Himalaya

Starring:Thilen Lhondup, Gurgon Kyap, Lhakpa Tsamchoe, Karma Wangel, Karma Tensing, Labrang Tundup, Jampa Kalsang Tamang, Tsering Dorjee, Rapke Gurung, Pemba Bika, Karma Chhewang, Tenzen Charka, Yangzom, Gyalsen Gurung, Phuti Bika, Sangmo Gurung, Karma Angbu Gurung
Director: Eric Valli
Studio: Kino Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
Set against some of the most spectacular scenery ever seen on film, Himalaya tells the story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young caravaner. The balance of power shifts uneasily as they make their annual salt trek across the Himalayas.

Amazon.com

Michael Palin has yet to grow tired of tromping around the planet on behalf of the BBC--or so he says in a special, pre-departure introduction to his always gratifying, sometimes thrilling Michael Palin: Himalaya. He makes a point of acknowledging that he is, and feels, considerably older than during the making of his first, exotic travelogue, 1989's Around the World In 80 Days with Michael Palin. (Palin has made three other globe-tripping series between Around the World and Himalaya.) But despite his age (61 at the time of Himalaya's production), Palin remains enthusiastic about experiencing people and cultures new to him. Moreover, despite Himalaya's itinerary through conflict-riddled border nations in the shadow of that fantastic mountain range, Palin confesses to enjoying travels through countries "with a bit of an edge."

So be it. Working for the fifth time with co-director Roger Mills and several other key crew members, Palin launches the series in Pakistan. There he rides the handsome Khyber rail, visits a dentist with an extremely slow drill (shudder), discovers Pakistan's love affair with guns, and takes in the almost mythic spectacle of bull-racing. Episode 2, "A Passage to India," begins at an altitude of 14,000 feet, bypassing K-2 to watch a fascinating and, happily, peaceful manifestation of historic hostilities between Pakistan and India. Specifically, Palin enjoys a day-long contest of ceremonial drills between Indian and Pakistani soldiers, literally set on either side of a white borderline between nations. The host also visits a fantastic temple for India's 20 million Sikhs, and finds vestiges everywhere of Britain's former colonial rule.

Later episodes find Palin in war-torn Kashmir (India and Pakistan vie for control), where he discovers a houseboat where Ravi Shankar taught sitar to George Harrison. Palin also gains an audience with the Dalai Lama, who recognizes the Monty Python star and laughs through most of the interview. Other series highlights include unnerving signs of recent violence in Nepal (where insurgent Maoists battle the king's army, the latter reinforced by British officers); settling into base camp at Mt. Everest; travels through Tibet (where China's forced modernization awkwardly co-exists with Tibetan antiquities); taking in devoutly Buddhist and environmentally progressive Bhutan; finally ending in a compelling excursion through Bangladesh. Special features include deleted scenes, very much worth the time to extend Palin's travels. --Tom Keogh

Description

Hot on the heels of his adventures in the Sahara, Michael Palin takes on the abode of snow and begins a 2000-mile journey across this mighty and majestic region of Asia. Encountering extremes of wealth and poverty, altitude and freezing cold, he once again brings his unique wit, charm and wisdom to each of 6 episodes. Along the way he encounters, among many others, the Dalai Lama, the Bhutanese Royal Family and the once feared head hunting tribe of the Konyak. While on his travels he passes through Afghanistan, across India to the feared Death Zone near the base of Mount Everest and then onto the Bhutanese capital before arriving in the Bay of Bengal.

DVD Features:
Additional Scenes:120 minutes bonus footage
Interviews:Exclusive post-trip interview
Introduction:Exclusive pre-trip introduction

Customer Reviews:

Inspiration? Michael Palin!.......2007-03-15

Tragically, it is not easy to get access to BBC shows in the USA. There are some truly great series, for example all the travel series done by Michael Palin (some more amazing than others, but all very good). You might recognize him from his days as a star in Monty Python or from the film "A Fish Called Wanda." Part of what makes him a great travel series host is that he retains his humor while exploring extremely fascinating parts of the globe. His series are very balanced, informative, and entertaining all at the same time.

