There are very few movies that either have books or libraries. So, as I was flipping through channels, “The Shawshank Redemption” caught my attention. Probably because that’s the first time I realized libraries and books can make a movie even more beautiful. Well, you can curse me later for not discovering it earlier, being a book worm. Later on, I contemplated about the movies that featured libraries or even books per se. I was pretty confident that I can jot down a list of movies that can be counted with my fingers. But, to my astonishment I have found a handful. How did I not realize that filmmakers love books as well? More on that later, but let me enlist my top 8 favorite library and book scenes from these lovable movies:
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Sanam teri Kasam:
Libraries are quite, calm, serene, and like temples for book lovers. I love the calm vibe. But never have I ever realized that libraries can be as romantic as Tom Hanks. All the major and significant scenes in Sanam teri kasam are shot in the library. The library is huge, spacious, and of course ‘romantic.’ The love-lorn couple reunites in this very library. As you tune into “Sanam teri kasam” the next time, observe how many times you get to see the cozy, mansion-like, and massive library.
Hero asks the pretty heroine on a date by placing ‘love-chits’ in the books. How old-fashioned yet elegant? It didn’t look old at all, probably because of our love for books.
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Harry Potter:
Oh, where do I even begin? You can find library and books at least half a dozen of times in each part. Although the libraries are short of librarians, one should probably ask ‘Hermione Granger’ which library to find books of your interest at the Hogwarts.
Libraries in Hogwarts are spacious and spooky. With loads of volumes of books, Hogwarts libraries are a heaven to book worms, if only we get to go there at least once in a life time.
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The day after tomorrow:
The day after tomorrow is one of the movies that feature libraries and books rather in a disappointing and uninspiring way. The day after tomorrow is a sci-fi disaster film revolving around the theme of apocalypse. As a world-wide storm begins, America plunges into ice buildup.
To survive and keep themselves alive, people find shelter in a huge library and burn books to keep warm. As much as it sounds disaster to book lovers, the director has driven home a deep meaning through this uninspiring act. Books are the foundation of human knowledge and cognitive evolution. The entire human race cherishes and attests a significant value to books but when it comes to survival the same bundles of knowledge cannot save them despite the fact that the ‘end’ is because of their sheer negligence.
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Beauty and the Beast:
While there are many elegant and emotional scenes in Beauty and the Beast, the massive oval reading room is the one that instantly caught my attention. I am sure that this is a favorite scene to many other book lovers as well. If you ask me what I love the most in this library, I say it’s huge, iconic, and well, volumes of books stacked up till the roof always excites me. Isn’t it amazing to see Belle race across the stacked books gracefully? I wish someone gifts me as beautiful library as Belle’s.
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Dilwale Dulhania Lejayenge:
Putting my fandom instincts aside for a while, I could relate to Simran in the train scene. Simran finds Raj annoying in the train, while she was engrossed in her pretty, little happiness. I mean it’s not fair to disturb someone, while they are reading. I am sure most of the book lovers can resonate with my feelings here. Well Raj, remember next time when you hit on a girl, disturbing her reading time is not at all fine!
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The man who knew infinity:
The man who knew infinity is an iconic and incredible creation of Hollywood on the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan, the Indian Mathematician. If you are looking for book and library references for this movie, sorry I’ve fallen short of words already. Ask me references where you ‘cannot find books, I may be of any help to you there. Dev Patel, as Srinivasa Ramanujan, can be always found with a book in his hand. The wonderful and old London style libraries are an eye-feast to book lovers.
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Shawshank Redemption
Books play quite a role in the fabric of prisoner’s life in The Shawshank Redemption. Although it’s a prison library, I wouldn’t mind getting detained in a library. The idea might not resonate well with people who feel the library is a prison. But, for me, there’s no need to escape at all as long as ‘Brook’ and ‘Andy’ refreshes the reading material.
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Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind
The library scene in “Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind” is particularly intriguing for all sections of people. As Joel talks to Clementine in her memory at a library, you see no book titles. Although the director might have had his own set of logic and explanations for such an interesting setting, I guess that’s one unique way to start a library in a movie.
All these movies have chosen a library over other colourful locations. They might have found libraries interesting and rather wonderful places to integrate into their films. Books and libraries rarely feature in films but when they do, they are remembered till eternity. That’s the beauty books add to any scene and movie. If you haven’t watched any of these movies or noticed these scenes, you are forgiven. But don’t forget the purpose of books and libraries. After all, books are the lifelines of book worms. Being passionate about books, we couldn’t resist making people notice these library appearances.
By Navya D.