Conrad Rooks' Siddhartha is the perfect cinematic complement to Hermann Hesse's novel, which will be a relief to the book's many admirers and a recipe for glazed eyes for just about anybody else. Siddhartha (Shashi Kapoor), a young Brahmin, embarks on a spiritual quest that leads him from the teachings of Buddha, to a sojourn in the Garden of Earthly Pleasures, to self-discovery as a ferryman. Rooks and acclaimed Bergman cinematographer Sven Nykvist received unprecedented access to film in the Northern Indian holy city of Rishikesh, as well as on the private estates of the Maharajah of Bharatpur, and in this newly re-mastered print, handsomely transferred to DVD, every slow pan across the horizon at sunset or shot of a leisurely flowing river captures a truly spiritual beauty, echoed in the traditional score by Hemant Kumar. But nothing could be done about the deficient dubbing, which still sounds like a rambling arty interior monologue grafted on to a story with no compelling narrative arc as its titular subject goes from being a wandering ascetic to having beautifully photographed sex with a courtesan to embracing enlightened poverty. Since the film reveals that Buddha is in all things--the rock and the prostitute alike--many viewers may be forgiven for finding nirvana in their fast-forward buttons. DVD extras include an interview with Rooks, and original storyboards. Optional. (D. Fienberg)
Siddhartha
Image, 85 min., R, DVD: $29.99 Volume 18, Issue 2
Siddhartha
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