The most refreshing thing about his series is that they are not presented as "look at all these great touristic places I have been," but rather the camera is more of a silent witness to his adventures. It really just follows him as he sets out to do his carefully researched itineraries ("Around the World in 80 Days," "Pole to Pole," "Full Circle," "Sahara," "Himalaya") or themes ("Hemingway Adventure," "Palin's New Europe"). His style is both objective and subjective. Whilst retaining a journalistic like objectivity he also lets you know how he subjectively feels about the places he visits and about how he personally feels in regards to his personal health both physically and psychologically: he shares his apprehensions, feelings of triumph or defeat, relief or disparity, amazement and disappointments, mourning or elation or even neutrality, sickness and homesickness or feelings of health; in other words, his style is to bring the richness of a written travelogue to film. You get the feeling that you are watching his diary; for example, when he does his post trip/editing room voice-overs and other commentary, he adds his comments from it.
You see him get altitude sickness in the Himalayas ("Himalaya"), and you see him participate in a bizarre yet hilarious crossing-the-international-date-line ritual performed by the ship crew on his way from Japan to the USA (in "Around the World in 80 Days.") Moreover, the trips have quite large budgets so there really is no limit to what kind of itinerary he can dream up. In "Around the World in 80 Days" he set out to literally circumnavigate the globe, but not just in a ship, he uses any means of ground transportation he can find, which includes joining ship barges. The one stipulation is no air transportation. In other series his itineraries are equally as grand: in "Full Circle" he makes a trip around the Pacific Rim and has the unique privilege of hiring a helicopter to see some difficult to get to parts of far eastern Russia and after, true to Palin style, learns Russian drinking songs from the pilot while drinking vodka with him; in "Pole to Pole" he takes the only commercial plane that flies from South America to the South Pole, a ticket that is prohibitively expensive for your average traveller.

It was very easy for me to get addicted to Michael Palin's series and I had the fortune of living in China where bootlegs of anything are easy to come by when I did. In the USA, his shows are difficult to come by. I know that the complete box set of all the series he has done so far (he has at least one or two more left in him) is sold at a bargain price in the UK. But for people living in the USA who cannot stand the fact that those DVDs are (probably) regioned to the effect that they will not even work on our DVD players here even when legitimately purchased and imported to the USA, perhaps the best alternative is to turn to the internet (cough, torrents, cough).

Terrific series of programs.......2007-03-08

This set of DVDs contains a terrific series of programs for anyone interested in the Himalaya. My wife and I originally watched them on a set that was loaned to us by a friend, and we enjoyed them so much we purchased a copy for ourselves.

Outstanding.......2007-01-11

This DVD by Michael Palin is simply outstanding - it is a pure pleasure to watch from beginning to end. Palin is both factual and funny in his narrative of this huge trip across the Himalayas from Pakistan to Ladakh, India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan and Yunnan. I read his book and watched his film several times, never tiring of the beautiful scenery and of his interviews with the people he met along the way. Highly recommended for those who have been or those who have not been to this wonderful part of the world.

Travelling with Michael Palin.......2006-04-22

One key factor to any travel show is whether the host is likeable or not. Michael Palin is just the sort of engaging host that makes "Himalaya" such a wonderful and exhilarating program. He's affable, engaging locals in conversation despite language barriers. He's game, trekking up the Himalayas despite the thin air and a nagging cough. He's funny, making the local children laugh during an English lesson.

The scenery, of course, is breath-taking. Most of us will never see it in person. Throughout the program, Michael maintains a down-to-earth and pleasant demeanor, which is important in a travel companion. He came up with a few gems, one of which was singing the Monty Python "Lumberjack Song" to an elderly man in Bhutan. Irreverent and funny moments indeed.

For those interested in Tibet, the segment there is sadly propagandized by the Chinese, who were obviously aware of this BBC production. It seemed so odd how all the locals praised the Chinese government. The extra footage of Michael's conversation with the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India was very interesting. I highly recommend this DVD!

