Kundun (1997)

Regista:

Martin Scorsese

Sceneggiatore (WGA):

Melissa Mathison (written by)

Data di uscita:

25 dicembre 1997 (USA)

Genere:

Biografia | Drama

Slogan:

The destiny of a people lies in the heart of a boy.

Plot:

From childhood until adulthood, Tibet's 14th dalai lama deals with Chinese oppression and other problems.

Plot Keywords:

Surprise After End Credits | Regent | Incarnation | God King | Tibetan Monk

Premi:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

Recensioni degli utenti:

Quite simply a great achievement

Cast

Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong	...	Dalai Lama (Adult)
Gyurme Tethong	...	Dalai Lama (Age 12)
Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin	...	Dalai Lama (Age 5)
Tenzin Yeshi Paichang	...	Dalai Lama (Aged 2)
Tencho Gyalpo	...	Mother
Tenzin Topjar	...	Lobsang (5-10)
Tsewang Migyur Khangsar	...	Father
Tenzin Lodoe	...	Takster
Geshi Yeshi Gyatso	...	Lama of Sera
Losang Gyatso	...	The Messenger (as Lobsang Gyatso)
Sonam Phuntsok	...	Reting Rimpoche
Gyatso Lukhang	...	Lord Chamberlain
Lobsang Samten	...	Master of the Kitchen
Jigme Tsarong	...	Taktra Rimpoche (as Tsewang Jigme Tsarong)
Tenzin Trinley	...	Ling Rimpoche

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violent images.

Durata:

134 min

Nazionalità:

USA

Lingua:

Inglese | Tibetan | Mandarin

Colore:

Colore (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sonoro:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Divieti:

Iceland:12 | Hungary:14 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #35670) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | South Korea:12

Luoghi delle riprese:

Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate, Morocco

Company:

De Fina-Cappa

Curiosità:

Features only non-professional actors.

Errori:

Continuity: When the young boy is first being tested, he is presented with several pairs of objects to choose between. When it comes to choosing between two bowls, he picks up the bowl on the right and examines it. When he places the bowl back on the table, he has the bowl on the left in his hand.

Citazioni:

Dalai Lama: Thus by the virtue that has collected through all that I have done may the pain of every living creature be completely cleared away.

Movie Connections:

Citato in "The Sopranos: 46 Long (#1.2)" (1999)

Quite simply a great achievement

I was very pleased to discover that this film wasnt the Scorcese dud some of the user comments and critics had suggested it to be. While I am no expert on Buddhism, I know enough about it to see how brilliantly Martin Scorcese and Melissa Mathison weaved the core philosophy into this tale of the Dalai Lama's formative years. They did it without succumbing to ostentation, sentimentality, or populist good vs evil film dramatics. And yet it showed us how human the child was--laughing as the monks meditated while a rat drank the ritual offerings; being frightened in the dark monastery; taking on the very great responsibility of leading a truly wise, noble and compassionate religion while being confronted by the threats of the modern world. I appreciated how they didnt portray the Chinese as simple villians--by including the scene where he dreams the army personnel are explaining to him why they embrace Mao's communism. And they also presented enough of the Buddhist ritual and way of life to show us how alien it is to western religions(the scene where they cut up the body for the vultures comes to mind), though they dont gloss it over by excluding comments about the Lama's isolation and loss of childhood or the corruption surrounding his first Regent. It was also quite moving to observe the devotion of his monks and people.

Scorcese really demonstrates here that he is a true film artist and master storyteller. I wholeheartedly concur with the commentator that compared this film to the Last Emperor--despite similar story frames and lengths, this motion picture doesnt drag at all. If this had been say, Steven Spielberg's project you would have expected to see some manipulative melodramatics and insincerity. And how can one not be impressed by the performances he got out of mostly non actors! That alone was amazing. The film maintained its pace from the early years to the Lama as an adult. From what little of the man I have seen on tv, his humor, and wisdom was conveyed remarkably well by Mathison's script and the actors chosen for the role.

Finally, his comment to the Indian guard near the end after being asked if he was the Lord Buddha--encapsulates the wisdom and the humility of its spiritual leader perfectly.