Kundun is a extraordinary story filled with colorful details of the Dalai Lama's life that were not apparent to me before I watched this movie. The message is deep, powerful, but the direction is not; this movie could have been made so much better if it was directed well.
The story starts off with Lamo, a arrogant little boy, who goes on to become the humble Dalai Lama. He is said to have been born in sight of two crows, a sign which was apparent for all the incarnations of the Buddha, he himself is the 14th. His destiny takes him to the heart of Tibet, Lhasa, at a young age. His family follows, but their paths still separated from his. Lamo spends his time in the shadow of monks, learning vigorously the tasks, and teachings of Buddhism. As he grows older he becomes more and more involved with videos and documentaries that were gifted to Tibet by the United States, he begins to educated himself more and more about international relations. Meanwhile, the Chinese threaten to attack his country, in a desperate attempt he writes to the president of the United States, the United Nations, and etc for help. Bound by religion and strict ethics, he chooses not to fight back, instead watch the destruction of his land and people under the communist regime of Mao. He is haunted by images of blood and bodies of monks spread out on the street. He travels to China, hoping to settle things down, but is unable to. After his return, the Chinese threaten to kill him, knowing that his death would mean the death of hope in Tibet he chooses to flee to India.

This story has a lot of Buddhist ideologies. One which stood out strongly to me was the concept of reincarnation, as Lamo was the 14th incarnation of the Dalai Lama, the compassionate Buddha. Another point which astounds me is that when attacked by the Chinese he chose not to fight back, even though he had an army, he followed the ideology of Buddhism which enforces peace and non-violence. He is also taught the concepts of Dharma by the monks, as well as taught how to meditate on a daily basis, the book of world religions teaches these basic fundamentals in the Buddhism chapter.

Kundun, a 1997 film directed by Martin Scorsese, chronicles the early life of the fourteenth Dalai Lama from birth to his twenties. The Dalai Lama, also known as Kundun, is born into an ordinary Tibetan family, and is soon discovered to be the reincarnation of the thirteenth Dalai Lama. An interesting segment in the movie is a scene where Kundun is visited by a Buddhist Lama, or priest, and Kundun sees his necklace and proclaims, "That is mine." This seems to clue the Lama in that this might be the actual Dalai Lama, and soon, Kundun is brought into a room with objects belonging to the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, and he is asked to identify the objects which belong to him. Kundun correctly identifies the objects, and is proclaimed as the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. He then is instructed in the ways of Buddhism, and we learn the Four Noble Truths; suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering. The Dalai Lama embraces these truths, and embarks on a path of nonviolence, pledging to protect his people.

There are great scenes with lush imagery and beautiful, colorful costuming that make this film very watchable. Dialogue is rather sparse, which makes it a bit difficult for those of us who have not studied Buddhism to understand; I found that turning on the subtitles helped a great deal. We then see the historical events of the Chinese takeover of Tibet unfold; what seems at first to be a helpful Chinese government soon turns into an oppressive one, and the Dalai Lama is urged to flee the country, which he eventually does, reluctantly. He knows that he is abandoning the country that he loves, and the people he has pledged to serve. One especially moving scene is a dream sequence where Kundun is standing, and as the camera pans out, you see that he is standing among thousands of deceased Tibetan monks dressed in their red robes. The Dalai Lama takes refuge in India, and as he turns back to see his entourage, he again has a vision of them dead and bleeding on their horses. He settles in India close to the Tibetan border and watches over Tibet with a coveted telescope that he was given earlier in the film.

The film ends telling us that the Dalai Lama has never returned to Tibet, but hopes to one day. There is much imagery of world religions in the film including costuming, Buddhist rituals, sacred objects, a fascinating oracle who appears twice in the film and helps the Dalai Lama plan his escape from Tibet, and beautiful sand mandalas at the beginning and end of the film. The act of creating the mandalas is a form of Buddhist meditation; contemplation of the mandalas is another form of meditation, and in the end, the sand which forms the mandalas is swept away to reinforce the idea that all action is impermanent. Beautifully filmed, great cinematography, and a surprising offering from Scorsese.

"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.
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The movie is a masterpiece concerning photography, design, scenery, etc. , But a bit too much romantic point of view of the old Tibet and the Tibetan Buddhism.

This is a nice movie to enjoy, but if you are really interrested in the biography and the real facts,I really advise to do your own researches concerning the facts which are described in the movie.

