Tarkan in English

This post concerns the bulk of mail that has been coming through to my in-box about two subjects, in particular:

• Rob Thomas using Tarkan's melodic refrain in "Dudu", and
• Tarkan's usage of English in the stolen songs leaked on the Net and lyrics for those songs.

For obvious reasons, I will only deal with the first part. As for the second, not having listened to them, I can't comment. But, I do want to thank all the kind fans that continuously e-mail me links to the stolen songs (including the newly leaked "fourth" English language song), but my opinion on this matter is already known by the regular readers of this blog.

In regard to songwords, I will not post lyrics of songs that have been stolen, or are currently going through the legal process. In reply to some responses from a few fans...yes, I have posted lyrics at my Tarkan Translations site to songs that haven't been released in any official album, but these are not stolen songs leaked before release. For example the lost but now found Kara Gözler song is ripped from a 1996 live TV performance. If you think about it for a moment, you will see the difference.

However, I've acquired the help of an old university friend, who works in the Oxford University English language department to discuss Tarkan's grasp of the English language. She was a Tarkan fanatic long before we met, and in fact her first question to me had been, "I have a Tarkan album will you please come translate it for me?"

As my friend never tires of telling me, she has downloaded and listens to the leaked songs constantly, and has very kindly agreed to answer the second part for those interested. I have sometimes paraphrased, and sometimes quoted ad verbatim, her reply mail to me further down below.

Rob Thomas' "Lonely No More"

The suggestion that the chorus to American artist Rob Thomas' latest single "Lonely No More" is suspiciously similar to Tarkan's catchy chorus of the song "Dudu" was emailed to me about two weeks ago, and after extensive research here is what I found: On May 08 2005, Pete Blackwell wrote an article called Rob Thomas In Deep 'Dudu' in which he makes this very same suggestion.

He even goes one step further and claims that it is "exactly the same" and even suggests that Thomas could be guilty of plagiarism , as the composition of the American artist's single is credited to Thomas alone.

In an email Blackwell sent to me personally, he also writes: "I tried to contact Rob Thomas' people about this and got no response. I posted on the message board over at his site and let's just say people were not too nice to me... I also tried to contact Tarkan's management to point out this possible plagiarism angle, but I couldn't contact them either."

Read the article, compare the songs and decide for yourself. And if you are a Tarkan fan in America who agrees with Pete Blackwell, make your voice heard. Phone your local and national radio station, quote Blackwell, or email Thomas' website.

Tarkan's Grasp of the English Language

To cap it off in one sentence, "he's making excellent progress."

If we consider other artists who are singing in a language that is not their own, Tarkan's diction is far better than most. And if we remember that English is not Tarkan's second language, but actually his third (after German), and learnt long after he was in his mid-twenties in a college in New York, Tarkan's grasp of the English language is coming along in leaps and bounds.

It is a valid point to clarify that I have never actually heard him speak in English, apart from a very quick "Thank you" speech at the World Music Awards in Monaco in 1999, and of course diction can be easier to master in song rather than speech, somewhat similar to those speaking with a stutter who can sing easily without stuttering.

But, on the basis of listening to the four songs, I would say his diction and pronounciation is of an intermediate to high level. As someone who's first language is English, in three of the four songs I can understand everything he says, though due to the unfortunate Americanisation of the songs, European counterparts to whom English is a second or third language may have problems in understanding Tarkan. But this is not to do with his diction.

One point to note however, I think that there is a time gap between the recording of some of the songs, or at the very least he has worked on others more, in that one can see a development in Tarkan's English throughout the songs. The song "Love Speak" for example is the worst, with two or three sentences completely lost to me, and with "Aman Aman" being the best, and probably recorded the most recently.

<< Is Tarkan all at Sea? | Tarkan News Index | Latest Developments >>

Give Them Peace of Mind

As we come to the anniversary of the Beslan incident, my thoughts go to all the children across the world.

Children...

The symbolism of innocence, of immortality, of purity...

