Worsts and Bests
Sunday December 28, 2008
Via the Rev. Danny Fisher, elephant journal has a list of the Ten Worst Buddhist Movie Characters.
The list includes The Monk With No Name (Chow Yun-Fat) in Bulletproof Monk -- I love Chow Yun-Fat, but yeah, that was a dumb character -- and Ace Ventura (Jim Carrey) in Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, which I admit I never watched. Ace is Buddhist?
How about Best Buddhist Characters? Per the "worst list" rules, these have to be "movie characters who identify as Buddhist—not the Buddhish ones, like The Matrix’s Neo or Groundhog Day’s Phil Connors, but the ones who actually wear the mantle of the three jewels." And since the "worst" list include The Sopranos, I'd like to broaden it to television series.
Are there any characters you can think of that truly represent Buddhism in a way that doesn't ever make you wince? Even a little?
Comments
Chow Yun Fat from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon comes to mind…except for that little precept about killing.
I would suggest the Dalai Lama in the movies Kundun and Seven Years in Tibet, but these are based on an actual person rather than a fictional Buddhist character.
Also the character of the Master? in the movie Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter…and Spring really personifies the character of a Buddhist in a respectable way.
Hi Barbara,
Another one that comes to mind is the senior Teacher in “Why Has Bodhidharma Left For The East?”
Master Oogway from Kung Fu Panda
Perhaps Tashi (Shawn Ku) from the movie “Samsara”.
Master Yoda of Star Wars
I think Takuan Soho in the Samurai Trilogy with Toshiro Mifune was great. Again, based on a real person though.
Seibei, the lead character in _The Twilight Samurai_ (2002). In the movie, he is definitely struggling with that sticky no-killing precept, and I seem to recall him reciting the Heart Sutra in one scene…?
I want to second the nomination for Yoda, too. I’ve heard that he’s physically based on Joshi Sasaki Roshi (who is now 101 years old!) I also recall reading that some folks were disturbed because some of Yoda’s comments in _Empire Strikes Back_ were based on “Buddhist philosophies.” (Those folks forbade their children from seeing the movie. It’s always been my favorite.
Oh! I forgot you included TV! My very favorite is Lisa Simpson. The episode where she converts to Buddhism was very well-done: Touching, funny, and even lightly educational for non-Buddhists. Richard Gere guest-stars.
Lisa Simpson would definitely be at or near the top of my “best” list. : )
good buddhists on tv? here’s one, but you might not see it- Cesaer Milan, the Dog Whisperer.
sounds lame, but watching this show has taught me as much about the Dharma as any Sutra ever has.
What do you think?
What about Nick Nolte’s character in the movie “Peaceful Warrior” based on a true story
I totally agree with Sandythehippy about Cesar Milan. I have no idea what religion he ascribes to but what an amazing Dhamma-teacher-in-disguise he is!
I’ll have to put on my thinking cap to come up with a true answer though, an answer according to the criteria.
BEST!
A film by Jurosawa called Dod dod Ka den (iffy spelling, sory). Not only the main character, a yound ausistic boy who decorates his home with streetcar darawings, but also runs an imaginary streetcar route through his village, and his neighbours…including a blind man who washes and hangs colourful scarves on the washline, a dying child and delerious father who live in the shell of a car…and the father pictures and describes a radiant and peaceful palace for the child…etc.
It is actually a post apocalyptic film…after Hiroshima. Kurosawa won a lifetime acheivement award at the oscars.
test
Master Yoda and any of the Jedi, Willy Wonka (any Raold Dahl hero), Dustin Hoffman in anything, Lisa Simpson (agreed) and Rosanne’s daughter Diane, Barney Rubble.