The high point of Michael Palin's career?.......2006-04-16

Actually, I think I liked the first three of Michael Palin's travelogues ("Around the World in 80 Days", "Pole to Pole" and "Full Circle") better than the three that follow ("Hemingway Adventure", "Sahara" and "Himalaya"). So from that point of view it's not correct to call "Himalaya" the high point of Michael Palin's career.

The big difference is that each of the first three series was documenting a trip made by Michael Palin, and the trip itself was the central element that provided a focal point for the TV series.

In the last three series, and especially in "Himalaya", one gets the feeling that the traveling was secondary, and that the purpose of the whole exercise was primarily to find places and people and events that would make "good TV".

"Himalaya" was, of course, a fantastic trip, and the TV series that covers it is very interesting. Many countries around the Himalayan Mountains were visited, some of them well off the tourist track and some of them with security problems such that the team needed armed guards. Specifically, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, China, Nagaland, Assam, Bhutan and Bangladesh were visited. A total of 3000 miles was traveled during 125 days (6 months), and many beautiful and exciting images, encounters and interviews resulted.

Some of the best parts in the series include Michael Palin making several treks on foot up into the mountains, the highest trek going to Everest Base Camp at 5480 m (18000 ft). Well done, considering that Michael was 60 when he did the trip.

Other high points (ha, ha) include visiting the Dalai Lama, milking a yak, talking to a retired headhunter, buying booze in Pakistan, having an almost-encounter with Maoists in Nepal and sailing off into the sunset in the Bay of Bengal. All situations where the special Michael Palin wit and charm comes through strongly.

The down side is that it all seems a bit too artificial, a bit too motivated by "is this good TV?" The traveling itself is hardly mentioned at all, and in reality the filming and traveling was done in several visits to the area over a period of 11 months. Nor is there a continuous route from start to finish; instead Michael and the team seem to jump back and forth from place to place in order to find the elusive "good TV" locations and events.

The DVD version of the TV series is on three discs containing the six one-hour programs. In addition there is the following extra material:

- an introduction by Michael Palin, 3 minutes.
- 125 minutes of additional scenes - mixed quality, some good, some not so interesting.
- an interview with Michael Palin, 27 minutes, very good.

Highly recommended. Despite my negative feelings about the producers focusing on finding "good TV" instead of focusing on the trip as an undertaking, this is, of course, really good TV.

Rennie Petersen

Average customer rating:

Beautiful look at a fascinating culture
Stunning epic, but 30 bucks?
A story about life
"Himalaya" is a real treat
A Nepalese fairytale

Himalaya
Starring: Thilen Lhondup , Gurgon Kyap , Lhakpa Tsamchoe , Karma Wangel , and Karma Tensing
Director: Eric Valli
Manufacturer: Kino Video
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Himalaya

ASIN: B00005UQ8P
Release Date: 2002-03-05

Description

Set against some of the most spectacular scenery ever seen on film, Himalaya tells the story of a generational struggle for the leadership of a tiny mountain village between its proud old chief and a headstrong young caravaner. The balance of power shifts uneasily as they make their annual salt trek across the Himalayas.

Director Eric Valli is a photographer and an author whose work is regularly published in National Geographic, Geo, The New York Times Magazine, Smithsonian, and Life. He has been living in Nepal since 1983 and his first journey through the Dolpo (northwest region of Nepal) dates back to this period. He wrote several books about this country before shooting HIMALAYA in 1997. In 1992, he was awarded the Gurka Dakshin Baho award from His Majesty the King of Nepal for his body of work on the country.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful look at a fascinating culture.......2006-12-21

As filmcraft, this film could use tighter editing and more skillful camera work (not to mention a bigger budget) to make it a more viscerally involving experience. I did find the plot a tad simplistic and the subtext (=both the old and the new have their own place in harmony with each other, and are not separate from each other) rather pat and clumsily expressed. It helped that as a practicing Buddhist I already had a keen interest in this place and people, for someone wholly unfamiliar with this subject area this film might be on the slow side, with more of a documentary feel.

However, it is a very rare treat for Western audiences to gain exposure to the stunning natural beauty of Tibet and the fascinating culture of its people (also very beautiful) on film---especially a film entirely devoid of cheesy Western characters and storylines. That alone makes it worth watching.

