Mount Kailash Return to Tibet

Rating:
Summary: PBS Hawaii review
Review: In the summer of 2001, world-renounded flutist Paul Horn, the first western musician to record inside the Potala Palace and other sacred Tibetan temples, returned to Tibet to honor the late Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lama Tenzin.

Several years ago, in a documentary called Journey Inside Tibet (which is on this DVD), Horn went on a spiritual and heartwarming journey to Tibet with Lama Tenzin, who hoped to reunite with his family for the first time since he fled the country from religios persecution 40 years earlier. Lama Tenzin passed away on February 13, 2000, and Horn was determined to honor him on the sacred mountain.

Mount Kailash Return To Tibet documents Horn's journey from Kathmandu, Nepal to Lhasa, Tibet, across the Tibetan plateau, to the remote and sacred Mount Kailash and Lake Manasurovar, the largest high altitude lake in the world. According to four religions - Buddhist, Hindu, Jains and Bon - the 22,028 feet high Mount Kailash is the spiritual center of the universe. It was Horn's goal to arrive at the base of Mount Kailash in June of 2001 to witness the exotic and breathtaking Saga Dawa Full Moon festival, a fascinating cultural event when Buddhists in the region gather to raise a large pole festooned with thousands of prayer flags. The goal is to raise the flagpole to a vertical position. Hundreds of locals participate raising the pole to honor Buddha and to predict the fate of the following calendar year.

When Horn and his documentary film crew first arrived in Kathmandu, the Chinese government restricted all travel to the Kailash area, because there was a "free Tibet" demonstration taking place. The Chinese sent military to the region to swash the demonstration taking place. At that point, Horn and documentary film producer Tom Vendetti, decided to take their chances and continue with the journey. Luckily, shortly after arriving in Lhasa, the borders were opened and they were free to go to Mount Kailash. After the Saga Dawa Full Moon Festival, the program documents Horn's 32-mile trek around the mountain. At age 71, Horn was able to complete the trek, reaching an elevation of 18,600 feet. Along the way, Horn reveals some of his innermost thoughts about overcoming obstacles, showing up when the odds are against you and getting in touch with a simpler and quieter lifestyle.
At the summit, in a touching ceremony, Lama Tenzin's ashes were released back to his sacred mountain. Mount Kailash return to Tibet is produced by Tom Vendetti, Ph.D. of Maui. PBS Hawaii is proud to be the presenting station for this nationally-distributed special.

Rating:
Summary: hit the 'mute'
Review: The second feature, Return to Mt Kailash, is interesting enough, but my comments and rating are really concerned with Journey Inside Tibet, the first feature on this disc. Visually it is stunning. The narration, on the other hand, is terrible. Simplistic to the point of insulting the viewer and totally without mention of or commentary on the Chinese invasion and occupation. While I'm sure the film-makers would never have been able to have the access that they did without either implicitly or explicitly promising the Chinese that they would ignore this historic outrage, I'm not certain that the product was worth the price.

If you were to know only what this film tells you, you would believe that Tibetan Buddhism is flourishing and that the Dalai Lama has simply gone away on an extended vacation. There is not a word about the hundreds of thousands of lives lost, the thousands of monasteries which were destroyed, the fact that the Potala and the Jokhang are Disney-like facsimiles of the original.

Watch it and marvel at it, but know that it is a facade.

Rating:
Summary: hit the 'mute'
Review: The second feature, Return to Mt Kailash, is interesting enough, but my comments and rating are really concerned with Journey Inside Tibet, the first feature on this disc. Visually it is stunning. The narration, on the other hand, is terrible. Simplistic to the point of insulting the viewer and totally without mention of or commentary on the Chinese invasion and occupation. While I'm sure the film-makers would never have been able to have the access that they did without either implicitly or explicitly promising the Chinese that they would ignore this historic outrage, I'm not certain that the product was worth the price.

If you were to know only what this film tells you, you would believe that Tibetan Buddhism is flourishing and that the Dalai Lama has simply gone away on an extended vacation. There is not a word about the hundreds of thousands of lives lost, the thousands of monasteries which were destroyed, the fact that the Potala and the Jokhang are Disney-like facsimiles of the original.

Watch it and marvel at it, but know that it is a facade.

