Graphics/Special effects in Tamil movies

Special effects are to be used in movies to enhance the visual experience. To be more specific, graphics are being used as a replacement of an original scheme (e.g., sinking of the titanic, volcanic eruptions, etc.), bringing fantasies/anachronistic events to life (e.g., dinosaurs) or can be used in an entirely "unique" area (also known as tamil cinema).

With the limited tamil cinema knowledge I possess, special effects can be very nicely split into two eras - Pre-Shankar and Post-Shankar.

Pre-Shankar:
I do not remember a lot of movies using special effects in the pre-Shankar era - maybe a few jaganmohini type movies, popularly known as "Vittalacharya" movies. I have not seen much of that genre, so I am incapable of commenting on them. Apart from this type of movies, there were scores of other movies which depicted "feshal" effects by brilliantly pasting disjoint scenes - like a forest scene, where MGR fights a lion: The lion's footage would be an age-old African savannah shot. Of course, the close-up would have a big furry lion doll trying to paw MGR. Crocodiles, tigers, snakes have also graced the silver screen without their knowledge. Of course, one cannot blame the movie makers; they had limited technology and money, and who cares if a snake is getting a pay-check.

Post-Shankar:
Post-Shankar, however is a completely different story. The main reasons were that producers were willing to spend more money and technology was picking up. With the advent of high-tech companies, software professionals started to wet their hands in this field. It required both creativity and implementation skills - not an easy combination. The graphic designers were fresh and willing to experiment (and not to mention that the director had NO IDEA of what specifications to give and what to expect). In this learning curve, a main aspect, however was forgotten/ignored. Why use special effects for a particular scene?. Rather, it started something like this: a programmer or his group had probably implemented a new module and the TEAM LEAD convinced his manager to use this somehow, somewhere in the movie. Who knows?. If that particular graphic module was selected, he may be sent to "ON-SITE".

Actually, this ploy worked pretty well. We, the audience had no idea what to expect, so if there was anything compooter-generated, jaws dropped. Shankar adopted this technique of using the producers' money in a proper fashion ("it's worth it, Kunjumon sir"). The problem started when graphics were used by every other director and for any and every scenario. What started as a "haiii, sooper maa" became "aiya, dho da".

From what I have scene (sorry, seen) on the screen, the following list has scenes/movies which mis-used graphics, and thereby incurred the audience's (hee hee, naanthaan) displeasure:

Asattu graphics or unwanted graphics in no particular order:

1. Anniyan: This movie had a 27 crore rupee budget. I can think of atleast 5 cuts in the editing room which could have saved the producer a couple of crores. Some of the achhu-bicchhu graphics are -

• the scene in which bits of information fly through the fibre-optic cables and enters a database of cached web sites. COME ON!. Give me a break!.

• the entire anniyan.com website (in the movie), complete with the yerumai maadu.

• ala matrix style stunts. It was cute the first time in Matrix. But even the subsequent (2 and 3) were dragging.

2. Boys: A costly attempt by Shankar, but too bad for him. Thulluvatho Ilamai was so much better and was released before Boys.

• what the hell is that "dabara" song - the one which ends up with a coke can. It was so irritating to watch it.
• the multiple camera angles was ok for once or twice. But an entire song like that?. Shankar infact "perfected" the multiple thingy in Anniyan, where Sada's fall from the stairs(?) is taken in a vertical multiple angle shot. #$$#*&#&#!!!
  

3. Mudhalvan: I like this movie a lot - but for a few special effects.

• paramapadha paambus - such a pathetic looking sequence. The scene is complete with Manisha Koirala closing one of the snakes's head (Vadivelu, I think) with a pot!.
  

4. Baba: Thalaivar's debacle. The lesser said about this movie, the better. Nevertheless -

• kite scene - can you believe it?. An entire 6 minutes wasted. I wish he had wished for some other wish.

5. Monisha en Monalisa (!!): I did not watch this movie, but unfortunately I happened to see one of the songs from this movie - sung and danced by Simbu (before he officially started acting as a hero). I think the song was a lift-off from Ricky Martin's Worldcup football song.

• A Tyrannosaurus Rex dancing on a rotating CD!!. This image has been immortalized in my memory!.

6. All of the Ammann movie series: Sample - An elephant in a dress plays cricket. What can I say?

7. Kadhalar dhinam: A movie which I love to hate. Cheesy dialogs, lyrics, scenes.. you name it.

• Overkilling the dancing baby, people typing on a keyboard randomly - for the first time, I was ashamed of being associated with Computer Science.
• All those chat graphics. I am not even sure if today's chat software has roses swirling when someone types ROJA. Talk about AI!.
  
• Roja Roja song - Oh my god!. Sonali Bendre is flying in a bed of roses, and Kunaal is urugifying for her. Need I add that Unnikrishnan's voice was at its effeminate best.

8. Indian: Not much complaining here. One of my all time favorites. Except for a few scenes -

• Race track fight - poor quality graphics. Even the front-most frontbencher would have groaned looking at it.

Sometimes Graphics and special effects have been implemented nicely, with good results:

Wise-use:

1. Jeans: I think this movie revolutionized dual-roles. Indian did have some good scenes with the Indian thaatha and the other Kamal, but this one was miles ahead. The skeleton dance was a new addition and was actually enjoyable.

2. Kadhalan: The headless-dance in the "Muquabla" song was widely enjoyed. Intro graphics in "Ennavale" was also nice.

3. Indian: A good tribute to MJ's Thriller video (and Dangerous) through "Maya Machindra" song.

4. Chandramukhi: Towards the end of the movie, the scenes depicting Jyothika's past were pretty welll done.

5. Kurudhi Punal: The last scene (Kamal) was well taken. I am not sure if it was CG or just "ropes", but the end-result was good.

6. Anbey Sivam: Very subtle graphics in the Umbrella fight (Kamal's flashback). Neatly done.

It seems like Shankar has both revolutionized graphics and also mis-used them. But do we need them at all?. For instance, Manirathnam (exception: Anjali's star wars song), Bala and Selvaraghavan are able to give such strong themed movies without any antics. It could also be because these three guys do not spend a lot of money for their movies. Mani has never shot a scene outside India!. Maybe I am speaking too soon!. Who knows?. Selvaraghavan's future movie (Savaanah vil senthilnaathan) may feature Danush as a psycho safari ranger, and we may see the lion-pawing scene again!.