Underneath the beautiful art direction, costume design and great soundtrack lies a great film. I feel the director did a magnificent job creating the feelings and motivations of a boy growing up in very unusual circumstances.

This movie is a masterpiece. It touches you on so many different levels. It certaily is not required that you be Buddhist to enjoy this film. It is funny and heart wrenching. A very sad and yet hopeful telling of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama's life from 1937-1959 when he fled Tibet for his saftey and to safe his country from communisum and Chairman Mao. It is one of the most memorable films that I have ever seen. I have watched it countless times and have shown it to many friends and family members. It is certaily a movie that needs to be in everyones DVD Library.

Martin Scorsese has created a visually stunning, mostly-accurate but otherwise extremely hagiographical view of the life of the Dalai Lama when he was discovered to be the reincarnation of the 13th Dalai Lama to his flight from Tibet in 1959. Only one scene takes place in India and a few take place in China, though I am to understand that it was shot almost entirely in Morocco. Of course no movie can be filmed about the Dalai Lama in Chinese-controlled Tibet, but Scorsese manages to recreate the rich mountain landscape through brilliant splicing with the Moroccan sets. Philip Glass's score, which mixes orchestra music with Tibetan chants, creates a passionate effect. I confess I always get a little choked up at the end, when the young Dalai Lama approaches the Tibetan-Indian border and takes his final steps out of his homeland, then looks back on the mountain range he is forbidden to return to.

The movie's main weakness is pacing. The early scenes of the Dalai Lama's childhood are touching, the views of rural Amdo (now a Chinese province and not part of the autonomous region of Tibet) and feudal Lhasa area a portrait of a life that is gone, and very reminiscent of the movie "The Last Emperor." After age 12, the movie jumps ahead to age 16 and the invasion of the Chinese, and becomes a complex political story of mediation, disappointment, and disaster. It runs about half an hour too long, though the last 10 minutes will stay with you for a long time.

Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong plays the adult Dalai Lama (age 16 and on), and has been criticized for his acting, as he is often passive and lifeless and not resembling the real Dalai Lama we know from speeches and public appearances, who is charismatic and smiling. Of course some of this is based on fact; the Dalai Lama is more serious when dealing with Tibetan politics than when addressing a University crowd, and he was going through a difficult time and faced with impossible political choices. Still, he doesn't liven up the screen, and the actors playing his real-life advisers (who match photographs of them very well) are still serious but more fascinating to watch as actors. The Dalai Lama at this age is overwhelmed by his political position, and the actor is overwhelmed by the role.

There are some historical inaccuracies, though to be fair, not many. The opening line on the screen about how Tibetan lamas had practiced non-violence for centuries isn't true; the movie contradicts it by showing the Regent's uprising when the Dalai Lama is 12, when Reting tried to unseat the current Regent with his army of monks. The lamaist state had an army, and used violence to protect the country and occasionally to suppress other strains of Buddhism. It's hard to open a film with a lie; I don't understand Scorsese's decision there.

The movie is accused of being a hagiography, but almost all of the significant events have been confirmed by several sources, from the Dalai Lama himself in his autobiography, to his mother's autobiography, to the official Tibetan state records, to photographic records, to his brother's autobiography. Several minor facts were changed for dramatic purpose: the 2-year-old Dalai Lama ran out to greet the disguised monk looking for him in real life, while in the movie it occurs later, in the house. The scene where the 4-year-old Dalai Lama finds and identifies his "old teeth" (dentures belonging to the 13th Dalai Lama) is confirmed in his mother's autobiography, though HH says on his website that he has no memory of it, but does not doubt that it happened.

Several key issues are not addressed. Heinrich Harrer, the Dalai Lama's childhood friend until he was 9, is absent from the film, either because of timing reasons or because Harrer was a Nazi in hiding. There is one image of a Tibetan slave in the film, who bows to the Dalai Lama, who prays for him. The man is not identified as a slave by the film; a viewer could assume he is a convict by his shackles. Scorsese does not shy away from portraying Tibet as a corrupt, backwards state that even the Dalai Lama admits to several times in the film and has admitted to in real life (he was very impressed with Mao Zedong until Mao said all religion was a poison, at which point the man regarded as a living Buddha probably thought they weren't seeing eye-to-eye). The Panchen Lama, who was very active in Tibetan politics at the time of the Chinese invasion, is completely absent from the film. (The current Panchen Lama is a political prisoner in China, so he couldn't be consulted) In the scene with Mao, only the Dalai Lama is present, but in historical photographs of the meeting, the Panchen Lama is there with him.

