'Gandhi' Makes DVD Debut

There's a poignant line in the 1982 Oscar-winning film "Gandhi" when title character Ben Kingsley, regarding revenge for what is being done to people of India, intones, "An eye for an eye ends up making the whole world blind."

Thankfully, the cinematographer of the film, Billy Williams, found peace in Gandhi's words, and within the clarity of his own vision, helped create one of the most inspirational films of the last 20 years.

Just released for the first time on DVD, the film tells the life story of the late Indian spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi, and how he brought his people to freedom. Defined by sweeping shots involving thousands of actors, yet capturing an incredible amount of subtlety in the Oscar-winning performance of Kingsley, the film defines the term "epic" in the grandest sense of the word.

"One might describe it as an 'intimate epic,' but ultimately it is about the man -- that's the main theme of the movie," Williams told me in a recent interview. "But, it's also about his environment and the scale of India and the millions of people that he cared deeply for, and his long struggle for independence."

Among the 8 Oscars the film won was one for the cinematography work of Williams and Ronnie Taylor. Richard Attenborough was also honored with a best director statuette, a fitting finishing to a labor of love that lasted nearly two decades.

"I never worked with a director as committed as Richard Attenborough was to this project," Williams, who was nominated for his work on "On Golden Pond" while working on "Gandhi". "It took him 18 years since he first had the notion to put a film together about Gandhi. And once it happened, he set a pace that we all had to keep up with. That was terrific, because it was a film of such complexity and huge organization."

That organization, of course, included the vast number of actors involved. But no matter the number, the film's success really hinged on the performance of Kingsley, a stage actor whose only prior feature film credit came in an obscure 1972 crime thriller, "Fear is the Key."

Despite the lack of film experience, there was no fear in the heart of Kingsley when it came to the interpretation of Gandhi, Williams says. Having recalled his flight to the film's location in India with Kingsley, Williams said it was a different story once the actor came onto the set: Once Kingsley became Gandhi, he stayed Gandhi.

"He really immersed himself in that part," recalls Williams. "For instance, when he played Gandhi as an old man, he would come on the set looking very frail and weak. And after we would rehearse the scene I would ask him if he needed time to sit down and relax while I got the lighting and cameras ready. He would then smile at me and nod his head, and then I realized that he was 37.

"But for the whole time he was on set, he was in character until the day was finished. It was complete concentration on his part. It took great conviction. I knew that it was going to be acknowledged as a great performance when we shot it."

That's why Williams eyed a pivotal sequence with Kingsley as the one that moved him the most during filming.

"There are wonderfully spectacular scenes with thousands and thousands of people, but I think one of the most moving scenes for me is when Gandhi's wife dies," says Williams. "You could feel the sadness that must have come over the man."

The Camera Never Lies

By today's cinematic standards, "Gandhi" is somewhat an oddity. Specifically from the point of view of a cinematographer, real people for the crowd shots of thousands have long since been replaced by computer-generated images.

As a result, "Gandhi" stands as one of the last epics to be shot on such a grand-scale. It's cinematography in the purest sense of the word.

Therefore, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Williams doesn't mince words when it comes down to his choice today of what works best to shoot a scene that requires thousands of people.

"What I've seen so far with computer-generated imaging which tries to create crowd scenes on that scale is that it entirely doesn't work. It sort of half-works," Williams says. "I suppose it works for a lot of people out there in the audience, but I think it depends on how observant you are and what your knowledge is. I find it looks a bit false."

Also New On DVD: Forrest Gump

Stupid is as stupid does, but that is definitely not the case with the "Forrest Gump" on DVD, the long-anticipated release of the 1994 Robert Zemeckis/Tom Hanks multi-Oscar winner.

Critics be damned, the tenderhearted story and the astoundingly subtle visual effects of this movie would make the disc worth the purchase price alone. But as an added bonus, the film has been released with a second disc exclusively dedicated to the magic behind the magical movie, which doesn't disappoint.

While the behind-the-scenes documentary is obviously dated (it is compiled of on-set interviews during the production, rather than a retrospective of the film by the stars and filmmakers), it's still a welcome addition to the package.

But there are new productions, too, which key in on the special effects behind the movie. Vignettes on the sound design and make-up are interesting enough, but are not nearly as fascinating as the visual effects vignettes hosted by "Gump" visual effects maestro Ken Ralston (part of the ILM team responsible for "Star Wars").

Of everything featured, the biggest jaw dropper remains the removal of Gary Sinese's legs, although Gump's encounters with political luminaries are hardly anything to sneeze at.

Also fun is the inclusion of three screen tests, by Robin Wright Penn and the three young principals involved in the production. And while it's amazing that Penn was required to screen test in the first place, it's wonderful to see a talented actor rising to the occasion while put on the spot. Hanks is also playfully fun to watch working with a very young (and barely recognizable) Haley Joel Osment.