Seven Years In Tibet (DVD 1999)

Seven Years In Tibet - stars Bradd Pitt, so if you like him, you'll love it.
This is an enlightening and moving film based during world war II are the memoirs of Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer. A blue-eyed, bottle-blond Brad Pitt, stars as the Very arragant Harrer, who set out in 1939 to climb the killer Nanga Parbat, in the Himalayas.Ends up in a British POW camp and eventually escape. He finds refuge and solace in the forbidden (to foreigners) Tibetan city of Lhasa. This is where the young Dalai Lama is being trained by monks, and where the Dalai Lama and Harrer meet and befriend.
In, great....

This film is a interesting account based on a true story of two men Heinrich Harrer played by Brad Pitt and Peter Aufschnaiter played by David Thewlis. Heinrich Harrer, an Austrian mountain climber are captured and are put in a POW camp by the Germans in World War II they escape with his fellow climber Peter Aufschnaiter and crossed the border into Tibet become the only two foreigners in the Tibetan Holy City of Lhasa. There, Heinrich's life changes forever as he becomes a teacher and close confidant to the Dalai Lama. He remains in Lhasa during the period that the Chinese took over power in Tibet when he had to flee. The acting is very good and it all looks very believable. Though a little long 139 minutes I enjoyed this film.

Few facts i found on the net regarding this film.
* Annaud sent a team to Tibet to secretly film footage. About 20 minutes of it made it into the finished film. This was kept secret even after the film's premiere and not known until summer 1999.

* As a result of his role in this film, Brad Pitt was banned from China.

* Jetsun Pema is the real life sister of the Dalai Lama. In this film she plays the mother of the Dalai Lama and hence her own mother.

* Because of their roles in the movie, David Thewlis and Brad Pitt are banned from ever entering China.

* In the scene where Heinrich confronts Ngawang, the director did not tell B.D. Wong the script called for Brad Pitt to throw him into the dirt; Wong's reaction is completely authentic.
By (supernova-gc46)

not what i was expecting......much better! thought the film would be one you have to pay close attention to given its theme and content but it was easy to just get wrappe d up in the movie. recommended.

liked it so much, I have now bought the book too.
Brad Pitt is lovely (lol), but very good in the film too, great story, well told, great film

Having read the original book I of course had to see the film, first bought it on video, then my video packed in so got it on DVD.
With my wife Enaakshee being a Buddhist I had to see what all the fuss was about.
The film is absolutely brill, well worth a watch I would give it 10/10 for watchability.
I have also now bought Kundun and The Life Of Buddha both well worth a watch.
Whenever anything comes on Tv about Tibet or Buddhism like Michael Palin Progs ETC I now watch them with furtive intent.
NO I HAVE NOT BECOME A BUDDHIST, I STILL REMAIN AN ATHIEST AND I WILL TILL THE DAY I DIE AND BEYOND!