The Monks of La Grande Chartreuse
In this contemplative documentary from filmmaker Philip Gröning, the Grande Chartreuse monastery opens its doors to the public for the first time since being founded by St. Bruno in 1084 to offer an i... read more 
DVD Release Date: November 6, 2007
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Flixster Reviews (411)
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June 24, 2008[font=Century Gothic]"Into Great Silence" is a nearly wordless documentary about the Grande Chartreuse Monastery in France(Instead of talking heads, there are silent heads.) where monks go to be closer to god, away from secular influences and most material comforts.(The only elec... read more
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August 30, 2009I'm sure to many people this would have a great religious value, but I thought it was really boring. I just watched the whole thing on fast forward and I don't think I missed anything. I enjoyed watching the monks slide down snowy hills...that's about it.
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March 4, 2011I had to watch this for a theology class in high school. While the filming is great, watching the movie puts you to sleep. Silence is the key word.
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June 27, 2009At 2 hours and forty-two minutes this documentary, which unfolds in almost complete silence, takes a bit of mental endurance to sit through. I figured if people can live their whole life like this, I could give up a few hours. This doc about monks living in a French monestary rea... read more
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February 24, 2008Soley for the beautiful footage. It's a wonderful insight into this world. But just as the title states, silent! This would not be for everyone. You need a good attention span to watch and appreciate it. For the true documentary lover only.
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November 11, 2007That title ain't lyin'! I'd probably only recommend this to the hardcore documentary lover, but if you are of that stock you're really going to enjoy this. There is no narration, we don't really get to know the individual monks in the monastery, and as the title says, there's n... read more
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August 31, 2007Deeply meditative film that plunges us directly into monastic life. The natural lighting of the cinematography alone makes this a remarkable film.
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July 18, 2007A beautiful film...that takes a lot of patience to sit through and once you're there you want to see it through...I have a theory about 3 hour films that everyone raves about...Stockholm Syndrome...not that the film doesn't deserve the praise... it does...but just think about it.
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June 3, 2007I don't recommend this unless you are really into the art of cinema or photography. The frames, angles, lighting, set up's are brilliant, and although it really is THREE hours of GREAT SILENCE (sans a few prayers), after watching it I felt some sense of fulfillment. It really is... read more
Critic Reviews
May 4, 2007
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
March 29, 2007
Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune
[Some] viewers are likely to consider this nearly three-hour, nearly soundless documentary as a chance to catch up on their sleep. Full Review
March 29, 2007
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
As we vicariously participate in their daily rituals, we find ourselves at the ground level of spiritual worship. It's hard to recall a similar documentary that brings viewers so palpably close to tha... Full Review
March 29, 2007
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Into Great Silence is a film of great spiritual intensity and haunting minimalism that enlarges your concepts of movies and of life. Full Review
March 16, 2007
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Have I got a movie for you. Into Great Silence is a two-hour-and-40-minute documentary about monks, and it is one of the transporting film experiences of this or any other year. Full Review
March 16, 2007
Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
The silence captured in this documentary may be the most eloquent you'll ever hear. Full Review
March 8, 2007
Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times
Though it likely will not persuade people to join the ranks, experiencing life behind the walls has an undeniable effect. We've been allowed a glimpse of eternity. And who would not be changed by that? Full Review
March 7, 2007
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
For two hours and 42 minutes, Into Great Silence offers painterly images of an existence that is, almost literally, too reverent for words. Full Review
March 2, 2007
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Groning then moved into the isolated, centuries-old monastery and for six months, minus crew or artificial light, recorded the monks' daily routine. The result is the seductive documentary Into Great ... Full Review
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Into Great Silence
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