Search - Seven Years in Tibet/Legends of the Fall (Double Feature) on DVD

Seven Years in Tibet/Legends of the Fall
Double Feature
Actors: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond
Directors: Edward Zwick, Jean-Jacques Annaud
Genres: Action & Adventure, Westerns, Drama, Military & War

R 1999 4hr 30min

Seven Years in Tibet — If it hadn't been for Brad Pitt signing on to play the lead role of obsessive Austrian mountain climber Heinrich Harrer, there's a good chance this lavish $70 million film would not have been made. It... more » was one of two films from 1997 (the other being Martin Scorsese's exquisite Kundun) to view the turmoil between China and Tibet through the eyes of the young Dalai Lama. But with Pitt onboard, this adaptation of Harrer's acclaimed book focuses more on Harrer, a Nazi party member whose life was changed by his experiences in Tibet with the Dalai Lama. Having survived a treacherous climb on the challenging peak of Nanga Parbat and a stint in a British POW camp, Harrer and climbing guide Peter Aufschnaiter (nicely played by David Thewlis) arrive at the Tibetan city of Lhasa, where the 14-year-old Dalai Lama lives as ruler of Tibet. Their stay is longer than either could have expected (the "seven years" of the title), and their lives are forever transformed by their proximity to the Tibetan leader and the peaceful ways of the Buddhist people. China looms over the land as a constant invasive threat, but Seven Years in Tibet is more concerned with viewing Tibetan history through the eyes of a visitor. The film is filled with stunning images and delightful moments of discovery and soothing, lighthearted spirituality, and although he is somewhat miscast, Pitt brings the requisite integrity to his central role. What's missing here is a greater understanding of the young Dalai Lama and the culture of Tibet. Whereas Kundun tells its story purely from the Dalai Lama's point of view, Seven Years in Tibet is essentially an outsider's tale. The result is the feeling that only part of the story's been told here--or maybe just the wrong story. But Harrer's memoir is moving and heartfelt, and director Jean-Jacques Annaud has effectively captured both sincerity and splendor in this flawed but worthwhile film. --Jeff Shannon Legends of the Fall

A box-office hit when released in 1994, this sprawling, frequently overwrought familial melodrama may get sillier as its plot progresses, but it's the kind of lusty, character-based epic that Hollywood should attempt more often. It's also an unabashedly flattering star vehicle for Brad Pitt as Tristan--the rebellious middle son of a fiercely independent Montana rancher and military veteran (Anthony Hopkins)--who is routinely at odds with his more responsible older brother, Alfred (Aidan Quinn), and younger brother, Samuel (Henry Thomas). From the battlefields of World War I to his adventures as an oceangoing sailor, Tristan's life is full of personal torment, especially when he returns to Montana and finds himself competing with Alfred over Samuel's beautiful widow (Julia Ormond), whose passion for Tristan disrupts the already turbulent Ludlow clan. Under the wide-open canopy of Big Sky country, this operatic tale unfolds with all the bloodlust, tragedy, and scenery-chewing performances you'd expect to find in a hokey bestselling novel (in fact, it's based on the acclaimed novella by Jim Harrison), but it's a potent mix that's highly entertaining. Not surprisingly, John Toll won an Academy Award for his breathtaking outdoor cinematography. --Jeff Shannon

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: Brad Pitt, David Thewlis, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond
Directors: Edward Zwick, Jean-Jacques Annaud
Creators: Alisa Tager, Becky Johnston, Heinrich Harrer, Jim Harrison, Susan Shilliday, William D. Wittliff
Genres: Action & Adventure, Westerns, Drama, Military & War
Sub-Genres: Action & Adventure, Westerns, Love & Romance, Military & War
Studio: Sony Pictures
Format: DVD - Color,Anamorphic - Closed-captioned
DVD Release Date: 08/31/1999
Original Release Date: 01/13/1995
Theatrical Release Date: 01/13/1995
Release Year: 1999
Run Time: 4hr 30min
Screens: Color,Anamorphic
Number of Discs: 2
SwapaDVD Credits: 2
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Subtitles: English, French

Similar Movies

Dances with Wolves
Widescreen Edition

205

PG-13 1998 3hr 1min

The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
Director: Mark Robson

NR 2003 2hr 38min

Movie Reviews

Seven Years in Tibet / Legends of the Fall (Double Feature)

06/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found "Seven Years in Tibet" to be one of Brad Pitt's best films to date. The moving story of how one mans life was changed from his experience in Tibet and with the Dali Lama. What makes it even better is that it is about Heinrich Harrer's memoir's. A selfish and arrogant man transformed by the peaceful Tibetan way, this story is shown from his perspective. An outsider seeing the land for the first time and telling it how he see's it, however long it is."Legends of the Fall" is a story about three brother raised in the wild Montana ranges by they're father. The brothers, different in every way, fall in love with the same woman over time. I found this story a bit too melodramatic at times but genuinely sad and wonderful at others. Pitt, cast as the middle brother, is a wild animal that the film is focused on. It's full of blood, lust and tragedy. Just the film to watch on a rainy day.I suggest with this double feature to watch one, then stop for a break then watch the other. This is only for a Brad Pitt fan, otherwise it would be with too much to absorb with his dark sides in both the movies. However they are both as good as each other."