How could anyone wish to foster anything but beauty in young minds, wish to see anything but joy and wonderment in trusting eyes?

What type of world are we leaving them? What examples are we setting them?

Is anyone bothering to ask:

• how many more children will die from starvation like those in Niger,
• how many more child soldiers will be killed in Liberia,
• how many more Iraqi children will be psychologically ruined for many more generations,
• how many more suicide bombers are being born in a culture created by the Israeli government dehumanising Palestinians and the Palestinian terrorists using the disenchanted youth as new recruits for their bloody war, and
• how many more children will be caught between the battles of politicians and mercenaries, as the children of Beslan?

We have a great responsibility to these small people, a responsibilty to protect, to love, to educate, to nurture them...and we also have a second responsibility, just as important.

We must not only leave them a legacy within themselves, we must leave them a legacy without...we must work to leave them a world to inherit that is without intolerance or hatred, a world without the scars that we have selfishly carved into the soil and the sky.

The weather across the world is changing due to global warming with scientists predicting rises in freak weather incidents, including floods and heatwaves. Yet, not enough emphasis is being made of the fact that we are still abusing our environment. In so far as the G8 summit was useless on the subject of poverty in Africa, it was even more impotent when it came to the environmental dangers facing our children.

Tarkan gives the message well in his music video for his song "Verme" (Don't Give), when he becomes a mouth piece for children as he sings "Don't give me a piece of your mind/Give me peace of mind..." *

From whatever colour, whatever creed, whatever religion, children are children. They are all of our futures.

Humanity's only claim to sovereigty over death is its ability to procreate. Children are our immortality. We shall live through them.

In hurting these perfect human beings, we are killing ourselves and in hurting the world that we shall to leave them, we are killing them.

Top image courtesy of Ali Yildirim | *Translation by Ali Yildirim

<< Read more: About the War In Iraq | My say >>

Truth Hurts

"Those that cannot stand criticism are those that most deserve it."

Cornelius Tacitus, Roman Historian (ca. 56 - ca. 117)

Read more: About words | What I have to say >>

Formula One Was A Turkish Delight

McLaren boss Ron Dennis believes Istanbul's new grand prix circuit can be the benchmark for Formula One after its successful debut on Sunday.

"This is a fantastic racing circuit and it is a sort of new Spa," he said.

Formula One's commercial supremo, Bernie Ecclestone, also likened the Istanbul Park track to the formidable Belgian venue that, more than any other, "sorts the men from the boys".

Spa has its plunging ride down to Eau Rouge, whose kink catapults the cars back uphill in a gut-wrenching challenge that drivers try to take at full throttle. Istanbul's anti-clockwise offering also offers high-speed changes of gradient.

But, unlike Spa, Istanbul is a thoroughly modern facility and a far cry from the next Italian Grand Prix at historic Monza. Dennis said there is room for both sorts on the increasingly crowded calendar.

"Is Istanbul a trend? Well, I hope it is a trend that good circuits are made because I think everyone knows that some of the new circuits are not particularly challenging," he added.

"This shows it can be done. All the drivers have eulogised about the circuit and there are couple of corners that are really difficult that people have made mistakes on, and isn't that great?

"That is what Grand Prix racing should be, a challenge."

Turkey is the third new circuit in the last two seasons, with Bahrain and China making their debuts last year. Both also earned rave reviews for their facilities although they lack the hilly terrain that so characterises Istanbul.

They, as well as Malaysia, have also lacked the atmosphere and passion associated with the ageing circuits in the sport's European heartland.

Plenty of seats were empty on Friday and Saturday in Istanbul but race day told a different story with a crowd of at least 90,000.

Leading up to the inaugural race, there were rumours that Tarkan was to perform at an opening ceremony, but the audience had to make do with the Turkish Prime Minister and Mike Tyson.

"I believe we can hold our heads high," said PM Tayyip Erdoğan. "There may be small problems but these shortcomings will be overcome next year and we will be even more successful. This will be the world's premier grand prix."

