Sunday, September 24, 2006

Talk of the Devil

The Devil Wears Prada, yesterday. Went expecting a fluff movie and well, it was kinda, but what glorious fluff!

The Marauder posts about it here, and as always speaks for me. It was such brilliant fun, the movie – the clothes, the shoes... every frame, in fact. Two very absorbing hours that steep you in the world of fashion – so completely in fact, that I stepped out of the movie's New York into real-time Hyderabad, slightly taken aback at the sight of ordinary dhoti-clad people riding scooters.

Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly – masterly. That soft monotone, those little flickers of the eyelids. She attracted and repelled, inspired horror and admiration all at once.

Fashion, I think, is one of those things you either get or not – this film does, of course. It understands what the deal is and conveys quite nicely the all consuming focus so typical of its acolytes.

We were discussing this rather excitedly yesterday and my mother came out with something profound: of all the things we do – things we human beings do to occupy our time on earth – the two industries that make most sense are entertainment and fashion.

Almost everything we do is against the flow of life. Medicine cures, halts/delays death; developmentalists try desperately to improve affairs, managers manage other people, organise things... everything seeks to improve, change, alter. There is no genuine belief in transience or the natural rhythm of things, or we wouldn’t take ourselves so seriously.

Fashion and entertainment though are in line with the way things are, go with the flow of life – they have no utility, they are frivolous, and they also have no pretensions of doing anything other than helping you pass your time more pleasantly than you might otherwise have. They are about adornment, embellishment… and inherently rather profound in their non-seriousness. They are very much about the now, the just now.

Heh, I say this now and then, but today you must please imagine Streep’s gentle voice, cool and dismissive: That is all.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

loved it too.. especially the clothes after the transformation.. they are gorgeous..

Funny thing is.. I liked Pyaar ka side effects too..laffed quite a bit..guess its just the lack of anything better to do..

Sheetal said...

Oh did you? Wondering if I should see it again, just for the clothes. About Pyar ke side effects, many people seemed to have :-), I found myself in quite a minority over that.

But what you doing watching all these movies, girl? I thought high flyers didn't have time to do anything beyond packing and unpacking between hectic schedules?

The Marauder's Map said...

What profound thoughts on fashion! I will use them in the first edition of Vogue India I edit, and don't worry, I will give you credit. That's all.

Anonymous said...

oh.. i luuv watching movies.. with butter popcorn if my weight permits :) and my new job gives me two days off every week to do just that..

Anonymous said...

Loved the clothes too, and the makeover, but especially the shoe cupboard - would that we had one for Cosmo...
Anyway, Vogue India - hah! All filled up I blv - really they are showing very little foresight by passing me up. But if the Marauder's becoming editor... hmmm what's your email id?
And did you all love the advance copy of Harry Potter scene - was salivating myself at that bit

Sheetal said...

Marauder: Clinique freebies and glory? Verily, cup runneth over.

Meera Bai: That's is extremely considerate of this new job - precisely the way we like new jobs to behave. Excellent! I think it is time we started living in the same city again. But how?

Anon: es, we liked HP 7 reference but we certainly went hah! asssif.
Do not talk to us of that shoe cupboard - it is fast replacing the peaceful green meadow we use to represent paradise in our meditations.

Anonymous said...

will try and make a trip this nov or dec if you guys are around..

Sheetal said...

Oh yippie! come, come - Hyd will not have seen that shade of red.

Vamsi said...

i guess you must be speaking for only girls. I had accompanied some people and was stuck in that place for 2 hours and the feeling i got...."God help me: Why do people make such movies!"

Sheetal said...

Goofy: very possibly, you're right. It was a chick flick.