Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The movie is made so realistic it has a lot of that WoW feeling at the right moments and never tooo over the top. the suspense is done so well and the emotion is felt. Very well put together with the music and all.

I don't often review films but in this case I felt I had to balance the positives I see here. Yes, this is a fascinating portrait of the India of over 40 years ago. It has changed a lot since then, so it's valuable to have this social document. And it is true that Malle's identification of the dangers of globalization and Western values was prescient. BUT the film is also an unintended document of French leftist cultural arrogance, self- indulgence, and prejudices. This is not exactly a criticism - I was amused as often as irritated - but it was not what I expected from the reviews I read. The footage is often haunting and beautiful. But all the while Malle's deeply felt narration piously deplores: Indian poverty and backwardness, the depredations of economic growth, the oppression of the priests and other Brahmins, the "enslavement" of animals as labor (esp. elephants) the viciousness of British colonialism (as opposed to just any version; one assumes the French version was better as in all things) the infighting among otherwise brave and forward-thinking communists, and finally, the unwillingness of the peasantry to rise up in glorious armed revolution! I am not kidding, in episode 4 he literally laments the people's lack of violence. Again, documenting those views is no bad thing. He does make useful political observations that are at least as relevant today. And his narration of his personal journey and evolution, while it rings pretty self-indulgent, seems sincere. He does slowly shed some of his arrogant assumptions of superiority. But you need to be in the mood. I got tired of it by the end of the 1st disk, in spite of the many wonderful visuals.

I learned in many ways as much about Western prejudice and as I did about India, and Malle is quite aware of that in the film. He will often question his own views, even admit when he was wrong on a cation. He does not try to hide that he is a communist and it does not drag the film down (as it does in so many Godard films). Malle's narration was never pseudo intellectual and often startling honest. Phantom India is in seven parts and they are very different. The first is philosophical about the limits of the camera and the documentary. It sets the rules for the future. They are not going to work with a script, they are just going to film what happens, each day and they are not going to talk to the intellectuals of India, but focus rather on the general population (they break that rule again and again). The second one is the most poetic one. They visit a school of traditional religious dancers and they are so fascinated by it that they are stuck there almost the whole episode. And I understand them perfectly. It was hard to take ones eye of the dancers. The third episode is mostly about the Hindu religion. Malle has problems with a lot of what he sees here. This is probably the weakest episode in the series, dragged down by his own intolerance toward religion (even though he does have many valid points). The first part of the fourth episode is probably the most beautiful of the series. Malle and his crew (of two) kind of loose them self in India. They forget to film and stop seeing the point in doing it, only occasionally taking up the camera when they remember that they are there to work. Malle's narration is like a poem. The second part of the episode is more political and lays the ground for the fifth episode, which is about the caste system. Malle does not try to hide his distaste for the caste system and attracts it fiercely, but still he does not loose sight of the fact that he is making a documentary, not propaganda, and he give us very interesting information about the diversity within the caste system. The sixth episode is the most structured one. Here one feels like Malle had a script, or at least wrote a script, based on the material he had filmed. I personally thought this was the most interesting episode. It is about small communities which are on the fringes of Indian society, starting with the Bonda people (wild, ancient tribal people) and then visiting a dying Jewish community, catholic Indians, a rich ashram community and the Toda tribe (which counted only 800 people when the film was made). Malle thinks the Toda tribe is the most ideal of these communities. I can see how it would appeal to a leftist hippie, with their free love and no name for sex but I have my doubts.The seventh episode mainly focuses on Bombay and you really get the feeling how different Bombay is from the rest of India. It is like stepping into another world. Malle hints that Bombay is the sign of what will come to India (even though he hopes for a communist revolution) and if so then India and the world will loose a lot. I have never been to India so I can not verify if this is an honest depiction of the country and I even don't know if it is possible to make a honest documentary. It did anger many Indians, who thought Malle focused to much on the poverty of the country, but such things are always going to be sensitive. What I do know is that Phantom India touched me deeply, both as a lover of films and of different cultures. This is a landmark documentary which should not be missed.

I saw this in a theater on first release. Thirty years later I still remember how overwhelming this film can be for those of us not lucky enough to have been to India.It would be great to see again, though, it's not readily available as a rental. A good investment nonetheless and I look forward to seeing this again...all 7 hours or so.Students of yoga and, specifically B.K.S. Iyengar, can see Mr. Iyengar in the film. I wasn't studying yoga when I first saw this so I can't actually recall anything about him. I've seen some comments through the years about how patrician Mr. Iyengar comes off in the film and, I would welcome the chance to see this again.The complexity of religion, huge population and great physical expanse of India will take you away, often, in 'Phantom'.And, yes, some people do live in trees.Wild stuff.

In today's fast-paced world, not often one can sit for six hours to watch a film documentary. However, you will not be disappointed viewing this masterpiece.I agree with the previous person's comments & highly recommend this classic. It is hardly ever shown. I managed to see it at the art institute over 10 years ago and am hoping to see it again. I hope there is still a good print in existence. Release it on DVD, please!At last Criterion is releasing a DVD on 4/24/07. I just got a newsletter from Criterion and it is part of their "Eclipse" series.