Product Description

Wheel of Time is acclaimed filmmaker Werner Herzog's (Grizzly Man, Aguirre: The Wrath of God, Fitzcarraldo) gorgeously photographed look at the largest Buddhist ritual in Bodh Gaya, India. It is said that Buddha found enlightenment under a tree in Bodh Gaya and today, Buddhist monks are ordained in this holy place. Herzog magically captures the lengthy pilgrimage (which for some, is over 3,000 miles), the monk's creation of the beautiful and intricate sand mandala (the wheel of time) along with many secret rituals that have never been seen before on film. He delivers a personal and introspective look at what Buddhism really means to its most ardent followers, as well as giving outsiders an intimate look into a fascinating way of life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31850 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-10-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
• Original language: English, German, Tibetan
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 80 minutes

Amazon.com
As filmmaker and cultural anthropologist, Werner Herzog brings his unique powers of observation to Buddhist rituals in Wheel of Time. The documentary's title refers to the central symbol that forms the physical and spiritual hub of an intricately detailed sand mandala that is the centerpiece of the Kalachakra initiation, a Buddhist ceremony that attracts several hundred thousand monks and pilgrims to Bodh Gaya, India (the original site of the Buddha's enlightenment) in 2002. Through well-chosen images and his own sparse but effective narration, Herzog chronicles this spiritual conclave, incorporating brief interview clips with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, a lively debate between high-level monks at the gathering, an interview with a Tibetan political prisoner who'd spent 37 years in jail, and a visit to the sacred Mount Kailash in Tibet, where the faithful endure a high-altitude 52-kilometer trek to worship on holy ground. Having recovered from illness that prevented his full participation in the Bodh Gaya ceremony, the Dalai Lama appears at another Buddhist ceremony in Graz, Austria, where another sand mandala symbolizes the deep significance of Buddhist inner peace. Herzog's fascination with these rituals is infectious, and with a powerful soundtrack of Tibetan music and Buddhist monks' chanting, Wheel of Time achieves its own quiet quality of grace. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Interesting
As many other Herzog's films, the WOT looks deceptively content less, with a narrative that is descriptive in the simplest possible way, but never explanatory - nor (and that is fascinating in itself) comprehending of what it sees. The narrator knows that he is nothing but a mendicant observer yet somewhere deep inside one can sense his awareness of the privilege inherent in witnessing scenes of great power, profoundness, depth as well as simplicity.

This is not a "movie" as much as a random yet exquisitely arranged collection of scintillating time points.It takes a bit of a mental switch to notice the colors, the sparse beauty of images - of the lake, the mountain, the people, the fluttering butter lamps, the birds about to be released into freedom, the inner beauty of the man imprisoned for 37 years by Chinee occupators for having shouted "Free Tibet"....

To me, WOT shows the awe-inspiring sincerity of Tibetan Buddhist beliefs and the beauty of the people who espouse them. Every single face, no matter how weather-beaten, old, ragged - was filled with an immense beauty that reflects a deep connection to earth and spirit. With real life, life that I could feel for hours after I switched off the TV set. In other words, this is work made by a master film-maker.

I must say that the camera often feels irritatingly intrusive as it forces itself into faces of simple nomads and pilgrims - that alone, this Teutonic lack of tact, often made me cringe. The illiterate Tibetan peasants seemed so much more civilized, and certainly more sensitive, than the meddling and clueless camera people.

It did make me happy, though, just to watch those faces.

Free Tibet!

Stunningly Filmed
This is a stunning film with unadorned footage of Buddhist monks ... the film speaks for itself and cinematography is of the best quality.

Amateurish documentary, but interesting
First of all, this is one of the poorest, most amateurish documentaries I have ever seen made by a so called "professional" film maker.

Why would you choose someone without a command of the English language to narrate in English? Sometimes it is difficult to understand what he is saying. Ridiculous!

Then, when there should be narration, there is none, so you have no idea what is going on or why.

Then, too, it is shot like a home movie, with bad camera work at times and bad editing.

That said, I still rated it 3 stars just because it offers a glimpse into a massive gathering of Buddhists on the planet, presided over by the Dalai Lama. So if you like to be a fly on the wall, if you are a "people watcher", you will find this interesting. And we do get some good interviews with people who, for example, travel on foot 3000 miles, prostrating themselves to the Buddha every few feet along the way until they get sores on their hands and feet and forehead from bowing down to the ground so many times. And we see many others walking along in the same manner, coming from many miles away.

I am a student of Buddhism and practice Buddhist meditation, and I would like to point out that this documentary depicts TIBETAN Buddhism. While this is a major form of Buddhism it is not the ONLY Buddhism, and in fact, in my humble opinion it is not what was originally taught by the Buddha. Tibetan Buddhism to me seems to be filled with superstition and ritual, 2 things the Buddha actually warned against.

That said, this is an interesting movie if you have an interest in Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism. But you have to bring your own enthusiam to the movie because the director, Herzog, brought little to the table.