Kundun (Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

One of my all-time favorite movies but nearly impossible to find. Gives the Dalai Lama something that no other contemporary holy man has --humanity. Stunning photography and totally awesome Philip Glass soundtrack, makes you think you're in heaven and on the Mongolian steppe at the same time. A little slow, yes, for American audiences, but if you stay with this film, it will be one of the most emotional and spiritual experiences you've ever had on film. A masterpiece by Martin Scorsese and his creative team. This film needs more recogition.

Martin Scorsese's film Kundun, about the life of the 14th Dalai Lama, is beautiful but hidden within the film is a subtle debate on political timing, defining defeat, and defining victory.My eyes were entranced by the beauty of the film, its wonderful cinematography, costumes, rituals and pageants. The uniqueness of the Tibetan Buddhist culture and the impact on architecture, furniture, costume, and social hierarchy was highly entertaining and interesting. The music of Phillip Glass was a wonderful compliment to the cinematography.However the film was more than a sequential story of the period in the life of the 14th Dalai Lama between the times he was recognized as the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama in 1937 to the time he crosses the mountains into India seeking political asylum. The film is about the careful cat and mouse game between the Communist Chinese invaders into Tibet and the range of options left to the Dalai Lama. If he remains in Tibet under communist rule, he could become the puppet of the communists, even if he selects to isolate and circumscribe his domain as purely spiritual. If he remains in Tibet he would be the focus of insurgency by faithful Tibetans, particularly the Buddhist monks, which would set the stage for complete annihilation of the priesthood of the Tibetan Buddhist. The longer he stays in Tibet, the more endorsement it appears he lends to the Communist invasion. Yet, his ties to the people is of such great strength, that to leave Tibet would signal a major victory for the communist Chinese. However, to leave Tibet also has its consequences, some of which are mentioned above. Eventually the Dalai Lama does leave Tibet, a very sad but necessary move to retain the integrity of Tibetan Buddhism in the face of overwhelming forces. Why was this sad decision the right decision? Because a non-violent philosophy would indicate that in the face of great evil, one must run away until the great evil passes by. Scorsese recognizes that the timing and decision to leave Tibet is the crux of the film and he builds the tension and action of the film around this. If you are the reincarnation of Buddha, Kundun, then communism is a passing season, a winter storm from which you must seek shelter. If you are the Buddha, then one day Spring will come and you will return.

"Kundun" is an enlightening, affecting experience giving viewers insights into the early life of the Dalai Lama. He was chosen from an ordinary family and was given a few simple tests to see whether there was a spiritual connection between him and the thirteenth Dalai Lama who had passed. (From assorted objects did he gravitate toward those belonging to the late Dalai Lama?) He became the reincarnation of the previous Dalai Lamas, the spiritual and political leader of Tibet and for the Tibetan people, a living god in the Tibetan Buddhist creed. Martin Scorcese, filming in Morocco, has made a devotional work, an authentic-looking piece with a brilliant depiction of the colorful vestments and garments worn by the monks, a sense of place in Lhasa, the capital, and the recreation of the pageantry, the rituals and rites practiced in Lamaism. One scene shows the funeral ceremony of a dead body left outside to be picked over by vultures as in the Parsi religion. The film shows the boy struggling to learn his duties and later coming to grips with the toughest decisions he has to make when Tibet is brutally taken over by China. Forced to flee to India in 1959 at age twenty-four, we leave him wistfully looking over the mountains to his lost country. He is presented as a quiet, humble, meditative pacifist. He knows in his meeting with Mao that China, which has forsaken religion, will never let Tibet be free. The Dalai Lama represents unconditional love. He is the compassionate Buddha, a monk and a head of state who has to be Kundun, the Presence. The movie is inspiring, a learning experience done with all the wizardry a gifted director can muster. I was deeply involved in the movie because it presented the life of the Dalai Lama in a compelling way. You need not be a believer to become a captive while viewing this movie.

This is a film that so inspired me to get into Buddhism and Meditation in particular. It's an incredible story told with much care and completely beautiful attention to the facts of The Dalai Lammas life from birth up to the point of becoming an exile in India. It's so well acted and filmed by Martin Scorsese that it's very difficult not to be affected by it. Nearly every frame manages to convey beauty and simplicity and the unfolding of a fascinating life that inspires millions of people around the world. Well worth buying and keeping.

I adored this film about the early life of a very humble man, whom I greatly admire and hold in high esteem.The film is beautiful and shows how much these poor non-violent people suffered under the Chinese. Their cruelty knew no bounds. A must see for anyone interested . May I recommend also the DVD of Seven years in Tibet (1956) which documents real film and person of the Dalai Lama's long life friend Heinrich Harrer. The more recent Seven Years in Tibet depicting Heinrich Harrer by Bradd Pitt is also an excellent film.

A Great Movie that goes beyond the '7 years in Tibet' Movie with the full life of his Great and Noble Holiness Dalai Lama forced to leave Tibet. Painfully upsetting as with the latter with the Cruelness brutality forced on the Tibetan people. All spoken in English with Traditional Tibetan words used for realization and customs etc....Fantastic Cultural Movie that will stand as its legacy as well. Truly a masterful piece of work that Should be shown in Every World History class Everywhere it is very entertaining for all !

Breathtaking and a beautiful film. An extraordinary movie that goes beyond itself to a transcendental and spiritual work of art – to the true meaning of Buddhism – wisdom, compassion, humility and survival. The movie itself is about the childhood and early years of the Dalai Lama in Tibet and then the military occupation of Tibet by Communist China as result of which the Dalai voluntarily left Tibet to become an exile in India. Everything about the movie is beautiful. It's no wonder that Martin Scorsese dedicated it to his late mother.The music by Philip Glass never over powers the storyline but supports and underlines the mood of the film.This is a film that you can watch again and again and study the transformation of China - for better or worse. Just like The Last Emperor it shows how history has happened in a sometimes very realistic way. The escape to India - Kundun - becomes emotional with the music and visual bringing you forward to its ending.

In 1937 a young boy called Kundun is born to a poor Chinese family. He grows up to become the spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama. Absolutely stunning to look at, with a completely unknown and impressive cast, this is one of director Martin Scorsese's lesser known efforts and certainly not like his usual violent gangster films for which he is usually known. A powerful and moving film which shows that Scorsese at his weakest and this is still a 5 star film just for the stunning cinematography alone is still better than some directors at their best. Very underrated.