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IMDbPro

Kundun

  • 19971997
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 2h 14m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
28K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
9,479
333
Kundun (1997)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer1:16
1 Video
50 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory
From childhood to adulthood, Tibet's fourteenth Dalai Lama deals with Chinese oppression and other problems.From childhood to adulthood, Tibet's fourteenth Dalai Lama deals with Chinese oppression and other problems.From childhood to adulthood, Tibet's fourteenth Dalai Lama deals with Chinese oppression and other problems.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
28K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
9,479
333
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Martin Scorsese
    • Writer
      • Melissa Mathison
    • Stars
      • Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong
      • Gyurme Tethong
      • Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Martin Scorsese
    • Writer
      • Melissa Mathison
    • Stars
      • Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong
      • Gyurme Tethong
      • Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 140User reviews
    • 77Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
    • Nominated for 4 Oscars
      • 7 wins & 13 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:16
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos50

    Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin in Kundun (1997)
    Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong in Kundun (1997)
    Gyurme Tethong in Kundun (1997)
    Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin in Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)
    Kundun (1997)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong
    Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong
    • Dalai Lama (Adult)
    Gyurme Tethong
    Gyurme Tethong
    • Dalai Lama (Age 12)
    Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin
    Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin
    • Dalai Lama (Age 5)
    Tenzin Yeshi Paichang
    • Dalai Lama (Aged 2)
    Tencho Gyalpo
    • Mother
    Tenzin Topjar
    • Lobsang (5-10)
    Tsewang Migyur Khangsar
    • Father
    Tenzin Lodoe
    • Takster
    Geshi Yeshi Gyatso
    • Lama of Sera
    Losang Gyatso
    • The Messenger
    • (as Lobsang Gyatso)
    Sonam Phuntsok
    • Reting Rinpoche
    Gyatso Lukhang
    • Lord Chamberlain
    Lobsang Samten
    • Master of the Kitchen
    Jigme Tsarong
    • Taktra Rimpoche
    • (as Tsewang Jigme Tsarong)
    Tenzin Trinley
    • Ling Rimpoche
    Namgay Dorjee
    • Kashag
    • (as Ngawang Dorjee)
    • …
    Phintso Thonden
    • Kashag…
    Chewang Tsering Ngokhang
    • Layman #1
    • Director
      • Martin Scorsese
    • Writer
      • Melissa Mathison
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Martin Scorsese, writer Melissa Mathison and her then husband Harrison Ford were added to the list of over 50 people banned from entering Tibet because of this film.
    • Goofs
      When the young boy is first being tested, he is presented with several pairs of objects to choose between. When it comes to choosing between two bowls, he picks up the bowl on the right and examines it. When he places the bowl back on the table, he has the bowl on the left in his hand.
    • Quotes

      Indian: Are you the Lord Buddha?

      Dalai Lama: I believe I am a reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, you see yourself.

    • Crazy credits
      The Touchstone Pictures logo shown after the end credits is red.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Tomorrow Never Dies/Mousehunt/As Good as it Gets/Kundun/Oscar and Lucinda (1997)

    User reviews140

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Quite simply a great achievement
    I was very pleased to discover that this film wasnt the Scorcese dud some of the user comments and critics had suggested it to be. While I am no expert on Buddhism, I know enough about it to see how brilliantly Martin Scorcese and Melissa Mathison weaved the core philosophy into this tale of the Dalai Lama's formative years. They did it without succumbing to ostentation, sentimentality, or populist good vs evil film dramatics. And yet it showed us how human the child was--laughing as the monks meditated while a rat drank the ritual offerings; being frightened in the dark monastery; taking on the very great responsibility of leading a truly wise, noble and compassionate religion while being confronted by the threats of the modern world. I appreciated how they didnt portray the Chinese as simple villians--by including the scene where he dreams the army personnel are explaining to him why they embrace Mao's communism. And they also presented enough of the Buddhist ritual and way of life to show us how alien it is to western religions(the scene where they cut up the body for the vultures comes to mind), though they dont gloss it over by excluding comments about the Lama's isolation and loss of childhood or the corruption surrounding his first Regent. It was also quite moving to observe the devotion of his monks and people.

    Scorcese really demonstrates here that he is a true film artist and master storyteller. I wholeheartedly concur with the commentator that compared this film to the Last Emperor--despite similar story frames and lengths, this motion picture doesnt drag at all. If this had been say, Steven Spielberg's project you would have expected to see some manipulative melodramatics and insincerity. And how can one not be impressed by the performances he got out of mostly non actors! That alone was amazing. The film maintained its pace from the early years to the Lama as an adult. From what little of the man I have seen on tv, his humor, and wisdom was conveyed remarkably well by Mathison's script and the actors chosen for the role.

    Finally, his comment to the Indian guard near the end after being asked if he was the Lord Buddha--encapsulates the wisdom and the humility of its spiritual leader perfectly.
    helpful•48
    8
    • Rovin
    • Jun 11, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 16, 1998 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Monaco
      • Morocco
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Tibetan
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • 達賴的一生
    • Filming locations
      • Atlas Mountains, Morocco
    • Production companies
      • Touchstone Pictures
      • De Fina-Cappa
      • Dune Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $28,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,684,789
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $72,095
      • Dec 28, 1997
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,684,789
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 14 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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