4 1/2 stars!

Stunning epic, but 30 bucks?.......2006-11-10

I have been an avid hiker and armchair mountaineer for a decade, and have read many accounts of Tibet and Nepal, so was jazzed to see some of the austere beauty. The story is wonderful, the scenery SPECTACULAR!, the acting very good. But with S&H, this costs $30--way too much. If it was Cliffhanger, Caddyshack, Butch Cassidy, etc. (the kind of movie you watch 4 or 5 times a year), I could understand the price. I will watch this movie perhaps another 3 times in my life, probably to introduce someone else to it. Great movie, but rent it if you can.

A story about life.......2006-10-30

This is a beautiful movie about life: about growing old and learning to let go; the conflict between the new and traditional beliefs; and the tension between the young and the old. It also demonstrates that true communication between people does not need many words. This human drama is set in a backdrop of the magnificent Himalayan mountains. The attention to detail in this film is amazing. I have watched it six times and discover something new every time.

"Himalaya" is a real treat.......2006-08-26

For those of us who are hikers, "Himalaya" is a real treat. Beautifully filmed--as they were climbing with their yaks, I only wished that I had been there. The mountains of the Himalaya are a dream for most who hike--a sense of what God must have chosen above all else to be His best.

The Himalaya mountain system is the planet's highest and home to all fourteen of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest.

At times, the Himalaya's grandeur and majesty--and brutality too--reminds one of the Antarctica shown in the "March of the Penguins," which of course has become a classic. When one hikes, vistas are seen like those in this film, which reinforce the fact that God exists and each of us is blessed.

Without giving away too much of the story, at one point the trail falls away and it is literally straight down. Anyone who has hiked the somewhat-wider trails of the Grand Canyon, for example, knows that feeling well. An experienced hiking partner of mine got vertigo; and I certainly did not get any closer to the edge than I had to--nor look down in some spots.

It is partly a love story, and a story of the generations, and the mountains of which they are a part. It is small wonder that it was nominated for an Academy Award as "Best Foreign Film."

The scenery is spectacular--and it rates "four stars" for that alone; the acting is terrific, certainly given the fact that most are first-time actors; the photography is excellent, which captures life at the "top of the world"; portable altitude chambers were used to keep members of the film crew healthy at more than 19,000 feet; and the temperatures were freezing.

Yet, it is a beautiful film and a tribute to those who made it; and more importantly, to those who live in the Himalaya full time, about whom their story is told. Last but not least, there is a fine "Special Feature" by Debra Kellner, about how the film was made and the difficulties that were encountered, which ought to make any wannabe filmmaker take heed.

A Nepalese fairytale.......2006-06-15

Always interested in Himalayan culture I picked this movie up in my DVD store and saw it right after "Kundun". Unfortunately comparisons are inevitable, but I really don't want to make it between these two beautiful movies.
Once on a time, in a remote village of the Himalayas, there was a man who lost his first son and heir.... The story starts like this. A simple story that has been enacted through the ages, in different cultures and written by many storytellers....And there was a child who wanted to be a chief, and his mother who fell in love with her father-in-law's enemy, who wasn't an enemy at all...
The story is there, it's a good story, and then there are the mountains, the village, the lake, the yaks, the monastery, the people, the storm, the cold, the customs and the colors, the simply breathtaking beauty of the this world. Is it still present, or is it already a fairytale?
I don't want to get romantic, but this unpretentious, well documented and even better filmed movie really got under my skin.
Differently from Kundun, in this case we don't have to look at the meticulous reconstruction, the enormous cinematographical work, the historical correctness, the embodiement of the Authors poetics an so on. This movie is simply real, the Author in no way gets into the story.
I read Valli is a photographer, who worked together with his equipe to film what he really saw and knows. I think he is a great artist that can touch hearts all around the planet.
This movie is a cultural opening to an ancient civilization but it's also a great fairytale for ourselves and our children.
By the way my daughters got up halfway through Kundun but never even breathed during this movie.
The faces of the actors are so perfect for their parts that we have to believe that they are real. Actors that are not acting but beeing themselves!
One last word on the ultimate meaning of the movie. What it means to be a chief: command on men, but following the will of the gods! Listening to the elders or believing in religion is not superstition. This message is always present in Tibetan Buddhism and the fact that it is the moral of the work shows how well Valli knows this civilization.

