Product Description

This film is being brought to television as a result of a BBC/British Film Institute co-production. A recently restored treasure-trove of colour films from the 1940s and 1950s provides the core of this astonishing film, which allows us to see what Tibet was like before its brutal occupation by China. As members of the aristocracy and the Tibetan government in exile recall, the Tibetans world revolved around a series of colourful religious festivals, taking up 68 days of the year. In The Great Prayer Festival, monks take over from the government for a few days and, whilst ceremoniously whipping their subjects, impose fines for such offences as singing in public or having a dirty house. The film includes a revealing interview with the Dalai Lama, who reminisces about how much he missed his mother and his envy for his brother who got to play with all his toys. The Dalai Lama found himself studying from his rigorous final monastic exams which included publicly debating with his elders at the same time that the Chinese were preparing to take over the country. ''We were just so engrossed in our little pond'', recalls one interviewee. ''We knew nothing, what was happening in the world, what could happen. And so we lost our country''. This is the extended 90 min version. Special Features: Original 60 minute BBC version: Booklet containing film notes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #5989 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-03-10
• Rating: Exempt
• Formats: Dolby, PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 90 minutes

Synopsis
Dan Cruickshank presents this illuminating documentary about life in Tibet prior to the brutal Chinese occupation of 1950. Colour films dating back to that period have been carefully restored, revealing significant details about Tibetan culture, which was very insular and revolved around religious ritual. An interview with the Dalai Lama offers further insight into this fascinating chapter in world history.

Customer Reviews

Fascinating glimpse into Tibetan culture
This sympathetic documentary was first shown on BBC TV just when the protests about Tibet and China were in full swing; perfect timing. It provides a fascinating insight into the background to the current situation, and explains how the Dalai Lama comes to be leading a Tibetan government in exile in India. It also provides a window into the lives of Tibetan monks and peasants before the PRC took control of the country, all illustrated with fabulous archive footage plus interviews with the Dalai Lama, and an informed commentary by historian Cruickshank.

You might expect such a documentary, produced by the west in a time of some tension, to be very sympathetic towards to Tibetan cause and indeed it is rarely critical. Cruickshank is obviously horrified at the destruction of the temples and the traditional Tibetan culture which has taken place over the past half century.
But the film does also reveal how the Tibetans lived in a near-medieval society, isolated by choice from the rest of the world. The film explains how it is that 20% of the male population became monks, and how they were supported by the peasants in the fields. It doesn't shrink from showing footage of the less glamorous and less popular aspects of the religious festivals.
This helps to balance, a little, the very gentle and favourable interviews with the Dalai Lama himself. If you can ignore the politics of it all, then the film offers a captivating view of his childhood, his education, and how he recalls and explains his flight to India.
The high point of the film is the old footage, however. There's a good 30 minutes, interwoven with the modern material, of colour archive film showing the Tibet of the 1940s/50s -- huge festivals, amazing costumes, massive palaces, intricate rituals and all. Cruickshank's narration also helps to explain the cultural and religious significance of what's being shown and is, as always, breathlessly enthusiastic and charming.

The DVD also provides an extra 30 minutes of material which wasn't shown on the TV broadcast. So if you saw the TV show then you'd probably still want to watch this, but might prefer to rent rather than buy.
8/10