These quibbles are actually quite minor; the vast majority of the film is drawn from historical sources and stands up to the account of everyone who was there and lived to tell about it (except the Chinese gov't, which has banned the film). Much like "The Last Emperor," it captures a world that was lost to time and political change, and can never be seen again, except in this re-creation.

As the Dalai Lama says himself as he passes over the mountains that lead to India and his future exile, "All will become nothing. Just like a dream, whatever things I enjoy will become a memory. Whatever is past will not be seen again." Except, of course, on DVD.

This is an excellent story of the early life of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, their Spiritual and Secular leader, and his escape from Tibet in 1959. He has lived in exile since then India, since the Chinese refuse to acknowledge that the Tibetans are not a part of China. They have destroyed most of the monasteries, and killed millions of Tibetans. You see the cruelty of the China toward minorities.

I think that as citizens of the world we should share in the embarrassment that China has every right to feel in a wish for the rapid coming of light that accompanies, correctly, the Chinese Government's recent murders of protesting Tibetan citizens. This, as China prepares to host this summer's Olympic Games. I, personally, am hopeful that many athletes, as well as others, throughout the world, will watch a version of this excellent motion picture and understand from it the very important part that China has played in depriving the people of Tibet of their spiritual and established governmental leadership throughout the last half century. I think it is important to understand that this deprivation is not limited strictly to the Dalai Lama being forced into exile, but includes others; who, as Mr. Scorcese's film points out, might find themselves moved, even as young children, to attempt to separate large genetically predisposed insects from attempting to destroy one another and ultimately destroying themselves. I think we might all ask ourselves if there exist ways to protest the flagrant disposition of such behavior by our governments.

This is a movie centered around the life of the 14th reincarnation of the Dalai Lama through to his exile to India. Before he was discovered, he was already a special little boy. Traveling monks discovered him at about two years old by offering a sampling of the 13th Dalai Lama's possessions. Amazingly, Kundun recognized correctly which items were his own and even remembered where his false teeth were kept. The monks returned to retrieve Kundun about three years later to whisk him away. He was taught extensively to prepare him for political and spiritual leadership and addressed as "Holiness". He maintained his childish behaviors such as watching this little mouse with curiosity as well as eating pork and eggs when he shouldn't and even wrecking a car. He continued to mature and learn more about life around him. In the meantime, he noticed the Chinese political issues involving Tibet and other minor issues are kept in secrecy from him. He then instructed the others that he isn't a child anymore and he needs to know what they know so he can lead his people. Eventually the Chinese insisted on reforming Tibet since the Dalai Lama's legend is poisoned. Kundun pleaded with neighboring countries for help to no avail. The Chinese continued to invade further. Ultimately, he is torn between his beliefs and protecting his people and hesitantly exiled to India.

This movie shows many references to Buddhism and beliefs through the Dalai Lama. One basic belief is the Dalai Lama's non-violent lifestyle. Throughout his life, he emphasizes his belief, even as a young child, he would separate fighting bugs so they wouldn't hurt each other. He recognized one of the lamas and the lama's beads as his own, which prompted them to realize that he is probably the 14th reincarnation. Later as an adult, he refused to fight against China's persistent invasion. The elaborate ceremonies with the singing/chanting, horns, drums, and beautiful robes were very realistic. The monastic existence Buddhists practice is very obvious. Kundun is taught many aspects of Buddhism including the Four Noble Truths of Buddha from his first sermon and the Triple Gem (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha). He is also taught to love all living things and refrain from any violence or killing as a part of Buddhism practices.

If you are one who enjoys learning about different spiritual ideas or if this faith is your personal path, you will likely enjoy this movie.

This is a good and interesting movie and made me really think. I am one who likes to learn about many spiritual paths and I really enjoyed this movie. In fact, I just rented it from my library and just purchased it to add to my spiritual movie collection.

This movie is visually stunning. It is a well told story of the Dahli Lama and his exhile from Tibet. It is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

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.

This was a wonderful story showing how the Dalai Lama is chosen and what he has to go through. I found it fascinating. The sad part was the tragedy of Tibet. At times it was hard to watch but it shows realistically what's been happening and why we should do our best to support Tibet, even if it is only mentally. It is a crime what China has done and continues to do.

