Agantuk

It is possible and dangerous to read too much into a director's final film as being a "swan song" or a "culmination," and it seems to be an easy "insight" by those unable to come up with something better. But here we have a veritable summation and a compelling final statement of a brilliant career.

Whenever I watch an S. Ray film, I always feel lost trying to find a main theme or thrust in the story. Here we have several: ancient custom vs. technology, self-discovery, mystery/doubt, etc. But they all co-mingle in this extraordinarily complex character (based on Ray himself no doubt, hence the high level of insight). His was a cinema of life, scattered and bewildering, yet sublimely beautiful.

Still, Ray remains one of the few great directors from his era who never quite mastered the use of colour. Indeed, the lingering shots of images lacks the power of say the chandelier in "Jalsaghar," and the regret and sorrow on the faces of the family doesn't come anywhere close to the final scenes of "Pather."

On top of this we have Ray trying most explicitly to be philosophical. Some of Manmohan's laments on civilisation resemble passages from "Notes From Underground," and we even have the husband talking about having to "put two and two together," but these themes seem to be mentioned for the sake of mentioning them. Ray, like Manmohan, was an anthropologist, not a philosopher. Still, there are some deeply touching moments in this overall capably and thoughtfully made film.

3 out of 5 - Some strong elements

Simple and eloquent. The Stranger may be too charming for many of today's hipsters. A bit corny perhaps, but corn tastes great when it's cooked properly. The acting alone is worth the price of admission. If this was Ray's swan song, I'm sure he's resting in peace. Bravo, maestro!

A well-off family is paid an unexpected, and rather unwanted, visit by a man claiming to be the woman's long-lost uncle. The initial suspicion with which they greet the man slowly dissolves as he regales them with stories of his travels, tales that are at odds with their conventional middle-class perspective on the world.

This film is notable for being Satyajit Ray's final project. He may be best known for the s-called "Apu Trilogy" much earlier in his career. But, to be honest, I enjoyed "Stranger" far more. It was more polished, had a more intelligent script and dialogue. It is something of a masterful movie.

As I often say in reviews, I am not typically a fan of Indian / Bengali films. I rarely see one -- even those considered the best -- that I enjoy. But I would wholeheartedly endorse "The Stranger".

One of the greatest films I have ever seen, it is directly comparable with his second movie (pather Panchali) as his finest till date. The movie is all about family relationships and the idea of money. He knows how to direct the regular 'life', pitched in reality and his movies give enough reason for us to understand his brilliance. Utpal Duttas performance is mesmerizing and together , with Ray's sublime direction and Utpal's sensitive,sensational acting this movie is a masterpiece for 'teachers' and 'students'. Just Brilliant. Stop watching mindless movies of Spielberg and direct your valuable time towards Ray, Kurosawa, Chang wook park, Truffaut, Eisenstein, Ritwik Ghatak, Pudovkin, Kieslowski, Almadovar, Antonino, Godard, Wong kar Wai, Fellini, Bertolucci, Makmalbaf, Kiarostami, Bergman, Wajda, Jeunet, Szabo etc

This is only the second Satyajit Ray film I have seen (the first being Two Daughters). I must say that I regret having not seen his movies till now. Agantuk is a very beautiful and simple movie. What is complex is the characters, and the way the story unfolds.

I am mostly impressed by Satyajit Ray's vast knowledge about various topics on history, science, religion and society, which is clearly evident from the movie. Satyajit Ray is a master film-maker, and gets out the best performance from his actors.

I am surely looking forward to seeing more of his work.