Article courtesy of The Australian | Pictures courtesy of BBC Sport

<< Want to read more news?

The Difference Between Sharing and Stealing

My inbox has been inundated with mails about the piracy issue that has arisen due to the spate of alleged leaks of Tarkan's English album.

Tarkan has already made his position clear on piracy in the Turkish music industry. Between the years 2001/02 he actively campaigned for a new Turkish law in the criminal penal system, which was subsequently introduced to criminalise piracy with stronger penalties. To advertise this, his music video to the Ozinga Remix version of his song Hüp has slogans denouncing piracy all over it.

Before that, in a Washington Post article (Nov 18, 2001) about Tarkan, his manager Michael Lang expressed that Tarkan's biggest problem is wide-scale piracy. For every album he sells an illegal copy has been made and sold on the streets.

In relation to Tarkan and my own work I thought that I had made my position on piracy clear, too. But from the continuing mail coming to my inbox it seems that I have to clarify my position again.

From the beginning, when I first started helping Tarkan fans out on the Web my manifesto has been:

• 1) Never to provide links to CD audio quality mp3s of Tarkan's music, which is available to be purchased on the Net or in the shops. I don't believe in the excuse "They don't sell Tarkan CD's in my country," because Tarkan is not like any other Turkish artist. He is widely available on all major European legal download music sites - for example, I have purchased rare Tarkan LPs from all across the world;
• 2) Never to make any money off Tarkan's name - EVER. I have seen some people try to flog TV footage of Tarkan for over £100 pounds on Ebay. Auction off your entire collection that you purchased legally by all means, but simply trying to make money off something that has Tarkan's name on it that cost the owner nothing and consequently making 100% profit off the singer's name just doesn't seem right in my opinion. As there is no way to legally purchase this type of thing, then it should be shared freely amongst fans, shouldn't it? There is a difference between sharing and stealing, even if it is a fine line;
• 3) Always to allow people to use my translations for private and public use FOR FREE AS LONG AS THEY SIMPLY ASK MY PERMISSION first and provide a link to me as original source. I will not ask for money as I refuse to make money off Tarkan's name, but I will not allow people to just steal my work and enhance their own websites with my input, and not to suffer the conscience to credit my work with my name. It's amazing how many site owners lack Internet etiquette or the knowledge to credit sources correctly;
• 4) My sites are only portals for English speaking fans of the pop singer to get to know him a little better. I have never purported to be a site about Tarkan, but a site for Tarkan fans and my translations. In this respect, when I have used my site for other purposes, no one should have even tried to accuse me of abusing his name, because if my sites are popular it is not simply due to the fact it has Tarkan in the url. That just brings people to the site. If they stay or return, they return for Ali Yildirim's translations. It is also laughable when you consider that those whom accused me of this are the self-same people who download illegal copies of his songs and provide links to them on their self-managed sites. In my opinion it is these type of sites that abuse Tarkan's name and work. None of my sites have ever done this.

I understand that fans love Tarkan dearly. But it would be beneficial if they could try and see it from Tarkan's perspective, and to understand the difficulties he faces.

Even the name of an album being released too early could have disastrous effects. For some person might buy out all the domain names with www.Tarkan(add album title here).com and then ask Tarkan to buy it off them for a silly, high amount of money, or to use as a quick method to get a high number of visitors to their site by tricking them into thinking it is about Tarkan. I'm sure Tarkan has to buy these names well in advance, so if you use your initiative you can try the domain names in searches to see which ones are taken, and guess what the album will be called.

This information in the hands of an honest Tarkan fan will be used an inventive way to find out more about him, in the hands of the wrong person, it could be used for mischief. Unbelievable, but sadly, very true.

So, we as webmasters of Tarkan sites also have a responsibility to him. As we use his image and report news about him, we should do this responsibly. For my part, when I report news about him, I firstly try and verify sources and make sure that it is not information that will harm him. It's a difficult balance, because true fans who only want to be informed about their idol will want to read about up-coming projects.

