Into Great Silence (2005)

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Was a former postulant monk in a Benedictine community and, while the life was not for me, have been fascinated by all things monastic ever since. Saw this advertised somewhere a couple of years ago, wrote down the title - and finally got around to getting the DVD. After the first five or ten minutes - you start wondering if the sound is broken on the TV, until it dawns on you that you are entering into The Great Silence. I was deeply moved by the brothers, old, young and in between who participated in this film. For someone who wants to get an experiential sense of monastic spirituality, in its most ancient form - this film is a wonderful opportunity. How amazing to convey so much, with almost no words. A Beautiful film.

Granted this is a interesting film with visually beautiful scenery of the monastery and surrounding french alps, but the lack of sound is almost deafening. This film directed towards either the devout or the extreme documentary attendee. I lasted 2 hours before I had seen enough. It's clear I'll never be a monk.Those of you considering this film, be prepared for long, again silent, takes where scenes of the monks praying or reflecting is common.I think the film would have been more successful with me had it been 110 minutes in length.On a self-conscious note: Never was eating popcorn or sipping from a water bottle louder.

My wife and I had our first Sundance Cinema experience this week with a showing of Die Grosse Stille. The theater (brand new) is equipped with unbelievably comfortable chairs (not seats) that support the body with wonderful and relaxing ease. The film was, undoubtedly, our finest cinema experience ever. The almost three hour running time seem to slip by totally unnoticed as we were immersed in the lives of the Carthusian monks. Unfortunately for movie attendees in Madison (WI), this film played only one week and was gone. At our showing there were 12 persons in the theater; all were completely quiet and no outside sounds were heard. The best atmosphere to view this film. It was simply superb...all aspects of the monastery life were there for us to share. We will eagerly look forward to the DVD (US version) when it comes out later this year. Definitely not a movie for everyone but for those in the right frame of mind, a must see!!

I saw "Into Great Silence" the other day. I was frustrated, in no small measure by its length. (DVT is a worrisome byproduct.) OK, to the degree that the film provoked me to think and question and puzzle about my frustration and the silent life of these monks, it succeeded. But, I'm not convinced it's an important contribution to any deeper understanding of the solitude and great silence that is the life force of Grande Chartreuse. And that, I feel, is a failing.On reflection, solitude is what this "meditation" is attempting to get at. Yes, silence is key to solitude. But the title of the film misleads. And because there is no attempt to explain the Carthusian vocation/way of life, viewers are left to learn this on their own. In the end, the film short-changes viewers … and the monks. It's way too personal to have the impact that the filmmaker apparently intended. Understanding monastic life, especially early in the 21st century, would be a welcome antidote to the barrage of messages, sounds, and images that assault us daily. But this film misses the mark. So, I'm not ungrateful … just disappointed.