Rating:
Summary: Anything Worthwhile Does Not Come Easily
Review: This 2003 DVD release, "Mount Kailash, Return to Tibet", contains two complete documentaries. The title documentary follows 71 year old flutist, Paul Horn, on a pilgrimage to the 32 mile Kora trail, which circles the base of sacred Mount Kailash. Also included on this disc is 1998's PBS feature, "Journey Inside Tibet", which follows Paul Horn and his traveling companion, Lama Tenzin. For "Journey Inside Tibet", Paul Horn's goal was to play his flute inside Tibet's Potala Palace, while Lama Tenzin's goal was to visit his homeland and see his family there.

Despite the title of the DVD, for the best comprehension of both works, the viewer should watch "Journey Inside Tibet" first, then follow it with another session dedicated to the viewing of the title piece.

"Journey Inside Tibet" begins in Kathmandu, Nepal at a Tibetan refugee camp. Here we see work being done at a local carpet making factory. Next, footage of the colorful Ka-Nying Shedrupling Monastery is shown, where the pilgrims make audio and video recordings of it's ceremonies. Documentation of a difficult 520 mile bus trip, along the friendship highway, follows. The travelers stop occasionally while on their way, to observe the life of the rural peoples.

After some 30 minutes into the documentary, the travelers reach their destination, Lhasa. They start their visit at the Tashihunpo Monastery, founded by the first Dalai Lama. It is here that Lama Tenzin meets his family. Then, on to the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace where Paul Horn plays his flute.

In the years between the making of the two documentaries, Lama Tenzin dies, so with "Mount Kailash, Return to Tibet" there are again two goals. Paul Horn's spiritual pilgrimage to the mountain. Also, the dispersal of Lama Tenzin's ashes at the Kora trail's summit. Again, the difficult traveling conditions of a 1000 mile journey are documented, along with the sights and sounds of the local peoples. The focus, with "Mount Kailash", is primarily on the Tibetan natural world.

Both documentaries are accompanied by engaging soundtracks. These were recorded after each trip was completed, but were based on sounds acquired while in Tibet. These sounds were then supplemented with studio overdubbing and sonic layering techniques.

This DVD can be recommended, with confidence, to those with an interest in Buddhism or spiritually centered music.

Rating:
Summary: Anything Worthwhile Does Not Come Easily
Review: This 2003 DVD release, "Mount Kailash, Return to Tibet", contains two complete documentaries. The title documentary follows 71 year old flutist, Paul Horn, on a pilgrimage to the 32 mile Kora trail, which circles the base of sacred Mount Kailash. Also included on this disc is 1998's PBS feature, "Journey Inside Tibet", which follows Paul Horn and his traveling companion, Lama Tenzin. For "Journey Inside Tibet", Paul Horn's goal was to play his flute inside Tibet's Potala Palace, while Lama Tenzin's goal was to visit his homeland and see his family there.

Despite the title of the DVD, for the best comprehension of both works, the viewer should watch "Journey Inside Tibet" first, then follow it with another session dedicated to the viewing of the title piece.

"Journey Inside Tibet" begins in Kathmandu, Nepal at a Tibetan refugee camp. Here we see work being done at a local carpet making factory. Next, footage of the colorful Ka-Nying Shedrupling Monastery is shown, where the pilgrims make audio and video recordings of it's ceremonies. Documentation of a difficult 520 mile bus trip, along the friendship highway, follows. The travelers stop occasionally while on their way, to observe the life of the rural peoples.

After some 30 minutes into the documentary, the travelers reach their destination, Lhasa. They start their visit at the Tashihunpo Monastery, founded by the first Dalai Lama. It is here that Lama Tenzin meets his family. Then, on to the Jokhang Temple and Potala Palace where Paul Horn plays his flute.

In the years between the making of the two documentaries, Lama Tenzin dies, so with "Mount Kailash, Return to Tibet" there are again two goals. Paul Horn's spiritual pilgrimage to the mountain. Also, the dispersal of Lama Tenzin's ashes at the Kora trail's summit. Again, the difficult traveling conditions of a 1000 mile journey are documented, along with the sights and sounds of the local peoples. The focus, with "Mount Kailash", is primarily on the Tibetan natural world.

Both documentaries are accompanied by engaging soundtracks. These were recorded after each trip was completed, but were based on sounds acquired while in Tibet. These sounds were then supplemented with studio overdubbing and sonic layering techniques.

This DVD can be recommended, with confidence, to those with an interest in Buddhism or spiritually centered music.