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TOP LAND ''Himalaya'''s Karma Wangiel and Karma Tensing Nyima Lama
Credits
Limited Release: Mar 30, 2001; Rated: Unrated; Length: 104 Minutes; Genres: Drama, Foreign Language; With: Gurgon Kyap and Thilen Lhondup
B-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum is a film critic for EW
In Himalaya, a village leader dies in an accident while on a trading expedition in the harsh mountains of Nepal, and a struggle ensues not only over who should succeed him, but also over how modern practicality can coexist with ancient culture. As a heroic fable, the story itself is unexceptional; Disney would title it ''The Yak King.''
As a travelogue, however, this peaceful film by French director Eric Valli, nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 1999, is pretty in a respectful, National Geographic sort of way, tuneful with a pasteurized world beat, and momentarily even a true cliff hanger: In an attempt to save time while leading a yak caravan, the dead man's stubborn old father chooses a terrifyingly narrow mountain path on which one wrong step would mean a plunge to death. No body doubles were employed.
Posted Jul 13, 2001
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