And, although not wanting to sound too critical, to be quite frank I don't trust the integrity of fans that have downloaded illegal content who now suddenly seem to have woken up to the fact that they were harming Tarkan, even going so far as to send me emails to help campaign to "stop piracy".

I do not get involved in anyone's private life, and I do not preach. It's not for me to tell fans to do what I think is right and not to do what I know is wrong. I can only explain my own actions and the reasons for them. I do not have the right to tell others to follow them, too.

However, if you ask me, I will tell you, and in straight words. But I won't tell others to stop piracy; I can only give my own view on piracy and Tarkan fans. Something, I would like to add, which I did weeks before certain fans suddenly became fired up about the damaging effects of piracy on Tarkan.

In my opinion before fans start asking people to stop piracy maybe they should search through their own CD collection and see how many pirate CDs they have, before they get involved with the collections of others.

I can only control my own CD collection, and I have no pirate CDs. Of course I don't expect foreign fans to have the same protective stance over the Turkish music industry as I do, but I've been buying ONLY original recordings since I started buying music in my young teens, because I saw it as a way to support a Turkish industry I felt passionate about.

Because ultimately, we as fans are the bedrock of a singer's success, but only if we give him or her their due.

If my words bother some people, then I apologise, but they are free to discard them as surely as they are free to read these words and continue downloading illegal content.

But every intelligent individual should know that there is a difference between sharing and stealing, without it being necessary for me to tell them.

My Say | << Other Tarkan articles >>

Is Tarkan All At Sea?

If you believe the news on MMC, the Turkish music channel, it seems that Tarkan is set to release a new Turkish album very soon, which had been planned for August, but now may reach the market in September this year. No mention was made of the release of an English album.

This new Turkish album, as I posted before, is rumoured to be a return to the old songwriting partnership between Tarkan and Turkish diva Sezen Aksu.

Some newspapers have also reported that an old Tarkan song, previously unpublished, is to be added to this album.

Said to be entitled Kudurmuyorum (Not Going Crazy), MMC has reported that the first single of the album is to be the song "Deniz" (Sea).

It also reported that Tarkan took deep sea diving lessons for the new music video to the song, and that he suffered acute bronchitis as a result.

It seems it was this reason, and not because of an old knee problem, that some of the Avea concerts were cancelled.

<< New Dates for Avea Concerts | Tarkan News Index | Tarkan in English >>

Avea Tarkan Concerts 2005 [New Dates]

Concerts are scheduled to start at 21.00, but stadiums will be open from 18.00 and organisors advise for fans to come as early as possible for the best seats and pre-concert entertainment.

Click on picture for dates.

<< Avea Concerts Update | Tarkan News Index | Is Tarkan all at Sea? >>

Avea Concerts Update

From respected news sources it seems that Tarkan's old knee problem may be causing some concern, so much so that the start date for the series of concerts to be given under the sponshorship of Avea has been put back.

Initally, plans were for the Tour to start on the August 25. Even though no new start date or suspension has been confirmed by Tarkan's press room at Tarkan.com, the promotional Avea website for Tarkan has however issued new concert dates.

The concerts have been cut down to four major Turkish cities, namely Ankara, Antalya, Istanbul and Izmir. The first concert will be on the 16 September in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

Ticket holders need not worry. Any other new dates will be given ahead of schedule.

Those in Turkey can phone the Avea help line for more information.

Click here for dates.

<< Avea Tarkan Concerts 2005 | Tarkan News Index | New Dates for Concerts >>

Avea Tarkan Concerts 2005

Under the sponsorship of GSM company Avea, tickets for this series of Tarkan concerts can only be purchased with Avea phone cards at Avea stockists.

For those going, please note the official Tarkan Avea site warns that to circumvent ticket touts, concert tickets will need to be authenticated by phone cards or signed telephone contracts as proof of custom upon entrance.

