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MOVIES / ON DVD / RAM DASS FIERCE GRACE
Ram Dass Fierce Grace

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Ram Dass Fierce Grace (2002)

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81 %
Reviews Counted: 21 Fresh: 17  Rotten:4 Average Rating: 6.9/10
Rated: Not Rated
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Theatrical Release: Feb 27, 2002 Limited
Synopsis:
Documentary filmmaker Mickey Lemle (COMPASSION IN EXILE: THE STORY OF THE 14TH DALAI LAMA) opens his fascinating biopic of spiritual leader Ram Dass with two strikingly contrasted images--archival footage from 1969 showing the long-bearded, blissed-out guru intoning on the role of a... [More]
Documentary filmmaker Mickey Lemle (COMPASSION IN EXILE: THE STORY OF THE 14TH DALAI LAMA) opens his fascinating biopic of spiritual leader Ram Dass with two strikingly contrasted images--archival footage from 1969 showing the long-bearded, blissed-out guru intoning on the role of a yogi, and the present-day Dass, older and debilitated, struggling to lift his legs out of a car. These images reflect the film's dual mission: to illuminate Ram Dass' pivotal role as a spiritual guide in 1960s America, and to follow him on a new quest after suffering a stroke. Dass (formerly Richard Alpert) was a Harvard psychology professor, who with Timothy Leary spearheaded the movement to explore LSD's mind-expanding capabilities. Along with interviewing Dass' contemporaries, Lemle uses compelling archival footage of Dass' days at Harvard, the acid-tripping community at Millbrook, and his life-changing experience in India with guru Maharaj Ji. Layered between images from the guru's heyday, Lemle uses touching footage of Dass shot over a two-year period, as he struggles with the physical and emotional fallout from his stroke. The "fierce grace" of illness sets Dass on a new spiritual path and like his previous forays, makes for fascinating and insightful viewing. [Less]

Genre: Education/General Interest

Director: Mickey Lemle
Composer: Teese Gohl

DVD Info

Release:

Apr 8, 2003

[DVD Details]

DVD Features:

  • Region 1
  • Keep Case
  • Single Side - Single Layer
  • Widescreen - 1.85

Additional Release Material:

  • Featurettes - 1. Chant Master Krishna's "Hanuman Puja" Prayer (with photo montage)
  • Bonus Footage (20 min.)

Text/Photo Galleries:

  • Biographies - 1. Mikey Lemele - Director/Producer
  • Mickey Lemele Personal Statement
  • Hanuman Puja Lyrics (Sanskrit and English)

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Reviews

 
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04/27/07 03:15 AM
Andrew Sarris
New York Observer
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05/13/05 03:17 AM
Apollo Guide
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03/27/04 08:17 AM
V.A. Musetto
New York Post
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For anyone who remembers the '60s or is interested in one man's response to stroke, Ram Dass: Fierce Grace is worth seeking out.

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10/21/02 08:26 AM
Jean Lowerison
San Diego Metropolitan
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The film affords us intriguing glimpses of the insights gleaned from a lifetime of spiritual inquiry, but Ram Dass: Fierce Grace doesn't organize it with any particular insight.

Full Review | Comment
10/02/02 02:11 PM
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
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Rarely, a movie is more than a movie. Go.

Full Review | Comment
09/13/02 02:34 PM
David Elliott
San Diego Union-Tribune
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The film presents a brief but intriguing biography of its subject.

Full Review | Comment
08/23/02 05:15 PM
Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
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Aimed at a New Age audience, but its subject's sincerity and gentle, self-deprecating nature translate well to a general audience.

Full Review | Comment
08/22/02 06:35 PM
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
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Whether or not Ram Dass proves as clear and reliable an authority on that as he was about inner consciousness, Fierce Grace reassures us that he will once again be an honest and loving one.

Full Review | Comment
06/21/02 05:26 PM
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News
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Moving and informative.

Full Review | Comment
06/21/02 08:38 AM
Chuck Wilson
L.A. Weekly
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An ingratiating and comprehensive portrait of the widely admired spiritual leader.

Full Review | Comment
06/21/02 08:38 AM
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
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It will probably prove interesting to Ram Dass fans, but to others it may feel like a parody of the mellow, peace-and-love side of the '60s counterculture.

| Comment
06/20/02 01:12 PM
Andy Klein
New Times
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Parts of the film feel a bit too much like an infomercial for Ram Dass's latest book aimed at the boomer demographic. But mostly it's a work that, with humor, warmth, and intelligence, captures a life interestingly lived.

Full Review | Comment
06/07/02 03:40 PM
Jonathan Perry
Boston Globe
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The heart of the film is a touching reflection on aging, suffering and the prospect of death.

Full Review | Comment
03/19/02 02:16 PM
Ken Fox
TV Guide's Movie Guide
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A sober and affecting chronicle of the leveling effect of loss.

Full Review | Comment
03/19/02 02:14 PM
Mark Holcomb
Village Voice
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A generous, inspiring film that unfolds with grace and humor and gradually becomes a testament to faith.

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03/19/02 08:16 AM
Edward Guthmann
San Francisco Chronicle
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A captivating new film.

Full Review | Comment
03/19/02 08:16 AM
Jeffrey M. Anderson
San Francisco Examiner
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A fascinating documentary about the long and eventful spiritual journey of the guru who helped launch the New Age.

Full Review | Comment
03/15/02 05:36 PM
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice
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03/13/02 08:08 AM
Onion AV Club
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Following Ram Dass down from his pedestal gives Mr. Lemle a way into his subject that will compel the viewer.

Full Review | Comment
03/13/02 08:08 AM
Elvis Mitchell
New York Times
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