I watched and compared this movie with "Seven Years in Tibet". The Austrian character in it was never mentioned in Kundun, even though he seemed to be a father figure in it. Kundun was pretty gloomy overall with not too much scenic wonder to marvel at. I wonder which movie version of Kundun's life was depicted more accurately? I wouldn't watch it a second time.

First of all, let me say that Scorsese is one of the worlds most brilliant directors. I also see myself as someone who has benefited from the Buddhist philosophy and practice. With those two points made and I may have missed something, I found the "acting" in too many cases cardboard and that the screenplay did not reflect the complexity of the history the story should have told. It seems to me that the deeper point is about the toxic connection between religion and nationalism, be it socialism or Buddhism. In my view, that is also true of our so-called democracy that is housed on indigenous lands. It is not healthy for people to bow and give power to a Lama, chairman, queen, president or dictator. I know most of us like to think the world is really divided into the "good guys" and "bad guys", "the holy" and "the sinful". It is so much more complicated than that. In all of our mix from noble to cruel to foolish to generous to tragic, wherever we are going on this planet, we are going together.

Martin Scorsese is still one of the best. I don't think this one worked, however. If nothing else, this is a man that takes chances and takes on difficult challenges.

This film really hit me hard a few years ago. I watched it about 20 times trying to see consistency in the events documented in the life of His Holiness. I communicated with the personal assistant of his holiness wanting to know how much was history, and how much was "Hollywood". According to him most of the events (most significantly the episode with the false teeth of His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama) actually happened while a lot of the "details" were sometimes fluff. From what I could find out and depending on your own interpretation of reincarnation, his holiness the 14th Dalai Lama is INDEED the reincarnation of the 13th. Viewed from this position, the film takes on another light. If I can believe the King James version of the bible, I can sure lend a little credence to the events depicted in the film.

Otherwise this is a very unusual film, worth your time and popcorn. With the possible exception of the first 12 minutes that take about two hours to pass and still leave me confused as to just what had happened. ENJOY!!

[...]

His father was seriously ill. Crops have been failing. Livestock perished. All this came to pass when he was born and he didn't cry. As a toddler, he identified possessions of the late 13th Dalai Lama. He was thus declared the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet - the reincarnation of his predecessor.

Mystical as it sounds, the movie does not fail to present the human side of the Dalai Lama. As a boy, he was disobedient and insisted on eating eggs. As a teenager, he was arrogant towards his teachers. He even drove a car and crashed it.

As someone who is in touch with the realities in Tibet and all too familiar with the infatuation of many Western fans, I was pleasantly surprised when the young Dalai Lama asked his new regent: "monks have guns?". Greed, corruption, power struggle, backstabbing politics. This unpretentious film distingusihes itself from a lot of others in the same genre by making no apologies for the fact that Tibet was no Shangrila before or after the Chinese invasion.

The 14th Dalai Lama had recognised that his country needed reform and modernisation. Alas, it was all too late. The Chinese had invaded. The aggressors tried the soft approach first, making the Tibetans agree to their terms. The Dalai Lama was even quoted as saying that perhaps Buddhism can coexist with communism. How did Chairman Mao come to say that religion is poison and how did things in Tibet get really violent? Did the Tibetans kill the Chinese migrants like they did the Christian missionaries who came a century earlier? There seems to be no coherent explanation for the escalation in violence. Perhaps even the historians on the Tibetan side can't explain.

The movie takes us all the way to the Dalai Lama's escape from Chinese-controlled Tibet, going into exile in India. Not all the scenery is authentically Tibetan, but the cinematography is exellent. Disappointingly, however, are the dull scripting and the rather amateurish acting. Still, I think it's a very touching and important movie that everyone should watch. Amidst all the Chinese propaganda and anti-Chinese "documentaries" like "Cry of the Snow Lion", this movie adds a touch of balance to an often emotive issue. Check out my highly unpopular review.

Tibet - Cry of the Snow Lion

Kundun
Kundun is an often neglected masterpiece by Martin Scorsese. It recounts the story of the Dali Lama from his birth and coronation to his escape to India. Martin Scorsese explores many themes including the tragic rape of Tibet by the Red Chinese, fundamental principles of Tibetan Budhism, the culture of a dying nation and the psychological journey of the Dali Lama from a magical childhood to, in many ways, an unbearably tragic adulthood. The photography, cinematography, editing and musical score by Philp Glass are mesmerizing. This is an incredible movie and, in my opinion, one of the director's best. I saw it 3 times in a theatre and a few on DVD. It is one I never tire of or fail to notice something new upon subsequent viewings.