Click on above picture for dates.

<< Kara Gözler [Dark Eyes] | Tarkan News Index | Avea Concerts Update >>

Kara Gözler [Dark Eyes]

Hilary from New Orleans has emailed me about a "new" Turkish Tarkan song that she has found on the Internet called Kara Gözler (Dark Eyes).

She wants to know if it is a new song that is to appear on a Turkish album rumoured to be released in September this year.

It is very interesting to me that this song has come out now.

Late last year I had also been asked whether I had heard of this songs before.

I had.

If it is the same song, the history behind it is this:

In 1996 Tarkan gave a concert at Aya Irini, which was aired on Turkish TV channel ATV. He first sung this song there as a contender for his 1997 album Ölürüm Sana. The song did not make the release.

So if the sound file you have sounds a bit strange, that is because it is a rip of a live recording from a 1996 outdoor event.

There are also rumours that he sang this song again in an unplugged concert under the sponsorship of Pepsi on Kanal D in 2001, but this is unverified.

The style of the song and his voice is definitely pre-Karma and it is possible Tarkan may have once again considered to release the song in an album entitled Benim Favorim (My Favourite). However, this album was scrapped entirely and he returned to the Turkish music market with Karma.

Of course, there is also a rumour that Tarkan is to put an old song he never released previously into a new Turkish album. Speculations hinted at an early August 2005 release date, but rumours now suggest its has been put on hold until September this year.

It is strange that this song, previously non-existent on the Net, has been found now.

I do not know if Tarkan will add this song to a new album, but there are many songs that I would personally like Tarkan to release, amongst others:

• The music video to the song Şeytan Azapta (Devil's In Hell) holds an unreleased remixed version of the album edit,
• Sung at a New Year concert in 1996, the song Yeni Yıl (New Year) has never been published, and
• Similar to Kara Gözler, Aysel Gürel's Yasaksız Seviş (Love Without Limits), which never made it to the Karma album.

I have translated the lyrics for Kara Gözler into English and posted them at Tarkan Translations.

<< Love Speak Update | Tarkan News Index | Avea Tarkan Concerts 2005 >>

Showing At A Cinema Near You

I have received twenty mails about my post dealing with my five favourite films.

I can't believe that there are actually people interested in what I consider to be a good movie, but I thank all that have taken their time to write to me and who have shared their own top five film lists.

Most also want to know my full top ten, so I give it below.

My Top Ten Theatrical Releases

10. 2001: A Space Odyssey [1968]

9. The Exorcist [1973]

8. The Godfather Part II [1974]

7. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde [1931]

6. Scarface [1983]

5. The Shawshank Redemption [1994]

4. Casablanca [1942]

3. Dangerous Liasons [1988]

2. The Girl With The Red Scarf (Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım) [1977]

1. Léon [1994]

Want to read more about my life? >>

Love Speak Update

Two more songs have been leaked in the same way since my last post on the subject of the English song "Shhh (I Wanna Hear Love Speak)". The names of the songs change, but are disputed to be "If You (Let Me See You Bounce)" and "Action/Shout".

The news around the gossip mill is that the three songs are not from Tarkan's new English album, but from his new English single, entitled "Locomotive", which will supposedly be released in this month of August.

It is said there are also plans for a new Turkish album in September this year entitled "Kudurmuyorum" (Not Going Crazy) and the Turkish single "Deniz" (Sea), with Tarkan returning back to the song writing partnership with his old Queen of Turkish Pop, Sezen Aksu.

How true is any of this? Your guess is as good as mine.

I have also received some interesting emails after my Love Speak publication.

One email was from the DJ I had mentioned in that post. He wants me to clarify a few things.

• He only leaked the song "Shhh (I Wanna Hear Love Speak)" to the Net after the person who had given him the copy of the song published it on the open DC Hub website.
• He claims this song was stolen from the recording studios in America from Tarkan's own producers and that if Tarkan is to blame anyone, he should look for someone in his own crew. He also claims that the song has been playing in the Turkish club Reina in Istanbul all week, and that it also received airtime on Turkish TV.
• He has now taken it off the site he previously published it on.

