Reading Diary B [Sita Sings the Blues]

I watched the last half of Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

This film surpassed any expectations that I had for it. It could have been really strange or dull. However, that was probably one of the most creative movies I have seen in a long time.

It did make me sad for Sita. She really had a rough life. She was kidnapped by Ravana. Later, when she should have felt safe at home, her purity was doubted. I wonder if she was angry that Rama did not trust her enough to believe that she was pure. Her life had started out so magical with her being able to marry the man she had fallen in love with instantly. Did her downward spiral start with Ravana being too greedy and wanting a woman who was not his for his wife? It would sure seem that way.

I recommend watching Sita Sings the Blues if you have not yet. For one thing, the creator holds no copyrights over it. That is something unique. Second, you would definitely enjoy the way Paley spins the story into a fascinating visual effect that so effectively communicates the Ramayana.

Sita Sings the Blues

Reading Diary A [Sita Sings the Blues]

I watched the first part of Nina Paley's Sita Sings the Blues.

This was definitely not what I expected when I started this movie! At first I was a little weirded out by it and then it grew on me. The way she changes animation type is very interesting. If I had thought about animation changing during one film, I would have said that it would be impossible to pull off. However, Paley did it so well. The way that all of the pieces fit together to tell the story is fascinating.

It did make me wonder if the "Nina and Dave" story had happened to Paley for real. So, I started looking into Paley herself to find out more about her story. It was so interesting! The way that she fights against copyrights is different. It made me think a lot about it. I did notice the TEDtalk that she did and I plan on listening to it. I always thought that copyrights were there to protect the creator of the work. So, that makes me wonder what points she brings up.

Opening Scene of Sita Sings the Blues