avdvelden

Having read some of the previous reviews I notice this is a film which one either loves or hates and the Dutch are

really heartless creeps. One little horrible moviemagazine here rated this movie as the only one that "can be missed". It makes you cry even more than the movie itself. No, this movie made me cry more than any before (except

"The bridges of Madison County" and "Sophies choice", but these are not surprisingly also with Meryl Streep). The climax of the movie is a real tearjerker, but what's wrong with that? If movies are an indicator for the heartlessness in our present society (I think they are) then it is only VERY GOOD that these kind of movies are still being made.I cried my heart out and had the greatest time in a month or so. The story itself looks quite unbelievable.I myself would never have believed that this was a true story, if it weren't really true (a few years ago already a documentary was made about this, but this movie is better). This movie is a really redeeming one for music-lovers (REAL music, not popmusic) but also for people interested in racial matters. It's quite rare in movies to see black people being portrayed as really nice people ("Grand Canyon" is another such wonderful film in that respect). Meryl Streep should have won the Oscar again.Makes you realize once more what a totally overrated movie "American beauty" is. A really great but very surprising delight (I knew nothing about the story) was to see some of the greatest violinists of our time in this movie (Perlman and several others,see cast) playing as themselves. If ever there was a movie that makes you wish it lasted 5 hours it must be this one (but then there's always still the book). I cannot recommend any other movie more than this one!!

This movie on video interested me because it's shot in India, particularly Khajuraho and Jaipur, cities I will visit myself. It's a story about an American couple who have some Indian friends. The man is impotent but that doesn't bother his girlfriend even so very much. He goes to India to work at the famous erotic sculptures of Khajuraho.She goes with him.They meet a mysterious Indian lady (a role by a well-known Indian actress who played in "Little Buddha") who makes them acquainted with the Kama Sutra. This same actress is the main figure in a Kama Sutra story that is set 1000 years earlier. There she is a courtisane at the King's court. What this story of sex and broken vows has to do with the Kama Sutra does not become clear. There are some nude scenes, a total of 10 minutes of nudity (naked breasts of 4 women and only a few seconds full frontal nudity) but filmed in a highly esthetic way, that does not become vulgar. Nevertheless it's a disappointing film.It doesn't even show much of India or these temples in Khajuraho. It's not awfully boring but leaves you with a lot of questions.