Jimi Sir: An American Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal

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Watched through teary eyes and lump in throat!
What others have said about Jimi Sir

Jimi Sir: An American Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal

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Take a journey to the rugged terrain that separates the barren Tibetan plateau and the plains of India. Live alongside Jimi, a Peace Corps volunteer in Melung, a days walk south of the trail from Kathmandu to Mt Everest base camp. Delve into the ways of the Tibetan Buddhist people living and farming side by side with the Hindu Sanskrit culture. Witness the Buddhist prayer wheels and flags alongside the Hindu puja rituals. Understand the challenges facing Nepal as its citizens struggle with overpopulation, deforestation, and drinking water quality. Celebrate the festival of Tihaar, a tribute to the animals. Watch Jimi as he strives to finish a water quality and educational development projects before the deadline of his completion of service. Benefit from Jimi's two years of Peace Corps experience in Nepal as a high school math/science and English teacher by seeing Nepal through his eyes. Jimi speaks Nepali fluently and brings you into the culture. Come to understand what it means for a Westerner to spend two years in the Middle Ages where there are no roads, vehicles, electricity, plumbing, telephone or radio. Experience Jimi's unique perspective on our Western way of life. A must see for anyone interested in visiting Nepal or has traveled there themselves. You'll feel like you're back in this enchanting land of mountain peaks that reach as high as the highest thunderheads. With rivers that churn their way furiously through narrow valleys flanked by rice paddies rising thousands of feet above the river bed. If you're a returned Peace Corps volunteer, interested in becoming a Peace Corps volunteer, or know anyone who did Peace Corps service you'll definitely want to watch Jimi Sir.

Customer Reviews:

Watched through teary eyes and lump in throat!.......2007-02-22

Innocent, brave and fantastic account of a young PC volunteer in his last few weeks of stay in Nepal. James is on his way out but his heart will remain in Melung! I had an similar experience to Parks' story. I too served in the PC and indeed it is an irreplaceable experience by all measures and never a long vacation from home.

What others have said about Jimi Sir.......2006-12-15

"I think Jimi Sir is the best movie about being a Peace Corps Volunteer I have seen."

Doane Perry
President Boston Area Returned Peace Corps Volunteers www.barpcv.org
Co-founder and leader of Friends of Uganda
Former board member and vice chairman of the board of the National Peace Corps Association

Compelling story of James Park's Peace Corps service in a remote village of Nepal. This film has it all: Local customs (the good and the bad), the art of kerosene lamp maintenance, dining by hand, views of the Himalayas an extracurricular sanitation project and a sweet farewell party. Required viewing for anyone considering Peace Corps service, or those who have already served in Nepal. Entertaining and educational.
RPCV Film Festival 2005, Washington, D.C.
Home of films reflecting the Peace Corps ideals: Exploring cultures, celebrating diversity, social service, and caring for the Other.
"Jimi Sir is the kind of film that can stimulate a thought provoking discussion in any classes that deal with intercultural communications and global awareness. I felt that I was traveling right along with Jimi as he experienced all the challenges of engaging a vastly different culture, while also encountering the common themes of almost all human interactions around the world. A powerful film about a humble undertaking, I find myself still thinking about it days after seeing it."

Charles Hadlock
Trustee Professor
Bentley College

"I was so touched by the movie, that today, I have sent a copy to Needham's, Pollard Middle School social studies department head. Coupled with a letter, I have asked him to view the movie and consider making it available for the entire school's benefit. What individual young or old, would not benefit by Jimi's unique experience? At the middle school level, it's hardly a reality that people exist in our world this way."

Gail Nannini
Former Board Member Needham Educational Foundation
Needham, Massachusetts

"Certainly you have captured Jimi's wonderful spirit and the closeness of your friendship with one another and with the folks in Melung. I'm sure they have not forgotten Jimi nor the intrepid videographer ... and you have not forgotten them."

