It’s bucket of coffee time before a 12 hour shift and I didn’t sleep well.
It’s a while since a film has given me nightmares ( United 93 was the last) so I should not have been so surprised to find out that Hotel Mumbai had done the same.
For those that don’t know Hotel Mumbai is a fictional depiction of the Islamic terrorist attack on the prestigious Raj Hotel in Mumbai in 2009. The hotel was effectively put into a siege by six heavily armed terrorists and for days those terrorists systematically killed as many guests and staff members as they could before being defeated by special forces flown in from the capital.
This film isn’t an exhilarating Romp Die Hard style.
It is a visceral, very real cat and mouse drama where the protagonists spend most of their time hiding under tables and in cupboards until their captors corner them.
In once scene an elderly house maid is shot sat on the lavatory in the bathroom where she is hiding whilst in another the hotel receptionists are forced to ring the guests in their rooms telling them to come out to be saved by police who are not there.
The film depicts the courage of many of the Hotel staff who stayed behind to protect their guests, but it’s a real and downbeat film which underlines the savagery of the indoctrinated.
It game me nightmares ..... hey ho...off to work
I am guessing Mumbai is close to the largest city in India, yet special forces had to be flown in from New Delhi. Odd. I think I might like to see it, depressing as it may be.
ReplyDeleteFilms based on real life have an added depth to them. I watched a programme about the Raj Hotel as it is now. It's a beautiful hotel and seeing it so serene and orderly just makes what happened even more shocking. No wonder you had nightmares. I hope you have a peaceful shift. xx
ReplyDeleteI saw this film. The horror of it and the terror those poor people faced was well depicted.
ReplyDeleteThere is a documentary about the siege , I would like to watch
DeleteI think I will give this one a miss thank you! Life is depressing enough at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThe horror was on the news, that was enough for me.
ReplyDeleteWhen the reviews of this appeared I hoped I'd get a chance to see it, a chance which never came. Now I'm rather relieved that I didn't as I'm sure my reaction would have been as yours was, complete with lingering mental after-effects. It's the kind of film which, though doubtlessly done well, at my age and with my sensitivities, I'm now done with seeing.
ReplyDeleteNever underestimate your capabilities, evidenced by getting to your age relatively unscathed. We missed you last night at the quiz which was great fun and which John and I came in first place. I hope to see you there next week. 😁
DeleteI've already got too many issues already buzzing around in my noddle which hinder my achieving restful sleep without my going looking for more, M.M.
DeleteWell done to you and JayGee for trouncing the opposition last might. Fully deserved, I'm sure.
But next WEEK for my inclusion? Regrettably can't see myself being ready by then. Too many preparations to get through before I'll be in an appropriately fit state to be seen and heard. Nevertheless I'm flattered that you [or anyone else] would consider me as worthy to join you. Some other time in the future, perhaps.
It would be a privilege having you along Raymondo x
DeleteEven though I think one guy in our team was cheating
DeleteWasn't me Officer Brooker 😂
DeleteI wouldn't want to be part of any team in which I knew or suspected that a member was cheating. What would be the point? I'd rather withdraw from participating.
DeleteI know I couldn't watch it. I watched The Boy In Striped Pyjamas as my daughter had watched it at school so I thought it would be OK for me and I didn't sleep for nights. Hope work goes Ok.
ReplyDeleteI watched The Boy in Striped Pyjamas recently and cried at the end. I'm surprised that a school screened it for children. I don't think I could watch Hotel Mumbai.
DeleteYes, it was harrowing , I still remember his mother kneeing in the rain of water and ash
DeleteNot for me I'm afraid John.
ReplyDeleteXx
DeleteI watch films to be entertained and hopefully left with the feel-good factor. I don't want to watch misery and fear. We've got the daily news for that. Promise the next film you watch will be one that makes you laugh. x
ReplyDeleteI do too Andi , but I love to be provoked and stimulated too , some of my favourite films have been duffficuktvwatches
DeleteI feel the problem with films "based" on real life is that they all contain fictional aspects, often major fictional aspects. but many people come away from them with the feeling that they have been watching exactly what happened.
ReplyDeleteThe reality that was depicted here was pretty real with unbearable and what felt overlong periods where nothing happened
DeleteIt was a good film to watch. I knew it would depict the horrors of the real event so was prepared. Just goes to show you're not safe anywhere really.
ReplyDeleteI think I was haunted by the inhumanity of radicalisation
DeleteIt is a really powerful film. Upsetting but I was glad I saw it.
ReplyDeleteCheers Peter
It’s worthy and certainly highlighted the failings of the Indian anti terrorist services
DeleteMy husband had to go to India many times for work, flying into Mumbai then taking a nail biting internal flight to Pune. He stayed in that hotel only weeks before the attack so narrowly avoided being a statistic. Not for me this one.
ReplyDeleteScary x
DeleteThe older I get, the more I am like my father, he avoided films like that. A former board member of mine was scheduled to be there at that time for a wedding party, his wife was taken ill and they were unable to travel. He had trouble sleeping for months.
ReplyDeleteFilms seldom “ haunt me” Schindler’s list was one SAVING PRIVATE RYAN was another for different reasons . List was just totally emotional . Ryan was an assault on the senses .
DeleteUnited 93 had me bawling
Yeah, I've never watched it for that precise reason.
ReplyDeleteNightmare causing films. No thank you. This might be a multiple bucket coffee day for you.
ReplyDeleteI got off early and nearly killed myself on the way home
DeleteNot my kind of movie, thank you, and I don't read that kind of book either.
ReplyDeleteLast night we watched "The Dig" which is a fairly new movie. It was on Netflix and was interesting, low keyed, and informative. It's set in 1939 near Ipswich.
Wishing you well on these night shifts.
Hugs!
I’m on days x
DeleteI'll look up that movie ... to keep me awake next time I face a 12-hour shift. Which will be never. You are younger than I am, John, much younger. Ciao!
ReplyDeleteYes next time pick Disney
DeleteThat's the sort of movie that would give me nightmares as well. Everyone raved about BlackHawk Down. I bawled my eyes out. Those soldiers were real, and they were somebody's sons.
ReplyDeleteI just couldn’t do that to myself.
ReplyDeleteNot my type of film at all, but I can appreciate its appeal.
ReplyDeleteOh man. I think I'll skip that one.
ReplyDelete