The Mahabharata [DVD]

I do not wish to comment on any of the DVD-related technicalities, because I view this entire epic on a 1989 videotape dubbed from PBS. I am happy to find the DVD release available, but I have not yet seen it on DVD. I watch this film about once or twice a year.I am not an admirer of Eastern mysticism, nor of religion in general, but hearing a different kind of myth/saga to the Bible has always been important to me, since I had the Southern Baptist viewpoint pounded into me as a youth. I do not have to agree or completely understand myth/sagas but I DO have to find them entertaining before I would take the time to bother with them.As to the interpretation of the text, I have seen some of the Chopras version and can understand why viewers of an Indian heritage would prefer it; it contains most of the characteristics that annoy some Western viewers with all that is Bollywood, yet is obviously beloved of many Indians: odd production values, scenes that appear to copy illustrations that sometimes have nothing to do with the text (such as Krishna loaded for bear as he prepares to drive Arjuna's war chariot). A non-stop soundtrack that even I, a lover of World Music, find (and this is the most charitable word I can think of) annoying. It also contains no Asian, African or European actors, being a 94-part Indian TV production.However, Brooks' effort is a film of a stage production, it is not intended to explore Great Religious Themes but to provide a forum for his ideas about theatre while allowing a tiny sampling of the stories in this great book to be told, which he is at pains to explain in his interviews.Some of his cast sound as if they have been taught their lines phonetically, and yet, the sheer physical presence they are afforded because of the camera work somehow makes them fascinating structural elements, a case in point being Bhishma, played by Kouyate. His English was almost unintelligible (he is clearly African) and it is undoubtedly offensive to some Indian viewers to see black actors in such roles. Too bad. I do not have to worry about what others may find offensive, I am here to be entertained, and the the fact that Bhishma IS a structural element, and that Brooks seems to understand that not all characters in such tales are fully developed human beings, gives this presentation a quality that makes me want to keep watching, while Chopras becomes a chore. There are many European (non-English) actors in this whose lines are garbled and rushed, and yet each one seems perfect for the role he or she is intended to convey.Over the five hours, (and years of rewatching) my bewilderment with the cast became fascination. Lloyd and Myers (as Veasa and Ganesh/Krishna)and Mezzogiorno(Arjuna)are standouts, and perhaps the DVD will reveal what I cannot see on my old tape: isn't Krishna always presented as blue-tinted?Brooks' completely skipping the Bhaghavad Gita in no way harms this presentation, how could such a thing be filmed? and who would want to sit through that?The camera work and scenic design live in the perilous middle ground of all filmed stage productions, but the choreographed movements of the cast within the spaces provided overcome my usual objections to such enterprises. By choreographed I do not mean a conscious attempt to bring attention to the movement, but I mean the absolute confidence of the actors to work within a confined space, and this film needs to be seen again and again if one is to understand that the appearance of being completely natural in something as contrived as a soundstage is the essence of the theatrical experience. Brooks is allowing himself the luxury afforded by filming to provide a rich set scheme. He could have easily placed all action on a limited stage and used the technical wonders as seen in such productions as RSC's Nicholas Nickleby but he takes another road here and gets the best of both worlds. The viewer never loses the sense of stage production but Brooks refuses to let the scenes be boxed in by it. I consider this a masterpiece mainly because I continue to watch it over the years, and like any piece of art will do, it seems to allow me to learn something about how to approach such a monumental task with the tools at hand. Unlike Mahler or Picasso, Brooks is not creating something from nothing, he has source material of such astounding scope that even the attempt is admirable, but I think the results here are equally astounding. How many films with ambitious themes (take much of the Herzog ouevre as an example) become a task more like taking medicine or sitting through a lecture in a foreign language? Brooks' film never palls.The music, and especially the voice of Sarmila Roy, continues with me for several days after any viewing, and Brooks' limited use of music is refreshing since most "period pieces" (especially from Bollywood) are marred by wall-to-wall cacaphony.P.S. since this was posted, I have obtained the DVD. It is vastly superior to my aging VHS tape, but I retain the tape because the PBS Great Performances presentation included superb interview material from Brooks that unfortunately does not appear in the Special Features on the DVD.

I'm excited to have this version of the Mahabharata on a used DVD. The epic story is beautifully told and very inspirational. The delivery service from Qvo Book was right on time, and the dvd itself is like new, and carefully packed. I'm very pleased with my purchase.

Poor quality VHS. Topic is superb, acting was excellent and the overall production was terrific. Just the quality of the video wasn't up to my expectations.

Weighing in at 5 hours and 25 minutes, "The Mahabharata" is an epic tale based on the religious text of the same name. While I'm far from ignorant of the Mahabharata, I'm no expert. All I've read is the Baghavad-Gita. You certainly don't need to be well-read on Hindu mythology to appreciate this film. I first saw this film by renting it at a video store specializing in rare and imported videos. I then purchased it through Amazon.com because this was something I just had to have. The film is actually a stage play. But don't let that discourage you into thinking that you will simply be watching actors perform on a stage. This is one extravagent production! The costumes are very rich, the sets are large and realistic, and the camera work is angled and edited in such a way that you'll think you're watching a film instead of a straight stage production. For example, during the war chapter, actual horses are brought onto the stage where dozens of actors fight in a well choreographed manner!The acting is something that I have never seen before. I don't get out to see many plays, but what I've seen in this is amazing. The camera gets in tight on the actors faces and these actors do a superior job of expressing severe intensity. Especially the two actors who play Krishna and Arjuna; wow!If you're into Hindu mythology on any level, then I assure you that you will enjoy this film. Despite its length this film never gets boring. Mind you, I wouldn't suggest watching this in one sitting. There are two discs, watch one, and watch the next one the next day.

The original video of Peter Brook's Mahabharata was an exquisite masterpiece that honored this Hindu epic tale and its primary characters. Broadcast in three separate episodes, it's total running time was about 320 minutes. I own the VHS tape version, and was glad to get this DVD--until I found it had been chopped down to 170 minutes. Still visually beautiful, but some of the heart, sinew and pace have been cut out. Try to find a full length version.

As previous reviewers have noted, there are two DVD editions of this fantastic film out there: the currently in-print & inexpensive edition, and the out-of-print & highly priced edition. Whatever you do, opt for the out-of-print edition! Some used copies are priced reasonably enough; mine was actually less than the New price for the in-print edition. And it plays just fine.Why such an emphatic preamble? Because the older edition is the FULL version of Peter Brooks' masterful staging of this ancient spiritual epic. The in-print edition is cut by at least HALF, making a simplistic mess of the original, leaving out countless subplots & fascinating details, and severely slashing the scope of the story.And it's a wonderfully gripping story! Presenting it as an actual piece of stagecraft, rather than attempting a naturalistic film, was not only required for budgetary reasons, but actually enhances the telling of the story. As the story is about the cosmic play of life & death, the play format suits & enhances this aspect. No CGI needed, no over the top action sequences—what counts here is the emotional & philosophical impact. This adaptation delivers all of that intensity & more, showing how brilliant storytelling easily & deeply surpasses any mere special effects. A triumph all around & most highly recommended!