and without screen caps because Ultra DVDs don’t play on my computer, is why:
The Comic Side Plot: While an aging Mehmood romancing an aging Rajendranath under the spell of a love potion could possibly stand on its own as a horror film, that isn’t the intent here, and so it merely interrupts (for long stretches of time) what should be the building suspense as hotel guests are killed off one by one.
The Lack of Killing: Tiptoeing around the delicate sensibilities of the censors might get the film released, but it’s not horrifying if nobody is actually shown being murdered. An actor covered in garish red “blood” after the fact isn’t disturbing, at least not appropriately.
The Wig: No mere script, no matter how full of gore and ghouls, could ever compete with the horror that is Rakesh Roshan’s auburn wig. Zombies simply pale in comparison.
The Songs: Two people singing happily about their love for each other also kind of diminishes the suspense. And although I’m a big fan of Usha Khanna, her music for this film is just plain dull, much like the film itself.
The Budget: A landslide of styrofoam boulders which could be easily pushed aside is not even a little alarming, never mind fear-inducing. Marauding undead obviously fashioned from papier-mache and old sheets aren’t scary either.
The Acting: Most of those under attack seem only mildly afraid, even bored at times. This makes it very difficult for me to be afraid for them. Monotonous high-decibel dialogue delivery also encourages me to want certain people to die, if only to save my own ears (yes, Ranjeet, I’m talking to you, although it pains me greatly to say so).
The Story: Maybe the fault of the censors again, but all the victims are awful people and basically deserve to die. Good people are spared (unless they are canine). Where’s the suspense in that? Horror is supposed to strike randomly, at anyone, anywhere, any time. Otherwise, we shareef aadmi can just sit smugly by with our glasses of wine.
I do want to give the Ramsay Brothers mad props for trying to make a horror film despite being saddled with circumstances and traditions that engender no real hope of success. However, if Hotel didn’t frighten me, it isn’t going to frighten anyone.
So far, my venture into Hindi cinema’s horror fare is not going that well (or else it is, since I don’t like being scared). But I have high hopes for Shaitani Dracula, although I doubt I can improve on this review.
Tags: Hindi horror film, Mehmood, Rajendranath, Rakesh Roshan, Ramsay Brothers, Ranjeet, Usha Khanna
July 4, 2009 at 3:46 pm |
Check out the song “Hum ko tum se pyara koi Nahin”… I think picturized on Prema Narayan… Song is hummable… Hotel played in Capitol Cinema in Bombay…. (next to VT station)
July 4, 2009 at 4:03 pm |
I liked the theme music and some of the background music, but not any of the songs…so many film songs from the early 1980s have that awful “disco” sound, which I just can’t stand. I know this isolates me from most of mankind, but I didn’t even like the songs from Karz…
July 6, 2009 at 11:51 am |
glad to see the Usha Khanna love. She IS quite talented and
under-feted. :)
July 6, 2009 at 12:13 pm |
Her soundtrack for Dil Deke Dekho was superb. Also for Shabnam :-)
July 6, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I think it has to do with knowing exactly
what to do with Md Rafi’s voice. :)
Main rakha hain mohabbat apne
afsane ka naam. Uff!
July 4, 2009 at 4:07 pm |
Hi memsaab,
Before Ram Gopal Verma came with a horror film called “Raat” made in his own unique style in 1992, everything in India related to Horror was treated as Low grade cinema.
So you will actually find only few movies which can be really called horror made in those years. Most of them will have ugly faces, strange and funny sounds filled with unnecessary sexy scenes in order to gain cheap publicity.
Among the best horror movies made in that period, there is one with the title “PURANA MANDIR”. See if you can get hold of that and let us know how did you find that.
Bobby Sing
bobbytalkscinema.com
July 4, 2009 at 5:14 pm |
Beth reviewed Purana Mandir over here—I don’t think I’d have anything much to add, but perhaps I will give it a try (she liked it)…I don’t think the sensibilities of Hindi cinema really fit with the whole horror thing (well, now they might, but not through the early 80s anyway). It’s probably one reason I like Hindi films :-)
July 4, 2009 at 5:00 pm |
I was a small kid when the film was released in Bombay and I simply wanted to see it. Forbidden fruits!
“Otherwise, we shareef aadmi can just sit smugly by with our glasses of wine.”
Well, by hindi film standards that alone would make us non-shareef.
July 4, 2009 at 5:16 pm |
It had some pretty sleazy moments by Hindi film standards :-D And I thank you for getting my little shareef joke :)
July 4, 2009 at 5:43 pm |
Your sense of humour is infectious!
;-)
REaaly miss the screen caps of this horror movie! :-(
;-)
July 5, 2009 at 8:57 am |
I know *sad* I could have gotten some good ones! Blame Ultra. None of my 3 computer DVD drives will play them.
July 4, 2009 at 9:20 pm |
The only thing redeeming in Ramsay movies was the music by Usha Khanna. Three cheers to a talented lady in a male dominated film music industry. Like rest of the mob, i was happy to listen to an odd interesting song or two from this stable and have not seen any of the so called horror movies which are not horror at all as explained by some one above!
July 5, 2009 at 8:58 am |
I love Usha’s music too, for the most part. I was very disappointed in this soundtrack, except as I said somewhere above—the theme and background music was good.
July 4, 2009 at 10:41 pm |
Ramsay movies were C grade movies as has been mentioned earlier. They were made on shoe string budgets taking newcomers/ unknown names.
Sometimes, some of these newcomers went on to bigger things. For instance, one of the “better” Ramsay horror movies was “Darwaaza”. It was here that one saw Shakti Kapoor for the first time in a small role. He was still known as Sunil Kapoor ( his original name) at that time.
