KUNDUN Discussion

Surprised there's not a thread for this, as I'd imagine it's one of Scorsese's most polarising movies. Deakins and Scorsese naturally create a sumptuous looking flick, the serenity, simplicity and beauty of the early scenes setting out a way of life for the Tibeten people that is gradually threatened and damaged as the movie goes on. The movie tries to cover a large period, and as such feels a little unfocused and rambling at times, without going into a lot of a political detail- I may be close to complaining because it isn't the movie I expected it to be, but I like the tone and easy pace of the movie, and it's not intended to be a political analysis.


As someone who swings between atheist and agnostic, the film is more successful when it focuses on the impact on the people, not the religion- the scene where the Lama asks the woman if she is happy and she repeats what she has been ordered to say, the dream sequence of the sea of dead monks, the Lama's guilt when he has a vision of the dead on horses as he goes into exile.

Not my favourite Scorses by any means, but definitely an interesting experiment and a semi-success.

Watch it again! The language thing is, I guess, a necessary compromise considering there's no Zwickian character to lead the audience through.

I'll echo the second point. Parker, what do you think of the movie?

Warm and comforting is a really good way to describe it. It is shot in a restrained way that both emphasises the beauty in the movie and respects the passion and faith of the people depicted. I think this is a really great example of Scorsese proving his ability to change his direction according to the material, whilst maintaining some of his stylistic preferences.

I like how it gets across the dilemma of the Lama and his people- how do you take the moral high ground, remain 'good' and true to your beliefs, and still win? Or is that even possible?

I don't agree that's a problem, necessarily- it just raises questions. Should the Lama have stayed? Why does he leave? We see earlier in the film that some Tibetens want him to stay, and some want him to leave. A movie doesn't need a hero for it to be interesting, surely.