Amazon.com
A well-intentioned but rough-cut lesser cousin to such eye- candy films as
Koyaanisqatsi and
Baraka,
Himalayan Dreaming serves as part adventure travelogue, part New Age meditation, part homespun psychedelia. Images of majestic Himalayan landscapes, from breathtaking peaks to gurgling rivers to delicate wildflowers, fade from one idyllic scene to the next, accompanied by reefer-friendly video effects and a mesmerizing, didgeridoo-rich soundtrack. A yogic chime gently introduces a theme for each video montage: Earth, Contentment, Strength, Heart, Insight--you get the idea. For all the rich scenery, though, the film's best footage is of Himalayan natives, at work with primitive tools, playing with their children, and taking part in religious ceremonies.
Chronos it ain't, but not a bad way to while away an hour.
--Paul Hughes
