Seven Years in Tibet
by Jean-Jacques Annaud
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: BD Wong, Brad Pitt, Danny Denzongpa, David Thewlis, MakoDirector: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Brand: SONY PICTURES HOME ENT
Producer: Alisa Tager
Producer: Catherine Moulin
Producer: David Nichols
Producer: Diane Summers
Producer: Iain Smith
Writer: Becky Johnston
Writer: Heinrich Harrer
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0; French (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 136 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2004-12-02
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Seven Years in Tibet
Movie Review: A Plea for a Free Tibet.
Summary: 5 Stars
_Seven Years in Tibet_ (1997) is an interesting film showing the travels of the Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer through the Himalayas and Tibet during the years between 1939 and 1950, based on a book by the same name. The film starring Brad Pitt as Harrer and David Thewlis as his friend Peter Aufschnaiter consists of two parts - beginning with their travels through the Himalayas and capture by the British and culminating in their journey into Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, where they meet His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a boy. The film follows the book rather closely, though it does take certain liberties with it, by introducing Harrer's family as a key component of the plot and showing a transformation take place within Harrer as he journeys from an arrogant and conceited mountain climber to a spiritually harmonious man who finds himself seeking his own son, who he had left in Austria, in the boy Dalai Lama. The movie also shows the brutality of the Chinese communists as they come to overtake Tibet and destroy the once great tradition of this land.
The movie begins with Harrer in Austria as a famous Olympic athlete and mountain climber. Harrer is to set out to climb the Himalayas as a representative of the German Nazis. (It should be noted though that Harrer is a repentant Nazi and does not actively support the regime, scoffing when asked to carry the swastika flag.) While climbing Harrer saves the life of his associate Aufschnaiter; however, he has been injured and as a result nearly causes his death. This conflict between the two is to play some role in the movie and eventually to lead to Harrer's repentance and redemption. As World War II breaks out between the British and the Germans, Harrer and his climbing team are taken as prisoners of war by the British who control India. They are forced to live in a special camp and Harrer frequently tries to escape but to no avail. While in the camp, Harrer receives letters from his son, but soon learns that he has neglected his duties as parent and husband. At one point, it is decided by a group of prisoners including Harrer and Aufschnaiter that they should plan an escape. They succeed in doing so and manage to escape into the mountains. The group becomes separated however later Harrer and Aufschnaiter are to meet up and continue onwards to Lhasa in Tibet. Throughout their travels they encounter various hardships and are repeatedly harassed by officials from Tibet who despise them as foreigners wanting to maintain Tibetan neutrality. Finally, they make their way into Lhasa, where they are given a warm welcome by a man and his wife there. While in Lhasa, Aufschnaiter meets and marries a Tibetan girl (this does not occur in the book) and both become actively employed. One day the Dalai Lama, who has been watching the new visitors through a telescope, invites Harrer to visit him. Instantly, Harrer and the Dalai Lama realize that they are to become good friends and quickly they dismiss with protocol and embrace an informal relationship. The Dalai Lama asks for Harrer to build him a theater so that he may use his projector and to tutor him, providing him with knowledge of geography, current events, and science. The movie mostly focuses around this relationship between the Dalai Lama and Harrer. Eventually, the Chinese communists come to Tibet and after defeating the meager Tibetan army (the soldiery of a truly peace-loving people) manage to install their brutal dictatorship in Tibet. The Chinese have no respect for the noble Buddhist traditions of the Tibetans and at one point a Chinese official comments that "Religion is poison!". Such is the truly evil nature of the Chinese communists. The Dalai Lama attempts to maintain a peaceful relationship with them and to rule over his people. Harrer undergoes a spiritual transformation and at one point notes that the only times he has felt truly at peace are while climbing mountains and while in the presence of His Holiness. From there, Harrer travels back to Austria where he rejoins his son.
This movie is an excellent film which shows the conflict between the traditional Tibetan culture and the totalitarianisms of the Twentieth century. The movie also shows the inner conflict in one man and the resolution of this conflict as he tries to achieve inner peace. While the movie does take some liberties with the book and with the actual events of Harrer's life, it nevertheless offers a fascinating dramatization of the Tibetan people, their culture, and their religion.
Today the Tibetans continue to be oppressed by the Chinese communists as this once noble culture is crushed by the forces of true evil. However, many in the West have become aware of this presence and are attempting to use their influence to restore Tibet to the Tibetan people.
Summary of Seven Years in Tibet
AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF ANAUSTRIAN PRISONER OF WAR WHO IS BEFRIENDED BY TIBET'S DALAI LAMAON THE EVE OF THE COMMUNIST INVASION.If it hadn't been for Brad Pitt signing on to play the lead role of obsessive Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer, there's a good chance this lavish $70 million film would not have been made. It was one of two films from 1997 (the other being Martin Scorsese's exquisite Kundun) to view the turmoil between China and Tibet through the eyes of the young Dalai Lama. But with Pitt onboard, this adaptation of Harrer's acclaimed book focuses more on Harrer, a Nazi party member whose life was changed by his experiences in Tibet with the Dalai Lama. Having survived a treacherous climb on the challenging peak of Nanga Parbat and a stint in a British POW camp, Harrer and climbing guide Peter Aufschnaiter (nicely played by David Thewlis) arrive at the Tibetan city of Lhasa, where the 14-year-old Dalai Lama lives as ruler of Tibet. Their stay is longer than either could have expected (the "seven years" of the title), and their lives are forever transformed by their proximity to the Tibetan leader and the peaceful ways of the Buddhist people. China looms over the land as a constant invasive threat, but Seven Years in Tibet is more concerned with viewing Tibetan history through the eyes of a visitor. The film is filled with stunning images and delightful moments of discovery and soothing, lighthearted spirituality, and although he is somewhat miscast, Pitt brings the requisite integrity to his central role. What's missing here is a greater understanding of the young Dalai Lama and the culture of Tibet. Whereas Kundun tells its story purely from the Dalai Lama's point of view, Seven Years in Tibet is essentially an outsider's tale. The result is the feeling that only part of the story's been told here--or maybe just the wrong story. But Harrer's memoir is moving and heartfelt, and director Jean-Jacques Annaud has effectively captured both sincerity and splendor in this flawed but worthwhile film. --Jeff Shannon
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