HOLLYWOOD gets revisited

It was a flashback time at At The Movies an exhibition created by Magnum,a cooperative by international photographers in association with Tasveer,an organisation committed to photography,to commemorate hundred years of Hollywood.

This 11-day event exhibited various images of Hollywood icons shot by photographers on film sets,capturing behind-the-scenes moments and photographing film directors,actors and actresses on and off camera.

From Paul Newman’s snapshot by Bruce Davidson to an image of Audrey Hepburn clicked during the making of Sabrina in 1954 by Dennis Stock or the signature image of Marilyn Monroe from the sets of Seven-Year Itch were some of the pictures thrown open for the audience to purchase. Ranging up to Rs 8 lakh,the pictures were either estate-signed or signed by the photographer themselves.

Some of the best pictures,like W. Eugene Smith’s Charlie Chaplin directing Limelight (1952) or Philippe Halsman’s British filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock,during the filming of The Birds (1962) and his Tippi Hedre’s picture from the same movie remained only for viewing pleasure.

Though Hollywood was the flavour of the exhibition,one picture stood out,shedding light on Indian filmmaking,a black-and-white picture of film director Satyajit Ray filming Aparajito (1956).

Various Bollywood personalities attended the event,while actress Nandita Das graced the opening ceremony.