It is now rumoured that Tarkan flew to America last week to sort the matter out and asked Reina to stop playing the track. The Turkish media, usually so agressive concerning any news about the pop star, is acting unusually timid. It has reported the matter, but only to mention the leak and that Tarkan is considering legal action.

It has also been reported that Tarkan allegedly said of the leak, "It is distressing, but the reaction of the fans towards the songs has been flattering."

However, back in Turkey this week and holidaying in Bodrum with his long time love Bilge as a guest on Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegün's private yacht, Tarkan refused to comment when asked by TV reporters about the English song.

For my own input, I find it highly suspect that Tarkan's own producers would leak the artist's songs on the Internet. Not only would that go against the grain of any executive, but it would be like shooting yourself in the foot. Producers want people to pay for a product. Testing the saleability of a product would be done under much more stricter circumstances, not to release it over the Net.

Secondly, Tarkan's alleged statement in the media is out of character, too. I don't think the pop star finds it complimentary that people are downloading his songs without the work being released yet. My opinion is the Turkish media simply fabricated this quote, because they can't believe that these songs were leaked without Tarkan's permission. They secretly think that this is a promotional ploy by Tarkan himself, and such a "quote" from the star would obviously enhance this belief. Arguably, this is the main fact that they are acting so timid about the news. They don't want to help Tarkan in what they believe is simply a promotion ploy.

Note that this quote did not appear in any reputable newspaper, and is only in the tabloid press. Plus, when Tarkan was questioned by TV reporters in Bodrum, he made no comment at all.

But this is just my opinion.

Finally, I've also been kindly requested in another email to say no more about this matter, but have been filled in on some details by other people.

I can't confirm whether these are Tarkan's songs or if he knows what is going on.

But as for my dear readers, I ask that you do not email me on this matter or about any other English language songs popping up on the Net, or any forthcoming album you may hear rumours about, including a new Turkish one.

We will discover together, and if I am given information from verified sources, I will be the first to share it with you.

For the time being all I can say is be patient and everything will become clear soon. I do advise you keep watching official sources and Tarkan's official site.

<< Love Speak | Tarkan News Index | Kara Gözler [Dark Eyes] >>

I Can Make You Sad

To continue the theme of my last post, I want to share another top five list of mine...my favourite films.

Why not my top ten?...Well in the bottom half of my top ten you do find great films such as movie classics Scarface and the Godfather series and the 1931 defining horror picture Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, but the thing that connects the top five is their portrayal of a version of love that I love...of something that needs work and grows over time as you invest in it.

Passion is like the seasons, it freezes in the winter of life, awakens in the spring and heats up in the summer. But there is another type of love, just as real as the other, which is a testament to the lasting of life, not the passing of it. It is like a mountain which stands still while the seasons play out their dance.

I enjoy watching the type of love I find so endearing develop in a movie, whether it is between man and woman, man and girl or between man and his own humanity.

But beware...these films will make you sad! You'll definitely need tissues with your pizza to watch these movies.

My Five Favourtite Films

5. The Shawshank Redemption [1994]

One of those rare occasions where the film outshines the original book. Initially written as a short story by Stephen King, under Frank Darabont's adaption and direction the tale takes on a whole new dimension. This beautifully crafted movie features touching and sincere performances from the entire cast, with an uplifting message about humanity's indomitable spirit and the redemptive value of hope.

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders of his wife and her lover in the late 1940s. However, only Andy knows that he didn't commit the crimes. Sent to Shawshank Prison to do hard time, Andy--a taciturn banker in the outside world--has to learn to get by in the brutal, cutthroat confines of prison life. His quiet strength slowly earns the respect of his fellow inmates--most notably, Red (Morgan Freeman)--and even much of the prison staff. But Andy's seemingly stoic acceptance of his unjust imprisonment hides a fierce determination for freedom.

