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Siddhartha (1972)
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Reviews Counted:17
Fresh:10
Rotten:7
Average Rating:6.7/10
Runtime: 85 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: This is a timeless, universal story adapted from the novella by German writer Herman Hesse, about youth, the search for one's place in the world, and the struggle for happiness. Based loosely on... This is a timeless, universal story adapted from the novella by German writer Herman Hesse, about youth, the search for one's place in the world, and the struggle for happiness. Based loosely on the Indian mythological story of the prince who went on to seek enlightenment and become the Buddha, the film was made in a breathtakingly beautiful part of Northern India by director screenwriter Conrad Rooks (CHAPPAQUA) and cinematographer Sven Nykvist. Siddhartha, played by renowned Indian actor Shashi Kapoor, becomes disillusioned with the quest for spiritual enlightenment, and turns to the pursuit of material wealth. Unfortunately, he discovers that the truth remains elusive on either side of the fence, and that what ultimately makes life worth living is inner contentment and love. At once a kind of "road movie," a historical drama, and a period piece, SIDDHARTHA leaves a lasting impression on the viewer, for both its lush visual quality and the profound story that unfolds. [More]
Starring: Amrik Singh, Pincho Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Romesh Sharma
Starring: Amrik Singh, Pincho Kapoor, Shashi Kapoor, Romesh Sharma
Director: Conrad Rooks
Director: Conrad Rooks
Screenwriter: Conrad Rooks
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Release:
Dec 3, 2002
Reviews for Siddhartha
A lovely, evocative piece that may come across as stodgy and obvious thirty years after its release.
This is a case where the true seeker must journey to the original source!
Its visual beauty is compelling and its emotions are kindled from within, as it takes off from the source of its literary roots and becomes a pure cinematic experience.
Shooting largely in natural light, Nykvist creates a poetry more beautiful than Hesse's prose and as profound as the author's message.
Apologies to Conrad Rooks, but the only reason his 1972 film, Siddhartha, is getting a 30th-anniversary rerelease is the appeal of seeing Sven Nykvist's amazing cinematography restored to its full splendor.
A beautiful and timeless achievement, Conrad Rooks' 1972 adaptation of Herman Hesse's appropriation of East Indian mythology still entrances.
Sven Nykvist's golden-hued cinematography perfectly suits Hesse's mind-expanding narrative of Buddhist enlightenment.
A gentle reminder of just how much life and movies have changed -- not entirely for the better.
In the end, Siddhartha the movie fails in its attempt to explore and question and meditate. You can't be meditative while running through a field and leaping over foxholes.
Rather than living on as reminder of India in the early 1900s, the film now exists as a period piece of another sort, namely, as a cult film of the psychedelic era.
Unless you are fully into the subtleties of Hinduism, you are likely to find it rather flat and lethargic.
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