If you are looking for movie about the discovery and life of the Dalai Lama, then this is good. With that said, Scorsese missed the opportunity to show the world what really happened to the Tibetan people!!!!

If you are looking for a good documentary on Tibet, I recommend TIBET CRY OF THE SNOW LION

Kundun ends with the escape of the Dalai Lama from the Chinese aggressors who invaded and still occupy Tibet.

This great film, driected by Martin Scorsese, is the true story of the Dalai Lama, who grew into his leadership role during the same decade when imperialist Maoist China overran Tibet in what would become one of the most devastating genocides committed in the 20th century.

This film puts you among the Tibetan people as they lived for centuries before losing their country. The culture of Tibet is laid out powerfully, and the actors give spot-on performances. The setting is colorful and realistic in every detail. The Buddhist faith is shown in great depth. This is joy candy for the eye and for the mind.

This is a stunning gem of a film. One of Scorcese's best. Beautiful, haunting; viewing it feels as if one is witnessing the events as they transpired. Scorcese has never been so disciplined, and capable of self-control. I recommend this film to all; it seems especially topical, now. The egregious sins of the Communist Chinese regimes must be atoned for, through a free Tibet. I will revel in viewing this film again, once it arrives at my address. It's been a month, since I was notified it had shipped. Better late than never.

The ability of human faith to stay alive across generations when such a faith is denied a chance to exist is amazing! Someone somewhere always keeps tiny little sparks alive for causes forced to be forgotten.

Therefore, Tibet has hope.

No matter how many years China rules Tibet; no matter how many Chinese settle down in Tibet and convert Tibet into a Chinese territory, someone somewhere would keep tiny little sparks alive to keep Tibet's identity as a peaceful serene temporal/religious system.

Kundun is the story of Dalai Lama.

The young boy is discovered to be the reincarnation of the earlier deceased Dalai Lama; is taken to Lhasa and coached in the ways of Buddhism. How does the peaceful wise leader of a non violent nation fight the aggressive plans of an ambitious, efficient and modernized army of Red China? Is the nation important? Or is "ahimsa" important? It is exceptionally difficult for a young Dalai Lama to decide.

In the end, Red China occupies Tibet and Dalai Lama is forced to move to friendly India and form a government in exile. He is yet to return to Tibet.

Tibet is forgotten by World because the aggressor does not play by its rules and the offended would not resort to terrorism.

However, nations never cease to exist. Someone somewhere keeps a tiny spark alive. Martin Scorsese's 1997 movie: Kundun is one more spark for Tibet's continued existence.

The movie stays away from melodrama. China is not portrayed as a villain. The way some Chinese narrate how Chairman Mao brought justice to their life is likely to win respect for communism. The young Lama is portrayed in life like terms: a vivid mixture of curiosity, anxiety and mischief. The maturity of the young adult Dalai Lama is nicely portrayed when he tells his mother that women cannot stay in the monastery after dark in a stern affectionate tone.

Lovely movie.

The story begins with the search for the 14th Dalai Lama. When the 13th Dalai Lama passed away in 1933, the task of finding the new successor by the Tibetan Government was not as simple as one might think. The Government does not just pick a successor but they actually seek out to discover a child in whom the Buddha of compassion would incarnate. It was not necessary that the child should have been born just at the time of the death of his predecessor, or even soon after, they would be indications of the direction in which the search should be made. The child would be found to possess physical and mental attributes similar to those of the previous Dalai Lama.

When the regent of Tibet arrived at the predetermined destination, that is thought, might lead them to the 14th Dalai Lama they encounter a family that possessed a small child that fit the profile. The Party of Tibetan dignitaries went into the house with Kewtsang Rinpoche (High Lama of Tibet) disguised as a servant and a junior official disguised as the leader. Rinpoche was wearing a rosary which belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama, and the little boy recognized it, and demanded that it should be given to him. The rosary was even hidden to the child under numerous garments but somehow he still knew it was there. The boy also picked out the disguised leader by name as if he knew him and also knew he was the true leader.. This was followed by a series of tests which included choosing of correct articles which belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama. By these tests, they were further convinced that the reincarnation had been found.

