Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair [Paperback]

John Kenneth Muir (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 2006

"I want my films to explode with life." -Mira Nair. This the first book to examine the films of the acclaimed and popular Indian-born and Harvard educated filmmaker, Mira Nair. A unique voice in cinema today, she is one of the few female directors who made it to the top of a male-dominated profession. Her films feature an incomparably sensuous visual style yet at the same time often record the injustice of the disenfranchised and the cross-pollination of East and West. Her twin themes of realism and romance make for dazzling cinema. John Kenneth Muir analyzes all of Nair's work, including: * Salaam Bombay! (1988), the groundbreaking story of a young boy abandoned by his family on the streets of Bombay. * Mississippi Masala (1991), an interracial small town romance between an Indian woman (Sarita Choudhury) and an African American businessman (Denzel Washington). * Monsoon Wedding (2001), featuring a Bollywood carnival atmosphere, one of the most successful foreign films ever released in the United States. * Hysterical Blindness (2002), the HBO film featuring Uma Thurman and Juliette Lewis, looking for love in all the wrong places. * The big-budget Hollywood adaptation of the Thackery novel Vanity Fair (2004), starring Reese Witherspoon, Gabriel Byrne, and Eileen Atkins.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557836493
• ISBN-13: 978-1557836496
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,416,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Kenneth Muir is the award-winning author of over 20 books in the fields of film & television, with an accent on horror & sci-fi. John has been described as one of the horror genre's "most widely read critics" by Rue Morgue Magazine, and as an "accomplished film journalist" by Comic Buyer's Guide. His director books include profiles of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Christopher Guest, Tobe Hooper, Mira Nair, Sam Raimi, and Kevin Smith. John has twice won a Booklist Editor's Choice citation (for Horror Films of the 1970s and Terror Television). John is also the creator of the award-nominated web series, The House Between, and in 2009 John's blog, Reflections on Film/TV was named one of the "top 1000" film study blogs on the Net. In 2010, John appears in the documentary Nightmares in Red, White and Blue.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you love Mira Nair, you will LOVE this book!!!!!!!!, August 27, 2006

By 

NaughtiLiterati (NYC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair (Paperback)

Having just waxed euphoric about this book in a comment regarding her upcoming project Shantaram, it reminded me to come over here and talk a little about why the book is so great. I posted a review along with an excerpt a while back but I guess it was deleted because it was too long.

A shame because the excerpt was so insightful and beautifully written and it was about the film Kama Sutra.

Muir does an in-depth study of all of Nair's films with a chapter for each film, how it was conceived, the filming process and the common themes of her films (identity is the main one), and he also includes interviews with Nair and the people who have worked with her on almost each project over the past two decades.

I love this book because it is about an incredible woman and her passion for film and how it illuminates her work. It also talks about the critical aspects of films in a way that the average reader that doesn't know much about it will understand and thoroughly enjoy - and then learn to recognize the next time they watch one.

In the Namesake DVD's extra features section, there is also terrific footage from Nair's film course at Columbia...it's an awesome primer on how much work is involved in bringing the project to the screen and short of going there to learn more and taking the class yourself, this book, at a fraction of the cost, delivers.

For those of us who don't WANT to go to film school but are intrigued by the process, I also recommend The Devil's Guide to Hollywood by the irreverent Joe Eszterhas. WOOT!!!!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beyond the visual..., June 14, 2006

By 

Arena Connery "Arena" (Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair (Paperback)

If you've never seen a Mira Nair film, you truly are missing out! The colors alone are breathtaking. I've only seen 'Vanity Fair' but after this book, I'm anxious to see her others. Muir does an excellent job of explaining the deeper meanings behind Nair's works, based on commentary by cast members, crew, and Nair herself. Long-hailed at international film festivals, these films have not always enjoyed blockbuster success in the U.S. The topics are fascinating - interracial romances, the role of women in society, the culture and conflict of 'East' and 'West,' and the strong bonds of family. Nair's newest film "The Namesake" is scheduled for release this year.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MERCY IN HER EYES, The Films of Mira Nair, April 17, 2009

By 

P. J. McDonald "Spiritual traveler" (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mercy in Her Eyes: The Films of Mira Nair (Paperback)

Having been an ardent fan of Director, Mira Nair for years, I welcomed the opportunity to learn more about this remarkable artist in this extremely comprehensive book by John Kenneth Muir. It was an incredible experience to find my feelings and thoughts about Nair and her films, (most of which I have collected, and viewed again and again) analyzed with such depth and understanding and sensitivity by this author. It has enhanced my already deep appreciation of her work, but also now, that of John Kenneth Muir. It's a book I know I will refer to often in the future, and I congratulate JKM for a magnificent job! BRAVO, sir! I look forward to reading more from you!
Pru McDonald