SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET (1997)
A Film Review Copyright Dragan Antulov 2004
There are plenty of injustices in modern world, but few are as known as the plight of Tibetans, people whose country was taken over by Communist Chinese more than half a century ago. The reason for that is in very specific set of economic, political and military circumstances that led many Western celebrities to embrace Tibetan cause as their own. Many of them can allow themselves to feel righteous, noble and spiritually enlightened while never having to worry about their respective governments doing anything to alleviate Tibetan suffering. Hollywood found itself in the middle of this unpleasant situation - on one hand too many Hollywood stars have embraced Tibetan cause, while studio profits increasingly depend on Chinese markets. This is the reason why Hollywood attempts to address Tibet issue were half-hearted and mostly unsuccessful. This was the case with SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET, 1997 adventure epic directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud.
The film is based on the autobiographical book by Heinrich Harrer, one of the last Westerners to witness Tibet before Communist takeover. The circumstances leading to this experience had very little to do with concern over Tibetan culture. In 1939, shortly after Austria has been annexed to Nazi Germany, Austrian Olympic gold medal and top mountain climber Heinrich Harrer (played by Brad Pitt) leaves his pregnant wife in order to lead German expedition to Nanga Prabat, mountain peak in Himalayas. The expedition ends with the outbreak of WW2 and all of the members being interned by British authorities. Four years later Harrer and his mountain guide Peter Aufschnaiter (played by David Thewlis) manage to escape British POW camp in Northern India and seek shelter in Tibet, isolated mountain country that cared very little about outside world and its wars. Despite Tibetans' ban on foreign visitors, Harrer and Aufschnaiter successfully end their exhausting and perilous journey in Tibetan holly city of Lhasa. There Harrer meets young Dalai Lama (played by Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk), spiritual and political leader of Tibet. Dalai Lama with boyish curiosity wants to learn as much as possible about outside world. Harrer becomes his friend and tutor and gradually changes his own worldview. In the meantime, Tibetan culture, independence and way of life are threatened by encroaching Chinese Communists.
With his blond hair and blue eyes, so unusual for 1990s Hollywood screen idols, Brad Pitt was often jokingly compared with Nazi ideal of perfect Aryan looks. Ironically, the character Pitt plays in this film was Nazi in the real life. Harrer had left out his long-time association with NSDAP and SS from his autobiography; those embarrassing facts came to light very late during the production of film, forcing Annaud to address them through not very convincing Brad Pitt's voiceover narration. However, even with audience not being properly informed about the protagonist's past, SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET works as uplifting drama. Despite some difficulties with Austrian accent, Pitt plays Harrer's character very well and convincingly transforms him from an arrogant egoist into spiritually enlightened and caring individual. David Thewlis is equally effective as his down-to-earth companion, while Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk succeeds in difficult task of portraying one of the world's most familiar icons as multidimensional screen character. Just like in many of his films, Annaud pays great deal attention to the visual details - cinematography of Robert Fraisse and Andes locations create fascinating Himalayan images, while John Williams provides good musical score worthy of such epic adventure. Great deal of budget was spent on recreating 1940s Lhasa through impeccable production and costume design.
Unfortunately, although very interesting and in some way educating, SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET is flawed film. Epic scope of Harrer's adventures was probably too much for running time dogmas of modern Hollywood. While the first part of film is very successful in showing Harrer's adventures and his trip to Tibet, the second part, which takes place in Tibet, looks rushed. For example, Becky Johnston's script fails to explain how Harrer managed to win Dalai Lama's trust. The issue of Chinese takeover is dealt in unsatisfactory manner, without proper explanation of complicated political circumstances that led to the event. Yet, even with its Hollywoodised and simplified version of history, SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET could be recommended as good example of modern historic epic.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
Review written on March 24th 2004
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in Croatian http://www.ofcs.org - Online Films Critics Society
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