Ramsay brothers signed up out of job music directors and some of them sometimes came up with nice music in these movies.
The first horror movie that Ramsay brothers produced was
“Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi”(1970). It had awesome music by Ganesh (brother of Pyarelal).
July 5, 2009 at 2:58 am |
My dad knew one of the Ramsey’s… they shot a scene from Nanhi Munni in Dad’s shop…. As a kid who was frightened out of his wits watching the posters in Bombay, I took some recourse that my Dad new the maker of these horrors… I remember Rafi singing… “Ek nanhi munni ladki Thi”… on the radio… Vividh Bharathi…. aah the early 70s in BOmbay… :)
July 5, 2009 at 9:00 am |
Do tell me which scene! I will watch out for it especially :-D
July 5, 2009 at 5:51 pm |
Thanks a lot… I myself never saw this movie… It should be in some kind of art shop… (in Bombay… without giving away the name).. like a display case with curios and the little girl maybe crawling around…. if not this, I need to ask Dad… only 40 years ago… he should still remember :)
July 5, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Cool! If your dad is like mine at all, 40 minutes ago is a problem to remember but 40 years ago is clear as day :-)
July 5, 2009 at 9:00 am |
I have Ek Nanhi Munni Ladki Thi but it doesn’t have subtitles (still, I need to watch it). I was surprised that I knew all the names in this one—I suppose Navin Nischol was kind of washed up by now, but can’t imagine what the rest of them are doing in it. Although maybe it was a novel idea for the time…
July 5, 2009 at 2:08 am |
Have never even heard of this movie.
I remember seeing a Ramsay movie when very young “Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche” (meaning “Six Feet Under”).
I remember only the first 45 min or so – was OK. There was a pretty decent song too “Ek Panchhi Banke” by Vani Jairam.
July 5, 2009 at 2:55 am |
I still remember getting the shivers while driving in a taxi cab watching the posters of “Do gaz..” somewhere near Majestic cinema in Bombay…. also remember the radio spots for “Do gaz…” repeated many times….
July 5, 2009 at 9:03 am |
Probably the posters were scarier than the actual film! :-)
July 5, 2009 at 9:02 am |
Well raja pretend that you still haven’t :-) It’s quite boring, songs and everything.
July 5, 2009 at 2:11 am |
Reminded me of a business associate who recalled an incident when he (at that time living in Mumbai) had come to Delhi for work and was staying in a hotel in Paharganj. After he’d spent a night there (it was a ramshackle place), one of the guys – bellboy, waiter, whatever, remarked that “Sahib was staying in the same room where a corpse had been found under the bed a few days back”.
Ah, well. This, at least, is one film I don’t want to see.
July 5, 2009 at 9:04 am |
Ewwwww! A few DAYS back? That is just horrible. Ugh.
No, you can give this one a miss with no regrets.
July 6, 2009 at 12:53 am |
Yes, a few DAYS back. And murdered too. Throat slit, as far as I remember. How charming.
July 6, 2009 at 12:03 pm |
From a hazily-remembered Ramsey-watching binge a while back, I recall “Hotel” being one of the more competently made. Which might say something in and of itself.
I definitely agree that Hindi film sensibilies don’t lend themselves well to horror films. Part of the problem with Red Rose, too. It’s like the films are working against themselves.
But I love it that they try! And (possibly sadly), I’ll continue watching them. :)
July 6, 2009 at 12:12 pm |
I think the fact that it was fairly competently done is what made it ultimately so dull: if it had been badly done it would have possibly been more interesting (oh! the irony!). But since it couldn’t accomplish what it was trying so hard to do, it just ended up being competently unsuccessful.
You should keep watching. And writing about them, so I don’t have to :-)
July 7, 2009 at 1:03 am |
Get “Halaku” if you can find it – it has Pran.
July 7, 2009 at 7:53 am |
I have Halaku, it’s a lovely film and Pran is great as the title character :) Helen is in it too!
July 10, 2009 at 8:05 pm |
I’d love to see it then as I have only heard a lot about it.
July 21, 2009 at 9:42 am |
I have a collection of around ten Ramsay Brothers movies, and I put them right up there with those by the Marx Brothers.
Nothing like a ‘Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neechhey’ on a lazy afternoon, beer in hand. My wife sadly, looks at me with the scowl that people reserve for suspected lunatics.
No serious plot. Bare minimum acting. Some clever editing and everything else going right over the top!
July 21, 2009 at 10:02 am |
I suspect my review does not reflect how easily I did get through the film. As I said—it didn’t scare me, but I don’t like being scared so that was okay. It was a very bad film, but I was entertained by Rakesh Roshan’s wig, the bad special effects and of course my guy Ranjeet, although I did tire of him shouting his dialogues at me…
October 1, 2009 at 7:14 am |
Wow! I am spellbound to see so many likemindeds here! I have been trying to figure people you out across the web. Finally my search is over now! Hey friends, there’s a long list of Horror films produced by Ramsays and I would say that compared to the extra turgid productions by Kanti Shah, Jeetu, Vikram Patel and the Kankarias, what Ramsays made looks as fascinating as John Carpenters ‘Halloween’ and Tobe Hooper’s ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’. There were few good spells from Mohan Bhakri and his crew like ‘Khooni Mahal’. The film also did moderately well at the box-office. Then Vinod Talwar came up with his ideas and soon was out of business. One of the best films with several shocking scenes and arresting effects was ‘Kafan’ released in the early 90s. If you don’t have it in your spokky collection, then get it now!
October 1, 2009 at 8:32 am |
You probably have already discovered these sites: Teleport City and Die Danger Die Die Kill (links to both in my sidebar). Octoberzine writes about horror films too sometimes on her blog.
Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche is on its way, so will be writing about that one of these days ;-) At the very least, Helen is in it!