The movie takes us through the young years of the Dalai Lama (which happens to mean ocean's of wisdom) and is to be some of the most trying times in Tibetan history. In 1950, when he was only 16, the Dalai Lama was called upon to assume full political power when Tibet was threatened by the might of China. Invasion of the Chinese to, "liberate Tibet from the plague that is Buddhism," and try to convince that the people of Tibet that they need reform. The Chinese kill monks, slaughter women force the children to kill their parents and force nuns and monks to fornicate in the streets.

The Young Dalai Lama is forced to either succumb to the rein of the Chinese and denounce their religion and culture or stand and fight which is a contradiction of the teachings and beliefs of the Buddha. Even if they fight, Tibet only had 5000 solders with primitive weapons, no match for the military power of China.

Kundun (literally meaning "presence".) is the most underrated movie ever directed by Martin Scorsese. Such a powerful film that the Chinese government has since banned Scorsese and crew from ever entering Tibet again. If you watch this movie the first thing you notice is how the cinematography and the images really make the movie. The second thing you will notice is the haunting score. Many scenes have sparse dialog and are really told by the sequence of shots. Scorsese directs shot after shot in a melodic pattern to guide the viewer though the story. You know what's going on even with little or no dialog. Every shot in the movie has a purpose and is executed artistic and masterfully.

An excellent account of the true story of the fourteenth Dalai Lama and the plight of Tibet to remain a free country ( and hopefully again) This was a time after WW2 where no one wanted to get involved and no other country or government came to the aid of Tibet even after countless pleas by the Dalai Lama himself.

No big name movie stars but powerful acting. The movie is a well woven story that really opens one's eyes to the plight of a different culture. At times it might be misunderstood and look to be "dated" but at further study you see that the way of the Tibetan people was one of true honor, complete dedication to ones beliefs and sacrifice of greed and personal successes in search of enlightenment for the betterment of an entire culture, not just person gain... Living each day practicing the belief that all life is important. It's a shame that this way of life might be one that is lost to us forever and vary rarely is taken seriously by most 21st century idealist.. It's also a breath of fresh air to witness a positive religious expericance compared to today's world of so many fanatical type religious factions that have undermined laws and peoples personal freedoms. Most people today witness countless "god fearing people" contradicting their own teachings with every breath they muster.

This Martin Scorsese movie takes a look at the Tibet story. It was shot in Morocco and had the cooperation of the Dalai Lama himself, who is now living in India. I understand that when it was released by Disney it angered the Chinese Government.

The story of the Dalai Lama is recreated yet again. He is depicted at 2 years old, 5 years old, 12 years old and then at 15. I wish the casting was better. The children looked very different from each other and had different personalities. The little boy is mischievous and high spirited. The 15 year old is quiet and wise without a sparkle in his eye. I miss that sparkle and wish that the 15 year old showed some of the energy of his younger selves.

This film got rave reviews. It was even mentioned as a potential candidate for an academy award for Scorsese when it was released. I don't get it. To me, the 135 minutes was much too long. I was bored most of the time. No story can be this simple. The Dalai Lama is discovered, he grows up, he goes into exile to save his life. It could have been a documentary, but even a documentary is more interesting and I kept thinking that the History Channel could have done this story better. I yearned to see some conflict other than the inevitable Chinese takeover. I wanted to see some real characterization of the Dalai Lama. And even though the cinematography was good, this script didn't do it. Too bad. It was a good try.

Kundun is one of the most beautiful, scenic movies I have ever seen. It is the "real version" of Seven years in Tibet, which was launched at the same time. Kundun went unknown and Brad Pitts work covered the screens.... Like all prescious things only the well trained eye can appreciate excellence. The story, the way it is shown, the messages, the costumes, the colors, the music.... Mr Scorsesse captures the just magnificence of what the principles of the Tripitaca are.

Make no mistake, I enjoyed this movie. My husband and I stayed for two months in Tibet last year. We watched Seven Years in Tibet before we went and watched Kundun after we came back. I think it's a beautiful movie in that the creators of the film obviously did a lot of homework on the exotic and unique aspects of Tibetan culture, which they incorporated successfully into the movie: the monasteries, the prostration praying, the mandala, the sky burial, the oracle, the Tibetan operas, the women singing while working, etc.

