Peter Brook's the Mahabharata

As Vyasa (the storyteller) says at the beginning. "If you listen closely, at the end you'll be someone else." Shakespearean layer upon layer of meanings. Gives westerners a glimpse (sometimes shocking) into the different mindset of the East.

All our western ideas of 'good' and 'evil'; 'truth' and 'justice' are flipped on their heads.

And the acting... particularly Krishna,,, is subtle and sublime.

Rather than try to render the 'cast of millions' they strip it down to a minimalist production where only the barest essentials are there. This puts the acting on full display and these people, from around the world, do not disappoint.

Unforgettable. Unique. Incomparable.

This production of the epic Indian poem describes the war between the Pandava and Kaurava, opposing branches of the same family. The 5 brothers of the Pandava driven by light, the Kaurava driven by darkness, though they both exists somewhere in the grey area between good and evil. This enforces the point that they are one in the same. Before the final battle, Krishna shares with Arjuna the knowledge of the Bhagavad-Gita, the Hindu equivalent of the Bible. Brooks does a fantastic job - the minimalist sets focus the attention on the players, and the multinational cast make this production a lesson for all of humanity, not just Hindus. It is more in the style of a play than a movie, which makes it more enjoyable artistically. The 6 hour full-length version seems daunting, but it is all well worth it.

Brooks has done an amazing job of distilling the monumental indian epic into less than a 6 hour film. In the process, a lot of good stuff had to left out, but what remains is pure gold.

The style is spare and theatrical, with fairly minimal sets. Rather than detracting from the sense of immediacy, however, the lack of background serves to throw the characters into bolder relief. And what characters! Arjuna, Yudhisthira, Draupadi, Bhima, Krishna - marvelous characters all. And the 'bad guys' are nearly as good - flawed, but complex and even somewhat sympathetic. The minor characters too are arresting - bhishma and drona especially.

This movie translates the power of myth to the screen better than any other by far. Maybe when LotR is complete that will change, but for now Mahabharata reigns supreme.

I can't recall anything Peter Brook has done that wasn't at least worthwhile, and most of his oeuvre is far more than that--including his Mahabharata. To my great disappointment I never got to see the stage version, but did see the film, as presented on TV. It was cut down (!) to a mere 6 hours, and the only word for it is stunning. The international cast is as good as any ensemble I've seen: they're always right on target, never over the top, and I think I could watch the whole 6 hours without ever getting restless. I've read the Mahabharata in a very good American adaptation that trims the enormous length--15 times the length of the Old and New Testament combined!--to manageable size. While some fine material was necessarily excised from Brook and Carriere's version, the essence seems to be there. By turns, it is amusing, touching gripping, and always absorbing. I believe it is still available on videocassette and may well be on DVD as well. .I notice that, with only one exception, all the users who have written appreciations share my feelings, and I suspect that most others will feel the same way. I won't bother to mention individual performers or scenes; it's all of a piece and a great accomplishment. Next time I watch it will be my seventh or eighth time, and it won't have lost any of its appeal. This is a work of art to savor and treasure.

It's not just an "epic" or "fable". It is a unique and great work of art. It's a masterpiece for those who can understand the special and complex language of Brooks' narration. And this picture will especially interest those who love and understand modern theater (don't forget - it's not just a movie, it's a TV-version of a stage presentation). I saw it four times (all 5 and a half hours at once) and all the time I was literally mesmerized by the greatness of "Mahabharata".