Gods of Bali
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
John Rodney
Sidney Carroll
Ken Cofod
Nikola Drakuliæ
Jaap Kunst
Theo Maier
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
A narrator describes the colorful traditions and daily life of the Balinese, which is dominated by their love of dance, the performance of which honors the gods. One dancer tells tales through his movements. Each day, a festival takes place somewhere on the island thanking one of the three supreme deities: earth, water and fire. Young children learn the art of worship, including elaborate costumes, makeup and grueling dance routines, aided by the musicians playing such local instruments as gamelans, gongs and chimes. A puppet show tells another story about a god's triumph over a demon. Later, the water deity is worshipped with a procession, artistic arrangements of food and, as always, dancing. When one boy celebrates his coming of age, a ritual includes having his teeth filed and a feast. The greatest Balinese play, depicting the story of Randa the witch, is performed, after which an eight-year-old girl, chosen for her beauty and psychic powers, enters a trance during which the Blue Lotus goddess takes over her body. During a cremation ceremony, Balinese rejoice in the knowledge that their dead relatives have moved on to a greater, spiritual plane. They create intricate coffins for the corpses, which are kicked repeatedly to show scorn for the leftover shell after the soul has left it. The coffins are then burned, with any remnants washed in the sea, wrapped and placed on an altar. The people dance, knowing that the departed souls have found a home even more flawless than Bali.
Cast
John Rodney
Crew
Sidney Carroll
Ken Cofod
Nikola Drakuliæ
Jaap Kunst
Theo Maier
Bert Peterson
Allegra Snyder
Robert Snyder
F. L. D. Strenghoff
I Made Sukengadje
Jan Van Der Kolk
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
According to the The Exhibitor review, Gods of Bali was filmed entirely in Bali. It was originally edited in the Netherlands, which at the time ruled over Bali. The footage was purchased by Classic Pictures owner Max Rosenberg and Robert Snyder, an Academy Award-winning documentarian who re-edited the film in the U.S. and added a narration. Although no exact release date has been found for this film, records of the NYSA indicate that the film was approved "with eliminations" for exhibition in New York state in 1952.