4. Casablanca [1942]

A timeless classic, this title is found in most people's top five favourites and is indisputably one of the landmarks of cinema. You know what the end is going to be, but you always watch in hope that maybe this time the guy will his gal. An accidental Hollywood masterpiece, this spine-tingling tear-jerker just gets better and better - as time goes by.

Humphrey Bogart is Rick Blaine, an American expatriate and war profiteer in WW II Morocco. He's content to merely run the Cafe Americain until love in the form of a Ilsa, the luminous Ingrid Bergman, returns to his life after breaking his heart years before. Ilsa's husband Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) is the Czech Resistance leader whose only hope of safe transport, and Ilsa's, from Morocco is Rick Blaine. Ilsa offers herself as a bargaining tool to encourage Rick to transport her husband, but he must choose between his own happiness and the lives of others.

3. Dangerous Liasons [1988]

Based on the infamous novel Les Liasons Dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos and the subsequent Christopher Hampton play, this film is one rare occasion where Hollywood does it better than its European counterpart, thanks to the outstanding acting. The film is brimming with passion, passion that nurtures and passion that kills...

Set in pre-revolutionary France, a cunning Marquise (Glenn Close) and a seductive Vicomte (John Malkovich) mastermind a cruel and complicated game of romantic manipulation. Set against the backdrop of high--society baroque boudoirs, filled with deceitful lovers and cunning sexual gamesmanship the Marquise and the Vicomte agree to a competition involving a virginal young bride (Uma Thurman) and a faithful wife (Michele Pfieffer). When the Vicomte successfully seduces the virtous and faithful wife they unexpectantly fall in love, breaking the rules of the inhuman Marquise's clever parlor game with vengeful results.

2. The Girl With The Red Scarf (Selvi Boylum Al Yazmalım) [1977]

A classic and endlessly watchable love story that never dates, this film was inspired by the novel of acclaimed Soviet writer Cengiz Aytmatov, described by the French poet Aragon as "the world's greatest love story". Turkish director Atif Yılmaz adapts this surprisingly tender love story to the screen with the greatest finesse. The Girl With The Red Scarf stands out for its casting, the polished performances of its three young leads, Türkan Şoray, Kadir İnanır and Ahmet Mekin, the refined direction of Atif Yılmaz and highly effective score of Cahit Berkay.

The story revolves around İlyas (Kadir İnanır), a truck driver who delivers sand to a dam construction, his newly acquired wife Asya (Türkan Şoray) and their young son Samet. But the love affair between Asya and İlyas is soon shaken by jealousy, an alcohol habit and extra-marital affair. İlyas, who genuinely loves his wife but is hampered by an ever weakening character, ends up walking out when job-related problems come to a head. The helpless Asya is left with their son to cope alone. She waits patiently for her husband to return...until she runs into Cemsit (Ahmet Mekin), a sympathetic figure who Samet soon begins to identify as his father. When she finally surrenders to his affections, life takes on an entirely new hue.

But then, years later, İlyas suddenly appears from nowhere, demanding his wife and child back. His arrival rekindles the questions that have preoccupied hearts and minds since time immemorial. What is love? What makes a lover? What makes a spouse? What makes a father? And which is harder: to go back or not to go back?

1. Léon [1994]

Most films portray gangsters and hitmen as characters with disabled souls, handicapped in love and unable to feel it as a healthy and genuine emotion. Léon rises a little above this. It is a combination of thrilling action and heartfelt emotion, and is a remarkably unique and engaging film.

French director Luc Besson tackles his first American movie in this unusual tale of Léon (Jean Reno), a stoic assassin who develops a reluctant relationship with an orphaned 12-year-old girl (Natalie Portman, in an excellent debut performance). When a corrupt DEA official (Gary Oldman) murders the girl's parents in a botched drug deal, the diminutive New Yorker has no one to turn to but Léon, the hit man down the hall.

Read more: My Life | My Say >>