Kundun . Tucson Weekly . 03-02-98

Kundun

DIRECTED BY: Martin Scorsese

REVIEWED: 03-02-98

The most annoying thing about the Tibet vogue that has swept Hollywood is that the actors and trendies who have hopped on this bandwagon are under the impression that Lhasa was some kind of delightful Shangri-La prior to the coming of the Chinese. In fact, it was run by a brutally oppressive and corrupt theocratic regime. Somehow, director Scorcese had the courage to at least hint at the atrocious state of affairs in Tibet under monastic rule. Further, his cast is made up exclusively of Tibetan, Chinese and Indian actors, despite what I'm sure was an overwhelming urge to call up Keanu Reeves to play the role of the Dalai Lama. The Himalayan landscapes (mimed by Moroccan mountains) are hard to shoot poorly, and Scorcese makes good use of Tibetan sand painting as a transitional device. Oddly, in spite of his dedication to authenticity in every other area, he largely eschews the rich musical tradition of Tibet in favor of a limp soundtrack by experimentalist-turned-new-age-shlockmeister Philip Glass. All of Glass' noodling drones turn the atmosphere to overly reverential mush, and the film often takes on the emotionally manipulative mode of a television movie of the week. Nonetheless, it's beautiful to look at and takes enough risks to make the viewer wish that other films would be this daring, and that this one had been a little more so.

--DiGiovanna

Full Length Reviews
Kundun
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Kundun

Capsule Reviews
Kundun

Other Films by Martin Scorsese
A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies
Bringing Out the Dead
Casino
Mean Streets
Raging Bull
Taxi Driver
The Last Temptation of Christ

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The Truce
Wilde
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