Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

reviewed by
Michael Redman


Seven Years In Tibet
A Film Review By Michael Redman
Copyright 1997 By Michael Redman
***1/2 (out of ****)

Hollywood has a history of concentrating on a contemporary political topic for a short time then rapidly moving on. This year's cause celebre is Tibetan freedom and as usual, the tale of an exotic people is seen through the eyes of a westerner. "Seven Years" will be followed in short order by Martin Scorsese's "Kundun", another film about the Dalai Lama.

In 1939, given the opportunity to climb Nanga Parbat in the Indian Himalayas, obnoxious self-centered Austrian Heinrich Harrer (Brad Pitt) jumps at the chance and abandons his pregnant wife. The expedition doesn't go well for the Olympic medal-winner when the team fails to reach the summit. Then, before they can try again, World War II breaks out and they are rounded up by British troops and sent to a POW camp near the Indian-Tibetan border.

After several abortive escape attempts by the lone wolf, he reluctantly joins a group plan and finds himself outside the barbed wire. Because he is obviously superior to the rest of the escapees, he heads out on his own. He hopes to make his way through Tibet to China, meet up with the Japanese troops and eventually get back home.

Days later, fellow mountain-climbing prisoner Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thewlis) chances upon Harrer as the arrogant adventure is starving and vomiting in the wilderness. The two form an uneasy alliance and continue their trek towards the mysterious nation.

Sneaking into the country that forbids entry to all outsiders, the two eventually get to the holy city of Lhasa. Harrer attracts the attention of the young Dalai Lama who grants him an audience. The teenage spiritual leader is interested in western ways and asks him to teach knowledge of the distant world. Forging a friendship, the two learn from each other until Harrer is forced to flee the country during the Chinese onslaught of the early fifties.

The film is exquisitely beautiful and epic in scope. The Argentinean Andes serve as a stand-in for the Himalayas because the Chinese government refused permission to film in Tibet, but are no less majestic. The mystical city is visually captivating. The esoteric costumes and setting are beyond reproach.

According to Mike Leonard's interview in the "Herald Times" with Thubten J. Norbu, the Dalai Lama's older brother, the Winter Palace is "extraordinarily realistic." Bloomington resident and retired IU professor Norbu and another brother were responsible for bringing Harrer to the attention of the Dalai Lama. Unfortunately this aspect of the story is not in the film as Norbu refused to allow his depiction when the producers would not provide him with any assurance of how he would be presented. Their sister plays the holy mother in a cameo appearance.

Pitt is satisfactory in his role, but never completely engages the audience. The most interesting aspect of the film -- his conversion to selflessness -- is glossed over and we are expected to just accept it. Every story depends upon change in the lead character and more time spent with that transformation would help to flesh out the tale. The recent revelation that Harrer was not only Nazi but a member of the SS before his imprisonment would have made his conversion even more dramatic, but that detail was withheld from the filmmakers.

Although Harrer's saga is enticing, director Jean-Jacques Annaud ("The Bear", "Quest For Fire") could have eliminated some of the adventurer's solo deeds and looked more at the relationship between him and the Dalai Lama.

Much more captivating is Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk as the 14 year old Dalai Lama. Successfully combining the curiosity and energy of an adolescent boy with the ancient wisdom of the reincarnation the Buddhist God of Compassion, the young actor is easily the star of the film. The decision to humanize the Dalai Lama rather than portray him as somber holy man is a wise one. Anyone who has been in his presence can attest to his sense of humor and easy-going ways.

The film is guilty of some political heavy-handedness especially in the scene of Chinese generals stomping through a sand mandala. Moments before, the spectacle as soldiers in staid uniforms march through the flowing robes of horn-blowing Buddhist monks is subtle and much more effective in demonstrating the differences between the invaders and the peaceful Tibetans.

It is interesting to observe the ebb and flow of popular icons. During the sixties, Chairman Mao was upheld as a hero by the American culturally elite. Now he is the villain as attention is focused on the Chinese occupation of Tibet. There is no excuse for the murder of over a million Tibetans and the destruction of 90% of the monasteries by the Chinese and it is obvious that Tibet deserves its independence. However history has taught us that over-simplification results in inaccuracies and very un-Buddhist-like polarities. One would hope that the champions of Tibetan freedom don't make this mistake.

The film accomplishes many rare feats. It is majestic, entertaining and at the same time will undoubtedly aid in the mobilization of western sentiment for the liberation of Tibet. With the notoriously short attention span of the popular media, we can only hope that the focus lasts long enough to manifest change.

(Michael Redman, veteran of over 22 years of these film columns, is busy bringing in his plants in the face of freezing weather. At least he is busy thinking about it. Mredman@bvoice.com is the eaddress to send clever comments.)

[This appeared in the 10/15/97 "Bloomington Voice", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be reached at mredman@bvoice.com ] -- mailto:mredman@bvoice.com


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