Ravi Shankar - In Portrait
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DVD Cover Information
Artist: Ravi ShankarDVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 190 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-11-19
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Opus Arte
Movie Reviews of Ravi Shankar - In Portrait
Movie Review: A wonderful documentary on Ravi Shankar!
Summary: 5 Stars
This dvd brought me tears of joy in several places, both for the music and for the spirit and soul of the man, Ravi Shankar.
I was lucky (along with millions of other "hippies") to have been introduced to Ravi's music back in the 60's, by George Harrison. I have listened ever since and have had the pleasure of seeing Ravi perform twice, live. Once was on his 60th birthday, and I was amazed at how good he still was. Many Western musicians seem to begin to "lose their chops" by the age of 60 but not Ravi!
This documentary surprised me by revealing the intimate side of Ravi the child, the man, the father and husband, not just the genius musician.
It is obvious that his daughter and wife and friends love him very much, and he, them, and that is wonderful to see in someone whose music you have loved and respected for so long!
I learned about his childhood and was even treated to pictures and footage of Ravi as a young man! Saw pictures of his father and learned about his upbringing by his mother. One scene that made me smile was when Ravi professed his love of a movie star when he was a child living in California and when another actress there asked to adopt him, he was very sad when his family said "no".
It was not long after that, when he made the decision and commitment to devote his love life to learning to play the sitar instead of having fun in Hollywood! What may have been a great loss for Hollywood, was a great gift to the world of music!
This documentary is so well done. The way the music runs through it is perfect, and though the first disc focuses on Ravi's own words and words about him, there is plenty of music in the background as well.
It gave me so much joy to see and hear him speak about music, about the sixties, about George Harrison and John Coltrane and others. I smiled when he spoke of how upset he was over Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar on fire at Monterey Pop. What was an iconical musical event for most of us, was for Ravi a great tragedy, a "nightmare" as he called it. His love of his instrument is so deep, he just could not imagine a great musician setting his instrument on fire!
This documentary is full of such surprises and delights, and I am so happy that I finally got it!
There is something so special about sitar music and there is something so special about Ravi Shankar too. I love him and I hope others can get such joy from his music, as I do.