Seven Years in Tibet (1997)

My Review

“Seven Years in Tibet” is a biographical World War II drama about an Austrian mountain climber and his experiences in Tibet from 1944 to 1951. He forms an friendship with the teenage 14th Dalai Lama as he serves as his tudor. Director Jean-Jacques Annaud instilled outstanding production values, and managed the excellent chemistry between Brad Pitt and Bhutanese actor Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuc. They bring to life the screenplay by Becky Johnston, adapted from the 1952 autobiography of the same name by Heinrich Harrer.

The supporting cast includes David Thewlis, B. D. Wong, Mako, Jetsun Pema, Danny Denzongpa, Ric Young, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, and Sonam Wangchuk as the 8-year-old Dalai Lama and Dorjee Tsering as the 4-year-old Dalai Lama. Robert Fraisse was in charge of the beautiful cinematography filmed in Argentina, Canada, Austria, Nepal, and Tibet. John Williams composed the beautiful musical score, for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award.

“Seven Years in Tibet” was a modest success at the box office for TriStar Pictures, Mandalay Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Releasing.