Mahabharata (1989) (2pc)

Starring:Erika Alexander, Maurice BÃ©nichou, Amba Bihler, Lou Bihler, Urs Bihler, Ryszard Cieslak, Georges Corraface, Jean-Paul Denizon, Mamadou DioumÃ©, Miriam Goldschmidt, Hapsari Hardjito, Nolan Hemmings, Ken Higelin, CiarÃ¡n Hinds, GisÃ¨le Hogard, Corinne Jaber, Lutfi Jakfar, Akram Khan, Jeffery Kissoon, Sotigui KouyatÃ©
Director: Peter Brook
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Famed Royal Shakespeare Company director Peter Brook helms this multinational production of India's greatest epic myth. A seemingly simple tale of two sets of semidivine brothers vying for the throne spirals out to include wider themes of fate, free will, and the problems of behaving dishonorably to preserve the greater good. The film, adapted from Brook's stage production, uses a presentational style, with the epic's narrator slipping in and out of the action and characters stopping to address the camera. The international cast and simple costuming add to the timeless, dreamlike feel of the story. The Mahabharata does an excellent job of reverently presenting a cherished myth without losing the passion and excitement of the story. The DVD edition includes "The Making of The Mahabharata," an interesting look at both the layers of meaning to be found in the story and the challenges in adapting it for a Western audience. --Ali Davis

Description

One of the great masterpieces of world literature comes to vivid life in an elaborate production from acclaimed theater and film innovator Peter Brook (Marat/Sade, Lord of the Flies). This collection of ancient Sanskrit stories (composed into the longest book ever written) comprises a series of enlightened fables at the heart of countless beliefs, legends, and teachings; indeed, its very title means "the great story of mankind." Brook and award-winning writer Jean-Claude Carriere worked for eight years to develop this epic concerning two sides of a royal family, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, whose struggle leads to a fascinating voyage of emotions, contradictions, and dreams, filled with subplots which are alternately comic and tragic but always gloriously entertaining.

Customer Reviews:

Mahabharata.......2007-01-09

Mahabharata, directed by Peter Brook, is a great movie. It is a must see for all who are interested in epic mythology and who would like to understand more about the religious philosophies and culture of India. As an Indian I have heard countless stories about Mahabharata and seen many Indian movies based on Mahabharata. The story is vast and often spawned many discussions on arguments on why things were what they were - the plot, chartecters, etc. I first saw the theatrical version of the Peter Brook version in 1989, and was amazed by the beauty and grandeur of the production and also was quite impressed how effectively the strory was told and enacted by an international cast of stage and screen actors. Mahabharata is a must collect item and worth watching once every year !!!

Disgusting Mahabharata.......2006-11-03

I read on internet about this western version of Mahabharata and was curious to watch how Peter Brook captured it with his western mindset. After watching the movie on DVD which I bought, I was shocked and repented for buying it in first place. It was completely un-artistic and several incidents depicted in the movie are incorrect and the characters barring Draupadi are hardly any reflection of the characters that Indians understand. Perhaps it is more apt to say that an average indian without knowledge of this movie wouldn't have guessed that he/she was watching Mahabharata. I am sure it's offensive to Hindu's faith, I think Mr.Brook should have limited his ambitions to produce simple stories rather than attempting to screen the greatest epic on earth with his limited understanding and parochial vision and in the process, reducing it to lower than street side drama. Suffice to say that the dramas played by primary school kids were several cuts above this movie. If I had an option, I would have given negative rating !

Mahabharata Revisited.......2006-08-27

It is a marvalous piece of art and depiction of Indian mythology in modern context.Mahabharata was an epic in itself but this new treatment by Peter Brook is a poetry in its own unleashing layers and layers of Philosophy and mythology of India with its mystifying and demystifying approaches to the Indian tradition in front of not only its Europian but the indian audiences as well. It no doubt gives many occasions to the indian audience to think anew over this age old classic in a modern context

Everyone Can Enjoy.......2006-06-27

I was raised on stories from the Mahbharata and my parents showed me this movie when I was about ten years old. Even though it is low budget and very, very long, I loved it.

I started showing it to my friends, who have no Indian background or knowledge at all and they loved it too. I'll never forget when we were about thirteen years old we started watching it at a sleepover and were too tired to finish. In order to see the whole thing before our moms came to take us home we would have to wake up at 6:00 am. I decided we would schedule the rest for another time, since sleeping in is a part of a sleepover. To my surprise my friends all woke up at 6:00 to see the rest.

It is an amazing story that grows bigger than itself somehow.

A Great Effort.......2006-05-10

Peter Brooks' Mahabharat is a great effort to tell a great tale. The acting is magnificent. Despite the fact that it is a five hour film(which is too short to depict the complete epic), it manages to capture the essence of Mahabharat.

I have seen B.R. Chopra's Mahabharat multiple times. A comparison between these two versions would be unjust. Chopra created his masterpiece keeping an Indian audience in mind. It contains about 94 episodes. Peter Brooks' version aims to caapture only the essence of the tale and succeeds.

Vishnupuran Volume 2 of 21 - The Greatest Mythological Ever Told

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Vishnupuran Volume 2 of 21 - The Greatest Mythological Ever Told

ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Mahabharat (Mahabharata) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Great Britain ]

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Mahabharat (Mahabharata) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.0 Import - Great Britain ]
Director: Ravi Chopra , and B.R. Chopra
Manufacturer: Arrow Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000N1CVVC

Product Description

"Great Britain released, PAL/Region 0 DVD: it WILL NOT play on standard US DVD player. You need multi-region PAL/NTSC DVD player to view it in USA/Canada. LANGUAGES: Hindi (Dolby Digital 2.0), English (Subtitles), SYNOPSIS: This 15-hour digitally re-mastered, abridged version of Mahabharat, the epic Indian television series (which originally ran for over 60 hours), is available in a five-disc digi-pack that includes an eight-page booklet containing a glossary of the many characters and an overview of the series by Professor Fitzgerald of the University of Tennessee. Described as ""the greatest epic of all time"", the Mahabharat television series is based upon the epic verse of the same name written by Rishi Ved Vynasa, an ancient Himalayan mystic, philosopher and thinker. It is a great historic story of sibling rivalry interwoven with Hinduism and the mythological history of India and the most cherished of all Indian classics. It contains complex sub-stories of philosophy, divinity, adventure, bravery and betrayal and is also one of the worlds most significant treatises on karma, reincarnation and yoga. The story is brought graphically, vividly and spectacularly to television by B.R. Chopra, one of Indias most eminent film directors who produced and directed it with Ravi Chopra. For fans of the series, this new DVD release offers an unmissable opportunity to become re-acquainted with the various characters and main story lines. For those yet to experience Mahabharat, the series offers a most exciting, colourful and enlightening introduction to Indian culture, philosophy and mythology. SPECIAL FEATURES: Featurette, Interactive Menu, Multi-DVD Set, Production Notes, "

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