And this week's Friday night movie has been... Kundun!
Over the years I have been slowly getting more acquainted with the oeuvre of Martin Scorsese. So let's take a look perhaps his most unique movie: A biopic on the life of the 14th Dalai Lama.
Watching this movie I can't help but think of The Last Emperor. Sure such a declaration will be unfair to this movie but it isn't hard to imagine this movie looking over The Last Emperor's shoulder and taking notes. Both follow the pattern of a boy thrust into a position of power, not knowing quite how to handle it, and how it effects him into adulthood.
Still this is still pretty good and quite an effective turn from someone who built their career from making New York crime dramas. But this isn't just Scorsese's show: he is backed with the staggering visuals of cinematographer Roger Deakins, the evocative score of Philip Glass and the editing of Thelma Schoonmaker. All four are bringing their A-game and the result is a truly a stunning movie.
It's just a shame that the weak point of this movie is the narrative: It seems disjointed & plodding at times and proves to be quite the Achilles heel.
Nevertheless, this is an impressive movie and certainly a stand-out in Scorsese's filmography.
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