Dee Clarke Welles
Concord, Massachusetts

"Wonderful; well-structured and organized; moving and humorous; a tribute to your friend, the Peace Corp, and the people of Nepal."
Suzanne Schyrokyj
Newton, Massachusetts

Average customer rating:

Himalaya Singh
Director: Wai Ka-fai
Manufacturer: World Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Nepal: Himalaya's Mystical Valley
Starring: Horizons Collection
Manufacturer: ANS
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Nepal
The Soul Of India
An Inconvenient Truth

ASIN: B000AA4EW0
Release Date: 2005-08-23

The Adrian Brinkerhoff: Day in D Flat - The Himalaya Sessions

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The Adrian Brinkerhoff: Day in D Flat - The Himalaya Sessions
Starring: Chopin , Copland , Debussy , Liszt , and Brinkerhoff
Manufacturer: Albany Records
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Himalaya Se Ooncha

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Description

The flight from Kathmandu to Calcutta should have been merely a matter of routine; the passengers on board the plane had no reason to suspect that they were taking a death ride. Seconds ago they were sitting in the cosy security of their pressurised cabin with controlled temperature then the high-jacking and the crash; the plane ripping along the ice and snow of a giant glacier killing everyone inside the plane - or so it seemed at first; but strange are the ways of God. Two little children miraculously survived the crash and the dying pilot was able to transmit the news to the aviation authorities.The whole country was alarmed as the two children were exposed to the wrath of nature and the government machinery was trapped in a maze of doubt and despair since all rescue operations were impossible till the weather improved. The mother of the two children - a helpless widow knocked from door to door for some sort of assurance that her children would be saved - but to no avail. At long last her tireless efforts brought her to the door of Vijay - a mountaineer whose courage and determination were HIGHER THAN THE HIMALYAS. Moves by her tears Vijay agreed to go up the mountains and search for the children taking a vow that he wouldn't return without them.And so began his journey into the unknown, where darkness brought with it murder and betrayal, cowardice and greed with the chilling knowledge that another mountaineer Ranjit with murder on his mind had reached the crash site to collect gold worth a crore of rupees from the belly of the plane....

Horizons Collection: Nepal - Himalaya's Mystical Valley

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Horizons Collection: Nepal - Himalaya's Mystical Valley
Starring: Horizons Collection
Manufacturer: Ans Records
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Himalaya - L'Enfance d'Un Chef (Original Tibetan Version)

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A MAGNIFICENT AND SPELLBINDING FILM...

Himalaya - L'Enfance d'Un Chef (Original Tibetan Version)

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ASIN: B000BTEIJ4

Product Description

Un village perdu du Dolpo, dans le nord-ouest de l'Himalaya, à cinq mille mètres d'altitude. Le vieux chef charismatique Tinlé, dont le fils aînévient de mourir, refuse de laisser la conduite de la caravane de yaks au jeune Karma, qu'il accuse d'être responsable de la mort de son fils. Karma brave les oracles du chaman et la colère de Tinlé et, avant la date tiruelle, lève la caravane, suivi par les jeunes du village.-------------An aging chief's last stand, lessons for the new, and the education of a young chief-to-be played against harsh Nature in Nepal's Dolpo. When his son dies returning from Tibet's salt lakes, Tinle blames Karma, his son's friend, refuses to give Karma his blessing as the new chief, and organizes a rival caravan to take the salt to lower Nepal to trade for grain. He, a few old men, his son's widow, his grandson, and his second son, a monk, set out on the arduous journey. Fearing storms, Karma has led his caravan out of the village before the auspicious day ordained by the lamas. Tinle's group catches Karma's before the final pass; the two stubborn men lock wills with Tinle's grandson watching.

