Audience Member
I must admit its been a while since I saw this movie (for the second time).
On its release in the 70s with the relatively concurrent release of Robert Persig's "Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and the rediscovery, at least in English of Herman Hesse, this seemed like an amazing film. Perhaps more for the beauty of its wonderful photography, but even at the time, the acting was far from bad, despite being panned by many critics.
Funnily enough the only cinema I can recall it being shown at in the UK was at an arthouse cinema in Soho London. a small venue for a big topic. (Thankfully deep velvet covered seats and no tissues stuffed down the backs).
I fondly remember watching this film at the cinema with my best buddy at Uni (thank you Mark) and then paying over the top for a copy years later (sadly I gave it away). At a time when Clockwork Orange, Deep Throat and Caligula were in-vogue, it was rather refreshing to se such an uplifting film at a time when buddhism outside the works of Christmas Humphries and translations of D.T Suzuki were unknown. I must admit I enjoyed the other three films too, I have eclectic tastes, but unlike the others I believe this deserves rewatching and hope I get to do so.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
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Audience Member
One does need talent to kill a movie which could otherwise be perfect
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
02/06/23
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Audience Member
A tragedy in comparison to its novel source, the acting was limited, unemotional, and ineffective. The storyline was cut-up, difficult to follow, and put to a bare minimum. I strongly recommend the book for finding Hess' spiritual message and staying away from this movie.
Rated 0.5/5 Stars •
Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars
01/12/23
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Audience Member
Very rough and fast, and likely does not do the book justice - still, it has its moments.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
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Audience Member
The life of Buddha, based on Herman Hess's novel.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/13/23
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Audience Member
Plodding attempt to capture Hermann Hesse's brilliant novel. If you plan to read the book, skip the movie, but if you didn't read it in high school, you probably won't read it now. More's the pity, because Siddhartha's quest for spiritual enlightenment mirrors that of all seekers.
The Siddhartha of the book and movie is NOT Gautama Siddhartha, the Buddha. They merely share the same name, though the title character crosses path with the Buddha and studies with him for a time. But they soon diverge when the younger man sees the flaws in seeking knowledge from others and vows to "listen to no teacher forevermore." Instead, he embarks on his own experiential journey, passing through asceticism, materialism, sexual desire, and the inevitable emptiness that follows all pleasures and pains of mortality.
In the end, Siddhartha returns to the Ganges River, where he is truly enlightened by the ferryman, for whom he apprentices, then replaces on the river. Near the end of his life, Kamala, the courtesan he shared his passions with, comes to the river crossing, following the Buddha, and is there bit by an asp. She dies, but not before bequeathing to Siddhartha a teenaged son he never knew he had. The son rejects Siddhartha and leaves, and for the first time Siddhartha knows loss, which is the root of all pain, according to the eight-fold path.
From this nadir of existence, Siddhartha eventually recovers, and finally meets his childhood friend Govinda, who has been a follower of the Buddha, but now comes to Siddhartha for further englightenment. "Look to the river," said Siddhartha. "Everything changes, but everything returns as well."
This abandonment of desire in the understanding of the cyclical nature of life is the ultimate truth of Buddhism, and Siddhartha finds release from the cares of the world as he recognizes that only in wanting nothing can one be truly free.
Sven Nykvist, Bergman's famous cinematographer, paints each scene in loving colors and shadow and the water metaphor is continued throughout, somewhat clumsily. The movie races along, in order to include all Siddhartha's stages of life, and so the result is a catalog of yearnings and the disppointment of achievement, but the bigger lesson shines through: we are spiritual beings, seeking knowledge and wisdom. We must not let life interfere with our quest.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
02/20/23
Full Review
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