However, the flaws of this movie are a bit too obvious too. It's like the filmmakers put no effort into creating at least a Chinese 'Chinese army' - the soldiers, masked by goggles, are clearly not Chinese! Not even Asians. The views towards the Chinese invasion and the portrayal of Chairman Mao Zedong were simplistic and stereotypical. It seems to me the scriptwriters put unnatural words in their mouths, lines more likely to come from a history textbook. I have always been fascinated by Tibet, and I took my jounrney in Tibet into a search for the truth, the truth of what had happened. I've talked with many Tibetans and my conclusion is that it's not a simple matter. It's true that the Tibetans still worship Dalai Lama, still devote themselves to Buddhism and that China indeed did terrible things there. But what many people fail to see is that China has also done constructive things there - building bridges and paved roads, providing electricity, and supporting communities to grow by sending doctors, engineers and business trainers. Tibetans have gotten on with their life! My Tibetan friends also told me that during the riots, Tibetan policemen tortured the prisoners much more brutally than the Chinese police. Only once in the movie did they elude to the poverty and sadness of the lives of people besides the religious leaders and landowners. The Dalai Lama mentioned in the movie: 'The sad thing is, we were just about to change.' Change from what? A deeper analysis by Scorsese would have answered this question.

I'm not trying to defend China for what they did. I'm just trying to prove here that it's not a simple, black and white, matter. It's scary when movies like this are taken as documentaries, when all the scenes are considered reality, and audience are, in a way, brainwashed into believing everything they saw in the movie was true. Especially people who have rarely traveled to other countries, who have a confined view of the world.

Martin Scorsese's Kundun is above all else a work whose purpose is spiritual catalyism. Why anyone could concieve this film as boring, shows how deadened we are to beauty. Deakins is one of the finest cinematographers in the world today. Philip Glass' score is deeply emotive and cathartic. Truly a great work of art and one of the best films of the nineties.

Even though he is very hit or miss, I always try to keep an open mind while watching a Scorsese movie...but HOLY BORING MOVIES BATMAN!!!! I think I would have to qualify this as the most boring movie I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of movies.

This movie was sort of a biography of the 14th Dalai Lama and his dealings with the Chinese oppression of Tibet. At about 1h 40min this film begins to get marginally interesting, but by then it is just too late. If you can't interest your audience in the first hour and a half then your film has problems.

One of the problems with this film is that it showed a lot of traditions, ceremonies, rituals etc. In the beginning I thought, well this is fine they will explain it all later. They did not. Any time you are seeing something on screen that is confusing but will never be explained...skip it. Just don't bother. One of Scorsese strengths is that he focuses on detail. In this case though it turned against him. Sure, these are the ceremonies they perform in Tibet but you have to know when more detail is important and when it is just boring and superfluous.

There were some amazing shots in the film. I always liked Roger Deakins cinematography and he is one of the few things that make this film even tolerable. There is an absolutely brilliant shot revealing the Dalai Lama standing in the middle of a mass of dead bodies.

I did learn a little history. Before this movie I knew nothing about the Dalai Lama, Tibet, the Chinese oppression, etc. I know a little now, but not enough to make the movie worth watching. It is interesting to note that after this film was released Scorsese was banned from ever entering Tibet.

I really wish I hadn't watched this movie. I lost 2 hours of my life to boredom and I'll never get that back.

My Rating: 2 of 5

If you enjoy to watch movie about culture and see how Tibet was taken over, this is a great movie.

This film gives a good overview of what life is and was like in Tibet before and after China took over Tibet. It gives a good view of what the Dali Lhama is all about and of Tibetan spiritual life in general. The cinematography is beautiful. Anyone even remotely interested in what Tibet and what the Dali Lhama are about would enjoy this film.

