Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27192 in DVD
• Released on: 2001-08-27
• Rating: Parental Guidance
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Gandhi is a great subject, but is Gandhi a great film? Undoubtedly it is, not least because it is one of the last old-school epics ever made, a glorious visual treat featuring tens of thousands of extras (real people, not digital effects) and sumptuous Panavision cinematography. But a true epic is about more than just widescreen photography, it concerns itself with noble subjects too, and the life story of Mahatma Gandhi is one of the noblest of all. Both the man and the film have profound things to say about the meaning of freedom and racial harmony, as well as how to achieve them. Ben Kingsley, in his first major screen role, bears the heavy responsibility of the central performance and carries it off magnificently; without his magnetic and utterly convincing portrayal the film would founder in the very first scene. Sir Richard Attenborough surrounds his main character with a cast of distinguished thespians (Trevor Howard, John Mills, John Gielgud and Martin Sheen, to name but four), none of whom do anything but provide the most sympathetic support. John Briley's literate screenplay achieves the almost impossible task of distilling the bewildering complexities of Anglo-Indian politics. Attenborough's treatment is openly reverential, but, given the saint-like character of his subject, it's hard to see how it could have been anything else. He doesn't flinch from the implication that the Mahatma was naïve to expect a unified India, for example, but instead lets Gandhi's actions speak for themselves. The outstanding achievement of this labour of love is that it tells the story of an avowed pacifist who never raised a hand in anger, of a man who never held high office, of a man who shied away from publicity, and turns it into three hours of utterly mesmerising cinema.

On the DVD: The anamorphic (16:9) picture of the original 2.35:1 image has a certain softness to it that may reflect the age of the print, but somehow seems entirely in keeping with the subject . Sound is Dolby 5.1. The extras are fairly brief, but worthwhile: original newsreel footage of Gandhi includes an astonishingly patronising British news account of his visit to England; in a recent interview, Ben Kinglsey chats enthusiastically about the film and the difficulties he experienced bringing the character to life. The dull "making-of" feature is simply a montage of stills. --Mark Walker

DVD Description
DVD Special Features:

The making of "Gandhi" photo montage
The words of Mahatma Gandhi featurette
Ben Kingsley talks about Mahatma Gandhi
Theatrical trailer
Original newsreel footage
Weblink
Cast and crew filmographies
2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, formatted for 16:9 TVs
English Dolby Digital 5.1
German, French language options
Subtitles: English, German, French, Icelandic, Hindi, Hebrew, Dutch, Turkish, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Greek, Norwegian, Arabic

Customer Reviews

Gandhi
This is a slightly slowed paced, but thoroughly engaging look at the life of Gandhi. It shows how his ideas developed and how revered he was in India and how respected he was by the British. Kingsley is masterly in this role and really makes you believe you are watching Gandhi rather that just a portrayal. The scenery is amazing, as is the direction and although it is a little long, it is a great place to start if you're interested in learning more about this great man.

Histolrically skewed
Good performances all around in the acting and filming department, however historically highly inaccurate and, this is a works of fiction on the personality of Mohan Das Gandhi rather than a true historical account.

Incredible
An absolutely awe-inspiring film account of this life of a truly amazing man. It's only a shame we can't point to any of Gandhi's like in the modern era - even Mandela seems flawed on this scale.

Watch this film - you won't regret it. It's not that heavy either, just bear in mind that it is long (3 hours).