Gandhi (Widescreen Two-Disc Collector’s Edition)

Tags: Ben Kingsley, Ben Kingsley Gandhi, Candice Bergen, Collector's, Diana Hawkins, Edition, Edward Fox, Free Winner, Gandhi, Geraldine James, John Gielgud, Martin Sheen, Mohandas K Gandhi, Nonviolent Resistance, Peaceful Existence, Richard Attenborough, Roshan Seth, Saeed Jaffrey, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Richard Attenborough, Stuart Craig, Tom Keogh, TwoDisc, Widescreen

A critical masterpiece, GANDHI is an intriguing tale about activism, politics, religious tolerance and freedom. But at the center of it all is an extraor- dinary man who fought for a nonviolent, peaceful existence, and set an entire nation free. Winner of 8 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director (Lord Richard Attenborough) and Best Actor (Sir Ben Kingsley), GANDHI’s highly acclaimed cast also includes Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, Sir John Gielgud, Roshan Seth and Martin Sheen.

The extras include more than 90 summary of new material, including interviews with director Lord Richard Attenborough; actors Geraldine James, Saeed Jaffrey, and Edward Fox; Diana Hawkins (Director of Publicity), Terry Clegg (Executive in payment of production), Billy Williams (Cinematographer) and Stuart Craig (Production Designer). The DVD includes a Director’s commentary with Attenborough, who also filmed a personal introduction to the film. The featurettes include In Search of Gandhi, Reflections on Ben, Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad, The Funeral, Shooting an Epic In India, Looking Back, Crafty Gandhi (3 mini featurettes) and From the Director’s Chair (2 mini featurettes). Sir Richard Attenborough’s 1982 multiple-Oscar winner (including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Ben Kingsley) is an engrossing, reverential look at the life of Mohandas K. Gandhi, who introduced the doctrine of nonviolent resistance to the colonized people of India and who ultimately gained the nation its independence. Kingsley is magnificent as Gandhi as he changes over the course of the three-hour film from an insignificant lawyer to an international leader and symbol. Strong on history (the historic division between India and Pakistan, still a huge problem today, can be seen in its formative stages here) as well as character and thoughts, this is a fine film. –Tom Keogh

Stills from Gandhi (click for larger image)