I went looking for this movie after having read a few books on Tibet, since I had missed it when it came out. I successively read all the reviews and I found out the discrepancy of opinions that have accompanied the movie from 1997 on. Scorsese fans either love it or hate it, considering it a bypass from his usual violence based poetics, Buddhists appreciate its theme and realization, people interested in Tibetan history find it not precisely attinent to reality. Epicurean aesthetics and Philp Glass accolytes magnificate the scenes and the music.
I believe that a classic is a work of art that endures through the years and awakens us each time we see it to the atmosphere and the feeling of the Author. I think this movie may be defined a classic.
Obviously the research on which it is based is meticulous. The Dalai Lama has been personally questioned and has contributed with his memories to the story. The costumes and settings are perfectly reconstructed and anyone interested in Tibetan civilization can see that all the elements religious and non are all there (the sand mandalas, the butter lamps, the one sided earrings, etc). The historical evolution of the situation of those difficult years is depicted from a subjective (the Dalai Lama's) point of view and the mesmerized character of the young monk can be felt throughout the film.
If in a movie we look for emotion, in this work of Scorsese I couldn't find it in the story, but if we judge a work of art by the techniques that are utilized, visual emotion arosen by the marvelous scenography is practically always present. The only scene that really touched me emotionally was the one of the D.L. dream, with him standing in the middle of dead monks, but if I remember the movie I can see all the embroidery and gold of the robes, the lights in the dark, the little mouse that eats out of the lamps, the beautiful mountains and the forlorn nature of the lake where the State affairs are decided. The trip to China is exactly as described by many other Tibetans interviewed in the following years (read Sandy Johnson's The Book of Tibetan Elders) and Mao is extremely attinent to his public image.
As a documentary the movie is perfect. I think it should be shown in schools (actually it was in one of my daughters schools) when talking about modern history in Asia.
Why did Scorsese make this movie? Probably he was fascinated by the subject as a great part of Americans in the late '90's. Many books were written on Tibet and the Dalai Lama was all over the place at that time, so Tibet was fashionable and the expected audience was present. But Scorsese also saw something else in the D.L., the confusion when faced with violence and the inability to act in response. This attitude is typical of Buddism, since in this system of thought the world is not really but a reflex and the sense given to human actions is not orientated to a material purpose. Non-violence had been actively used also in India by Gandhi with much greater success, so the D.L.'s same existence and his failure toward his country have been a topic of reflection for many people.
The immobilism of this young leader is portrayed magnificently and it is justified on the basis of the permanece of his civilization. Religion is everything in his life and a world that is not based on it is unconcievable for him. He ignores what is going on around him, the poverty of his people, the social revolution happening in China. Only at one point there is a word of regret when he says: what a pity, we were about to change by ourselves.
Tibetan history is still evolving, the crimes against humanity are still present, the world's attention is catalyzed towards this magnificent and fascinating country and I believe this movie strongly contributes to the knowledge of history and social customs of a disappearing society.

Kundun is a marvellous film to see; the true story of the Dalai Lama and the tragedy that unfolded in Tibet. In some senses it is quite unique in that there is little in the sense of on screen action. However in its simplicity lies its power. You really feel you are watching a real life event as it really happened, quite rare for a film.

Despite its theme it avoids any unnatural sentimentality or proselytising of the Tibetan cause. It merely tells the absorbing story; you become drawn in to the unfolding history and can only feel great sympathy with the Tibetan people.

There is a great scene when the Dalai Lama goes to visit Chairmen Mao. Initially Mao is very charming talking about the common goals of socialism and Buddhism. But at the end his tone changes, slipping in his wholly negative view of religion - using Marx's quote "religion is the opiate of the people" the Dalai Lama is then aware of what he is up against but like in many instances, merely maintains a dignified silence. This prayerful silence is invoked many times and leaves a very powerful impression. More powerful than the most dazzling speech could have been. The director Martin Scorsese said making the film was almost like a prayer. Watching the film was in many respects, quite meditative, enhanced by the beautiful soundtrack. However it also offers a unique insight into Tibetan culture and the Buddhist religion, and is a powerful condemnation of the political system that allowed the events to occur

This is a excellent movie if your searching for more information about the Dali Lama..... Please buy it if your wondering about the Dali Lama and Buddhism..

I was overjoyed to receive this movie. I had gotten it from the local library before and fell in love with it. I found it here on Amazon and here I am.

This movie chronicles the life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a little boy with his family, then moves into his being chosen as the reincartion of the 13th Dalai Lama and on through Tibet's struggle with China.

Some parts are not suitable for children. There are a few bloody scenes (visions of His Holiness) that depict what the Chinese had done to Tibetans.

It's an overwhelming story that tugs at the heart strings. As a Buddhist myself (although of the Zen tradition) I have always admired His Holiness and found this true to his spirit of peace. I don't believe it showed his witty and intelligent side though. He is a real character with a hearty smile and great boyish demeanor.

You will love this movie!!

Peace.....