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| The Far Pavilions | 
 enlarge | Director: Peter Duffell
Actors: Ben Cross, Amy Irving, Christopher Lee, Benedict Taylor, Rossano Brazzi
Studio: Acorn Media
Category: DVD
List Price: $24.99
Buy New: $12.31
You Save: $12.68 (51%)
New (37) Used (10) from $12.31
Avg. Customer Rating:  39 reviews
Sales Rank: 7964
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 303
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: D427499D
UPC: 054961427499
EAN: 0054961427499
ASIN: B00004WC7Y
Theatrical Release Date: April 22, 1984
Release Date: September 12, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW AND FACTORY SEALED
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Amazon.com
The first happy day in the adult life of Anjuli (Amy Irving) is the day her husband's body is set on fire. Her rich and powerful husband, the Rana of Bhitor (Rossano Brazzi), is ritually immolated in a lavish ceremony where his other wife, Anjuli's half sister, is expected to commit ritual suttee. Only after she is released from her marriage is Anjuli free to follow her heart. Based on M.M. Kaye's beloved novel, The Far Pavilions tells the haunting love story of Anjuli and Ash (Ben Cross) against the spectacular backdrop of mid-19th-century colonial India, replete with accurate historical and cultural details. Full of battle, treachery, intrigue, passion, and prejudice, the film brims with stunning sights, from the peaks of the Himalayas to the famed palaces of Bhitor, remarkable battle scenes, and royal pageantry, including a lavish, several-day-long traditional Hindu wedding where the groom enters on an elephant. The all-star cast, including Omar Sharif, Sir John Gielgud, and Rupert Everett, truly brings the novel to life. This two-DVD set includes interactive menus, a scene index, production notes, and a Kaye biography and book list. Originally released for television in 1984, The Far Pavilions has inspired viewers to travel to India, plus it has been included in numerous university courses because of its postcolonial and multicultural themes. This film will appeal to viewers interested in postcolonialism or Indian history and culture as well as anyone who loves a good romance. --Tara Chace
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| Customer Reviews: Read 34 more reviews...
 Review of Far Pavilions September 30, 2008
For those who appreciate British history in India, forbidden romance and swashbuckling conquest; if you could watch a 5 hour movie, then this is for you. You will find diverse characters, sumptuous costumes, fabulous horse flesh and parade dressed elephants in an exotic countryside of castles , palaces and battlefields. It is just possible to suspend disbelief in the elaborateness of the plot though the character of the leading man pales in quality compared to the lead women.
The history buff and romance novelist will regale; others may be daunted. Makes a good two or three night watch.
The Far pavilions Dvd July 31, 2008
I was kind of disappointed by the movie version of book It didnt bring the magic I felt while reading the novel
 Not as good as I remembered July 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
When I first saw this adaptation for TV in the 1980s, I thought it was a fantastic recreation of M M Kaye's epic story of Anjuli and Ash which I had read some years previously. However, having recently reread the book, and followed it up with this DVD, I have to admit that this time round it fell well short of my expectations.
My first gripe is that the story has been changed quite a lot, so that first quarter of the book, dealing with Ash's early life, is covered in the opening credits plus a couple of flashbacks. Additionally, instead of keeping his background quiet, Ash now spouts off about it to virtually everyone he meets, which changes his character somewhat. And thirdly, the book has the Afghan war as the final scene, whereas this film uses the rescue of Anjuli from Bithor. Whilst I understand these changes are probably for the purposes of pace and dramatic effect, for me they spoilt my enjoyment of the film, since the gradual alienation of Ash from the British, Hindu and finally the Moslem communities is not fully explained, and the aftermath of Anjuli's rescue is glossed over as she and Ash ride off into the sunset.
The film is split up into a number of episodes, but after I'd watched the lengthy opening credits for the third time, I began to wish that, before converting it to DVD, it had been edited into a continuous whole. I also felt rather let down by the casting of the film. For my money, Ben Cross was just too short, and Amy Irving (Anjuli) looked as if her face had been covered in plaster of Paris, since her expression hardly ever changed. The child actors were also a bit wooden. However, the Indian cast were mostly fantastic, and the scenes of India, and particularly the bridal cortege, were great. The latter, in particular, combined just the right amount of gaudy splendour with noise and chaos.
Overall I felt this wasn't a terrible adaptation of the book, just not as good as I remembered, though my view of it probably suffered because I had read the book again so recently.
The Far Pavillions June 7, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I had a VHS copy of this movie which quickly got stretched out (even though the movie was split into two tapes). I'm very happy with this DVD. The quality is very good. There are a couple of blips, but nothing to complain about. It's a Great Movie!!!
The Far Pavilions May 8, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Was thrilled to find this now on DVD. It is a wonderful story, set in a beautiful country and the usual excellent service from Amazon
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