Kundun (DVD, 1998, Widescreen)

For those who wish to learn more about the life story of the 14th Dalai Lama, this is a must see. I have had this film in my collection for years and have never grown tired of watching it again. The movie moves progressively through the "discovery process" in which the Dalai Lama was located, as he is believed to be reincarnated.
The insight into how the family of the Dalai Lama lived both before and after he was found by the monks is fascinating. The film carries you through a lot of history that is very important to the world in terms of how the Chinese essentially "stole" a country. There was no military in Tibet, therefore a peaceful, loving nation was seized and remains so today.
Religious notions aside, this is a must see dvd if for no other reason than the rich and also very sad history that has accompanied the life of the Dalai Lama.
The drama of the takeover by the Chinese was very intense and for me, gut wrenching, as it carries the viewer through to the point of exile into India, where the Dalai Lama lives today, hoping for a return to his country.
He is revealed as he grows, to be a wise, deeply thoughtful young man and he is shown as a "leader" at a very young age.
I recommend Kundun at many levels for families with teens and up, as the war scenes may be too intense for younger children.

I rented this movie and watched it 3 times. It was made so well and gives the viewer an inside look at the customs of the Tibetan people before the Chinese occupation. One also gets to see what trials the people endured while continuing their quest to be an independent nation. The philosophy of Buddhism is also well portrayed and the actor portraying the adult Dalai Lama did an OUTSTANDING job, full of grace. I don't know of any actor who could have done a better job. The movie is well made, has beautiful scenes of the country, and gives the viewer all aspects of Tibetan life, even the gritty, gory, details on how Tibetans are put in their final resting place. (They have the wake, per se, then ceremoniously dismember the body & feed it to the vultures who patiently await the food.)

This movie is a "must see" for anyone interested in Buddhism, Tibet, or how the Chinese operate toward other neighboring nations.

This film by Martin Scorsese is a remarkable achievement. I rented this film to view at home and decided to purchase a copy for keeps. I have seen this film several times now and find myself just as captivated evey time I see it. The film beautifully resonates of the grace and goodness of the human spirit even in the face of uncertainty and persecution such as the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people have experienced. This is a wonderful story, filmed in a beautiful setting, exceptional acting and portrait of a real life legend. A++++

Wow! What an incredible movie. I recently visited a Tibetan region in China, and I felt like I was there again when I watched this movie. It held nothing back - it told the story of the Dalai Lama and his childhood, and it showed the Tibetan way of life in its entirety. It only furthered my interest in Tibetan culture, but even if you do not have prior interest, you will find this movie to be filled with all the components of a great story; a great, true story at that.

Kundun tells the story of the the Dalai Lama up to the time he was forced to leave Tibet. It is one of my favorite films. The story is true, the photography magnificent. I had this movie on VHS tape but it was wearing out...I could not find any DVDs of it in local stores and looked on ebay and found it for a great price.