Another entry into James A. Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks series. I enjoy these old travelogues. I'm sure audiences back in the day did too as there weren't many outlets for the average Americans to see what life was like outside of their state, let alone country. This short focuses on the Indian city of Jaipur. "The pink city," as a lot of the buildings are painted rose pink. There's footage of the ancient buildings, which is nice. There's also lots of footage of people and animals, including peacocks, camels, cows, and elephants. Interestingly, I didn't see a single automobile in this short. All of the people were either walking or riding wagons and animals. In addition to the footage, Fitzpatrick narrates and gives history and details on the way of life in Jaipur. All in all, an interesting short. I enjoyed it but I usually enjoy the Traveltalks series.
3 Reviews
Think Pink
boblipton22 January 2014
Hone Glendinning photographed several of James A. Fitzpatrick's Traveltalks before the Second World War and afterwards, as well. He seems to have been more studio-bound during the War. He did a series of travelogues about India around this time, about the same time that Jack Cardiff was doing the same for the competition with pieces like "A Road in India".
It is a bit difficult to compare the two sets of movies. A large part is due to the fact that the prints of Cardiff's works are in much better condition than the Traveltalk prints shown on TCM; also, I am usually annoyed by Fitzpatrick's pompous drivel.
The purpose of a travelogue is to show its audience places, and both sets of movies do that. Certainly, Glendinning's work is competent. He shows us Jaipur with traveling shots, pausing for occasional portraiture or close-up examination of some craftwork. He shows us some interesting stuff. Yet Cardiff's work does more than that. He offers us an attitude with his camera-work. He chooses compositions like El Greco to tell us a story. Glendinning shows us things. They are interesting things, but just items, whether they are mountains or buildings or people and chickens. And that's why the Cardiff work is great, while this is just another okay short subject.
It is a bit difficult to compare the two sets of movies. A large part is due to the fact that the prints of Cardiff's works are in much better condition than the Traveltalk prints shown on TCM; also, I am usually annoyed by Fitzpatrick's pompous drivel.
The purpose of a travelogue is to show its audience places, and both sets of movies do that. Certainly, Glendinning's work is competent. He shows us Jaipur with traveling shots, pausing for occasional portraiture or close-up examination of some craftwork. He shows us some interesting stuff. Yet Cardiff's work does more than that. He offers us an attitude with his camera-work. He chooses compositions like El Greco to tell us a story. Glendinning shows us things. They are interesting things, but just items, whether they are mountains or buildings or people and chickens. And that's why the Cardiff work is great, while this is just another okay short subject.
"Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow are all the same . . . "
cricket305 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
" . . . to a People who accept Fate as the Destiny of Life," bloviates the narrating bozo to conclude JAIPUR: THE PINK CITY. With nearly 10 minutes at his disposal, this buffoonish blowhard never once points out the obvious criteria which separates the sheep from the goats (or, in this case, our stalwart American Cowboys from the Indians): The pink lanes of Jaipur are NOTHING AT ALL like the Streets of Laredo, giving the fact that viewers never once see any of the indigenous people of this backward burg providing any outward sign that they're packing heat! Here in Texas, the ONLY time we have cattle careening down Main Street is when the herd is on a one-way trip to the packing plant! Often cautionary gunshots resound, to remind the bovine consciousness that they're on the way to the Final Round-up, and a sloppy date with a pneumatic bolt. However, in Jaipur these burgers-on-the-hoof apparently have the run of the town. These Stone Agers won't even smash attacking mosquitos, apparently not caring if Triple E turns them into human vegetables. Watch JAIPUR: THE PINK CITY, and THEN remember to support your local chapter of BANGS (Broke Americans Need Gun Stamps)!
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