Customer Reviews:

A MAGNIFICENT AND SPELLBINDING FILM..........2006-05-28

This film has some of most breathtaking scenery ever filmed. Shot high up in a remote area of the Himalayas that has seen very few foreigners, it focuses on the Tibetan people who live in an area of the mountains called Dolpo. These people are referred to as Dolpopas. The love that the director, Eric Valli, has for this region of the world is palpable with the loving care and attention to detail that is lavished on this production. Shot at heights of up to 17,400 feet, this film is a tremendous achievement both cinematically and historically, as it locks in time a little known culture and way of life.

The story, which is based upon real life events, details a generational struggle between the young and the old. The storyline is simple. This isolated village is dependent upon trading its salt for grain, so that the village may survive. To do so, a caravan of yaks must make an arduous trek through the Himalayan Mountains to Nepal to effect such a trade. When one such caravan returns to the village, the caravan chief, is dead and his body has been brought back to the village by his best friend, Karma. The dead chief's father and tribal council memeber, Tinle, crazed with grief, suspects Karma of having brought about his son's death in an attempt to take his place as chief of the caravan. His dead son has left behind a beautiful wife, Pema, whom Karma covets, and a young son, whom Tinle wants designated as chief, despite his youth.

This sets into play a power struggle between Tinle and Karma, both of whom are headstrong and willful. After the traditional sky burial for the dead caravan chief, this clash of wills results in two separate caravans setting out on the salt trading trek. One is led by Karma who, accompanied by the village youth, defiantly leads his caravan out of the village before the date designated by the village lamas. The other is led by Tinle, who has persuaded his other son, Norbou, a Buddhist monk, to assist him. Accompanied by Norbou the elders of his village, as well as by his dead son's widow and young son, Tinle follows tradition and leaves on the date that the lamas have designated as being most propitious for the difficult journey. The film details each of the respective journeys, as well as the continuing battle of wills between the two leaders. The risks that Tinle takes on the journey in order to to catch up with Karma is captured in all its starkly beautiful, cinematic majesty and will leave viewers sitting on the edge of their seats.

Set against a breathtaking backdrop of Himalayan beauty, this is a must see film. The performances by those in lead roles are compelling. Thilen Lhondup, a real life former yak man who had fled Tibet during its invasion by China, is charismatic and powerful as Tinle. Gurgon Kyap imbues the role of the headstrong Karma with a youthful vigor and machismo. Lhakpa Tsamchoe, an exotic beauty who hails from Southern India by way of Tibetan parents, is wonderfully serene in the role of Pema. Karma Wangel is absolutely adorable as Tinle's grandson and will steal the viewers' hearts.

Anthropologically rich and visually beautiful, it took the director nine months to film this movie. The daunting logistics, the unpredictable weather, and the use of mostly non actors contributed to this being a time consuming project. In order to maintain as much authenticity as possible, this film was shot entirely on location and the villagers even wore their own clothing in the film. The director's care and effort paid off, however, as this is one of the most stunningly beautiful films ever made. The musical score by Bruno Coulais is haunting, capturing the soaring majesty of the region, as well as some of its mystique. It also offers what I believe to be Tibetan throat singing, a somewhat esoteric form of singing/chanting not often heard in the western world.

This film, which was first released under the title "Caravan", was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2000. I believe that it lost to Pedro Almodovar's film, "About My Mother", which is also an excellent movie. Having seen both films, however, there is no doubt in my mind that Valli's film should have been the one to walk away with the Academy Award. It is a must have DVD for those who are interested in other cultures, the Himalayas, and, quite simply, a great film. Bravo!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful look at a fascinating culture
Stunning epic, but 30 bucks?
A story about life
"Himalaya" is a real treat
A Nepalese fairytale

Himalaya
Starring: Thilen Lhondup , Gurgon Kyap , Lhakpa Tsamchoe , Karma Wangel , and Karma Tensing
Director: Eric Valli
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

( H ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Tibet - Cry of the Snow Lion
The Saltmen of Tibet
Travellers & Magicians
Mount Kailash Return to Tibet
Himalaya

ASIN: B000065SHZ

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful look at a fascinating culture.......2006-12-21

Stunning epic, but 30 bucks?.......2006-11-10

A story about life.......2006-10-30

"Himalaya" is a real treat.......2006-08-26

A Nepalese fairytale.......2006-06-15

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