Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22991 in DVD
• Formats: Black & White, Full Screen, Subtitled, Special Edition, NTSC
• Subtitled in: English, Korean
• Number of discs: 3
• Running time: 323 minutes

Customer Reviews

A Real Reason to Love Film
I saw the first film in the trilogy in my early twenties, and I've returned to the films again and again, never tiring of their truths and beauties. The story of how much Ray had to go through to finish the first film is a drama in itself--after mortgaging his house, exhausting his savings, the local government came to his rescue. His many fine films were never popular with large audiences and if you are not into masterpieces, or world cinema, this isn't for you. What makes this film so great? The story of a young Indian writer is taken through three stages--his childhood in a small village, his adolescence when the family moves to the city, and his adventures as a young writer independent from his family. It's the film's uncanny grip on humanity, the perfect casting, the moments of beauty and joy caught in ordinary life, and its visual integrity that make it so rare. Everyone has their own favorite images. Mine are the children discovering a train for the first time,the wedding party where the groom is discovered to be mad, the boy riding on his father's shoulders, the pages of the hero's novel showering down a hillside. Those images just touch the surface. In a recent showing to high school students, the third film, The World of Apu,left them in real tears--many were astounded that a film could leave them so moved. The films stand by themselves, but if you have the time, they are best seen in sequence. If you only have time with one, I would recommend The World of Apu because of its faster pace. The films move slowly, especially the first, Pather Pachali, so you'll need some patience.
There is no better portrait of rural Indian life to be found.

perhaps my favorite film
The Apu Trilogy is a miracle of grace, light, mystery, and humanity. If you love "Bicycle Thieves," "Rules of the Game," "Wild Strawberries," "Ikiru," or just plain life, this film is for you.

Excellent CD Edition
After years of watching the APU trilogy on bad prints or wretched VHS tapes with undecipherable subtitles, this incarnation is a tremendous improvement. (Moreover, do not be concerned that these discs are not the right "region" for playing in the U.S.) As for the films themselves, they are magnificent creations worthy to take their place alongside the best films of Renoir, Carne and Visconti. Each film in the series is better than the last and each is replete with the truth and humanity of the greatest art. Here are some of the most emotionally charged and touching moments in the history of film. The window they provide on mid-20th century India is also invaluable.