Movie Review
Pitt awakens 'Tibet'
Campus Times
October 17, 1997
How could any movie go bad with Brad Pitt in it? Sure, that may be the
case that some are saying but "Seven Years in Tibet," released
last Friday, goes beyond Pitt and is an extraordinary film.
The movie is based on a true story of a man who went on a journey that
changed his life forever.
Heinrich Harrer (Pitt) is an Austrian mountaineer and takes on his biggest
challenge when he and a team led by Peter Aufschnaiter (played by David
Thewlis) leave Austria for an expedition to climb the Naga Parbat, the highest
peak of the Himalayas. Harrer is a self-centered man who is looking for
fame and glory. He feels that being a part of a team that actually climbs
the highest peak of a mountain will allow him to find what he is looking
for, although during the journey he runs into many obstacles along the way.
After almost completing their goal of the Naga Parbat he and the team
of men are captured by British military. Ausfschnaiter's team is sent to
a British prisoner of war camp. Harrer eventually escapes after his fourth
attempt and tracks around the Himalayas for two years where he finally ends
up in the forbidden Tibetan city of Lhasa.
This is when the movie really gets good. Harrer lives in the city of
Lhasa were he is accepted by them and is the first foreigner to actually
stay in the spiritual city.
In Lhasa, Harrer experiences an awakening of selflessness and comes
to grips with his life and what is really important to him.
Harrer spent seven years in Tibet during a period of political upheaval
in a country graced with friendship and spiritual enlightenment.
The Dalai Lama is an 11-year-old boy who is the spiritual leader of
the city and the religion. The Dali Lama becomes fascinated with Harrer
and asks him to be his guide and teach him the ways of his culture.
The Dali Lama and Harrer actually become good friends and learn many
things from each other. Harrer teaches the Dali Lama the way he does things
in his culture and in return the Dali Lama teaches Harrer how to be a complete
man and how to come to terms within himself. Harrer's life is changed by
an immersion into another culture.
"Seven Years in Tibet" is a movie that will not be forgotten
once it has been seen. The emotions it brings up are extraordinary, making
it a must-see movie.
