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Movies / On DVD / Siddhartha
Siddhartha

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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

[See More Credits]

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Release:

Dec 3, 2002

[DVD Details]
 
 
  • A glorious adaptation of the classic Herman Hesse novel, "Siddhartha" was filmed by Conrad Rooks with legendary cinematographer Sven Nykvist in Northern India. Bewitched by the shimmering beauty and magic of this ancient land, they transformed Hesse's tale into widescreen poetry. A moving evocation of each person's search for the divine within, this is the story of young Brahmin who leaves his wealthy parents to become a "sadhu," a wandering ascetic. He meets and is awed by the Buddha but chooses to follow his own path, which leads him to sensual passion and material wealth. In the end he finds these pleasures empty and abandons them to find enlightenment on an entirely different plane.
  • Source: Image Entertainment, Inc.
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    Reviews for Siddhartha

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    1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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    N/R

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    Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
    11/26/08
    Variety
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
    06/24/06
    Derek Adams
    Derek Adams
    Time Out
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
    05/09/05
    Vincent Canby
    Vincent Canby
    New York Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    A lovely, evocative piece that may come across as stodgy and obvious thirty years after its release.

    Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
    03/16/05
    Walter Chaw
    Walter Chaw
    Film Freak Central

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
    10/23/04
    Roger Ebert
    Roger Ebert
    Chicago Sun-Times
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    This is a case where the true seeker must journey to the original source!

    Full Review Source: Old School Reviews | comment Comment
    02/25/03
    John A. Nesbit
    John A. Nesbit
    Old School Reviews
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
    01/24/03
    John Demetry
    John Demetry
    PopMatters

    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.

    Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
    01/23/03
    Dennis Schwartz
    Dennis Schwartz
    Ozus' World Movie Reviews

    Shooting largely in natural light, Nykvist creates a poetry more beautiful than Hesse's prose and as profound as the author's message.

    Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment Comment
    12/13/02
    Shawn Levy
    Shawn Levy
    Oregonian

    nothing but wide and confusing circles

    Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
    11/06/02
    Christopher Null
    Christopher Null
    Filmcritic.com

    Like Chappaqua, the movie doesn't live up to the legend.

    Full Review Source: Denver Post | comment Comment
    11/01/02
    Steven Rosen
    Steven Rosen
    Denver Post
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    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.

    Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
    10/18/02
    Janice Page
    Janice Page
    Boston Globe
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    A beautiful and timeless achievement, Conrad Rooks' 1972 adaptation of Herman Hesse's appropriation of East Indian mythology still entrances.

    comment Comment
    09/26/02
    Gregory Weinkauf
    Gregory Weinkauf
    New Times

    Sven Nykvist's golden-hued cinematography perfectly suits Hesse's mind-expanding narrative of Buddhist enlightenment.

    Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
    09/17/02
    Ed Halter
    Ed Halter
    Village Voice
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    A gentle reminder of just how much life and movies have changed -- not entirely for the better.

    Full Review Source: Sacramento Bee | comment Comment
    07/26/02
    Joe Baltake
    Joe Baltake
    Sacramento Bee

    Faithful but flat and uninspired.

    Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
    07/22/02
    Jim Lane
    Jim Lane
    Sacramento News & Review

    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.

    Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
    07/19/02
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    Jeffrey M. Anderson
    San Francisco Examiner

    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.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
    07/11/02
    John Petrakis
    John Petrakis
    Chicago Tribune
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic

    Unless you are fully into the subtleties of Hinduism, you are likely to find it rather flat and lethargic.

    Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
    07/02/02
    Don Druker
    Don Druker
    Chicago Reader
    Top Critic Icon Top Critic
    N/R

    Click to read the article

    Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
    07/02/02
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile Critics
    Urban Cinefile
     
     
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